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Over the course of the 335-year history of King’s Chapel, ministers have contributed a substantial amount to the church’s written history. A large portion of these written works consists of sermons given as part of these ministers’ regular responsibilities—sermons for weekly services, as well as those celebrating a marriage or baptism, or commemorating a life at a funeral service. However, many historic ministers of King’s Chapel also wrote poems, prose, hymns, or histories on subjects religious or otherwise.
The Reverend Francis William Pitt Greenwood (1797-1843) succeeded James Freeman as minister of King’s Chapel, becoming the church's second Unitarian minister. A great lover of music and poetry, Greenwood compiled and published collections of his favorite hymns and poems, of which one--A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship—became particularly popular and was widely used among churches. Additionally, Greenwood published articles in various publications including The Christian Examiner, for which he also contributed as an editor.
A highlight in the King's Chapel archives that attests to Greenwood's love of poetry is an illustrated volume he created for copying over his favorite works of poetry. The pages shown below are taken from his collection titled Gemmulae Antiquae: or Choice Morsels of Old Poetry, which he noted were collected "chiefly in the year 1822." The elaborate border Greenwood drew on the book's title page is complemented throughout by smaller sketches following many of the poems he included in the volume.
The Reverend Francis William Pitt Greenwood (1797-1843) succeeded James Freeman as minister of King’s Chapel, becoming the church's second Unitarian minister. A great lover of music and poetry, Greenwood compiled and published collections of his favorite hymns and poems, of which one--A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship—became particularly popular and was widely used among churches. Additionally, Greenwood published articles in various publications including The Christian Examiner, for which he also contributed as an editor.
A highlight in the King's Chapel archives that attests to Greenwood's love of poetry is an illustrated volume he created for copying over his favorite works of poetry. The pages shown below are taken from his collection titled Gemmulae Antiquae: or Choice Morsels of Old Poetry, which he noted were collected "chiefly in the year 1822." The elaborate border Greenwood drew on the book's title page is complemented throughout by smaller sketches following many of the poems he included in the volume.