Spelt (Triticum spelta). ^''J^^'i^'^f^ especially applied to ' It (C. Bauhni, Pmox, p. 22).
Triticum spelta, or spelt, is in many respects so closely allied to the common wheats as to have been thought by some old authors to be the original stock of the cultivated kinds; but for this there is no foundation, as the kind cultivated for ages in Europe does not differ from specimens collected in a wild state. These were found by a French botanist, Michaux, in Persia, on a mountain four days' journey to the north of Ham- adan. It is cultivated in many parts of (Germany, in Switzerland, in the south of France, and in Italy. It is commonly sown in spring, and collected in July and August.— Kitto. There are three kinds of spelt, viz. T. spelta, T. dicoccum (rice wheat), and T. monococcum. In its general appearance the more frequent form of spelt differs little from common bearded wheat (7'. viil- gare). It is equally nutritious, and in its habits more
hardy. It grows on a coarser soil, and requires less care in its cultivation. Tliere is an awnless variety, which is "perhaps the most naked of all the cerealia :" so that, betwixt the smooth sort and the bearded, spelt should conciliate even the etymologists. See Tristram, Nat. Hist of the Bible, p. 479. See Ckreals.
Rye, Peter K., a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, was born in Norway in 1839. It is not known at what time he came to the United States; but in 1858, while a resident of Hart Prairie, Wis., he was converted; prosecuted his studies at the Garrett Bibli- cal Institute, and in 18G1 was licensed to preach. In 1862 he was admitted on trial into the Rock Kiver Con- ference, and at the close of the year was transferred to the Wisconsin Conference. In 18(14 he was transferred back to the Kock Kiver Conference and made superin- tendent of the Scandinavian INIission, with his head- quarters at Copenhagen, Denmark. lie returned to America in 18(59, and continued to work until a few weeks before his death, INIarch 16, 1873. See Minutes of Animal Confer-ences, 1873, p. 101.
Rykajoth, in the mythology of the ancient Prus- sians, was a place in which inferior deities were wor- shipped, alwaj's located under the shade of oak, lime, or elder trees. The superior gods were worshipped in similar places at Eomowa (q. v.).
Ryland, William, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in the north of Ireland in 1770. He came to the United States at the age of eighteen, and settled in Harford County, Md. He afterwards removed to Baltimore and engaged in com- mercial pursuits, but in 1802 was admitted on trial in the Baltimore Conference. His ministry comprised a period of forty-lour years, the first nine of which were spent on circuits, the next eighteen in cities, and the remainmg seventeen as a chaplain in the United States navy. He was live times elected chaplain of the Unit- ed States Senate, was a friend for many years of gen- eral Jackson, and commanded general respect on account of his integrity, his intellectual powers, and pulpit abil- ities. He died Jan. 10, 184G. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, vii, 392.
Ryors, Alfred, a Presbyterian minister, was born on Long Island, N. Y., in 1812. He acquired his aca- demical education under the direction of the venerable Dr. Steel, of Abington, Pa. ; graduated at Jefferson Col- lege, Canonsburg, Pa., in 1835 ; spent one year as tutor in Lafayette College, Easton ; and in 1836 was elected professor of mathematics in the Ohio LTniversity at Athens. He was licensed to preach in 1838; retain- ed his professorship in the Ohio University until 1844, when he was elected yirofessor of mathematics in the Indiana University at Bloomington, where he remained until 1848, in which year he was recalled to the Ohio University and elected president. He held this office until 1853, when he left for the Indiana L^niversity ; be- came a stated supply of the Church at Madison until, in 1854, he was elected professor of mathematics of Centre College, at Danville, Ky. He died May 8. 1858. Mr. Ryors was an excellent writer, and eminently dis- tinguished for his attainments as a professor. See Wil- son, Piesb. JJist. Almanac, 1860, p. 77, (J. L. S.)
Rysdyck, Isaac, a (Dutch) Reformed minister, was born in Hollaiul in 1720, and was educated at the Uni- versity of Groningen. After laboring for ten or fifteen years as a pastor in his native land, he accepted a call to the churches of Poughkcepsie, Fishkill, Hopewell, and New Hackensack, N. Y., which made up one charge, and was installed in September, 1705. The strife between the Coitus and Conferentie was running high, and the parties were bitterly divided when he arrived. He sided with the Conferentie, but was moderate in spirit and action, and in 1771 was prominent in the conven- tion which settled this sad conflict, and president of the convention of 1772 which formed the "Articles of
RYSDYCK
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Uniiiii" between these parties. In 1772 the Poughkeep- sie Church separated peacefully from its collegiate re- "lations, and ]Mr. Rvsdyck retained the sole charge of the others until 1783, when the Rev. Isaac Blauvelt was elected his colleague. The aged pastor died in 1789, and was buried beneath the pulpit of his old church in New Hackensack. Mr. liysdyck was a stately speci- men of the gentleman of the olden time — tall, venerable, precise in antique dress and address; punctilious, polite, and commanding universal respect and reverence. His dark complexion indicated Spanish blood in his Dutch veins. He usually rode on horseback when making parochial visits, and wore a cocked hat, white flowing wig, and the customary clerical dress ; and when pass-