he sen el >i\ months. Leaving I 'urban, on account of
inadequate support, he became pastor in Conway < >.t. 20, 1778, which charge he gave up in 1814, and died Nov. 11. 1837. lie published An Address at t hi <>]><n- ing I'l'mi Academy at Fryeburg (1806), and a I. w occa- sional Sermons. See Sprague, Annals of th American Pulpit, ii, 53. Porter, Nathaniel (2),a minister ofthe Methodist
Episcopal Church, was horn in Worcester, Ma—.. A.D. 1800. He studied at the Wealeyan Seminary in New York, and in 1823 was admitted to the New York An-
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nual Conference, from which time till his death, in 1832, he labored in that and other fields, chiefly in the Middle States. For two years of this time he was principal of the'academy at Cazenovia, giving great satisfaction. Mr. Porter was an excellent preacher, and a zealous and consistent Christian. See Minutes of Conferences, ii, 161.
Porter, Samuel, a Presbyterian minister, was born in Ireland in 17G0, came to this country in 1790, and ac- cepted a pastorate at Poke Run in 1790, and in 1798 at Congruity, Pennsylvania. He published several Ser- mons (1793, 1805, 1811), which were reprinted with two Dialogues in 1853, with a biographical sketch of the au- thor by Rev. David Elliott, D.D. He was also contrib- utor to several periodicals. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, iii, 539-550.
Porter, Thomas, an English dissenting divine, flourished in the second half of the last century. Scarcely anything is known of his personal history. He published, A Defence of Unitarianism ; intended as an Answer to Dr. Hawker on his Reply (1793, 8vo) :— Serious Thoughts on the Birth of a Child (1805).
Porter, Walter, an English musician of some note, flourished in the first half of the 17th century as gentleman of the Chapel Royal of Charles I, and master of the choristers of Westminster. He was killed dur- ing the civil war. He published, Madrigals and Aires (Lond. 1632) -.—Aires and Madrigals (1639).
Porter, "William Henry, an American divine of some note, was born at Rye, New Hampshire, in 1817, and was educated at Yale College, class of 1841. After having studied theology he became pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Litchfield, N. J., in 1845. In 1851 he united with the Swedenborgians, and took a pastorate at Boston, Mass. He died at Roxbury, Mass., in 1861. He published, Common and Scriptural Prov- erbs Compared (Bost. 1845, 12mo): — The Heavenly Union, or New Jerusalem on Earth (1850, 12mo).
Portesse, Portasse, Porteus, or Fortifori- um, are technical terms applied to the Breviary, or a portable book of prayer used in the Church of Rome, and containing the mass and the other parts of the Church service to be said through the year at canonical hours, with the exception of the marriage service. The terms are derived from the Latin portiforium (aportan- doforas), through the French imrte-hois, hence portasse, portas. The foreign breviaries were divided according to the four seasons, but in England into winter and sum- mer parts.
Porteus, Beilbv, an eminent English prelate, was born at York in 1731. He passed several years at a small school in his native city, and at the age of thir- teen was sent to a school at Ripon, and entered at an earlier age than usual Cambridge University, where he was admitted a sizar of Christ's College. His personal worth, united with his superior attainments, both clas- sical and mathematical, soon procured for him a fellow- ship in his college, and by the exertions of his friends he was made esquire-beadle of the university. This office he did not long retain, but chose rather to give his un- divided attention to private pupils. In 1757, at the age of twenty-six, he was ordained deacon, and soon after priest; and only a little while later was appointed lect- urer at Whitehall. He first became known as a writer by obtaining Seaton's prize for the best English poem on a sacred subject. On this occasion the topic was " Death," and the production of Mr. Porteus was univer- sally regarded as one of great merit. In 1761 his fame was still further increased by a sermon which he preached before his alma mater on the character of David, king of Israel. Archbishop Seeker was so much pleased with Porteus that he made him in 1762 his chaplain. Porteus's first preferments were two small livings in Kent, which he held a while and then took the rectory of Hunton in the same county. Hunton was his favorite residence. He