Paxton, 'William, D.D., a Presbyterian minister, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., April 1, 1760. His early education was limited, and when the Revolution broke out he joined the Continental army. When about twenty-four j-ears of age he entered the Stras- burg Academy, near Lancaster City, Pa., where he greatly distinguislied himself, and was by the New- castle Presbytery licensed to preach April 8, 1790. After supplying for a while the churches of West Not- tingham and Little Britain, he was, Oct. 3, 1792, or- dained and installed pastor of the churches of Lower Marsh Creek and Toms Creek. After a lapse of some j'ears he devoted himself exclusively to the former con- gregation, where the greatest success and usefulness at- tended the fortj'-nine years of his ministry. His health obliged him to resign his charge Oct. 19, 1841, after which he gradually declined until his death, April 16, 1845. Although Ids sermons and other literary pro- ductions were marked by great talent and profound
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Icaming, his modesty prevented their pul)lication. See Sprague, Anmds of the Amer. Pulpit, iii, 55-1.
Pa^'ne, Joseph, one of the noted English educa- tors of our times, was born in 1808. He received his educational training at the University of London, and earlv distinguished himself as a teacher of English. For a numltor of years he was connected with his alma mater. In 1873 he was appointed to the newly found- ed professorship of education in the College of Precep- tors, the first chair in any public institution in England assigned to that subject. He devoted himself in this position, and also by his writings, to the promotion of education, making the improvement of methods of teaching his special object. He was the author of Leclin-es on Education, and numerous lectures and pam- phlets on allied subjects. He also took an active part in the work of the A\'^oman's Educational Union. Mr. Payne contributed several papers to the Proceedings of the Philological Society, chiefly on English dialects, and the relation of Old English to Norman French. Among his other publications were text-books in English liter- ature, entitled Studies in Encjlish Poetry (5th ed. Lond. 1864, cr. 8vo), Studies in English Prose (1867, cr. 8vo), and Select Poetry for Children ; the last of which es- pecially had a very large circulation (loth ed. 1868, 18mo). Pavne died at Bavswater April 30, 1876. (J.H.W.)
Payne, "Williani, D.D., F.R.S., an excellent and learned English divine, flourished in the second half of the 17th century. He was rector of St. Mary's, White- chapel, in 1681, and prebendary of Westminster in 1694. In 1681 he was admitted Fellow of the Koj'al Society; and died in 1696. His publications are, Leai~ning and Knowledge recommended to the Scholars of Breniicood School, at their First Feast: a sermon on Prov. i, 7 (Lond. 1682, 4to): — A Discourse concerning the Ado7-a- tion of the Host, in Answer to T, G. and 31 r. Boileau (Gibson's Preservative, x, 116 ; originallj'' published 1685) : — A Discourse concerning Communion in One Kind, in Ansicer to the Archbishop of Meaux (Gibson's Pre- servative, viii, 320, and ix, 1 ; originally published anony- mousl}', 1687, 4to) : — A Discourse on the Sacrifice of the 3Iass (Lond. 1688, 4to; also in Gibson's Presei-va- tive, vi, 215) : — The Texts examined which Papists cite out of the Bible to pi-ove their Docti-ine concerning the Celibacy of Priests and Voivs of Continence : in two parts (ibid, ii, 382; originally published 1688): — Bellarmine examined, Gth Note: Agreement in Doctrine u-ith the Primitive Church (ibid, iii, 292; originally published 1688) : — Family Religion, or the Duty of taking Care of Religion in Families, and the Means of doing it : a sermon on Josh, xxiv, 15 (Lond. 1691, 4to) : — A Prac- tical Discourse of Repentance, rectifying the Mistakes about it, especially such as lead to Despair or Presump- tion, persuading and directing to the true Practice of it, and demonstrating the invalidity of a Death-bed Repent- ance (ibid. 1693, 8vo) : — Discourses upon several Prac- tical Subjects: with a Preface, giving some Account of his Life, Writings, and heath (ibid. 1698, sm. 8vo). See Stoughton, AWes. Hist, of England {Church of the Restoration), ii, 70; Darling, Cyclop. Bibliogr. vol. ii, s. V.
Payson, Edward, D.D., a noted American divine, one of the must illustrious of the orthodox Congrega- tional body, was the son of the succeeding, and was bom at Kindge, N. II., July 25, 1783, where his fatlier was then i)astor. Both the intellectual and moral powers of young Payson were de\-eloped at an unusually early age. He was often known to weep under preaching when three years old, and was a good reader at four. He entered Harvard College in 1800, and graduated in 1803. It was said of him while there, by his fellow- students, that he had left off taking books from tlie al- coves of the library' because he had read all that were there. His religious awakenings seem to have come powerfully after the deatl^ of his brother in 1804 ; and,
when finally resolved to live for God and his cause alto- gether, he consecrated himself fully to the service in a written covenant. After three years spent as principal of a school in Portland, feeling that he was called to the work of the ministry, he began liis theological studies under the direction of his father. His great aim and purpose was to be a thorough Biblical scholar — not so much to acijuaint himself with sj'Stems of divinity, or to learn about the Bible, but to know the truth. Having completed his theological studies, he was called and ordained colleague of Mr. Kellogg, Dec. 16, 1807, and afterwards the sole pastor of the Congregation- al Church of Portland, Maine. This was his first and only pastoral charge, anil he remained in it for a pe- riod of twenty years, though his pulpit utterances were of the most startling and uncompromising char- acter. It may be truly said of Edward Payson that he labored not to please men, but God ; and his pulpit thtuidered and lightened like another Sinai against ev- ery form of ungodliness and iniquity. Nor must it be supposed that his pastorate was lengthened in one charge because his labors were not appreciated else- where. Calls came to him from Boston and New York, but he persistently declined them. So conscientiously devoted was Payson to his work that he refused to re- ceive an increase of his salary, altliough it was gener- ously offered him by his people. Over seven hundred persons were received by him under his ministrations, and many happy souls in other places will rise up in the final day to bless the name of Edward Payson. These vast labors heavily taxed his physical strength, and the impaired condition of his health, due to sedentary habits, soon exhausted him when sickness finally came. He died Oct. 22, 1827. In his distressing sickness he dis- played, in the most interesting and impressive manner, the power of Christian faith. Smitten down in the midst of his days and usefulness, he was entirely re- signed to the divine will; for he perceived distinctly that the infinite wisdom of God coidd not err in the direction of events, and it was his joy that God reign- eth. His mind rose over bodily pain, and in the strong visions of eternity he seemed almost to lose the sense of suffering. In a letter to his sister, Sept. 19, 1827, he says :