enemy, the debts due him became worthless on account of the depreciation of the currency, and he was involved in endless litigation and interminable pecuniary embarrassments, into which his sons-in-law and other friends were also drawn.
BRAY, Thomas, clergyman, b. in Marten, Shropshire, England, in 1656; d. in London, 15
Feb., 1730. He took his bachelor's degree at Oxford in 1678, and through the patronage of Lord Digby, who heard him preach an assize sermon,
was given the vicarage of Over-Whiteacre, and in
1690 the rectory of Sheldon. He published a volume of "Catechetical Lectures" that made him
well known. About 1691 the colonial government
of Maryland determined to divide the province
into parishes, and to maintain regular ministers in
each parish. In 1695 the governor requested Dr.
Compton, bishop of London, to send over a clergyman to fill the judicial office of commissary-general. Bishop Compton recommended Bray, who accepted the post, but remained in England in order to facilitate the enactment of a law establishing the English church in Maryland. Meanwhile he sought for missionaries to take over with him; and as only poor men, unable to buy books, volunteered, he made it a condition of his own going that the bishops should assist in supplying parochial libraries. He projected a scheme for supplying parish libraries in England as well as in America, which was eventually so far successful that he saw eighty established before he died, besides the American libraries and others in foreign countries. In North America thirty-nine were established through his efforts. The first one was
founded in Annapolis with the aid of a liberal contribution from Princess Anne, in return for the compliment of naming after her the new capital of Maryland. He afterward proposed a plan for a
Protestant congregation pro propaganda fide, which
resulted in 1698 in the formation of the society for
promoting Christian knowledge. Successive acts
of parliament for the establishment of the church
of England in Maryland were passed in 1692 and
1694; but in 1695 they were repealed because they
met with strong opposition from Roman Catholics
and Quakers. In 1696 a new law was passed; but,
owing to opposition, it was not signed by the king,
and in 1699 was annulled by an order in council,
on the ground that it declared all the laws of England to be in force in the province of Maryland.
Dr. Bray then determined to go to Maryland and
effect the passage of a new law by the legislature.
On 20 Dec, 1699, he set sail and arrived in Maryland on 12 March, 1700. He called a convention
of the clergy of the western shore, and made his
parochial visitation. When the assembly met in
May the desired act of religion was passed. It was
thought advisable for him to return with the bill
to England, in order to resist the opposition to it,
and secure, if possible, the royal sanction. He
reached England again early in 1701, and there
found a powerful Quaker interest enlisted to defeat the establishment of the state church in the
colony; but he was successful in overcoming the
opposition and obtaining the king's approval for
an established maintenance of the Maryland
clergy. In June, 1701, he obtained a charter for
the incorporation of a separate society for propagating the gospel in British plantations. In 1706 he accepted the living of St. Bartolph, Aldgate, which he had before refused in order to go to America. In 1709 an act was passed by parliament providing for the better preservation of parochial libraries in England. When attacked by a dangerous illness in 1723, Dr. Bray named several persons who should carry on his work after him. They were called Dr. Bray's associates for founding clerical libraries and supporting negro schools, which association, with its fund, still exists, and publishes annual reports, each of which is accompanied by a memoir of Bray. He was as active and original in his parish ministrations
as in his other undertakings. He became interested in the prisoners in Whitechapel prison, and, coming into relations with Gov. Ogletliorpe, he
added, at the latter's suggestion, to the two objects of his society the third one of establishing a colony in America to provide homes for the needy and unemployed. Of Dr. Bray's "Course of Lectures upon the Church Catechism," intended to be in four volumes, only one, " Upon the Preliminary Questions and Answers," was published (Oxford, 1696). In 1697 he issued "An Essay toward promoting all Necessary and Useful Knowledge, both Divine and Human, in all Parts of his Majesty's Dominions," and another book, relating to his library project, entitled "Bibliotheca Paroehialis, or a Scheme of such Theological Heads as are Requisite to be studied by every
Pastor of a Parish." In 1700 and 1701 he published two circular letters to the clergy of Maryland: "A Memorial on the Present State of Religion on the Continent of North America" and
"Acts of Visitation at Annapolis." In 1702 appeared "Bibliotheca Catechetica, or the Country Curate's Library." In 1708 he issued a sermon entitled "For God or Satan," and in 1712 an anti-papal publication entitled "A Martyrology, or History of the Papal Usurpation," consisting of treatises of celebrated authors digested into a regular history, only one volume of which was published during his lifetime. In 1726 he issued the
"Directorium Missionarium," followed by "Primordia Bibliothecaria," containing lists for parochial libraries and a plan for their gradual enlargement. He published also a "Life of Mr. John Rawlet." Dr. Bray, in prosecuting his philanthropic schemes, sacrificed his private interests, refusing valuable livings in order to carry them out; but he was aided in the execution of the projects by munificent donations. See "Public
Spirit illustrated in the Life and Designs of Dr. Bray" (1746); "An Account of the Designs of the Associates of the late Dr. Bray " (1769); Anderson's "History of the Colonial Church " ; and the annual reports of the association of the late Rev.
Dr. Bray and his associates.
BRAYMAN, Mason, soldier, b. in Buffalo, N. Y., 23 May, 1813; d. in Kansas City, 27 Feb., 1895.
He became a printer, edited the Buffalo "Bulletin" in 1834—'5, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1836. In 1837 he removed to the west. was city attorney in Monroe, Mich., in 1838, and became editor of the Louisville "Advertiser," in
1841. In 1842 he opened a law-office in Springfield, Ill. The year following he was appointed a special commissioner to adjust Mormon troubles, and in 1845-'6 acted as special attorney to prosecute offences growing out of the Mormon difficulties, and to negotiate a peace between the followers of Joseph Smith and their enemies in Nauvoo. In 1844-'5 he revised and published the statutes of Illinois under the appointment of the governor and the authority of the legislature. He afterward
became interested in railroad enterprises. He was attorney of the Illinois Central railroad in 1851-'5, and then president and organizer of railroads in Missouri and Arkansas till the beginning of the war. In 1861 he joined the volunteer army as
major of the 29th Illinois regiment, of which he
