Robert Boyle - Father of chemistry

It's now time for our segment, Christians who have made a difference, and our Christian who has made a difference today is a man who was born in 1627, only 16 years after the publishing of the first King James Bible. He's regarded today as the first modern chemist, and one of the key founders of modern chemistry, and one of the pioneers of modern experimental scientific method. He's best known for Boyle's Law, which describes the mathematical relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas. His name is Robert Boyle. Robert Boyle was born in Ireland, the 14th child of the Earl of Cork, one of the richest men in Britain. He was schooled for a few years at Eton College, and later tutored at home. His mother died when he was about three years old, and his father died when he was 17. But his father left Robert Stalbridge Estate and other estates for income. Robert settled in Stalbridge in South West England, and dedicated his life to scientific research. It was here that he joined the group that would later become the Royal Society, a society for the promotion of science. He used his wealth to fund his research and pay assistance. It was also here that he developed his gas pressure theories and proved that a vacuum could exist. This was contrary to current scientific thought. Atheistic philosopher and mathematician Thomas Hobbes attacked Boyle, but Hobbes was eventually shown to be wrong. Robert Boyle invented a litmus paper and a primitive refrigerator, and he showed that water expands as it turns to ice. He isolated phosphorus from urine. The modern definition of the word element was given by him, and he proposed atomism, that substances are made up of tiny particles. Other learned men of the time assumed that matter was made up of the four elements proposed by the ancient Greeks, earth, air, fire, and water. He was a very good writer, and wrote 42 books popularising science. He also wrote best-seller novels. The lion of the 18th century literary world Samuel Johnson publicly regretted Boyle's dedication to science rather than literature. Boyle was a devout Christian. He began each day with prayer and Bible reading. He saw science as a means of glorifying God by showing God's wisdom as revealed in science and scientific laws. He believed we are to study our world with courage and patience. He was offered a bishop's position by the Church of England, but turned it down because he felt the Holy Spirit had not called him to that role. He personally helped with translations of the Bible into other languages, and with his wealth paid for publishing Bibles in other languages. He supported Christian missionaries overseas and Christian work in India. During the corrupt Restoration period in England in the 17th century he still lived a holy life. He donated substantial sums to support impoverished Irish families. He sent financial aid to poor Welsh non-conformist preachers who suffered because they did not follow all the standard doctrines. He pleaded with archbishops of the established church to deal gently with these non-conformists. He was popular and sociable. He had many visitors to his home who he entertained very well. His health was not the best. He continually was plagued by kidney stones. At age 45 he was paralysed and for a year servants had to carry him around. His eyes failed when he became old, so he had his servants read to him and take his notes for him. He eventually died in 1691 at the age of 74. In his last words to the Royal Society he said, Remember to give glory to the one who authored nature. Use knowledge to bring good to mankind. In his will he left some money to set up a series of annual lectures, the Boyle Lectures, to defend Christianity from atheism and other religions. A condition of his legacy was that differences between Christian groups were not to be highlighted. These annual lectures continue to this day. We salute Robert Boyle, who honoured God, won for himself a name and has been honoured throughout the world for 300 years. He was a Christian who made a difference.