John Mead Ray

John Mead Ray (1753-1837) was born at Saffron Walden, Essex and, after studying at Ryland’s academy, received further training at Homerton Academy under Dr. Conder.  Ryland jun noted that at one point Ray had “joined Mr Reynolds Church.” Since Ray apparently left the Northampton academy in late 1767 or early 1768, he most likely returned to Essex and joined Reynolds’s congregation at Newport; by the time Reynolds arrived at Camomile Street in London in 1773, Ray was candidating at the Independent meeting at Friar Street, Sudbury.  Despite the fact that he was listed as member no. 78 in J. C. Ryland’s ‘The Society for Christian Improvement and Good Works’, which Ryland began in October 1759, Ryland’s MS. roll of the students who boarded at Northampton noted that Ray was ‘turned out of the Academy as a proud fool’ (see MS. G97A. Zh34, Bristol Baptist College Library).   Ray nevertheless became a successful Independent minister, pastoring at Sudbury from 1773-1837. See the Evangelical Magazine (1837), 77, 157ff., for his obituary.