D. D Colenso John William, an English clergyman and colonial bishop, born in Cornwall, Jan. 24, 1814. He took his degree at St. John's college, Cambridge, with distinguished honor, in 1836, and became fellow of his college. In 1838 he became assistant master at.

Harrow, in 1842 tutor of St. John's college, and in 1846 rector of Forncett St. Mary. In 1854 he was appointed bishop of Natal, S. Africa. He had previously published text books in arithmetic, algebra, and trigonometry, a volume of sermons, and an edition of the communion service, with selections from the writings of F. D. Maurice. In 1861 he published "The Epistle to the Romans, newly translated, and explained from a Missionary Point of View," and in 1862 " The Pentateuch and Book of Joshua, Critically Examined." This last work, in which he called in question many of the statements contained in those books, excited much animadversion, and was formally condemned by the convocation of the province of Canterbury, and he was declared by the bishop of Cape Town to be deposed from the office of bishop. An appeal to the privy council was taken upon the ground that the crown had no right to create a bishop in any colony where there was an independent legislature, and that therefore there was in law no bishop either of Cape Town or Natal. In England he found many sympathizers, and previous to his return to Natal in 1865 a public meeting was held, and he received a testimonial of £3,300. In 1866 he published a volume entitled "Natal Sermons," and several papers justifying his course in the controversy.

In January, 1869, the Rev. William Kenneth Macrorie was consecrated bishop of Maritz-burg in Natal, it being held that the see was duly vacated by his predecessor; but in 1872 the colonial assembly passed an act vesting in Dr. Colenso the property belonging to the see of Natal. In 1871 he published "The new Bible Commentary, by Bishops and other Clergy of the Anglican Church, critically examined." In 1872 appeared an abridgment of his work on the Pentateuch, and in 1873 " Lectures on the Pentateuch and the Moabite Stone," with appendices.