Richards, George, 1).I)., an English divine, was l)orn at Halesworth, Suffolk, in 1769. He was oilucaled at Christ's llosjiital, matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford, in 1785, and olitained a scholarship. He was made lellow of Oriel Oillege in 1790, vicar ol' Bampton in 1791;, and rector of St. IMarlin's-in-the-Fields in 1820. He died in 1837. His principal work is Tlie Divine Gr- iffin of I'niphery Illiislraled ami iJc/hiili'd, in a course of sermons i)reached in 180(1 (Oxford, 1800, 8 vo). He also published several Seriinms and I'aems. See Alli- bone, l>irl. of Brit, and A mer. A itl/iors, s. v. ; Darling, Cyclop. liiltliiKj. s. v.
Richards, James (1), D.D., a Presbyterian min-
ister, was born at New Canaan, Conn., Oct. 29, 1767. His early education was limited. Having finally suc- ceeded in entering Yale College in 1789, his health soon compelled him to leave it; yet, having afterwards gone through the academical and theological course with un- tiring energy, the corporation of Yale College conferre<l upon him the ilegree of B.A. in 1794. In 1793 he was licensed to preach, and, having been called as pastor by the Church in Morristown, N. J., he was ordained and installed in May, 1797. In 1801 he was made M.A. by Princeton College, and in 1805, when but thirty-seven years of age, he was chosen moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. His ministra- tions at Morristown w^ere particularly successful, but having in 1809 received a call to the congregation of Newark, he accepted it, and removed there. Here his influence gradually increased. In 1815 he preached the annual sermon before the American Board of Commis- sioners for Foreign Missions. The theological seminary at Auburn having been established by the Synod of Geneva in 1819, he was appointed its professor of the- ology in 1820. This he at first declined, but, having been re-elected in 1823, he finally accepted, and entered upon his duties Oct. 29, 1823. His rare qualities fitted him for this service, and he filled the situation with great credit to himself and benefit to others until his death, Aug. 2, 1843. Dr. Richards published a number of occasional Sermons, A ddresses, and LecUtres. After his death there were published from his INISS. a volume of Lectures on Mental Philosophy and Theology, with a sketch of his life by the Rev. Samuel H. Gridley (1846, 8vo), and some twenty Discourses (1849, 12mo). — Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, iv, 99. See also the Mefh. Qua?: Rev. Jan. 1850; Plumley, PreshyteHan Church, p. 371.
Richards, James (2\ a Congregational minister, was born at Aliington, JMass., Feb. 23, 1784. He grad- uated at Williams College, in 1809, entered the ministry in 1812, aiul, having offered himself to the American Board, sailed, with eight others, C)ct. 23, 1815, for Cey- lon. He was stationed at Batticotta, but, his health failing, he went to Cape Town in 1818. and returne<l the next winter, after which he was able to labor a year from April, 1820, and died Aug. 3, 1822. — Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pnljiif, ii, 596.
Richards, John J., a minister of the INIcthodist Episcopal Church, South, was born July 16, 1816. He united with the Church in his thirteenth year, and for several years filled the ottlce of class-leader, Sunday- school teacher, and exhorter. In 1837 he was licensed to preach, and admitted on trial in the Georgia Confer- ence in 1839, in which connection he remained until 1844, when he was transferred to the Florida Conference. There he labored until 1860, when, because of failing healtli, he was superannuate<l, and held that relation until iiis death — Sejif. 4, 1863 — in Madison County, Fla. Mr. Richards was a sound and practical ])reacher, de- voting his time and talents to the service of the Church. —Minutes of A nnual Conf. M. E. Ch. South, 18C)3, p. 467.
Richards, John W., D.D., a Lutheran minister, was born in R'cading. Pa., .\pril 18, 1803, and made a public profession of religion in ids sixteenth year. His classical studies were jiursued chiefiy under the instruc- tion of Rev. Dr. .1, (irier. In 1821 he commenced the study of theology under the direction of his pastor. Dr. Muhlenburg, remaining with him until 1824. when the Synod of Pennsylvania licensed him to preach. He re- signed his first charge (New Holland, Lancaster Coun- ty, Pa.) in 18;) I, an<l removed to Trappe, Montgomery Ciumty. In 1836 lie accejited a call to (iermantown. Pa., where he reinaine<l till 1845, when he became pastor of .St. .bdm's Church. Easton, Pa. ^\'hile here he held the professorship of (ierman language and literature in Lafayette ('ollege. In 1851 he took charge of Trinity Church, Reading, Pa., and died .Tan. 24. 1854. He was made doctor of divinitv bv Jefl'erson College in 1852.
RICHARDS
17
RICHARDS
He published two Sermons, and left in MS. a translation of Hallische Nachrichten, and a IlisUiry of thu Ameri- can Lutheran Church, — Sprague, A nnuls of the A iner. Pulpit, ix, 165.
Richards, Jonas De Forest, LL.D., a Congre- gational minister, was born at Hartford, Vt., Dec. 28, 1809. After attending a grammar school, he entered Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1836, and became tutor in Marietta College, O., where he re- mained but a short time, and then entered Lane Theo- logical Seminary, at Cincinnati, O. From thence he went to New York and entered Union Theological Sem- inar}^, where he remained one year, and then matricu- lated at Andover Theological Seminary, where he grad- uated in 1840, staying long enough at each of these institutions to become acquainted with their policy and modes of instruction. On Maj' 28, 1841, he was or- dained and installed pastor of a Church in Cliarlestown, N. H. After remaining ten years, his pastoral relation was dissolved, and he accepted a call from Chester, Vt., where he remained four years as a stated supply. His next pastorate was Weathersfield, Vt., where he contin- ued five years, at the end of which time he removed to Monroe, Mich., where he remained without charge for three years and returned to Weathersfield. After re- maining one year in this place, he went South, and was elected a member of the Alabama Senate, which post he occupied foiu: years, in the meantime being elected to a professorship in the University of Alabama. He died during his professorship, Dec. 2, 1872. (W. P. S.)