Dictionary of National Biography, 1901 supplement/Cox, Samuel
COX, SAMUEL (1826–1893), theological writer, was born on 19 April 1826 near London, and educated at a school at Stoke Newington. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed at the London docks, where his father was employed, but on the expiration of his indentures resigned his position and entered the Stepney College to prepare himself for the baptist ministry. After passing the college course and matriculating at London University, Cox became in 1852 pastor of the baptist chapel in St. Paul's Square, Southsea. In 1854 he accepted an invitation to Ryde, Isle of Wight, where he remained till 1859. A disorder in the throat compelled him to desist from preaching, and caused him to turn his attention seriously to literature. He wrote for the 'Freeman,' the organ of the baptists, and occasionally acted as editor, and became a contributor to the 'Nonconformist,' the 'Christian Spectator,' the 'Quiver,' and other religious periodicals. In 1861 he was appointed secretary to the committee for arranging the bicentenary of the ejectment in 1662. But the throat delicacy proved less permanent than had been feared, so that in 1863 he ventured to accept a call to the pastorate of the Mansfield Road baptist chapel, Nottingham, a position he occupied successfully and happily till 1888, when failing health compelled his resignation. He then retired to Hastings, where he died on 27 March 1893. He was buried in the general cemetery at Nottingham. In 1873 he married Eliza Tebbutt of Bluntisham, Huntingdonshire.
Although Cox's ministry was effective and zealous, his chief activity was as a writer. His resumption of ministerial work in 1863 did not interfere with his literary energy, which led to his undertaking in 1875 the editorship of the 'Expositor.' The conception of this monthly magazine was evolved by Cox from his own work as a preacher and writer on the Bible. He was editor till 1884, being responsible for volumes i. to xx., some of which he wrote almost entirely himself. But he gathered round him a distinguished staff, including such men as Drs. Magee, Farrar, Marcus Dods, and Professor Robertson Smith. The influence of the magazine upon religious thought in England can hardly be over-estimated. Its general tendency is perhaps best indicated by a sentence in Cox's own exposition of his aims in the first number: 'Our sole purpose is to expound the scriptures honestly and intelligently by permitting them to explain themselves; neither thrusting upon them miracles which they do not claim or dogmas to which they lend no support, nor venturing to question the doctrines they obviously teach or the miracles which they plainly affirm.' Cox's services to learning received the remarkable recognition of nearly simultaneous offers from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews Universities of their degree of D.D. Cox accepted in 1882 the offer of the last-named, but found himself compelled after 1884 to resign his editorship because the breadth of his views had become displeasing to the proprietors of the magazine. Cox has stated that he was the writer of thirty volumes and the editor of twenty more. Among his more important works are : 1. 'The Secret of Life: being eight Sermons preached at Nottingham,' London, 1866, 8vo. 2. 'The Private Letters of St. Paul and St. John. By S. C.,' London, 1867, 8vo. This book, being enthusiastically reviewed by Dr. George Macdonald in the 'Spectator,' was Cox's first success as an author. 3. 'The Quest of the Chief Good: Expository Lectures on the Book Ecclesiastes. . . . By S. C.,' London, 1868, 8vo; this was rewritten for the 'Expositor's Bible' and published in 1890 as 'The Book of Ecclesiastes, with a New Translation.' 4. 'The Resurrection. Twelve Expository Essays on the Fifteenth Chapter of St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians,' London, 1869, 8vo. 5. 'Sermons for my Curates, by T. T. Lynch. Edited by S. C.,' London, 1871, 8vo. 6. 'An Expositor's Note-Book; or, Brief Essays on Obscure or Misread Scriptures,' London, 1872, 8vo. 7. 'Biblical Expositions; or, Brief Essays on Obscure or Misread Scriptures,' London, 1874, 8vo; this is 'virtually a second volume' of No. 6. 8. 'The Pilgrim Psalms, an Exposition of the Songs of Degrees,' London, 1874, 8vo. 9. 'The Book of Ruth. A Popular Exposition,' London, 1876, 8vo. 10. 'Expository Essays and Discourses,' London, 1877, 8vo. 11. 'Salvator Mundi; or, Is Christ the Saviour of all Men?' London, 1877, 8vo. Of all Cox's works this was the most widely read and the most influential. It was followed in 1883 by a sequel, 'The Larger Hope,' London, 16mo; in which the author defined his position with regard to universalism, and answered some of his critics. Among counterblasts to Cox's teaching may be mentioned ' The Doctrines of Annihilation and Universalism . . . With critical notes and a Review of "Salvator Mundi"' (London, 1881), by Thomas Wood. The postscript of this challenges Cox's impartiality as editor of the 'Expositor,' and affords an instance of the kind of complaints which brought about his resignation. 12. 'A Commentary on the Book of Job, with a Translation',' London, 1880, 8vo. 13. 'The Genesis of Evil, and other Sermons, mainly Expository,' London, 1880, 8vo. 14. 'Balaam: an Exposition and a Study,' London, 1884, 8vo. 15. 'Miracles: an Argument and a Challenge,' London, 1884, 8vo. 16. 'Expositions,' London, 1885, 8vo; this was continued till four volumes were issued. 17. 'The Bird's Nest and other Sermons for Children of all Ages,' London, 1886, 8vo. This volume occupies a unique position among collections of sermons for children. 18. 'The House and its Builder, with other Discourses,' London, 1889, 8vo. 19. 'The Hebrew Twins: a Vindication of God's Ways with Jacob and Esau. By S. Cox, D.D. Prefatory Memoir by his wife (Eliza Cox),' London, 1894, 8vo.
[The prefatory memoir of (19) above is the main authority for the facts of Cox's life. See also obituary notices in the Freeman, 7 April 1893; Independent, 6 April 1893; British Weekly, 30 March 1893; Christian World, 30 March 1893; Cox's prefatory matter in (5) and (18) above.]