Thomas, John (1), LL.D., an English prelate, was born at Carlisle, Oct. 14, 1712; was educated at the gram- mar-school at Carlisle, and Queen's College, Oxford. Af- ter his graduation he became an assistant at a classical academy, Soho Stjuare, London; then private tutor to the younger son of Sir William Clayton. He was or- dained deacon March 27, 1737, and priest Sept. 25. In the same year he was presented by George II to the rectory of Blechingly, and was instituted Jan. 27, 1738. On Jan. 18, 1748, he was appointed chaplain in ordinary to the king; April 23, 1754, be was made prebendary of AVestminster; and Dec. 12, 1760, was appointed chap- lain to George III. In 1762 he was appointed sub- almoner to the archbishop of York: and in 1766 was instituted to the vicarage of St. Bride's, London. He succeeded Dr. Pearce as dean of Westminster, 1768; and in November, 1774, became bishop of Rochester. He died Aug. 22, 1793. A valuable collection of his Sermons and Charges was published by Kev. G. A. Thomas (1796, 2 vols. 8vo). See Chalmers, Biog. Diet. s. V.
Thomas, John (2). a Welsh Congregational minis- ter, was born at Carmarthen, April 13, 1811. He was
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converted at the age of eighteen, and became an efficient ' teacher in the Sabbalh-school ; removed to Newcastle i in 1S44, and, at the request of t}ie Welsh population, i became pastor of their chapel, lie accepted a call tVom | (Jlynneaih iu 185a; but after two years of labor with that people, under medical advice, resi-^ned his charge. lie died Aug. :{, 1870. See (Loud.) Cun>/. Yaar-boulc, 1871, p. 35a,'
Thomas, Joshua, a Welsh Congregational minis- ter, was born at Penmain, Aug. 2, 1803. At an early age he was the subject of dee]) religious impressions, and at the age of seventeen joined the Church. He gradu- ated at Brecon College, and was ordained pastor of the Church at Adullam Cliapel, Merthyr-Tydvil, where he labored with zeal and energy for eleven years. In 1843 Mr. Thomas removed U) Carmarthenshire, to take charge of the united churches of Hethlehem and Cape Isaac, where he labored for six years with much acceptance and success. In 1849 he removed to Aberavon, and devoted himself with indefatigable zeal to the spirit- ual improvement of the people; and, in spite of many difKculties, succe4.>ded in erecting a spacious chapel and gathering a numerous congregation. His last charge was at Aberdare. whore he labored till his death, Sept. i, 1875. See (Lond.) Conij. Year-book, 1876, p. 377.
Thomas, Richard H., M.I)., a minister of the So- ciety of Friends, was born in Anne-Arundel County, Jld., .lune, 1805. " Having received a liberal education and completed a course of medical studies, he settled in Bal- timore, where he became eminent as a practitioner and teacher of medicine." In the work of the ministry he labored with great diligence. He held many meetings among other denominations, and preached with great acceptability. He was a man of pleasing address; and, possessing great vivacity and extraordinary talents, he gained ready access to tlic most cultivated society. He died at his residence, near Baltimore, Jan. 15, 18G0. See Annual .}fonifui-, I8(;0, p. 12.S.
Thomas, Robert Jeriiain, A.B., a Welsh Con- gregational missionary, was born at Khayadar, Sept. 7, 1840. He matriculated at tlie London University at the age of sixteen, and gained tlie Mills scholarship and took high honors at the university. He was ordained June 4, 1863, at Hanover Chapel, and sailed the follow- ing mouth for Shanghai, under the direction of the Lon- ilon Missionary Society. He was afterwards appointed to the Pekin Mission, and on his way thither he un- dertook an extensive missionary journey through the peninsula of Corea, telling the glorious truths of the <io«pel of Clu-ist and distributing copies of the Script- ures. In 1865 the French admiral prepared an expe- dition against the Coreans, an<l Mr. Thomas was per- suaded to act as an interpreter for the expedition. He was put to death by the Coreans while reading the Bible, July, 1866. See (Lond.) Cont/. Year-book, 1868, p. 296.
Thomas, Samuel (1). a ^fethodist Episcopal min- ister, became a member of the society, in tJie early period of Methodism, in the State of New Jersey. He was an acceptable kwal preacher for a number of years, entered the itinerancy in 1796. and tilled the following stations: In 1796-97, Flan<lers ('ircuit ; 1798, Flizabethtown Cir- cuit; 1799, Freehold; 1800-1, Newburg; 1802, Bethel; 1803, Elizabethtown ; 1804-5, F'reehold ; 1806, supernu- merary in BnMiklyn ; 1807, in New York; 1808. super- annuated, in which relation he continued until he died, in 1812. Mr. Thomas was a man of much prayer and diligence in searching the Scriptures, strongly attached to the doctrines and discipline of the ^Methodist Episco- pal Church, and ever considered as a strict disciplina- rian. See Afimiles of A nmial Conferences, i, 208 ; Ste- vens, Hht. of M. E. Church, iv, 281.
Thomas, Samuel (2), an Independent minister, was born in Jorat, Switzerland, in 1801, By his own in-
dustry he obtained an education at Lausanne Academy, and was ordained at Grancy in 1825. After four years of usefulness at the latter place, Mr. Thomas was elected president of the Training Institute at Lausanne, a post for which he was eminently (itted, both by his earnest piety and varied gifts and attainments. In 1836 he was called to the Church of the Oratory at Yverdun, where he spent nineteen years of useful labor, and in 1855 set- tled at Neufchatel. He died Jan. 12, 1867. Mr. Thom- as was a man of inflexible principles, yet of most gentle and tender disposition. He took a conspicuous jiart in the revival movement in Switzerland, and .showed him- self a wise and experienced" counsellor. See (Lond.) Cong. Year-book, 1868, p. 297.