Harris, John, D.D., F.E.S., an English divine, was bom about 1667. He studied at St. John's College, Cam- bridge, and became successively rector of St. Mildred's, London ; perpetual curate of Stroud, prebendary of Roch- ester, and fellow, secretar\^, and vice-president of the Royal Society. He died in 1719. Dr. Hams was the first compiler of a dictionary of arts and sciences in Eng- land (1708, 2 vols, fol.), and was a careful and able edi- tor; but he was improvident, and died completely des- titute. He wrote A Refutation of the atheistical Ohjec- tions against the Being and A ttributes of God (London, 1098, 4to): — Sermon, John xvi,2: — The Wickedness of the Pretence of Treason and Rebellion for God's sake (Nov.. 5th) (London, 1715, 8vo) ; and compiled a Collection of Voyages and Travels (Lond. 1702; revised by Cami bell, 1744, 2 vols. fol.). — Darling, Cyclopcedia Bibliogruphica, i, 1403; Allibone, Dictionary of Authors, i,790,
Harris, Jehu, D.D., an eminent Independent min- ister ana scholar, was born at Ugborough, in Devonshire, March 8, 1802, and was admitted a student at the Hox- ton Academy for the education of ministers belonging to the Independent denomination in 1821. In 1827 he settled at Epsom as a minister amongst the Independ- ■ ents. His lirst literary work, entitled The Great Teach- er, was favorably received ; but he became most widely known as the successful competitor for a prize of one hundred guineas, offered by Dr. Conquest for the best essay on the subject of " Covetousness." Mr. Harris's essay ^vas entitled Mammon, and had a large sale, up- wards of thirty thousand copies having been sold in a few years. He subsequently obtained two other prizes for essays— one entitled " Britannia on the Condition and Claims of Sailors;" the other on Missions, with the title The Great Commission. " On account of the reputation brought by these works, he received the degree of D.D. from Amherst College, and was also invited to fill the post of president in lady Huntingdon's Theological Col- lege at Cheshunt. Here he remained till the union of the three Independent colleges of Highbury, Homerton, and Coward in New College, when he accepted the office of principal, and conducted several of the theological courses in that institution. He fiUed this position with efficiency, and by his industrj- and amiable character contributed to the success which has attended this es- tablishment. Whilst at Cheshunt, Dr. Harris published the first of a series of works, in which his object was to illustrate the history of man from a theological point of view. The first volume was entitled The Pre-Adamite Earth (1847). In it he displayed a great amount of learning, and especially an acquaintance with the nat-
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ural sciences, which he brought to bear on his theolog- ical views. The second volume of the series was enti- (leil Man Primeval (1849), in which the intellectual, moral, and reUgious character of man is discussed. A third volume, entitled Patrinrchij, or the Family, appear- ed in 1854. Two other volumes were to have completed the series, and to have been devoted to the ' State,' or the political condition of man, and the ' Church,' or his religious relations; but the plan was cut short by the death of Dr. Harris, Dec. 21, 185G." These writings evince carefid study and a broad range of thought. Dr. Harris's practical writings have had an immense circida- tion both in England and America. See Fish, Pulpit El- oquence (1857) ; Gillillan. Man, in }fii:^lerpieces of Pulpit Oratonj; IIoefer,.Yo'/r. /;/.y/. '/./^' /•(//(, xxiii, 455; Brit- ish Quiu-tnrlij Perieu; y, oSl ; A'. American Review, Ixx, 391 ; ^Vllibone, Dictlununj of Authors, i, 791.
Harris, Robert, D.D., a pious and learned Piu-itan divine, was born in (iloucestershire, 1578, and was edu- cated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He afterwards took orders, and obtained the living of Hanwell, near Ban- bury, Oxfordshire, where he was extremely usefid in confirming the people's minds in the Protestant faith. On the commencement of the Civil War he removed to London, and became a member of the Assembly of Di- vines, but appears to have taken no active part in their proceedings. He officiated at the church of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate Street, until 1G48, when he was appointed president of Trinity College, which office he retained until his death in 1G58. His works include The Way to True Ilappbtess, in twenty-four sermons on the Be- atitudes; and .1 Treatise on the New Covenant, which, with other wTitings, were published in his Works, re- vised and collected (Lend. 1G54, fol.). — Hook, Eccl. Bioy. V, 54G.
Harris, Samuel, D.D., " was bom in the county of Jliddlfsox about tlie year 1G83. He was educated in Merchant Taylor's school, of which he was head boy in 1G97, and was admitted a pensioner of Peter House, Cambridge, May 15, 1700. Upon the foundation of the chair of Modern History in the University of Cambridge by George I in 1724, Harris was appointed the first pro- fessor. He died Dec. 21, 1733. He was the author of, 1. Scripture knoidedye promoted hy cutechiziny (London, 1712, 8\-o) :— 2. .4 Commentary on'the Fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, with an appendix of Queries concerniny Dicers A ncient Reliyious Traditions and Practices, aiul the sense of many texts of Scripture ivhich seem to allude to or ex- press them (Lond. 1735 [not 1739, as frequently stated], ito). In some copies this work has a different title- page, namely, Ohsercatiom, Critical ami Miscellaneous, on several remarkable Texts of the Old Testament, to which is added a Commentary, etc. Prefixed are three disser- tations, 1. On a Gnozer or Advocate ; 2. On a Dour or Generation ; and, 3. On the ancient method of propound- ing important points by way of question. This work was published shortly after the death of the author by his widow. It exhibits much curious learning, and is several times referred to by Doddridge in his lectures." — Kitto, Cyclopadia, ii, 23G.