The
Rev. William Jay (6 May 1769 – 27 December 1853) was an English
nonconformistNonconformism refers to the Protestant Christians of England and Wales who refused to "conform", or follow the governance and usages of the Church of England.- Origins and use :...
divine who preached for sixty years at Argyle Chapel in Bath. He is considered to be one of the most eminent English Congregationalist preachers of Regency England; one of the first Independents or Congregationalists to articulate the
Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was a period of great religious revival that extended into the antebellum period of the United States, with widespread Christian evangelism and conversions. It was named for the Great Awakening, a similar period which had transpired about half a century beforehand...
or
Religious RevivalChristian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
championed by George Whitfield and
John WesleyJohn Wesley was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, with founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
.
William Jay was born at
TisburyThe small town of Tisbury lies approximately west of Salisbury in the county of Wiltshire.With a population at the 2001 census of 2,056it is an important local centre for communities around the upper River Nadder and Vale of Wardour...
in
WiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in the south west of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km²...
.
The
Rev. William Jay (6 May 1769 – 27 December 1853) was an English
nonconformistNonconformism refers to the Protestant Christians of England and Wales who refused to "conform", or follow the governance and usages of the Church of England.- Origins and use :...
divine who preached for sixty years at Argyle Chapel in Bath. He is considered to be one of the most eminent English Congregationalist preachers of Regency England; one of the first Independents or Congregationalists to articulate the
Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was a period of great religious revival that extended into the antebellum period of the United States, with widespread Christian evangelism and conversions. It was named for the Great Awakening, a similar period which had transpired about half a century beforehand...
or
Religious RevivalChristian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
championed by George Whitfield and
John WesleyJohn Wesley was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, with founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
.
Early life
William Jay was born at
TisburyThe small town of Tisbury lies approximately west of Salisbury in the county of Wiltshire.With a population at the 2001 census of 2,056it is an important local centre for communities around the upper River Nadder and Vale of Wardour...
in
WiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in the south west of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km²...
. He adopted his father's trade of stone-mason and worked with him on alterations to Fonthill House, but gave it up in 1785 in order to enter the Rev. Cornelius Winter's school at
MarlboroughMarlborough is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. It is well known for having the widest high-street in Britain.-History:...
. During the three years that Jay spent there, his preaching powers were rapidly developed. Before he was twenty-one he had preached nearly a thousand times, and in 1788 he had for a while occupied
Rowland HillRowland Hill A.M. , was a popular English preacher, enthusiastic evangelical and an influential advocate of small-pox vaccination. He was founder and resident pastor of a wholly independent chapel, the Surrey Chapel, London; chairman of the Religious Tract Society; and a keen supporter of the...
's pulpit at the
Surrey ChapelThe Surrey Chapel was an independent Methodist and Congregational church established in Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London on June 8 1783 by the Rev. Rowland Hill. His work was continued in 1833 by the Congregational pastor Rev. James Sherman, and in 1854 by Rev. Newman Hall. The chapel's design...
in London. Wishing to have time for self-education or scholarly interests, he accepted the humble pastorate of
Christian MalfordChristian Malford is a small village in the county of Wiltshire in England. The unusual name is evidently a corruption of Christ mal Ford, Old English moel, mal being a mark: "Christ’s mal" is Christ’s mark or sign, the cross. The name signified "Cross Ford". Deeds from Glastonbury Abbey cartulary...
near
ChippenhamChippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located at , some 21 km east of Bath and 163 km west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065....
where he remained about two years. This was followed by one year at the more demanding Hope Chapel,
CliftonClifton is the name of both one of the thirty-five council wards in the City of Bristol in England, and of a large suburb of the city that lies mostly within that ward...
.
Life as a preacher and writer
On 30 January 1791 Rev. Jay was called to the ministry of the Independent or Congregationalist chapel with which he became most firmly connected, Argyle Chapel in Bath. Here he followed revivalist principles by preaching to all people willing to listen, regardless of religious denomination or social rank; attracting note as a populist pulpit orator, religious author and scholar, and a friendly counsellor.
Sheridan-Given name:*Sheridan Le Fanu , Irish novelist and short-story writer*Sheridan Morley , broadcaster and writer*Sheridan Smith , British actress-Surname:*Andrew Sheridan -Given name:*Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873), Irish novelist and short-story writer*Sheridan Morley (1941-2007), broadcaster and...
praised his oratorical skills. Wiliam Jay's long and honorable connection with Argyle Chapel came to an end in January 1853, and he died on the 27th of December following.
Amongst the best-known of his works are his
Morning and Evening Exercises;
The Christian Contemplated;
The Domestic Ministers Assistant; and his
Discourses. He also wrote a
Life of Rev. Cornelius Winter,
Memoirs of Rev. John Clarke and
Female Scripture Characters, along with
Jay's Works (first published in the early 1840s, and again in 1856, followed by a new edition in 1876).
Family
One of William Jay's sons, William Jay (1792/3-1837), became a noted architect, continuing the family's interest in stone masonry and building design. His designs for
Surrey ChapelThe Surrey Chapel was an independent Methodist and Congregational church established in Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London on June 8 1783 by the Rev. Rowland Hill. His work was continued in 1833 by the Congregational pastor Rev. James Sherman, and in 1854 by Rev. Newman Hall. The chapel's design...
Almshouses were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1814, and he designed
Dr. Fletcher'sThe Rev. Dr. Alexander Fletcher , the Children's Friend, was a Scottish Presbyterian, and later an Independent divine in England...
Albion Chapel in London, laying the foundation stone the following year. He moved to the United States for four years where became a noted architect in Savannah.
External links