Richard Brothers

Richard Brothers (December 25, 1757 – January 25, 1824) was born in Port Kirwan, Newfoundland and Labrador (earlier known as Admiral's Cove) and became well known as both an early believer and teacher of Anglo-Israelism (alias British Israelism, a theory concerning the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel). He was educated in Woolwich, England and died in London, England.

Biography

Life

Richard Brothers entered the Royal Navy and served under Keppel and Rodney. In 1783 he became lieutenant, and was honourably discharged on July 28, 1783 receiving a pension which amounted to half-pay (54 pounds per year). He then travelled on the continent of Europe and later married Elizabeth Hassall in 1786. His marriage was reported as being "unhappy" and so he returned to service in the Royal Navy.

Because he came to believe that military service was not compatible with his new calling to serve Christianity, in 1789 he once again left the Navy. The theology of Richard Brothers was radically Protestant and Calvinist. Built upon the principle of individual revelation, Richard Brothers believed that he could not serve the King as head of the Church of England.

In 1791 he found himself with little income after he began to question the oath required he had taken for receipt of his military half-pay and actions that he then took reduced him to serious pecuniary straits. Richard Brothers then divided his time between the open air and the workhouse where he developed the idea that he...
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