John Pye-Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Pye-Smith
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| Born | 25 May 1774 |
| Died | 5 February 1851 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Congregational theologian and author |
| Theological work | |
| Language | English |
| Main interests | Reconciling geological sciences with the Bible, repealing the Corn Laws and abolishing slavery |
John Pye-Smith (25 May 1774 – 5 February 1851) was an important English leader. He was a minister and a teacher in the Congregational church. He is remembered for trying to show that science and the Bible could agree. He also worked hard to end slavery and change unfair laws about food prices. He wrote many important books.
A Life of Learning and Change
John Pye-Smith grew up in Sheffield, England. His father was a bookseller, so John was always surrounded by books. He mostly taught himself what he knew. He became a respected scholar and writer.
He was the first person from a Nonconformist background to become a Fellow of the Royal Society. This was a big deal at the time. He also joined the Geological Society. This was when people were debating how old the Earth was. John Pye-Smith believed that the discoveries of geology could fit with the teachings of the Old Testament in the Bible.
Fighting for Freedom
John Pye-Smith spent his life working to end slavery. In the 1790s, he took over editing the Sheffield Iris. This was a leading newspaper that spoke out against slavery in northern England. He did this while his friend, the editor James Montgomery, was in prison.
In 1830, John Pye-Smith led a group of Congregational ministers. They passed a motion against slavery. This encouraged all Congregational churches across the country to ask Parliament to end slavery. In 1833, a lecture called "The Sinfulness of Colonial Slavery" was given at his church in Hackney. It was given by his former student, Robert Halley.
Helping Others Learn
John Pye-Smith was also very involved in education. He was part of a group that started Mill Hill School for boys in 1807.
For 45 years, from 1805 to 1850, he was a theology teacher at Homerton College in London. Many of his students became important people. These included Robert Halley, who later became a college principal, and Samuel Dyer, a missionary. John Pye-Smith was also the minister at the Old Gravel Pit Chapel in Hackney for almost as long, from 1811 to 1850.
His Resting Place
John Pye-Smith passed away in Hackney in 1851. He is buried in Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, north London. This cemetery was a non-religious garden cemetery for Congregationalists.
His grandson was Philip Henry Pye-Smith, who also became a notable person.
