ing college he acted for three years as classical assistant in the school of his uncles, G. and R. Gregory, at Lower Edmonton. In June 1809 he attracted some notice at the annual association of general baptist churches held at Quorndon, Leicestershire, by urging the formation of a baptist missionary society. In 1810 he accepted the pastorate of the Baptist church, Brook Street, Derby, and, to supplement his income, kept a boarding-school for a few years. A new chapel was opened in April 1815 three times as large as the first; in four years it was enlarged; and in 1842 it was wholly rebuilt on a new site.
In the early days of his pastorate a native missionary at Serampore had been supported by Pike's church. At the annual association at Boston, Lincolnshire, in June 1816, his earlier proposal was accepted, and the General Baptist Missionary Society formed. He was appointed first secretary, and issued a small pamphlet on missions on behalf of the committee. In 1819 he undertook a preaching tour in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, to excite a missionary spirit, and undertook the training of young missionaries in his family. From January 1822 he was editor of the ‘Missionary Observer,’ which was appended to ‘The General Baptist Repository.’ He died suddenly at Derby on 4 Sept. 1854. By his wife Sarah (d. 1848), daughter of James Sandars of Derby, whom he married on 22 June 1811, Pike had four sons—all of whom became baptist ministers—and two daughters.
Pike showed some independence of thought amid many strongly marked prejudices. He opposed catholic emancipation. His religious books and tracts had a wide circulation here and in America. It was estimated that over six hundred thousand copies of his works were circulated in America, and at least eight hundred thousand at home. The copyrights of the most popular he presented to the Religious Tract Society and American Tract Society in 1847. The chief were:
- ‘A Catechism of Scriptural Instruction for Young Persons,’ 1816.
- ‘The Consolations of Gospel Truth,’ London, 1817; 2nd edit. Derby, 1818; vol. ii. Derby, 1820; a selection entitled ‘True Happiness’ was issued at Derby and London, 1822 and 1830, 32mo.
- ‘Persuasives to Early Piety,’ Derby, 1819; London and Derby, 1821 and 1830; also by the Religious Tract Society, London, no date, and the American Tract Society, New York, no date. An abridgment was published at Derby in 1837, and a French translation by the Toulouse Book Society in 1841. This was Pike's most popular work. ‘A Guide for Young Disciples of the Holy Saviour,’ 1823, was a sequel.
- ‘Swedenborgianism depicted,’ 1820; answered by the Swedenborgian Robert Hindmarsh [q. v.]
- ‘Religion and Eternal Life,’ Derby and London, 1834; by the American Tract Society, New York, 1835.
- ‘Christian Liberality in the Distribution of Property,’ Religious Tract Society, London, 1836.
‘A Memoir and Remains,’ with portrait, of Pike was edited by his sons, John Baxter and James Carey Pike, London, 1855, 8vo. ‘Sermons and Sketches,’ with short memoir abridged from the former, was published in London in 1861, 16mo; and in 1862 and 1863 a complete edition of his works, with biographical sketch, was published in parts.
[Memoir and Remains above mentioned; General Baptist Magazine; Repository and Missionary Observer, 1854, pp. 463–8; Amos Sutton's Mission to Orissa, 1833, pp. vii. 1–10. For John Baxter Pike see Young's Annals of Agriculture, ii. 230; Lysons's Environs of London, ii. 251; Reuss's Alphabetical Register; Biogr. Dict. of Living Authors, 1816; Monthly Magazine, 1800–1810, passim.]
PIKE or PEAKE, RICHARD (fl. 1625), adventurer, born at Tavistock, Devonshire, took part as a common soldier in the attack on Algiers which was made by a force under the command of Sir Robert Mansell in the winter of 1620–1. After some leisure at home, Pike in the autumn of 1625 joined as a volunteer the expedition to Cadiz, and, sailing in the Convertine with Captain Thomas Portar, arrived at Cadiz on 22 Oct. 1625. After taking part in the capture of the fort of Puntal, at the entrance to the harbour, he sallied out into the neighbouring country, unaccompanied, to gather oranges, and was made prisoner, after a smart encounter with fourteen Spanish musketeers. The Earl of Essex, the vice-admiral, learning of the mishap, vainly offered to ransom him; and the English fleet sailed away on the 27th without him. Pike was sent to Xerez, and was brought before the Duke of Medina-Sidonia and other Spanish dignitaries, who closely examined him as to the equipment and future intentions of the English ships. Angered by his questioners' importunity, he accepted an offer which they mockingly made him to fight a Spanish champion in a hand-to-hand combat with rapier and poniards. Pike easily disarmed his opponent. Thereupon, armed with a quarter-staff, which he described as his national weapon, he gave battle to three Spaniards armed with rapiers and poniards. He killed one of his foes and disarmed the other two. His judges were so much impressed by his prowess that they gave
