1848 by Johann Hinrich Wichern of Hamburg, Paton took part in plans for the improvement of social conditions, e.g. home colonisation with small land-holders, the co-operative banks movement, the social purity crusade. With Canon Morse, vicar of St. Mary's, Nottingham, he promoted a series of university lectures which led the way to the establishment of Nottingham University College in 1880. It was at Paton's suggestion that Christopher Wordsworth, the bishop of Lincoln, sent a letter of sympathy in 1872 to the Old Catholics. Among societies of which Paton was a founder were: The National Home Reading Union (1889), suggested by the account given by Joshua Girling Fitch of "The Chautauqua Reading Circle" in the Nineteenth Century, October 1888. The Bible Reading and Prayer Union (1892). The English Land Colonisation Society, 1892 (later the Co-operative Small Holders Association). The Boys' (1900) and Girls' (1903) Life Brigades. The Young Men's and Young Women's Brigade of Service (1905). The British Institute of Social Service was set up the same year by Paton with Shaftesbury Lectures, and ran the Shaftesbury Lectures. The Boys' and Girls' League of Honour (1906). Paton was president of the Licensing Laws Information Bureau (1898-1902), and vice-president of the British Institute for Social Service (1904), and of the British and Foreign Bible Society (1907). Paton with Robert William Dale edited (1858–61) The Eclectic Review. With Frederick Smeeton Williams, his colleague, he edited the "Home Mission Tract Series" (1865). He was a consulting editor (1882-8) of the Contemporary Review, to which, at his request, Lightfoot contributed (1874–7) his articles on Supernatural Religion. With Percy William Bunting, and Alfred Ernest Garvie, he edited a series of papers Christ and Civilisation (1910), his last work. Works Paton's publications include The Two-fold Alternative (3rd ed., 1900), The Inner Mission of the Church (new ed., 1900), and two volumes of collected essays. He was a constant contributor to literary reviews. Family His son, John Lewis Paton (1863-1946), who headed the Cambridge classical tripos in 1886, became High Master of Manchester Grammar School in 1903. References Attribution External links English theologians Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of London 1830 births 1911 deaths English male non-fiction writers