Arthur Young (divine)

Arthur Young (1693–1759) was an English clergyman of the Church of England and a religious writer. He was much concerned with the "idolatrous corruptions" that he found in early religion.

Life

Young was born in 1693, the son of Bartholomew Young (d. 12 August 1724) of Bradfield Combust in Suffolk. He was educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, graduating LL.B. in 1716, and proceeding LL.D. in 1728.[1] In 1719 he was instituted to the rectories of Bradfield Combust and Bradfield St Clare. On 27 June 1746 he was installed a prebendary of Canterbury, and in 1748 was presented to the vicarage of Exning in Suffolk, with a dispensation allowing him to hold it with Bradfield St. Clare. He was also chaplain to Arthur Onslow, speaker of the House of Commons[2] and was a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk.

Young died on 26 June 1759 at Bradfield Combust, where he had inherited from his father an estate of about 200 acres.[2] He was buried at All Saints' Church in Bradfield Combust, where a marble memorial plaque, to him and his wife Lucretia Ann, can still be found. There is a separate memorial plaque to Lucretia Ann, who died on 6 October 1785.

Family
Memorial plaque for Anne Lucretia Young at All Saints' Church, Bradfield Combust

Young married Anna Lucretia, daughter of John Coussmaker of Weybridge, Surrey. By her he had two sons, John and Arthur, and a daughter, Elizabeth Mary, who married John Tomlinson of East Barnet. The elder son John Young, fellow of Eton, broke his neck in 1786 while hunting with George III. In 1793 the younger son, Arthur, was appointed Secretary to the newly created Board of Agriculture.[2]

Works
  • An Historical Dissertation on Idolatrous Corruptions in Religion from the Beginning of the World, and on the Methods taken by Divine Providence in reforming them, London, 1734, 2 vols. 8vo. This is intended to explain the rise of Judaism and Christianity in place of idolatry.[3][2]
  • A Dissertation on the Gospel Demoniacks, London, 1760, 8vo. This was prompted by a reply from Richard Smalbroke, Bishop of St. David's, to Thomas Woolston's Discourse on the Miracles of Our Saviour. It was published posthumously.[3][2]

References
  1. "Young, Arthur (YN710A)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. Carlyle 1900, p. 367.
  3. ODNB entry by Edward Irving Carlyle (rev. B. W. Young) Young, Arthur (1693–1759), retrieved 19 September 2016
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