siastes,’ &c., 1763, 8vo, 4 vols. 4. ‘A Paraphrase on … Isaiah,’ &c., Chelmsford, 1776, 8vo, 2 vols.
Holden, Lawrence, the younger (1752–1844), dissenting divine, son of the preceding, was born at Maldon on 15 Dec. 1752. In 1766 he entered the Hoxton Academy, and went through a six years' course of study for the dissenting ministry under Savage, Kippis, and Rees. While at Hoxton he was much influenced by his father's friend, Caleb Fleming, D.D. [q. v.], whose biography he edited. On 5 July 1772 he entered the ministry at Tenterden, Kent, as assistant to Cornelius Hancock, whom he succeeded as pastor in May 1774. Here he ministered for over seventy-one years, assisted from 1827 by Edward Talbot. He began his ministry at the age of nineteen and continued it to the age of ninety-one. He died at Tenterden on 19 March 1844 and was buried on 26 March. A memorial sermon was preached at Maidstone on 14 April by William Stevens. He married (January 1777) a daughter of James Blackmore, who died without issue many years before her husband. He published a few sermons (1810–14) and lectures on the evidences (1820).
[Monthly Repository, 1806, pp. 561 sq., 1808, p. 50; Christian Reformer, 1844, pp. 263 sq., 780 sq.; Stevens's Character of the late Rev. L. Holden, 1844; Davids's Evang. Nonconf. in Essex, 1863, p. 426; Miall's Congregationalism in Yorkshire, 1868, p. 255.]
HOLDEN, MOSES (1777–1864), astronomer, was born at Bolton, Lancashire, on 21 Nov. 1777. As a youth he worked in a foundry at Preston, until disabled by an accident. On his recovery he occupied himself first as a landscape gardener, then as a weaver. Early in life he possessed a strong love of astronomy, and he collected a library that was remarkable for one in his station. In 1814–15 he constructed a large orrery and an ingenious magic-lantern. These were made for the purpose of illustrating his astronomical lectures, which were first given in the Theatre Royal, Preston, in 1815, and afterwards in many towns in the north of England. In 1818 he published ‘A small Celestial Atlas, or Maps of the Visible Heavens, in the Latitude of Britain,’ 3rd edit. 1834, 4th edit. 1840. It was one of the earliest works of the kind published at a low price. He also compiled an almanac, published in 1835 and later. In 1826 he devoted the proceeds of one of his lectures to the erection of a monument in St. Michael's Church, Toxteth, Liverpool, to the memory of Jeremiah Horrocks the astronomer. He assisted in establishing the Preston Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge, and in 1834 the freedom of the borough was conferred on him. He died at Preston on 3 June 1864, aged 86.
[Preston Guardian.]
HOLDER, WILLIAM (1616–1698), divine, was born in Nottinghamshire in 1616. He matriculated at Cambridge as a scholar of Pembroke Hall on 4 July 1633, and after proceeding M.A. in 1640, was elected a fellow of his college. About 1642 he obtained the rectory of Bletchington, Oxfordshire, and on 21 March 1643 was incorporated M.A. at Oxford (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 59). On 25 June 1652 he was collated by Bishop Wren to the third prebendal stall in Ely Cathedral, but was not installed until 22 Sept. 1660 (Le Neve, Fasti, ed. Hardy, i. 357). He gained considerable reputation in 1659 by teaching a deaf-mute, Alexander Popham, son of Colonel Edward Popham, to speak. Popham afterwards relapsing into dumbness was sent to Dr. John Wallis, who restored his speech. At the Restoration Holder proceeded D.D. at Oxford, and on 27 Jan. 1662 was presented by Bishop Wren to the rectory of Northwold in Norfolk (Blomefield, Norfolk, 8vo ed. ii. 220), and also to that of Tidd St. Giles's in the Isle of Ely. On 20 May 1663 he was elected F.R.S. (Thomson, Hist. of Royal Society, App. iv. p. xxii). To the ‘Philosophical Transactions’ for May 1668 (iii. 665–8) he contributed ‘An Experiment concerning Deafness.’ In 1669 he published ‘Elements of Speech, an Essay of Inquiry into the natural production of Letters; with an Appendix concerning persons Deaf and Dumb.’ Burney (Hist. of Music, iii. 598–9) commends the book to the perusal of lyric poets and composers of vocal music as pointing out harsh combinations of letters and syllables. In the appendix Holder relates how he taught Popham to speak. As a supplement to the ‘Philosophical Transactions’ of 3 July 1670 he wrote ‘Reflexions on Dr. Wallis's Letter to Mr. Boyle concerning an Essay of Teaching a person Deaf and Dumb to speak and understand a Language.’ Wallis had claimed the merit of having taught Popham. Holder was also eminent in music. An evening service in C and two anthems by him are in the Tudway collection (Harleian MSS. 7338 and 7339). He was installed prebendary of Isledon in St. Paul's Cathedral on 16 Nov. 1672, and was also one of the canons residentiary of that Church (Newcourt, Repertorium, i. 168). On 2 Sept. 1674 he was sworn sub-dean of the Chapel Royal (Old Cheque Book, Camd. Soc. p. 16), and was chosen sub-almoner
