Thomas Amory (tutor)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Amory D.D. was an English dissenting tutor and minister and poet from Taunton
.
. He was at school under Chadwick
, a local dissenting minister, and learned French at Exeter
under André de Majendie, a refugee minister. On 25 March 1717 he entered, as a divinity student, the Taunton Academy, then the chief seat of culture for the dissenters of the west, under Stephen James of Fullwood, who taught theology, and Henry Grove, who taught philosophy. He received his testimonials for the ministry in 1722, and then went to London to study experimental physics in the academy of John Eames
in Moorfields
. In 1725, on Stephen James's death and before his own ordination, he acted as assistant in the ministry to Robert Darch, at Hull Bishops, and in the Taunton Academy to Grove. He was ordained 3 October 1730 as colleague to Edmund Batson at Paul's Meeting, Taunton. Batson was more conservative in theology than Amory, and was unwilling to divide the stipend; hence, in 1732, Amory's friends seceded and built him a new meeting-house in Tancred Street. On Grove's death in 1738 Amory was placed at the head of the academy.
A list of his students is given in the Monthly Repository
, 1818; there were more men of mark under Grove; Amory's best pupils were Thomas and John Wright of Bristol. In 1741 he married Mary, daughter of the Rev. S. Baker of Southwark. By her he had five children, four of whom survived him. He moved to London in October 1759 to become afternoon preacher at the Old Jewry
, and in 1766 succeeded Dr. S. Chandler as co-pastor of the congregation with Nathaniel White. He was elected one of Daniel Williams
's trustees in 1767 (his portrait is in Dr. Williams's Library). He received the degree of D.D. Edin. in 1768, and was Tuesday lecturer at Salters' Hall from 1768, and morning preacher at Newington Green
, as colleague with Dr. Richard Price
, from 1770, in addition to his other duties. Though thus full of preaching engagements, he was not so popular in London as he had been in Taunton. His theology, of the Clarkean
type, was not conservative enough for the bulk of the London presbyterians of that day. His style was dry and disquisitional; his manner wanting in animation. But he was a leader of the dissenting liberals, and in 1772 a strenuous supporter of the agitation for a removal of the subscription to the doctrinal articles of the established church, till 1779 demanded of all dissenting ministers by the Toleration Act
. Amory, like many others, had in point of fact never subscribed, and he had to combat the opposition of his friends, who thought, with Joseph Priestley
, that a subscription not rigidly enforced was better than a new declaration (that they received the Scriptures as containing a divine revelation), which might be pressed in the interests of intolerance. Amory did not live to see the bill for this new declaration pass, after being twice rejected by the lords.
He died on 24 June 1774, and was buried in the hallowed ground of dissent at Bunhill Fields
. The inscription on his tomb speaks of him as ‘having been employed for more than fifty years in humbly endeavouring to discover the religion of Jesus Christ in its origin and purity.’
gives a list of his twenty-seven publications, including prefaces and single sermons. His maiden effort was a ‘Poem on Taunton,’ 1724. He wrote the life and edited the works of Grove, 1745; prefixed a memoir of the author to Dr. George Benson's ‘Life of Jesus Christ,’ 1764; and edited Chandler's posthumous sermons, with memoir, 1768.
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
.
Biography
His father was a grocer and his mother a sister of Henry GroveHenry Grove
Henry Grove was an English nonconformist minister, theologian, and dissenting tutor.-Life:He was born at Taunton, Somerset, on 4 January 1684...
. He was at school under Chadwick
Chadwick
Chadwick is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon/Norse origin, it is a combination of the modernised Old English given name Ceadda, and the anglicised Old Norse word vík which was introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers.* Chadwick, Illinois...
, a local dissenting minister, and learned French at Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
under André de Majendie, a refugee minister. On 25 March 1717 he entered, as a divinity student, the Taunton Academy, then the chief seat of culture for the dissenters of the west, under Stephen James of Fullwood, who taught theology, and Henry Grove, who taught philosophy. He received his testimonials for the ministry in 1722, and then went to London to study experimental physics in the academy of John Eames
John Eames
-Life:He was a native of London. He was admitted to Merchant Taylors' School on 10 March 1696–7, and was subsequently trained for the dissenting ministry. He preached only once and seems never to have been ordained....
in Moorfields
Moorfields
In London, the Moorfields were one of the last pieces of open land in the City of London, near the Moorgate. The fields were divided into three areas, the Moorfields proper, just north of Bethlem Hospital, and inside the City boundaries, and Middle and Upper Moorfields to the north.After the Great...
