Arthur James Mason

Arthur James Mason (4 May 1851 – 24 April 1928) was an English clergyman, theologian and classical scholar. He was Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Early life

The third son of George William Mason JP, of Morton Hall, Retford, Nottinghamshire, by his marriage to Marianne Atherton Mitford (born 1821 in India), a daughter of Captain Joseph George Mitford (1791–1875), of the Madras Army, Mason was educated at Repton School and Trinity College, Cambridge.^[1] The third of four sons, his youngest brother, Charles Evelyn Mason, was killed in the Zulu War of 1879.^[2]^[3] His brother William Henry Mason was a High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.^[4] His sister, Harriet, was a poor law inspector and another sister, Agnes founded a religious community.^[5] Their grandfather, J. G. Mitford, was the son of Bertram Mitford (1748–1800) of Mitford Castle in Northumberland.^[6]

Career

Mason was elected a fellow of Trinity College in 1873 and was a college tutor from 1874 to 1877,^[1] when he went to Cornwall as Canon of Truro. His departure from Cambridge was at the urging of his friend Edward White Benson, who had been appointed as Bishop of Truro and wanted Mason to act as diocesan missioner.^[7]

In 1884, after Benson had been translated to Canterbury,^[7] Mason took up a benefice as vicar of All Hallows-by-the-Tower, Barking, in the City of London, where he remained until 1895. That year he returned to Cambridge as Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity (1895–1903) and also became a canon of Canterbury Cathedral. He was a fellow of Jesus from 1896 to 1903, before serving as master of Pembroke from 1903 to 1912. In 1908 he was elected vice-chancellor of the university, continuing in the post for two years.^[1]

As well as works on theology and biography, Mason wrote and translated hymns.^[8] As "A. J. M.", he was a contributor to the Dictionary of National Biography.

Private life

On 11 January 1899, Mason married Mary Margaret, a daughter of the Rev. G. J. Blore DD, honorary canon of Canterbury Cathedral and a former head master of King's School, Canterbury. They had two sons, Paul and Lancelot, and a daughter, Mildred.^[1]^[9] Paul became a diplomat and was ambassador to the Netherlands in the 1950s,^[10] while Lancelot followed his father into the church and was archdeacon of Chichester from 1946 to 1973.^[11]

Arthur James Mason died at Canterbury on 24 April 1928.^[12]

Major publications

The Persecution of Diocletian, 1875^[1]
Commentary on Thessalonians and First Epistle of St Peter, 1879^[1]
The faith of the Gospel: a manual of Christian doctrine, 1887^[1]
The Relation of Confirmation to Baptism: as taught in Holy Scripture and the Fathers, 1893^[1]
The Conditions of our Lord's Life upon Earth, 1896^[1]
Thomas Cranmer, 1898^[1]
Purgatory: The State of the Faithful Departed; Invocation of Saints (Hulsean Lecture for 1899)
The Historic Martyrs of the Primitive Church, 1905^[1]
Memoir of Bishop Wilkinson, 1909^[1]
Life of William Edward Collins, Bishop of Gibraltar, 1912^[1]
The Church of England and Episcopacy, 1914^[1]
What Became of the Bones of St Thomas, 1920^[1]
Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian, 1921
Five Theological Orations of Gregory of Nazianzus (ed.)^[1]
History of the Papacy in the 19th Century, by Bishop Nielsen (ed.)^[1]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "MASON, Rev. Arthur James", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U200013 – via Oxford University Press
^ Mackinnon, James P.; Shadbolt, Sydney Henry (1880). The South African Campaign, 1879. Samson, Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington. p. 101. LIEUTENANT CHARLES EVELYN MASON, who died at Herwen on the 7th of April, 1879, was the fourth and youngest son of G. W. Mason, Esquire, of Morton Hall, Retford, Notts, and Marianne Atherton, his wife, daughter of Captain J. G. Mitford, E.I.C.S. ...
^ Pollock, Arthur William Alsager (1875). "Captain Joseph George Mitford". The United Service Magazine. 139: 3. Captain Joseph George Mitford, late of the HEI Company's Service, died on September 2, at Morton Hall, Notts, aged 84.
^ "No. 30557". The London Gazette. 5 March 1918. p. 2781.
^ Holloway, Julia Bolton. "Mason, (Frances) Agnes (1849–1941)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/58485. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Joseph George MITFORD at me.com, accessed 1 January 2012
^ ^a ^b Chapman, Mark D. "Benson, Edward White (1829–1896)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2139. His immediate task was to establish an identity for the diocese. To this end he brought with him A. J. Mason, as diocesan missioner, and G. H. Whitaker, who was given the role of establishing a theological college. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ A. J. Mason Archived 2012-05-24 at the Wayback Machine at cyberhymnal.org, accessed 30 December 2011
^ Burke, Sir Bernard (1925). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry. p. 1218. ...m. 11 Jan. 1899, Mary Margaret, dau. of the Rev. GJ Blore, DD, Hon. Canon of Canterbury, and has issue, 1. Paul, b. 11 June 1904. 2. Lancelot, b. 22 July 1905. X, Mildred, b. 7 June 1902.
^ "MASON, Sir Paul", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U157251 – via Oxford University Press
^ "MASON, Ven. Lancelot", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U166905 – via Oxford University Press
^ The Times, Thursday, April 26, 1928, Issue 44877, p. 1, col. A

