Henry Miles
Encyclopedia
Henry Miles, FRS was an English Dissenting
minister and scientific writer, a Fellow of the Royal Society known for experiments on electricity
.
, Gloucestershire
, on 2 June 1698. He was educated for the dissenting ministry, probably in London. His first settlement was at Lower Tooting, Surrey
, where he succeeded Francis Freeman (died 17 November 1726), a Presbyterian. Miles was at this time an Independent
(congregationalist). He was ordained in 1731. In 1737, still retaining his Tooting charge, he became assistant to Samuel Chandler
, at the Old Jewry
. From this time he was counted as a Presbyterian.
He held the double appointment till 1744, and for the rest of his life was minister at Tooting only, having John Beesley as his assistant from 1756. In 1743 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1744 he received the degree of D.D. from the University of Aberdeen
. To his pulpit work, for thirty years, he devoted two days a week, rising between two and three in the morning to write his sermons.
He was a friend of Daniel Neal
, and Nathaniel Lardner, and a correspondent of Philip Doddridge
, to whom he sent some criticisms of his Family Expositor. He died on 10 February 1763. His funeral sermon was preached by Philip Furneaux
.
the meeting-house to trustees for the use of Dissenters of "the presbyterian or independent denomination." In 1880 the property became the subject of a chancery suit, which was decided on 1 March 1888 in favour of the Independents.
in his edition (1744) of the works of Robert Boyle
.
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
minister and scientific writer, a Fellow of the Royal Society known for experiments on electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
.
Life
He was born at StroudStroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, on 2 June 1698. He was educated for the dissenting ministry, probably in London. His first settlement was at Lower Tooting, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, where he succeeded Francis Freeman (died 17 November 1726), a Presbyterian. Miles was at this time an Independent
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
(congregationalist). He was ordained in 1731. In 1737, still retaining his Tooting charge, he became assistant to Samuel Chandler
Samuel Chandler
Samuel Chandler was an English Nonconformist minister.-Life:He was born at Hungerford in Berkshire, where his father was a minister. He was sent to school at Gloucester, where he began a lifelong friendship with Bishop Butler and Archbishop Secker; and he afterwards studied at Leiden...
, at the Old Jewry
Old Jewry
Old Jewry is the name of a street in the City of London, in Coleman Street Ward, linking Gresham Street with The Poultry.William the Conqueror encouraged Jews to come to England soon after the Norman Conquest; some settled in cities throughout his new domain, including in London. According to Rev....
. From this time he was counted as a Presbyterian.
He held the double appointment till 1744, and for the rest of his life was minister at Tooting only, having John Beesley as his assistant from 1756. In 1743 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1744 he received the degree of D.D. from the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. To his pulpit work, for thirty years, he devoted two days a week, rising between two and three in the morning to write his sermons.
He was a friend of Daniel Neal
Daniel Neal
Daniel Neal was an English historian.Born in London, he was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, and at the universities of Utrecht and Leiden...
, and Nathaniel Lardner, and a correspondent of Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
, to whom he sent some criticisms of his Family Expositor. He died on 10 February 1763. His funeral sermon was preached by Philip Furneaux
Philip Furneaux
-Early life:Furneaux was born in December 1726 at Totnes, Devon. At the grammar school there he formed a life-long friendship with Benjamin Kennicott. In 1742 or 1743 he came to London to study for the dissenting ministry under David Jennings, at the dissenting academy in Wellclose Square...
.
Legacy
His widow, Emma Miles (died 1790), by deeds of 6 October 1763 and 15 February 1766, settled an endowment of £500 on the ministry at Tooting, and conveyedConveyancing
In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien....
the meeting-house to trustees for the use of Dissenters of "the presbyterian or independent denomination." In 1880 the property became the subject of a chancery suit, which was decided on 1 March 1888 in favour of the Independents.
Works
His communications to the Philosophical Transactions extend from 1741 to 1753, and relate to natural history, meteorology, and electricity, in which he made new experiments. He gave assistance to Thomas BirchThomas Birch
Thomas Birch was an English historian.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Birch, a coffee-mill maker, and was born at Clerkenwell....
in his edition (1744) of the works of Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle FRS was a 17th century natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, also noted for his writings in theology. He has been variously described as English, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, his father having come to Ireland from England during the time of the English plantations of...
.