Gastrell Francis, bishop of Chester, was born at Slapton, in Northamptonshire, about 1662, and was educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church College, Oxford. He became preacher at Lincoln's Inn, and Boyle lecturer. In 1700 he took the degree of D.D., and in 1702 he was appointed canon of Christ Church, Oxford. In 1711 he was made chaplain to the queen, and in 1714 bishop of Chester, with permission to retain his canonry, but he resigned his preachership at Lincoln's Inn. Though never friendly to bishop Atterbury's politics, he stood by him in Parliament when the Bill of Pains and Penalties was brought in against him, and voted against his banishment. He survived that event but a few years. The gout put an end to his life, November 24, 1725. His most important writings are, The Certainty of Religion in general, Boyle lecture (Lond. 1697, 8vo): — The Certainty of the Christian Revelation (Lond. 1699, 8vo): — The Christian Institutes (Lond. 1717, 12mo, 3d ed.): — Lat. Institutiones Christiane (Lond. 1718, 12mo): — Deisms truly represented (Lond. 1722, 8vo.): — Remarks on Clarke's Doctrine of the Trinity (Lond. 1714, 8vo). — Hook, Biog. Eccles. volume 5; Chalmers Biog. Dictionary, s.v.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More