Young, Patrick (Lat. Patridus Junius), a noted English clergyman and scholar, was born at Seton, in East Lothian, Scotland, Aug. 29, 1584. He was educat- ed at the University of St. Andrews, where he took the degree of A.M. in 1603. In 1605 he was incorporated A.M. at Oxford, took deacon's orders, and became chap- lain of New College. He went to London afterwards; was granted a pension of £50 a year; and made keeper of the library of king James. In 1617 he went to France and other neighboring countries, where he attracted great attention on account of his learning. lie was sub- sequently i)resented to the. rectories of Hayes and Llan- rhian. In 1649 he retired to Bromfield, in Essex, where he lived with his son-in-law, Mr. Atwood; and died Sept. 7, 1652. His great scholarship is not adequate- ly represented by his literary remains, for he is said to have been indolent and undesirous of literary fame. He assisted Thomas Reid in translating into Latin the works of king James; made some notes on the Alexandrine MS. of the Bible (extending down to Numb, xv), which are published in Walton's Polyglot Bible, vol. vi, under the title Patricii Junii A nnotationes quas Paraverai ad MS. Alexandrini, etc.: — published in 1633 an edition of the Epistles of Clemens Romanus, from the same MS., which may be found in vol. i of the Sacrosancia Concilia of Labbe and Cossart: — and in 1638 published an Ex- jyosition of Solomon's Song, written by Gilbert Foliot, bishop of London in the time of Henry II. His Life has been written by Sir Thomas Smith (rabbi Smith). See Chalmers, Biog. I'Hct. s. v. ; Knight, Engl. Cyclop, Biog. s. V. ; Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and A mer. A uthors, s. V.
Young Men's Christian Associations.
This is the current designation of certain organizations of modern times for religious work outside of the regu- lar ecclesiastical limits.
I. History. — There were associations of young men for religious improvement in < jreat Britain and Ireland at a very early period. The meetings of college stu- dents participated in and largely controlled by John and Charles Wesley were of this character. Such or- ganizations found their way into Germany and Switzer- land about the same time. In 1710 there were similar societies in New England, which were addressed by Cot- ton Mather under the title of" Young Men Associated." There were similar associations in some of the German cities during the period from 1834 to 1842. Up to that time, however, the orgauizations were sporadic, and left no permanent results in the form of our present associa- tions. A larger movement occurred in Germany in
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1849, which resulted in the organization of the German associations of the present time.
The Young Men's Christian Associations of England and America originated in a meeting of a dozen clerks in tlie upper storj^ of a London commercial house, for the purpose of spending an hour in religious exercises, in 1844. It was organized by George Williams, one of the clerics, and afterwards became enlarged in its scope and plan so as to meet the wants of the Christian young men of that vicinity. A convention of those who had become interested in the movement was held, and a so- ciety was formed on June f), 1844, for " Improving the Spiritual Condition of Young Men in the Drapery and other Trades." The plan was imitated in other British cities, and found its way across the Channel. Various cities on the Continent attempted similar organizations, and among them Paris. In the French metropolis, however, the consent of the police was required in or- der to hold any iiind of public meeting. This was at length given, and a start was made in the good work. A providential circumstance favored the popularization of the new movement. Just at this time Kenan's Life of Jesus had appeared, and was producing great excite- ment among the Parisians. The work was read by thousands. To counteract the infidel influence of this brilliant writer, Protestant lectures were given in reply to him. The lectures were crowded. Thousands be- came eager listeners, who had hitherto been out of the reach of the churches and other religious movements. This gained for the association the esteem of all the better classes, and gave it a standing which it has ever since maintained.
The movement of London also found its way across the Atlantic in two directions at about the same time. The association of Montreal, Canada, was organized ac- cording to the model of the London society, Dec. 9, 1851. Twenty daj's later, by direct suggestion from London, and without knowledge of the organization at Mon- treal, the association of Boston, Mass., was organized. On June 30, 1852, the association of New York was or- ganized, and during the same year ten associations, including those of Baltimore and Washington, came into existence. Cincinnati, however, claims a perma- nent organization since 1848, which is earlier than that of any other American association. Such or- ganizations have greatly multiplied in North Amer- ica since the time above mentioned, and at an early period of their history united in conventions for ag- gressive and concerted action. At the First Annual Convention of the Young Men's Christian Associations of the United States and British Provinces, which met at Buffalo, N. Y., June 7 and 8, 1854, a number of the societies, about half of those in existence, formed a Con- federation. There were at that time in the countries mentioned 35 societies with about 8000 members. As- sociations not formally connected with the Confedera- tion were welcomed to seats in the annual meetings, but could have no part in the proceedings except by courtesy of the convention. A second convention was held at Cincimiati in September, 1855, when there were 60 associations with 9000 members. A third conven- tion was held at Montreal in June, 1856, when the re- ports showed the existence of 67 societies with 10,000 members. This convention accepted and ratified the Paris basis, adopted by the first World's Conference of the associations, held in that city in 1855. It is as fol- lows: