John Kempthorne

John Kempthorne (24 June 1775, Plymouth Dock, Devon – 9 November 1838, Gloucester) was an English clergyman and hymnwriter.

He was the son of Admiral James Kempthorne (1735-1808). He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge as Senior Wrangler and Smith's Prizeman in 1796, and elected fellow (1796-1802).

In his church career he was a protegee of the Hon. Henry Ryder, Bishop of Gloucester from 1815-1824 and Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry from 1824 to 1836.Kempthorne was Vicar of Northleach (1816-38), vicar of Preston (1817-20), Rector of St Michael's and St Mary-de-Grace, Gloucester (1825-38), chaplain to the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry (1824-38) and Prebendary of Lichfield (1825-38). He was an evangelical hymn-writer, credited with composing "Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him". Hewas opposed to fairs and public entertainments.

Publications

* "Select portions of psalms", (London: Hatchard, 1810)
* "A warning against attendance at the theatre, the fair, and the race-course, being the substance of a sermon preached last year in the parish church of St. Michael, in the city of Gloucester, previous to the annual recurrence of revelry in or near that city" (Gloucester: Verrinder, 1831)
* "The Church's self-regulating privilege, (London: Hatchard, 1835)

External links

* [http://eagle.cch.kcl.ac.uk:8080/cce/persons/DisplayPerson.jsp?PersonID=13212 CCED record]

References

* 'Gloucester, 1720-1835: Social and cultural life', A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 4: The City of Gloucester (1988), pp. 154-159 [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42295]