author
John Cumming
1807–1881
A hugely popular Victorian preacher, he drew large London crowds with urgent sermons, sharp opinions, and a stream of religious books. His writing captures the dramatic, argumentative energy of nineteenth-century Protestant debate.
1 Audiobook
Bee-Keeping
by John Cumming
About the author
Born in Fintray, Aberdeenshire, in 1807, John Cumming was a Scottish clergyman and religious writer who became one of the best-known preachers of his day. He studied at Aberdeen and, in 1832, was appointed to the Scottish church in Crown Court, Covent Garden, where he built a large following over many years of ministry.
Cumming was a remarkably prolific author, publishing sermons, devotional works, and books on prophecy and current religious controversies. Contemporary accounts describe him as a powerful public speaker whose church membership and audience grew dramatically, helping make him a prominent voice in Victorian religious life.
He was also a controversial figure. His strong anti-Catholic views and his confident interpretations of biblical prophecy won him devoted readers as well as critics. He died in 1881, leaving behind a large body of writing that reflects both his popularity and the fierce theological debates of his era.