The Spirit of Prayer and the Spirit of Love
William Law (1686-1761) was born at King's Cliffe near Stamford, the son of a grocer, was elected a fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, but, declining to take the oath of allegiance to George I, lost his fellowship. Edward Gibbon made him the tutor of his son, the father of the historian Gibbon, in c1727 and he remained as an honoured friend of the family in their Putney home until 1740, when he returned to King's Cliffe and became the centre of a small spiritual community which included the historian's aunt Hester. Publications: Three Letters to the Bishop of Bangor, 1717-19 Absolute Unlawfulness of the Stage-Entertainment, 1726 Serious Call to a Devout and Holy life (1728) Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 1737 An Appeal to all that doubt the Truths of the Gospel, 1740 The Spirit of Prayer (1949-50) and the Spirit of Love (1752-54), 1969