Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Garbett, Edward
GARBETT, EDWARD (1817–1887), divine, was born at Hereford on 10 Dec. 1817, being the sixth son of the Rev. James Garbett (1775–1857), custos and prebendary of the cathedral. He was educated at Hereford College, whence he proceeded to Brasenose College, Oxford (19 May 1837). He proceeded B.A. in 1841, coming out with second-class honours ‘in litt. human.,’ and M.A. in 1847. In early years he had wished to be a doctor, but afterwards showed a decided preference for the work of the ministry. Garbett was accordingly ordained deacon by the Bishop of Hereford in 1841 and licensed to the curacy of Upton Bishop, of which his father was then vicar. In the following year he removed to Birmingham as curate of St. George's, under his cousin, the Rev. John Garbett. At Birmingham he obtained his first preferment, the vicarage of St. Stephen's. An opportunity of removing to London was accepted, and in 1854 Garbett became perpetual curate of St. Bartholomew's, Gray's Inn Road. He had already shown some capacity for journalistic work, and was in the same year appointed to the editorship of the ‘Record,’ a position he filled with marked ability until his resignation in 1867. During this period there were few subjects of ecclesiastical importance upon which he did not write with force and discernment. He was for some time also editor of the ‘Christian Advocate.’ But journalism did not disqualify him for successful work either in the pulpit or the parish. In 1860 he accepted the Boyle lectureship on the nomination of Bishop Tait, and in 1861 was appointed a select preacher at Oxford. In 1863 came a removal to the living of Christ Church, Surbiton, and in 1867 his appointment as Bampton lecturer at Oxford. In the same year he resigned the editorship of the ‘Record,’ but continued for some time to write with more or less regularity in its columns. In 1875 Garbett was appointed an honorary canon of Winchester, and in 1877 he accepted from the lord chancellor the living of Barcombe, Lewes. He had previously declined invitations to succeed Dr. Miller at St. Martin's, Birmingham, and to fill the fashionable pulpit of St. Paul's, Onslow Square, London. During the earlier gatherings of the Church Congress Garbett's aid was often asked. He read a paper at York in 1866, and again at the meetings of 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, and 1879. Garbett's health was much broken by his work at Barcombe, and on 11 Oct. 1886 he was stricken with paralysis. He never recovered, but the end was deferred until 11 Oct. 1887. In his ecclesiastical views Garbett moved with the evangelical party, whose cause he championed with unfailing vigour. A clever but candid controversialist, widely esteemed in his own circle, he was one of the many men whose friends have anticipated for them honours they never attained.
His works were: 1. ‘The Soul's Life,’ 1852. 2. ‘Sermons for Children,’ 1854. 3. ‘The Bible and its Critics’ (Boyle Lectures), 1860. 4. ‘The Divine Plan of Revelation’ (Boyle Lectures), 1863. 5. ‘The Family of God,’ 1863. 6. ‘God's Word Written,’ 1864. 7. ‘Religion in Daily Life,’ 1865. 8. ‘Dogmatic Truth’ (Bampton Lectures), 1867. 9. ‘Obligations of Truth,’ 1874.
[Record, 14 and 21 Oct. 1887; Foster's Alumni Oxon. ii. 506; information supplied by Mrs. Garbett.]Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.131
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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