Thomas Jervis (minister) facts for kids

Thomas Jervis (1748–1833) was an English Unitarian minister. Unitarians are a group of Christians who believe in one God, rather than the traditional idea of the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Jervis spent his life teaching and leading religious communities.

A Young Life and Education

Thomas Jervis was born in Ipswich, England, on January 13, 1748. His father, William Jervis, was also a minister. He led a Presbyterian church in Ipswich. Presbyterian churches are another type of Christian church, often with a focus on simple worship and strong community.

Thomas studied to become a minister in London. He attended schools like Wellclose Square and Hoxton. There, he learned from important teachers such as David Jennings, Savage, Andrew Kippis, and Abraham Rees.

In 1770, when he was 22, Jervis became a teacher at the Exeter Academy. He taught classical subjects and mathematics. At the same time, he also started leading a Presbyterian church in Lympstone, Devonshire. The next year, he shared his duties with another minister, James Perry Bartlett, looking after churches in Lympstone and Topsham, Devon.

Working with Important People

In 1772, a very important person named William Petty, second earl of Shelburne, hired Jervis. Lord Shelburne was a powerful politician who later became Prime Minister of Great Britain. He hired Jervis to be a private tutor for his sons at his home, Bowood, in Wiltshire. Jervis got this job thanks to a recommendation from Richard Price, a famous philosopher and minister.

Jervis worked as a tutor for Lord Shelburne's sons until 1783. During this time, he met and worked with Joseph Priestley. Priestley was a famous scientist and philosopher who was Lord Shelburne's librarian. Jervis became an ordained minister in 1779.

Around 1783, Jervis moved back to London. He became the minister of a Presbyterian church in St. Thomas Street, Southwark. In 1786, he was chosen to be a trustee for Dr. Daniel Williams's foundations. These foundations helped support ministers and education.

When his former teacher, Andrew Kippis, passed away in 1796, Jervis was chosen to take his place as minister at Princes Street, Westminster. His religious beliefs at this time were known as "low Arian," which is a type of Unitarian belief.

In the summer of 1808, Jervis moved to Leeds. He took over as minister of the Unitarian church at Mill Hill, following William Wood. He continued in this role until 1818, when he decided to step down from active ministry.

Later Years and Writings

After leaving active ministry, Thomas Jervis returned to London. In 1823, he was again chosen as a trustee for Dr. Williams's trust. He spent his final years enjoying quiet time and focusing on writing.

Thomas Jervis passed away on August 31, 1833, at Brompton Grove. He was buried in the churchyard of Fryerning, Essex. He was married to Frances Mary, who was the daughter of another Unitarian minister, John Disney.

Jervis published many of his sermons and speeches between 1784 and 1820. Some of these were collected in books like "Sermons" (1811) and "Remarks in Refutation of … Story of a Supernatural Appearance related by the Rev. R. Warner" (1831). He also wrote many biographies for popular magazines of his time, such as The Gentleman's Magazine and Monthly Repository. He even wrote several hymns, which are religious songs. One of his hymns, "Sweet is the friendly voice," written in 1795, is still found in some hymn collections today.

His Brother, John Jervis

Thomas Jervis had a younger brother named John Jervis (1752–1820). John was born in Ipswich in 1752. He followed in his brother's footsteps in many ways.

In 1773, John took over his brother's role at the Lympstone church. He became an ordained minister in 1779 and continued to lead the church until his death on October 27, 1820. John was also interested in science. He was a member of the Linnean Society, which is a group dedicated to the study of natural history. He was also known as a mineralogist, meaning he studied minerals. His religious beliefs were similar to those of his brother, Thomas.