Boardman, Richard, one of the first Methodist ministers in America, was born in England in 1738, and became a Wesleyan preacher in 1763. In 1769, in answer to a call from Mr. Wesley, he volunteered as missionary for America. After several years' faithful service, he returned to England in 1774, and continued his itinerant labors in England and Ireland till his death at Cork, Oct. 4, 1782. He was a very suc- cessful preacher. — Sandford, Wesley's Missionaries in A merica, p. 22 ; Myles, Chronological History, p. 294 ; Wakely, Heroes of Methodism, p. 175 ; Stevens, Hist, of M. E. Church, i, 95, 197 ; Sprague, Annals, vii, 8.
Boat (usually irXouipiov, a small ship [see Ship] ; the word does not occur in the Old Test, except in tho translation "ferry-boat" [see Ferry]). In the nar- rative of the shipwreck of Paul, recorded in the 17th chapter of the Acts, it is stated v. 17, "We had much work to come by the boat" (oxa</jr/, a skiJjT). Every ship had a boat, as at present, but it was not taken up at the commencement of the voyage and secured on the deck, but left on the water, attached to the stern by a rope ; the difference may be thus accounted for : The modern navigator bids adieu to land, and has no further need for his boat; but the ancient mariner, in creep- ing along the coast, maintained frequent intercourse with the land, for which the boat was always kept ready. When, however, a storm arose, and danger was apprehended, and that the boat might be dashed to pieces against the sides of the ship, it was drawn close up under the stern. In the above passage we are to understand that this was done, and that there was much difficulty in thus securing the boat. See Shipwreck.
Bo'az (Heb. id. T"in, alacrity), the name probably of two men.
1. (Sept. and N. T. Booi', Josephus BSiaZoc.) A wealthy Bcthlehemite, kinsman to Elimelech, the hus- band of Naomi. See Ruth. Finding that the kins- man of Ruth, who stood in a still nearer relation than himself, was unwilling to perform the office of go'el, lie had those obligations publicly transferred with the
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usual ceremonies to his own discharge ; and hence it became his duty by the "levirate law" (q. v.) to marry Ruth (although it is hinted, Ruth iii, 10, that he was much her senior, and indeed this fact is evident what- ever system of chronology we adopt), and to redeem the estates of her deceased husband Mahlon (iv, 1 sq. ; Jahn, Bill. Arch. § 157). B.C. prob. cir. 1360. He gladly undertook these responsibilities, and their hap- py union was blessed by the birth of Obed, from whom in a direct line our Lord was descended. No objec- tion seems to have arisen on the score of Ruth's Mo- abitish birth; a fact which has some bearing on the date of the narrative (comp. Ezra ix, 1 sq.). — Smith, s. v. See Bethlehem.
Boaz is mentioned in the genealogy, Matt, i, 5 ("Booz"), as the sen of Salmon by Rahab, but there is some difficulty in assigning his date. The gene- alogy in Ruth (iv, 18-22) only allows ten generations for the 833 years from Judah to David, and only four for the 535 years between Salmon and David, if (as is almost certain from Matthew and from Jewish tradi- tion) the Rahab mentioned is Rahab the harlot. If Boaz be identical with the judge Ibzan (q. v.), as is stated with little shadow of probability by the Jerusa- lem Talmud and various rabbins, several generations must be inserted. Dr. Kennicott, from the difference in form between Salmah and Salmon (Ruth v,"'20, 21), supposes that by mistake two difl'erent men were iden- tified (Dissert, i, 543); but we seem to want at least three generations, and this supposition gives us only one. Hence, even if we interpolate two generations before Boaz and one after 0!;ed, still wc must suppose each was the youngest son of his father, and that they did not marry till an advanced age (Dr. Mill, On the Genealogies; Lord Hervey, Id. p. 262, etc.; Browne, Ordo Sceclorum, p. 263). See Genealogy ; David.
2. (Sept. BoXoj^, and in the latter passage translates 'IrrviV, strength). The name given to the left-hand one of the two brazen pillars which Solomon erected in the court of the Temple (1 Kings vii, 21 ; 2 Chron. iii, 17) ; so called, either from the architect or (if it were a votive offering) from the donor. It was hollow, and surmounted by a chapiter five cubits high, ornament- ed with net-work and 100 pomegranates. The appar- ent discrepancies in stating the height of it arise from the including or excluding of the ornament which united the shaft to the chapiter, etc. See Jachin.
Boc'cas (Borneo), the son of Abisum, and father of Samias, in the genealogy of Ezra (1 Esdr. viii, 2); evidently the same elsewhere (Ezra vii, 4, etc.) called
BUKKI (q. v.).
Boccold, John (otherwise called BoclihM, Bocb-1, Beccold, or John of Leyden), was born at Leyden in 1510. He was first a tailor, afterward an actor. He joined the Anabaptists in Amsterdam, and went in 1533 to Minister, where he usurped, after the death of Matthiesen, the dignity of prophet, and later that of King of Zion. After Minister had been taken by the bishop in 1535, Boccold was put to death on Jan. 23, 1536. See Anabaptists.