. In 1725, on Stephen James's death and before his own ordination, he acted as assistant in the ministry to Robert Darch, at Hull Bishops, and in the Taunton Academy to Grove. He was ordained 3 October 1730 as colleague to Edmund Batson at Paul's Meeting, Taunton. Batson was more conservative in theology than Amory, and was unwilling to divide the stipend; hence, in 1732, Amory's friends seceded and built him a new meeting-house in Tancred Street. On Grove's death in 1738 Amory was placed at the head of the academy.
A list of his students is given in the Monthly Repository
Monthly Repository
The Monthly Repository was a British monthly Unitarian periodical which ran between 1806 and 1838.The Monthly Repository was established when Robert Aspland bought William Vidler's Universal Theological Magazine and changed the name to the Monthly Repository of Theology and General Literature...
, 1818; there were more men of mark under Grove; Amory's best pupils were Thomas and John Wright of Bristol. In 1741 he married Mary, daughter of the Rev. S. Baker of Southwark. By her he had five children, four of whom survived him. He moved to London in October 1759 to become afternoon preacher 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....
, and in 1766 succeeded Dr. S. Chandler as co-pastor of the congregation with Nathaniel White. He was elected one of Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams
Sir Daniel Charles Williams, GCMG was a Governor-General of Grenada, from August 8, 1996 until November 18, 2008. He was formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on August 9, 1996 after having been nominated by Prime Minister Keith Mitchell.In 1997, he was Knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth...
's trustees in 1767 (his portrait is in Dr. Williams's Library). He received the degree of D.D. Edin. in 1768, and was Tuesday lecturer at Salters' Hall from 1768, and morning preacher at Newington Green
Newington Green
Newington Green is an open space in north London which straddles the border between Islington and Hackney. It gives its name to the surrounding area, roughly bounded by Ball's Pond Road to the south, Petherton Road to the west, the southern section of Stoke Newington with Green Lanes-Matthias Road...
, as colleague with Dr. Richard Price
Richard Price
Richard Price was a British moral philosopher and preacher in the tradition of English Dissenters, and a political pamphleteer, active in radical, republican, and liberal causes such as the American Revolution. He fostered connections between a large number of people, including writers of the...
, from 1770, in addition to his other duties. Though thus full of preaching engagements, he was not so popular in London as he had been in Taunton. His theology, of the Clarkean
Samuel Clarke
thumb|right|200px|Samuel ClarkeSamuel Clarke was an English philosopher and Anglican clergyman.-Early life and studies:...
type, was not conservative enough for the bulk of the London presbyterians of that day. His style was dry and disquisitional; his manner wanting in animation. But he was a leader of the dissenting liberals, and in 1772 a strenuous supporter of the agitation for a removal of the subscription to the doctrinal articles of the established church, till 1779 demanded of all dissenting ministers by the Toleration Act
Toleration Act
Toleration Act may refer to:* Act of Toleration 1689, in England* Maryland Toleration Act, of 1649...
. Amory, like many others, had in point of fact never subscribed, and he had to combat the opposition of his friends, who thought, with Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
, that a subscription not rigidly enforced was better than a new declaration (that they received the Scriptures as containing a divine revelation), which might be pressed in the interests of intolerance. Amory did not live to see the bill for this new declaration pass, after being twice rejected by the lords.
He died on 24 June 1774, and was buried in the hallowed ground of dissent at Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
. The inscription on his tomb speaks of him as ‘having been employed for more than fifty years in humbly endeavouring to discover the religion of Jesus Christ in its origin and purity.’
Works
Andrew KippisAndrew Kippis
Andrew Kippis was an English nonconformist clergyman and biographer.The son of Robert Kippis, a silk-hosier, he was born at Nottingham. Having gone to school at Sleaford in Lincolnshire he passed at the age of sixteen to the Dissenting academy at Northampton, of which Dr Philip Doddridge was then...
gives a list of his twenty-seven publications, including prefaces and single sermons. His maiden effort was a ‘Poem on Taunton,’ 1724. He wrote the life and edited the works of Grove, 1745; prefixed a memoir of the author to Dr. George Benson's ‘Life of Jesus Christ,’ 1764; and edited Chandler's posthumous sermons, with memoir, 1768.