He was the last of twenty children (this is not a typo!) born to Monica and Daniel in 1702. He was suspected of being stillborn, so a midwife whisked him away until she detected his faint breath and returned him to his grieving mother. While Philip Doddridge’s (1702-1751) father was gone for long periods as an oilman, his mother introduced her young son to faith by using kitchen tiles depicting various biblical scenes. Philip’s mother died when he was eight, and his father passed away four years later, leaving him orphaned at twelve. He wrote in his diary upon his father’s death, “God is an immortal Father, my soul rejoices in him; He has helped me and provided for me; may it be my study to approve myself a more affectionate, grateful and dutiful child.” His guardian squandered Philip’s inheritance and declared bankruptcy, leaving this twelve-year-old destitute. A young Christian minister, Samuel Clark, took him in and financed his education. A Duchess pledged to cover his living expenses if he agreed to become a Church of England clergy. Still, Philip declined her offer as a violation of conscience, preferring instead “to take his place among the dissenters.”
An early biographer said of Philip, “He seemed to live many lives at one time.” He pastored a large, independent church in Northampton, England, while serving as the principal instructor at the academy he established to train future ministers. He also wrote biblical commentaries, hymns, and devotional material, including his chief work, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. William Wilberforce, who successfully labored to eliminate slavery from England, was converted in 1784 after reading Doddridge’s devotional. One of his prayers from his devotional leads us to pray: