Thomas Lye facts for kids

Thomas Lye (born March 25, 1621 – died June 7, 1684) was an English minister who was a Nonconformist. This means he was a Protestant who did not agree with or follow the rules of the official Church of England at that time.

Who Was Thomas Lye?

Thomas Lye was an important religious leader in England during the 1600s. He was known for his strong beliefs and for teaching children. He lived through a time when England had many changes in its government and religion.

His Early Life and Education

Thomas Lye was born in Chard, a town in Somerset, England. His father was also named Thomas Leigh.

Thomas Lye went to Wadham College, Oxford, in 1636. He studied there and earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in 1641. Later, he moved to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1646.

For a short time in 1647, he worked as a headmaster at a school in Bury St. Edmunds. He also received another M.A. degree from Oxford in 1649.

His Work as a Minister

Thomas Lye became a minister and served in his hometown of Chard. In 1651, he faced a big challenge. The government at the time asked ministers to sign an "engagement," which was a promise to be loyal to the new government. Thomas Lye refused to sign it.

Facing Challenges

Because he refused to sign, Thomas Lye was told to leave Chard. He was also forbidden from preaching within ten miles of the town or in any market town in Somerset. He gave a farewell sermon to his church members on August 24, 1651.

However, in November of the same year, the government council in Whitehall (a famous area in London) changed their minds. They allowed him to return and preach again.

In 1654, he helped a group of officials in Somerset. Their job was to remove ministers who were not doing their work properly.

Towards the end of 1658, Thomas Lye was chosen by a church group to lead the All Hallows church in Lombard Street, London. He also became one of the people who approved new ministers in London in 1659.

After King Charles II returned to the throne in 1660 (this was called the Stuart Restoration), Thomas Lye and other ministers made a statement to the king. They thanked him for his plans regarding church matters. However, in 1662, a new law called the Act of Uniformity was passed. This law made it harder for Nonconformist ministers to preach. Because of this law, Thomas Lye was forced to leave his church at All Hallows.

He then started a new church group at Dyers' Hall, near Thames Street. He also preached at an independent church in Clapham.

Helping Children Learn

Thomas Lye was very popular for teaching children. He was especially good at catechising them, which means teaching them about Christian beliefs through questions and answers.

A famous writer named Edmund Calamy the Younger remembered being taken by his mother to Dyers' Hall to be catechised by "good old Mr. Thomas Lye." His mother had also been taught by Lye when she was younger. Thomas Lye likely ran a school from his home in Clapham.

He passed away in Bethnal Green on June 7, 1684, and was buried in Clapham a few days later. His wife, Sarah, had died earlier in 1678. In his will, he left his property to his two daughters, Sarah and Mary, who were the only ones of his many children who survived him.

What He Wrote

Thomas Lye wrote several books and sermons. Many of his sermons appeared in a collection called the Morning Exercises.

Here are some of the things he wrote:

• The Fixed Saint (1662)
• Plain and Familiar Method of Instructing the Younger Sort according to the Lesser Catechism of the Assembly of Divines (1673) - This was a simple way to teach children using a well-known catechism.
• A new Spelling Book (1674, 1677)
• The Child's Delight (around 1674, 1684) - This book was reprinted many times.
• The Assemblies Shorter Catechism drawn out into distinct Propositions (1674)
• Explanation of the Shorter Catechism (1675, 1676, 1683, 1688, 1689)
• The Principles of the Christian Religion, in a short Catechism (1706)