Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/148

122 man of sterling character, of powerful intellect, who possessed I lit- reputation of an able and faith- ful divine." His published discourses include "The Pastoral Large Vindicated" and " The Di- vine Institution of Preaching the Gospel Consid- ered " i New York, ITijsi, and "The Importance of the Divine Presence with tin A rmies of God's Peo- ple in their Martial Enterprises" (1759). He also published a sermon, delivered in 1754, on " Ordi- nation to the Gospel Ministry," regarding which he held peculiar views. His son, Benjamin Young, physician, b. in Huntingdon, L. I., 20 Dee.. 17:M: d. there, 31 Oct., 1791, was graduated at Princeton in 1751, studied medicine under Dr. Jacob Ogden, and began to practise at Easthampton, L. 1. In 17~>i!-'7 he was tutor at Princeton. His ac<|iiiiv- ments as a linguist were unusual. Among his pa- pei- were found, after his death, Latin ver.-itiea- tions of one of the Psalms written in all the dif- ferent metres of the odes of Horace. He was also master of several modern languages, which he spoke fluently. In June, 1762, he sailed for Ki in- land to visit medical schools abroad, and he wa- graduated at the University of Leyden in July, 1764. After visiting Moscow he returned to New York city and resumed practice there. On the passage of the stamp-act he wrote "A Song for the Sons of Liberty in New York." At the open- ing of the Revolutionary war, Dr. Prime, who had meantime given up practice in New York and re- tired to Huntington, was compelled to flee to Con- necticut, but at the end of the war he returned to Huntington, and remained thereuntil his death. Besides his songs and ballads, which circulated widely during the war. Dr. Prime published " The Patriot Muse, or Poems on some of the Principal Events of the Late War, etc., by an American Gen- tleman, referring to the French War "(London, 1764), and "Columbia's Glory, or British Pride Humbled, a Poem on the American Revolution" (New York, 1791). In addition to these, there was published in New York city, in 1840, " Muscipula: Sive Cambromyomachia. The Mouse-Trap : or. the Battle of the Welsh and the Mice: in Latin and Eng- lish. With Other Poems in different Languages. By an American." The principal Latin poem in this volume is probably not by Dr. Prime, but the translation of the " Muscipula " is undoubtedly his work. Benjamin Y'oung's son, Vil II.IIIH i Scnil- dor, clergyman, b. in Huntington, L. I., 21 April. 1785; d. in Mamaroneck, N. Y., 27 March, is.'iii, was graduated at Princeton in 1804, licensed to preach by the presbytery of Long Island, 10 Oct., 1805, and ordained in 1809. After preaching at Sag Harbor, Fresh Pond, and Smithtown, L. I., he was called, in 1813, to the Presbyterian church at Cambridge, Washington co., N. Y*., where he remained for seventeen years. For several years after 1821 he was also principal of the county academy. In 1831 he established a seminary for young women in Sing Sing, under the charge of his daughter, and on its being destroyed by fire in 1835, he removed it to Xcwburg. N. Y., where he remained eight years. On retiring at the end of that period, he did not again accept a pastoral charge. Dr. Prime was an earnest advocate of all moral reforms, and is believed to have preaehed in 1811 one of the first temperance sermons that was ever delivered. He was an enthusiastic elec- trician, and was instrumental in introducing Prof. Joseph Henry to public notice. Hereieied tin- degree of D. D. from Princeton in 1^4S. Besides "A Collection of Hymns" (Sag Harbor. 1S09. -A Familiar Illustration of Christian Baptism "(Salem. 1818), and " A History of Long Island " (New York, ). Dr. Prime published sermons entitled "The Pernicious Effects of Intemperance " (Brooklyn, 1812); "Divine Truth the Established Means' of Saiietification " (Salem, 1817); and " The Year of Jubilee, but not to Africans " ( 1S25|. Another son, Samuel IrenaMis. editor, b. in Ballston, N. Y., 4 Nov., 1812; d. in Manehe.-ter, Vt., 18 July, 1885, was graduated at William- in ls2!l. taught three years at Cambridge and Sing Sing, N. Y"., and en- tered Princeton theological seminary, but before completing his first year he was attacked by a se- vere illness, and was never able to resume his stud- ies. He was li- censed to preach in 1833, and held pastorates at Ballston Spa in 1833-'5. and at Matteawan, N. Y'.. in 1S37-MO. In the spring of the latter year he wa- compelled to abandon the pul- pit, owing to a bronchial affec- tion, from which he never entirely reei > ered. Thereafter, till his death, he was editor of the "New York Observer," except during 1849, when he acted as secretary of the American Bible society, and a few months in 1850, when he edited The Presbyterian." In 1853 he visited Europe, Palestine, and Egypt, for his health, writing a series of letters to the " Observer " under the sig- nature of Ireiueus." He went abroad again in 1866-'7 and in 1876-'7. Dr. Prime was closely identified with the Evangelical alliance of Ameri- ca, founded in 186(>, attending the 5th general conference at Amsterdam in 1867. and inviting the European alliances to hold the 6th conference in New York city, which invitation was accepted. On his return from Europe he was elected a cor- responding secretary of the American alliance, and he held the office until 28 Jan., 1884. In his hands the " Observer " acquired a wide reputa- tion. His " Irenanis " articles appeared in it weekly until the end of his life. He received the degree of D. D. from Hampden Sidney college. Va.. in 1854. During his career as an editor he found time to write more than forty volumes, besides pamphlets, addresses, and articles for various peri- odicals. In 1854, while his first book of travels was pa ing through the press, he was asked by it- pub- lishers. Harper Brothers, to contribute to their mairaxine. From this source he received for the next twelve years more than $1,000 annually, and he wa- tlni- enabled to purchase an interest in the " Observer" in 1858. Dr. Prime was vice-president and director of the American tract society and of the American and foreign Christian union, presi- dent of the New Y T ork association for the advance- ment of science and art, president and trustee of Wells college for women, a trustee of Williams college, and member of a large number of other religious, benevolent, and literary societies. Among his publications are "The Old White Meeting- House" and "Life in New York" (New York, 1845): "Annals of the English Bible " (1S41D; "Thoughts on the Death of Little Children" (1852): "Travels in Europe and the Ka-l " (IS.Vit; "The Power of Prayer" (1S58): "The Bible in the Levant " and American Wit and Humor " (INj'.l) ;