McBEE, SILAS: Protestant Episcopal layman; b. at Lincolnton, N. C., Nov. 14, 1853. He was educated at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., from which he was graduated in 1878. Since 1898 he has been editor of The Churchman (New York). He is a member of the board of managers of the Prayer Book Society in America, and in theology describes himself as "a Catholic (iii its real and not sectarian sense) Churchman."

MACBRIDE, JOHN DAVID: English Orientalist; b. at Plympton (5 m. n.n.e. of Plymouth), Devonshire, June 28, 1778; d. at Oxford Jan. 24, 1868. He studied at Exeter College, Oxford (B.A., 1?99; M.A., 1802), where he received a fellowship in 1800. In 1813 he was appointed principal of Magdalen Hall and lord almoner's reader in Arabic. These positions he held till his death. Though he was a layman, he frequently lectured on theology. His principal work was The Mohammedan Religion Explained (London, 1857). He also published Leotares Explanatory of the Diatessaron (2 vols., Ox ford, 1835); Diatessaron, or the History of our Lord Jesus Christ compiled from the Four Gospels (1837); Lectures on the Articles of the United Church of England and Ireland (1853); The Syrian Church in India (1858); and Lectures on the Acts of the Apostlea and on the Epistles (1858).

Bibliography: DNB, xcxiv. 429-430.

McBURNEY, ROBERT ROSS: General secretary of the New York City Young Men's Christian Association; b. at Castleblayney (12 m. a.e. of Monaghan), County Monaghan, Ireland, Mar. 31, 1837; d. at Clifton Springs, N. Y., Dec. 27, 1898. He was the son of a physician of repute. When seventeen he came to New York, where he learned the hatter's trade. Eight years later he became "librarian" of the New York Y. M. C. A., then occupying rooms on the second floor at 859 Broadway. Here he was associated with a group of young men who later became leading business men in the city, and togather they were instrumental in building up the organisation till in Dec., 1869, its first building, at Twenty-third Street and Fourth Avenue, coating with site =487,000, was completed and occupied. The following figures briefly contrast the work at the time he took charge of it and near the end of

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his secretaryship: In 1862: 150 members, two small rented rooms, and an annual expenditure of $1,700; in 1897: 7,309 membership, work con ducted at fifteen points, nine buildings valued at E2,000,000, annual budget $175,000. McBurney was for thirty years a member of the Y. M. C. A, International Committee; and as its corresponding member he in 1866 called the first New York State convention which he for three years served as president. He was seven times a dele gate to the triennial World's Conference, held in Europe; in 1871 he was one of the founders and till his death was a leader of the Association of General Secretaries of North America. He was active out side of the association; he was a lifelong member and for many years an official of St. Paul's Metho dist Episcopal Church; from 1867 an active mem ber of the executive committee of the Evangelical Alliance. Besides these activities, he was an active participant and director in many enterprises and institutions directed to philanthropic and re ligious ends. He was not a college graduate, but he read widely and carefully. He was a close student of the Bible and a successful teacher. He traveled extensively in America, visited Europe many times, and made a tour of Egypt and the Holy Land. He was distinguished for his sturdy Scotch character, strong common sense, energy, tact, and executive ability, with an integrity and conscien tiousness that were never questioned. He was above all a lover of young men and his largo hearted and practical sympathy never failed. Per haps no other man in his generation touched and helped so many young men.

Richard C. Morse.

Bibliography: L. L. Doggett, Life of Robert R. McBurney, Cleveland, O., 1902.