Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known Characters

J. Morgan (James Morgan) Gibbon

1855–1932

A Welsh Congregational minister and devotional writer, he published practical Christian books aimed at Bible readers and church life. He also belonged to a remarkable literary family: his daughter Muriel Morgan Gibbon became a well-known novelist and journalist.

J. G. (John Gershom) Greenhough

A Baptist minister, writer, and public speaker, he wrote accessible books on the Bible and religion for general readers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work reflects the world of Protestant preaching and popular religious publishing in Britain at the time.

H. Elvet (Howell Elvet) Lewis

1860–1953

A Welsh minister, hymn writer, and devotional poet, he became one of the best-known literary voices in Welsh Nonconformist life. Writing under the bardic name Elfed, he also served as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

George Milligan

1860–1934

A Scottish minister and New Testament scholar, he spent decades bringing biblical scholarship to students, clergy, and general readers. His books, including studies of St. Paul and the New Testament world, helped make complex ideas feel approachable.

A popular English Nonconformist preacher, devotional writer, and commentator, he reached a wide readership with sermons and practical religious books shaped by pastoral experience. His work blends plainspoken encouragement with the moral seriousness of late Victorian and early 20th-century Protestant life.

David Rowlands

1836–1907

A Welsh minister, teacher, and poet remembered for the bardic name Dewi Môn, he rose from a modest start in Anglesey to become a respected college head and literary figure. His life joined preaching, education, and Welsh-language writing in a way that left a lasting mark on nineteenth-century Welsh culture.

A leading Methodist minister and historian, he wrote lively, thoughtful books on theology, church history, and reform. His work ranged from medieval philosophy to missionary biography, showing a wide curiosity and a gift for explaining big religious ideas clearly.