Rev. Henry Grattan Guinness, DD FRAS FR

Henry Grattan Guinness D. D. (August 11, 1835 – June 21, 1910) was an Irish Protestant Christian preacher, evangelist and author. He was the great evangelist of the Evangelical Awakening and preached during the Ulster Revival of 1859 which drew thousands to hear him. He was responsible for training and sending hundreds of "faith missionaries" all over the world.

No one church, was his home. He preached cross denominationally and internationally.

Irish roots

Guinness was born in Kingstown In Taney, Dublin, Ireland. He was the grandson of Arthur Guinness and Olivia Whitmore. His parents were John Grattan Guinness and Jane Lucretia D'Esterre. Henry began preaching in 1855 but was bitterly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church. He married Fanny E. Fitzgerald in 1860.

The Daily Express wrote in 1858:

“ Mr. Guinness preached yesterday in York Street Chapel. The attendance was greater than on any former occasion. In the evening it amounted to 1600, and if there were a place large enough, five times the number would have been present, to hear this highly gifted preacher. The interest which he has excited has daily increased and probably will continue to do so, during his labours in Dublin. An enormous crowd pressed for admittance. Judges, members of Parliament, orators, Fellows of College, lights of the various professions, the rank and fashion of the metropolis have been drawn out. Among them the Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Justice of Appeal, etc. ”

Work in London

The East London Institute (Harley House) training center for missionaries.

He offered to join the China Inland Mission founded by James Hudson Taylor in 1865, but took Taylor's advice to continue his work in London.

In March, 1873 Henry and wife Fanny started the famous East London Missionary Training Institute (also called Harley College) at Harley House in Bromley-by-Bow, East End of London with just six students. The renowned Dr. Thomas Barnardo was co-director with Dr. Guinness and greatly influenced by him. The school trained 1330 missionaries for 30 societies of 30 denominations.

Harley College became so successful it needed a larger home. In 1883, Elizabeth Hulme offered Guinness "Cliff House" near Calver, Derbyshire. Harley College was renamed Hulme Cliff College. Now known as Cliff College it continues to this day training and equipping Christians for mission and evangelism.

In 1877 Guinness founded the Livingstone Inland Mission. In 1888, the Congo-Baolo Mission, and in 1898 initiated the Regions Beyond Missionary Union.

His 2nd Wife Grace was 40 years his junior

Legacy

His daughter, and later famous author, Mary Geraldine Guinness married Frederick Howard Taylor, the son of China Inland Mission founder J. Hudson Taylor. She was one of seven children who entered Christian ministry. Dr. Gershom Whitfield Guinness was a medical missionary to China who escaped the Boxer Rebellion and went on to found the first hospital in Honan south of the Yellow River.

His great-grandson Os Guinness is an active author and speaker today.

Quote

“I do now most heartily desire to live but to exalt Jesus; to live preaching and to die preaching; to preach to perishing sinners till I drop down dead."

Died10:45am June 21st 1910 of Pleurisy and Pericarditis after catching a severe chill. He is buried in the Abbey Cemetry over looking the city of BATH , beneath a simple grey stone marking his grave . His wife Grace survived him 57 years never to remarry