Thomas of Villanova. See Villeneuve.
Thomas, Barnabas, one of Wesley's early heli> ers, was a native of Cornwall, England. He was ad- mitted on trial by the Conference in 1764 and preach- ed in Wales, and was likewise stationed in Cork. He was named in the deed of declaration. He at length desisted from an itinerant life, and settled in Leeds, but sank into obscurity, and died of a violent fever while the Conference was in session in that city (1793). See Atmore, Meth. Memorial, s. v.
Thomas, Benjamin Galley, a Baptist mission- ary, was born in Massachusetts. He graduated at Brown University in the class of 1847, and at the New- ton Theological Institution in the class of 1850. For eighteen years he was a missionary of the American Baptist Missionary Union, being stationed during this period at various places — three j-ears at Tavoy, Bengal; three years at Henzadah, Btirmah ; and two years at Bassein, Bombay. At one time he had inider his charge a sch((ol for the education of native teachers. Keturn- ing to the United States, he died in the citv of New York, June 10, 1869. (J. C. S.)
Thomas, Benjamin Franklin, chancellor of Brown University, was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 12, 1813, and was a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1830, having entered college at the early age of thirteen. He was admitted to the bar of Worcester in 1834. By degrees he rose to an extensive practice, and occupied a high position among the able lawyers with whr>m he was contemporary. I'or four years (1844—48) he was judge of probate for Worcester County. In 1853 he was appointed to a place maile vacant on the bench of the Supreme .ludicial Court of Massachusetts, and held the office for six years (1853-59). Having re- signed his position on the bench, he removed to Boston,
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where in his profession he achieved eminent success. lie served one term (ISO I -03) as a representative in Congress from Boston. He was elected chancellor of Brown University in 1874. His death took place at Beverly, Mass., Sept. 27, 1878. (J. C. S.)
Thomas, Christian, a modern jihilosopher, was horn at Leii)sic in lOO.'i, and .i:;ra<iuated at the Leijisic University. Reading l'ntfen<lorrs A polof/i/ for Reject- ing the Sckola.'itic Principli'ii of Month and Law, he de- termined to renounce all implicit deference to ancient dogmas. Brucker gives the following brief specimen of his peculiar tenets: "Thought arises from images impressed upon the brain, and the action of thinking is ))erformed in the whole brain. Brutes are destitute of sensation. Man is a corporeal substance, capable of thinking and moving, or endued with intellect and will. Man does not always think. Truth is the agreement of thought with the nature of things. The senses are not deceitful, but all fallacy is the etfect of precipitation and ))rcjudice. From perception arise ideas and their relations, and from these, reasonings. It is impossible to discover truth by the syllogistic art. . . . God is not perceived by the intellectual sense, but b}' the inclina- tion of the will; for creatures affect the brain, but God the heart. All creatures are in (Jod ; nothing is exte- rior to him. Creation is extension jiroduced froin noth- ing bv the divine power. Creatures are of two kinds, passive and active; the former is matter, the latter Spirit. . , . The human soul is a ray from the divine nature, whence it desires union with (Jod, who is love," etc. Thomas died at Halle in 1728. He published, .4 ?i Introduction to Pnlf'<'Hdorf(lGS7) :— .4 Defence of the Sect of the Pietists: — An Infrodne/ion to An lie Philosophi/, etc.: — Introduction to Raliomd PhUosophij : — A Lof/ical Praxis: — Introduction to Moral Philosophy : — A Cure for Irregular Passions :■ — Essay on the Nature and Es- sence of Spirit, etc. See Chalmers, Biog. Diet. s. v.
Thomas, Christopher, a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in ^latthews County, Va., Oct. 31, 1797. He was converted in 1810, admitted on trial in the Virginia Conference in 1823, and appointed to the Sussex Circuit. In 1824 he still hehl the same circuit; in 1825, Yadkin; in 1820, Salisbury; in 1827, Iredell; in 1828, Williamsburgh ; and in 1829, Newbern, N. C, all of which appointments he filled with ability and suc- cess. He died Nov. 14, 1829. He was a plain man, of strict integrity, consistent Christianity, and highlj' re- spectable abilities. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1830, p. 7,').
Thomas, David (1), a minister of the Baptist de- nomination, was horn at Loudon Tract, Pa., Aug. 10, 1732. In early life he enjoyed more than ordinary ad- vantages for obtaining a good education. He studied for some time at the Academy in Hopewell, under the tuition of Kev. Isaac Eaton, and in 17()9 received the honorary degree of A.M. from Brown University. When quite young he began to preach. He removed to Vir- ginia in 1700, and spent about a year and a half in Berkeley County. He then visited Fau(piier County, and under his ministry the Broad lliver Church was formed, of which, for a time, he was the pastor. Sub- sequently, from this church, five or six other churches were constituted. He travelled as an evangelist in dif- ferent sections of the state, and his preaching was great- ly blessed in the conversion of souls. He is said "to have been a minister of great distinction in the prime of his days. Besides the natural endowments of a vigor- ous raiud, and the advantages of a classi<'al and retined education, he had a melodious and piercing voice, a pa- thetic address, expressive action, and, above all, a heart tilled with loive to God and his fellow-men." Many per- sons in Virginia had been accustomed to hear but little evangelical preaching. They were attracted by the elo- quence of so accomplished a minister as was Jlr. Thomas, and not a few who occupied high social ))ositions were led to the Saviour. Near the close of his life he re-