Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Moore, Henry (1732-1802)
MOORE, HENRY (1732–1802), unitarian minister and hymn-writer, son of Henry Moore, minister of Treville Street presbyterian congregation, Plymouth, was born at Plymouth on 30 March 1732. His mother was the daughter of William Bellew, of Stock! eigh Court, Devonshire. His schoolmaster was Bedford, afterwards vicar of St. Charles the Martyr's, Plymouth. In 1749 he entered Doddridge's academy at Northampton, and, after Doddridge's death, removed on 9 Nov. 1752 to the Daventry academy, under Caleb Ashworth [q. v.] Here he was a fellow-student with Priestley. In 1755 or 1756 he became minister of a small presbyterian congregation at Dulverton, Somerset, but removed in 1757 to the presbyterian congregation at Modbury, Devonshire. He was at this time an Arian. It was not until 6 July 1768 that he was ordained at Plymouth. His congregation at Modbury went over to methodism. About the end of 1787 he removed to the presbyterian congregation at Liskeard, Cornwall.
Moore was a man of considerable learning and some humour, as his critique on Madan shows. His disposition was very retiring. Priestley, who thought highly of his exegetical powers, secured him as a contributor to his 'Commentaries and Essays,' 1785-99, 8vo, 2 vols.; the second volume is chiefly occupied with Moore's interpretations of passages in the Old Testament, which won the commendation of Alexander Greddes [q. v.] In 1789 Priestley applied to him, through Michael Dodson [q. v.], to take part in a projected version of the scriptures. He wrote much devotional verse, some of it of great beauty. He seems to have retired from active duty before 1792, when Thomas Morgan, one of the founders of the Western Unitarian Society, is described as minister at Liskeard. Shortly before his death he became paralysed, when an edition of his poems by subscription was projected by John Aikin (1747-1822), but not published till some years after his death. He died unmarried at Liskeard on 2 Nov. 1802.
He published: 1. 'An Essay on Fundamentals,' &c., 1759, 8vo (allows but two : that Christ is a king, and that his kingdom is not of this world). 2. 'A Word to Mr. Madan,' &c., 1781, 8vo (anon.); two editions same year : in reply to the 'Thelyphthora' of Martin Madan [q. v.] 3. 'Private Life : A Moral Rhapsody,' &c., Plymouth, 1795, 12mo. Posthumous was : 4. ' Lyrical and Miscellaneous Poems,' &c.,1803, 4to, 1806, 12mo (edited by Aikin). One of his pieces is in Lord Selborne's 'Book of Praise,' 1863; others are in most of the older Unitarian collections; they are purely devotional, without specific doctrinal suggestion. A beautiful hymn, 'Amidst a world of hopes and fears,' which appears with the initials 'H. M.,' is often ascribed to him, but is by Hannah Merivale. A collection of his poems, in autograph, was in the possession (1878) of the late Rev. W. J. Odgers, Bath.
[Aikin's biographical preface, 1806; Monthly Repository, 1815 p. 688, 1822 p. 163; Rutt's Memoir of Priestley, 1831-2, i. 395, ii. 24; Murch's Hist. Presb. and Gen. Bapt. Congr. in West of England, 1835, pp. 503, 511 sq.; Christian Reformer, 1857, pp. 170 sq.; Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, 1892, p. 1196.]