Billy Bray

Billy Bray (1 June, 1794 - 25 May, 1868) was a 19th century Cornish preacher born at Twelveheads, a village in the parish of Kea, near Truro, Cornwall.

His grandfather and father were pious Methodists, but his father died when his children were young. In early adulthood Billy Bray lived a drunken life; he was converted through reading John Bunyan's "Visions of Heaven; and Visions of Hell". He then became attached to a group of Methodists known as the Bible Christians, and became a well known but unconventional preacher. [Heroes of Cornwall - Sheila Bird - 2004]

F. W. Bourne's biography "The King's Son" went through many editions for well over 100 years, under several titles.

New book

* "Billy Bray In His Own Words", by Chris Wright is a new book based on the previously unpublished journal of Billy Bray in his own handwriting that had lain undeciphered since the nineteenth century. Highland Books (2004) ISBN 1-897913-73-7

William James made reference to Billy Bray in his "Varieties of Religious Experience" published in 1902. Annie Dillard made reference to Billy Bray in her Pulitzer Prize winning "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" published in 1974 (see the last sentence of the book).

References

External links

* [http://www.billybray.com A Billy Bray website]