External links

Bibliographic directory from Project Canterbury
Works by or about Arthur James Mason at the Internet Archive
Works by Arthur James Mason at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)

Academic offices
Preceded by J. Rawson Lumby	Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity 1895–1903	Succeeded by Alexander Kirkpatrick
Preceded by Ernest Stewart Roberts	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1908–1910	Succeeded by Robert Forsyth Scott

[who-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "MASON, Rev. Arthur James", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U200013 – via Oxford University Press

[MackinnonShadbolt1880-2] Mackinnon, James P.; Shadbolt, Sydney Henry (1880). The South African Campaign, 1879. Samson, Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington. p. 101. LIEUTENANT CHARLES EVELYN MASON, who died at Herwen on the 7th of April, 1879, was the fourth and youngest son of G. W. Mason, Esquire, of Morton Hall, Retford, Notts, and Marianne Atherton, his wife, daughter of Captain J. G. Mitford, E.I.C.S. ...

[3] Pollock, Arthur William Alsager (1875). "Captain Joseph George Mitford". The United Service Magazine. 139: 3. Captain Joseph George Mitford, late of the HEI Company's Service, died on September 2, at Morton Hall, Notts, aged 84.

[4] "No. 30557". The London Gazette. 5 March 1918. p. 2781.

[ODNB-5] Holloway, Julia Bolton. "Mason, (Frances) Agnes (1849–1941)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/58485. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[6] Joseph George MITFORD at me.com, accessed 1 January 2012

[chapman-7] Chapman, Mark D. "Benson, Edward White (1829–1896)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2139. His immediate task was to establish an identity for the diocese. To this end he brought with him A. J. Mason, as diocesan missioner, and G. H. Whitaker, who was given the role of establishing a theological college. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[8] A. J. Mason Archived 2012-05-24 at the Wayback Machine at cyberhymnal.org, accessed 30 December 2011

[9] Burke, Sir Bernard (1925). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry. p. 1218. ...m. 11 Jan. 1899, Mary Margaret, dau. of the Rev. GJ Blore, DD, Hon. Canon of Canterbury, and has issue, 1. Paul, b. 11 June 1904. 2. Lancelot, b. 22 July 1905. X, Mildred, b. 7 June 1902.

[10] "MASON, Sir Paul", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U157251 – via Oxford University Press

[11] "MASON, Ven. Lancelot", Who Was Who, London: A. & C. Black, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U166905 – via Oxford University Press

[12] The Times, Thursday, April 26, 1928, Issue 44877, p. 1, col. A

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Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF WorldCat
National	Germany United States Australia Netherlands Vatican Israel
Academics	CiNii
People	Trove Deutsche Biographie DDB
Other	IdRef SNAC

v t Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope Deborah Prentice