Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/704

BAVIUS. temptuously dismissed with the well-kno%Ti verse:

"Qui Bavium non odit. amet tua carmina, Mjpvi." (ECL. III., 90.)

Horace, however, in the Tenth Epode attacks jMsevius in a tone of boisterous and half-bur- lesque exaggeration.

BAWBEE', or BABEE. The popular desig- nation of a half-penny in Scotland, now drop- ping out of use. The origin of the term is ob- scure, but it is most probably a corruption of the French has billon, applicable to debased copper money. In the plural form the word is often popularly used in Scotland to signify money generally.

BAX'TER, (1831—). An American historian, born at Gorham, Me. He became a prominent merchant and manufacturer in Portland, Me., of which city he was four times elected mayor. He was elected president of the Maine Historical Society, and in addition to various papers and monographs on the early history of America, has published: The Tre- luwney Papers (1884: Vol. III. of the Docu- mentary History of ilaine); George Cleeve (1885); The British Invasion from the North ( 1887 ); Sir Ferdinando Gorges and His Province of Maine (1800), and The Pioneers of New France in Neic England (1894).

BAXTER, (1615-91). An English Nonconformist divine. He was born November 12, 101.5, of poor but reputable parents, at Row- ton, near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. His early education was somewhat neglected. Instead of at- tending, as he wished, one of the universities, he was obliged to content himself with a course of private study, in the midst of which he was in- duced — singularly enough, for he was habitually serious — to try his fortune at Court in London (16.33). Hither he accordingly went, fortified with an introduction to the master of the revels. A month sufliced to convince him that he was out of his element at Whitehall, and a protracted illness after his return helped to deepen the earnestness of his religious convictions. He studied theology, was ordained (1638), and en- tered on the mastership of the Dudley grammar school, from which he removed to act as assist- ant to a clergyman at Bridgnorth, where he resided nearly two years. In 1640 he was in- vited to become parish clergyman of Kidder- minster, an offer which he accepted; and within a comparatively brief period not only did he establish his reputation as one of the most re- markable preachers of his time, but, what was better, succeeded in efl'ecting a wonderful im- provement in the manners of the people. On the breaking out of the Civil War his position became somewhat peculiar. Sincerely attached to monarchy, his religious sympathies were al- most wholly with the Puritans, and, though a Presbyterian in principle, he was far from ad- mitting the unlawfulness of episcopacy. These views, which, some time before the Restoration, became extremely popular, were now too catliolic for the general taste, and the o]ien respect shown by Baxter to some leading Puritans exposed him to danger from the mob. He therefore retired to Coventry, where he ministered for tw-o years to the garrison and inhabitants. He after- wards accejjted the office of chaplain to Colonel Whalley's regiment, and was even present at the sieges of Bridgewater, Exeter, Bristol, and Worcester. His influence was at all times ex- erted to modify the intolerance of partisanship, and to promote 'the spirit of love and of a sound mind.' On the urgent invitation of his parish- ioners he returned to Kidderminster, when ill health forced him to leave the army, and he con- tinued to labor there for some time. During this period he greatly extended his fame by the publication of his Saints' Rest and Call to the Unconverted. He never dissembled his senti- ments with regard to the execution of the King and the usurpation of Cromwell, even in the presence of the Protector himself, w'ho endeav- ored, M'ithout success, to enlarge his ideas on the subject of revolutions. On the return of Charles, Baxter was appointed one of his chap- lains (1660), and took a leading part in the conference held at the Savoy to attempt a rec- onciliation between the contending Church fac- tions, a project defeated by the bigoted obstinacy of the bishops. Baxter was tempted with the ofl'er of the See of Hereford, but declined the honor, praying instead to be permitted to return to his beloved flock at Kidderminster. He asked no salary, but his request was refused. The Act of Uniformity at length drove him out of the English Church, and in July, 1662, he retired to Acton, in Middlesex, where he spent the greater part of nine years, chiefly occupied in the com- jjosition of some of the most important of his numerous works. These he produced with a rapidity unparalleled in modern generations — at least in this one respect, that the quality was not always in the inverse ratio of the quantity. The Act of Indulgence in 1672 permitted him to return to London, where he divided his time be- tween preaching and writing. At length, in 1685, he fell into the brutal clutches of Judge Jeffreys, who condemned him, for alleged 'sedi- tion' in his Paraphrase of the Neto Testament, to pay a fine of 500 marks, and in default, to lie in the King's Bench Prison till it was paid. The circumstances of the trial are graphically descril)ed by Macaulay, in the second volume of his history. After a confinement of nearly 18 months Baxter was released and the fine re- mitted, on the mediation of Lord Powis. He lived after this to see better times, and preached frequently and to large congregations. He died in London on December 8, 1091.

Baxter is said to have preached more sermons, engaged in more controversies, and written more books than any other Nonconformist of his age; and Dr. Isaac Barrow has said of him that "his practical writings were never mended, and his controversial seldom confuted," The total num- ber of his publications exceeded 160. Of these, by far the most popular and celebrated are his Saints' Everlasting Rest (London, 1050), only read now in an abridgment of an abridgment; Dying Thoughts (1083), and Call to the Uncon- verted (1057) — 20,000 copies of which last were sold in a twelvemonth, and it was translated into all Eui'opean languages. More important, theologically are his Methodus Theologiw Chris- tianfc'' (fiS') and Catholic Theology (1675), in which his peculiar system (see B.^xteri.^ns — a compromise between Arminius and Calvin- 's embodied. His autobiographical narrative is historically valuable; the review of his religious opinions is spoken of by Coleridge as one of the most remarkable pieces of writing in religious