He was licensed to preach by the Church of Scotland and Presbytery of Lauder in 1833 but failed to find a patron, a then essential requirement and one of the main issues in the later establishment of the Free Church. While he awaited a patron he did parochial mission work south of the River Clyde in Glasgow. He also became editor of the Scottish Guardian: a twice weekly evangelical newspaper, in this period.[1]
In 1837 he finally found a patron and was ordained at Carmyllie a village east of Dundee. This post was relatively short-lived as he left the Church of Scotland in the Disruption of 1843 and joined the Free Church. Unfortunately insufficient parishioners left with him and they were unable to establish a new church in the parish. Instead he and those who left worshipped in barns or the fields of sympathetic farmers. However, also losing his manse, he lived six miles away from the parish. In 1845 a church and manse were finally built at Carmyllie. However, Wilson then left the parish in 1848 to serve the Mariners Church in Dundee, a former Secessionist Church. Ownership issues forced the Free Church of Scotland to sell the church in 1850 and establish their own church. This was finished in 1852 and named St Paul's Free Church. It stood on the Nethergate and had a congregation of 440.[2]
Wilson did much mission work and in 1863 was appointed Convenor of the Home Mission Committee for the Free Church, holding the post for ten years. In 1866 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly.[3] From 1888 he stepped down as the full-time minister of St Paul's and was replaced by his assistant, Richard Waterston, replaced in turn by Rev William Patrick during Wilson's life.[4]
For his last 30 years he lived at 18 Afton Place in Dundee.[5]
He married 13 January 1840, Eliza Smith (died 25 February 1860), daughter of Alexander White of Drimmietermont, Forfar, and Helen Farquhar, and had issue —
Helen Farquhar, born 20 August 1841, died 17 February 1890
Agnes Martin, born 4 July 1843 (married Irvine Drimmie)
Andrew James, born 10 April 1845, died at Coconada, Madras, 18 August 1881
Eliza Jane, born 19 June 1847
Ann Isabella, born 19 January 1849 (married William Wilson)
Mary Louisa, born 17 December 1850, died 29 October 1898
Alexander White, born 1 October 1853, died in India 15 July 1875
^"Reverend William Wilson (1808–1888) | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
Sourcesedit
Bayne, Peter (1893). The Free Church of Scotland : her origin, founders and testimony. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. pp. 127 et sequim.
Brown, Thomas (1883). Annals of the disruption. Edinburgh: Macniven & Wallace. p. 787 et passim.
Buchanan, Robert (1854a). The ten years' conflict : being the history of the disruption of the Church of Scotland. Vol. 1. Glasgow ; Edinburgh ; London ; New York: Blackie and Son.
Buchanan, Robert (1854b). The ten years' conflict : being the history of the disruption of the Church of Scotland. Vol. 2. Glasgow ; Edinburgh ; London ; New York: Blackie and Son.
M'Bain, James M (1897). Eminent Arbroathians: being sketches historical, genealogical, and biographical, 1178-1894. Arbroath: Brodie & Salmond. pp. 346-358.
