JAY, WILLIAM: English dissenting preacher and author; b. at Tisbury (13 m. w. of Salisbury), Wiltshire, May 8, 1769; d. at Bath Dec. 27, 1853. After serving for two years as apprentice to his father, a stonecutter and mason, he entered the religious seminary of Cornelius Winter at Marlborough in 1785, and began to preach in the neighboring villages the same year. On leaving Marlborough in 1788 he preached at Surrey Chapel, London, and achieved considerable notoriety as the "boy preacher." After short ministries at Christian Malford, near Chippenham, and Hope Chapel, Clifton, he became pastor of the Argyle Independent Chapel at Bath Jan. 30, 1791. He retired from this pastorate sixty-two years later. His preaching attracted hearers from all classes and from all denominations. John Foster calls him the prince of preachers, and Sheridan styles him the most natural orator he had ever heard. Some of his writings have been widely circulated and frequently reprinted in America. His best-known works are: The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives (London, 1801); An Essay on Marriage (Bath, 1806); The Domestic Minister's Assistant (London, 1820); The Christian Contemplated (1826); Morning Exercises in the Closet (2 vols., 1829); and Evening Exercises for the Closet (2 vols., 1831). His Works (12 vols., Bath, 1842-48) were edited by himself.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: His Autobiography, ed. G. Redford and J. A. James, appeared London, 1855. Consult T. Wallace, Portraiture of W. Jay, ib. 1854; S. Wilson, Memoir of W. Jay, ib. 1854; C. Jay, Recollections of William Jay, ib. 1859 (by his son); DNB, xxix. 255-256.

JAYNE, FRANCIS JOHN: Church of England bishop of Chester; b. at Llanelly (15 m. s.e. of Carmarthen), Carmarthenshire, South Wales, Jan. 1, 1845. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford (B.A., 1868), and became deacon and priest in 1870. He was fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, 1868-73, and lecturer in the same college and tutor of Keble College, Oxford, 1871-79. He was curate of St. Clement's, Oxford, 1870-71; principal of St. David's College, Lampeter, as well as sinecure rector of Llangeler, 1877-86; rural dean of Lampeter, 1885-86; vicar and rural dean of Leeds, 1886-88; and was consecrated bishop of Chester in 1889. He was also Whitehall Preacher, 1875-77, and select preacher at Oxford in 1884.

JE: The product resulting, according to the critical school, from the union of the J document and the E document in the Hexateuch (q.v.). See HEBREW LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, II., § § 4, 7.