William Jay (architect)

The Rev. William Jay (6 May 1769 – 27 December 1853) was an English nonconformist divine who preached for sixty years at Argyle Chapel in Bath. He is considered to be one of the most eminent English Congregationalist preachers of Regency England; one of the first Independents or Congregationalists to articulate the Great Awakening or Religious Revival championed by George Whitfield and John Wesley.

William Jay was born at Tisbury in Wiltshire. He adopted his father's trade of stonemason and worked with him on alterations to Fonthill House, but gave it up in 1785 in order to enter the Rev. Cornelius Winter's school at Marlborough. During the three years that Jay spent there, his preaching powers were rapidly developed. Before he was twenty-one he had preached nearly a thousand times, and in 1788 he had for a while occupied Rowland Hill's pulpit at the Surrey Chapel in London. Wishing to have time for self-education or scholarly interests, he accepted the humble pastorate of Christian Malford near Chippenham where he remained about two years. This was followed by one year at the more demanding Hope Chapel, Clifton.

On 30 January 1791 Jay was called to the ministry of the Independent or Congregationalist chapel with which he became connected, Argyle Chapel in Bath. Here he followed revivalist principles by preaching to people regardless of religious denomination or social rank; attracting note as a populist pulpit orator, religious author and scholar, and a friendly counselor. Richard Brinsley Sheridan praised his oratorical skills.

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