Rabaut-Pommier, Jacques-Antoine

RABAUT-POMMIER, JACQUES-ANTOINE: French Protestant, second son of Paul Rabaut (q.v.); b. at Nîmes Oct 24, 1744; d. at Paris Mar. 16, 1820. He was, together with his elder brother, educated at Geneva and Lausanne. In 1770 he was called to Marseilles as preacher, being the first of his faith to occupy a pulpit since the abrogation of the Edict of Nantes. In 1782 he went to Montpellier, where, with the assistance of some friends he was enabled to found a large hospital. During his stay in the southern part of France he was busy with scientific and medical studies, becoming the first advocate of vaccination as a preventive of smallpox. In 1790 he was elected to the magistracy of Montpellier, and in 1792 representative to the national convention. He was under Robespierre's rule arrested, but by some error overlooked, and after Robespierre's death was liberated. Napoleon created him vice-prefect of Vigan. On Dec. 3, 1802, the consistory of Paris called him (together with Marron and Jean Monod) to fill a pulpit in the latter city, where he labored with splendid results until Mar. 17, 1816, when he was exiled for the part played by him in the proceedings against Louis XVI. Two years later Count Boissy d’Anglas brought about his reinstatement, but, owing to infirmities due to the many vicissitudes of his active career, he died two years later. His only publications are Napoléon libérateur, discours religieux (Paris, 1810); and Sermon d’actione de grâces sur le retour de Louis XVIII, (1814).

(Eugen Lachenmann.)

Bibliography: Consult the Notice biographique by Coquerel in Nouvel annuaire protestant, pp. 299–325, Paris, 1821; A. Lods, Le Pasteur Rabaut Pommier, membre de la. Convention Nationale, 1744–1820, Paris, 1893; and the literature under Rabaut, Paul, especially the work of A. Borrel.