Charles-Pierre Chais (1701–1785) was a

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

n pastor, who spent much of his life in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

. He completed a Bible translation in French; however, it derived with commentary from English-language sources.

Life

Chais was born in Geneva in January 1701. He was the son of Jean-François Chais and Alexandrine Maurice. He studied theology in Geneva, and then travelled in France, Germany, and Holland from 1724, when he was ordained, to 1728. Chais was pastor of the Walloon Church at The Hague from 1728 and for the rest of his life. He also acted as a diplomat. With François Fagel (1659–1746), he saw that Geneva was included in the

Treaty of Vienna (1738) The Treaty of Vienna or Peace of Vienna of 1738 ended the War of the Polish Succession. By the terms of the treaty, Stanisław Leszczyński renounced his claim on the Polish throne and recognized Augustus III, Duke of Saxony.Lindsay, J. O. (1957 ...

, at the end of the

War of the Polish Succession The War of the Polish Succession ( pl, Wojna o sukcesję polską; 1733–35) was a major European conflict sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II of Poland, which the other regional power, European powers widened in p ...

. Again, in the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's W ...

, he had the help of Fagel in heading off a Spanish army, that was threatening Geneva in September 1742. His portrait in pastel was taken by

Jean-Étienne Liotard Jean-Étienne Liotard (; 22 December 1702 – 12 June 1789) was a Swiss painter, art connoisseur and dealer. He is best known for his portraits in pastel, and for the works from his stay in Turkey. A Huguenot of French origin and citizen of the R ...

. Chais was a member of the Holland Society of Sciences from 1753. He died at The Hague in 1785.

Works

From 1742, Chais published volumes of a French

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

commentary, ''La Sainte Bible, ou le vieux et le nouveau testament avec un commentaire littéral composé de notes choisies et tirées de divers auteurs anglois''. A seventh volume appeared in 1790, edited by

Archibald Maclaine Archibald Maclaine (1722–1804) was an Irish minister, known as a translator. He spent nearly half a century as pastor at the English church in The Hague. Life From a Scots-Irish background, the son of Lauchlin Maclaine and brother of James Mac ...

. According to the front matter, the French text is based on the translation of David Martin. Other works were: * ''Le sens littéral de l'écriture sainte'', 1751, 3 volumes, translated from the English of

Thomas Stackhouse Thomas Stackhouse (1677–1752) was an English theologian and controversialist. Life The son of John Stackhouse (d. 1734), who became rector of Boldon in County Durham, and uncle of John Stackhouse, he was born at Witton-le-Wear where his fath ...

* ''Lettres historiques et dogmatiques sur les Jubilés et les indulgences à l'occasion du Jubilé Universel célébré à Rome'', 1751 * ''Théologie de l'Écriture Sainte, ou la Science du Salut'', 1752, 2 volumes * ''Essai apologétique sur la méthode de communiquer la petite vérole par inoculation'', 1754. Chais paid close attention to the ''Journal Brittanique'' edited by Matthieu Maty; and noted in it a review of a 1752 sermon by

Isaac Maddox Isaac Maddox (27 July 1697 – 27 September 1759) was an Anglican clergyman, successively bishop of St Asaph and of Worcester. Life Isaac was the son of a Dissenter, Edward Maddox, stationer of London. He was orphaned at an early age, and b ...

in favour of

inoculation Inoculation is the act of implanting a pathogen or other microorganism. It may refer to methods of artificially inducing immunity against various infectious diseases, or it may be used to describe the spreading of disease, as in "self-inoculati ...

, given at the London Smallpox and Inoculation Hospital run by

Edward Jenner Edward Jenner, (17 May 1749 – 26 January 1823) was a British physician and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines, and created the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms ''vaccine'' and ''vaccination'' are derived f ...

. He wrote this early tract to promote inoculation, and became an authority on the subject. * ''Catéchisme historique et dogmatique'', 1755, La Haye. Sermons were published posthumously, starting with ''Sermons sur divers textes de l'Ecriture sainte'' (1787). Chais translated as ''Les mœurs anglais'' (1758)

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

's ''Estimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times'' (1757). With others, he edited the periodical ''Bibliothèque des Sciences et des Beaux Arts'' that was published at The Hague, from 1754 to 1778.

Family

Chais married in 1734 Wilhelma Antonia Pauw. Their daughter Esther Wilhelmina Chais (1736–1789), married Archibald Maclaine, minister at the English Church in The Hague, in 1758.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chais, Charles-Pierre 1701 births 1785 deaths Theologians from the Republic of Geneva 18th-century clergy from the Republic of Geneva Translators of the Bible into French 18th-century translators