David Thomas (1813 – 30 December 1894) was a Welsh preacher and publisher of ''The Homilist'', a magazine of liturgical thought. The son of William Thomas of Hopsill, also a preacher, Thomas was born near

Tenby, Pembrokeshire Tenby () is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies within Carmarthen Bay. Notable features include of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th-century Tenby Town Walls, me ...

and started life in a commercial career, in which he achieved a rapid success.Thomas Rowland Roberts, ''Eminent Welshmen'' (1908), p. 507-508. Thomas was already giving his Sundays to preaching, and was prevailed upon to give up his business prospects in order to devote himself wholly to the ministry. He entered Newport Pagnell College to prepare for the ministry, and afterwards became pastor at Chesham. In 1844, he moved to

Stockwell Stockwell is a district located in South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. It is situated south of Charing Cross. History The name Stockwell is likely to have originated from a local well, with "stoc" being Old Englis ...

, London, where he ministered to a congregation reaching up to 900 people until his retirement in 1877. He began publication of ''The Homilist'' in 1852, and proceeded to publish over forty volumes. He also wrote ''The Crisis of Being—six lectures to Young Men on Religious Decision''; ''The Progress of Being''; ''The Genius of the Gospels''; ''A Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew''; ''The Practical Philosopher''; ''Problemata Mnndi'', and other works. His collected writings eventually filled nine volumes, republished between 1882 and 1889. Thomas was the originator of the Working Men's Club and Institute, of which

Lord Brougham Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, (; 19 September 1778 – 7 May 1868) was a British statesman who became Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and played a prominent role in passing the Reform Act 1832 and Slavery ...

was first president; and of an insurance plan for the benefit of widows of ministers. His congregants included Catherine Mumford (whose wedding to

William Booth William Booth (10 April 1829 – 20 August 1912) was an English Methodist preacher who, along with his wife, Catherine, founded the Salvation Army and became its first General (1878–1912). This Christian movement, founded in 1865, has a qu ...

was officiated by Thomas in 1855) and

Wilson Carlile Wilson Carlile, Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (14 January 1847 - 26 September 1942) was a Christian, an English priest and Evangelism, evangelist who founded the Church Army. He was also a prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral, London. K ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Waynesburg College Waynesburg University is a private Christian university in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1850 and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. The university enrolls aroun ...

awarded Thomas an Honorary Doctorate, recognizing his efforts to reconcile the churches of the United States and England. He died at his daughter's home in

Ramsgate Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in eastern Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate' ...

on 30 December 1894 and was buried at

West Norwood Cemetery West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery. One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, David 1813 births People from Tenby 1894 deaths People from Stockwell English Protestant ministers and clergy Burials at West Norwood Cemetery 19th-century Welsh clergy