Ritchie, Lionel Alexander (2004). "Wilson, William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29701. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Scott, Hew (1925). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 5. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 433-434. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Smith, John (1851). Our Scottish clergy : fifty-two sketches, biographical, theological, & critical, including clergymen of all denominations. Vol. 3. Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd ; London : Simpkin, Marshall ; Glasgow : A. Smith. pp. 351-356. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Wilson, William, minister of St. Paul's Free Church, Dundee (1880). Memorials of Robert Smith Candlish, D.D. : minister of St. George's Free Church, and principal of the New College, Edinburgh with a chapter on his position as a theologian by Robert Rainy. Edinburgh: A. and C. Black. pp. 11–12.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Wylie, James Aitken, ed. (1881). Disruption worthies : a memorial of 1843, with an historical sketch of the free church of Scotland from 1843 down to the present time. Edinburgh: T. C. Jack. pp. 505–510. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
April 18, 2024
william, wilson, dundee, minister, william, wilson, june, 1808, january, 1888, scottish, minister, free, church, scotland, served, moderator, general, assembly, 1866, william, wilsonwilliam, wilson, from, eminent, arbroathianspersonal, detailsborn18, june, 180. William Wilson 18 June 1808 14 January 1888 was a Scottish minister of the Free Church of Scotland who served as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1866 67 William WilsonWilliam Wilson from Eminent ArbroathiansPersonal detailsBorn18 June 1808Died14 January 1888William Wilson by James Michael Brown Contents 1 Life 2 Publications 3 Bibliography 4 Family 5 Artistic recognition 6 References 7 SourcesLife editHe was born in Westruther on 18 June 1808 He studied at the University of Edinburgh and befriended John Laird They both then studied theology at Divinity Hall under Rev Dr Thomas Chalmers graduating with an MA Together with Robert McCheyne Alexander Somerville Horatius Bonar and Andrew Bonar they founded the Exegetical Society 1 He was licensed to preach by the Church of Scotland and Presbytery of Lauder in 1833 but failed to find a patron a then essential requirement and one of the main issues in the later establishment of the Free Church While he awaited a patron he did parochial mission work south of the River Clyde in Glasgow He also became editor of the Scottish Guardian a twice weekly evangelical newspaper in this period 1 In 1837 he finally found a patron and was ordained at Carmyllie a village east of Dundee This post was relatively short lived as he left the Church of Scotland in the Disruption of 1843 and joined the Free Church Unfortunately insufficient parishioners left with him and they were unable to establish a new church in the parish Instead he and those who left worshipped in barns or the fields of sympathetic farmers However also losing his manse he lived six miles away from the parish In 1845 a church and manse were finally built at Carmyllie However Wilson then left the parish in 1848 to serve the Mariners Church in Dundee a former Secessionist Church Ownership issues forced the Free Church of Scotland to sell the church in 1850 and establish their own church This was finished in 1852 and named St Paul s Free Church It stood on the Nethergate and had a congregation of 440 2 Wilson did much mission work and in 1863 was appointed Convenor of the Home Mission Committee for the Free Church holding the post for ten years In 1866 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly 3 From 1888 he stepped down as the full time minister of St Paul s and was replaced by his assistant Richard Waterston replaced in turn by Rev William Patrick during Wilson s life 4 For his last 30 years he lived at 18 Afton Place in Dundee 5 In 1877 the University of Edinburgh awarded him an honorary doctorate DD In November 1887 he resigned all roles due to ill health and quickly became bed ridden He died on 14 January 1888 He is buried in the Western Cemetery Dundee 6 Publications editStatement of the Scriptural Argument against Patronage Edinburgh 1842 The Duty of Bringing Helpless Souls to Jesus Dundee 1850 The Kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ Edinburgh 1859 The Heavenward Path Edinburgh 1862 Christ setting His Face towards Jerusalem Dundee 1878 Memorials of Robert Smith Candlish D D Edinburgh 1880 7 The Presence of Christ in the Meetings of the Office Bearers of His Church Free Church Principles Chalmers Lecture 1887 Christ s Gift to the Church and His Authority 1858 He edited Daniel Defoe s Memoirs of the Church of Scotland Perth 1844 and Stirling s Naphtali Perth 1845 Sermons XXII CXXVI Lecture XIX Free Church Pulpit i ii Biography of David Welsh D D Disruption Worthies Edinburgh 1876 Account of the Parish New Statistical Account Scotland xi 8 Bibliography editEminent Arbroathians 345 58 9 The Border Almanac 1889 Annals of the Disruption 179 263 762 Smith s Scottish Clergy iii 351Family editHe married 13 January 1840 Eliza Smith died 25 February 1860 daughter of Alexander White of Drimmietermont Forfar and Helen Farquhar and had issue Helen Farquhar born 20 August 1841 died 17 February 1890 Agnes Martin born 4 July 1843 married Irvine Drimmie Andrew James born 10 April 1845 died at Coconada Madras 18 August 1881 Eliza Jane born 19 June 1847 Ann Isabella born 19 January 1849 married William Wilson Mary Louisa born 17 December 1850 died 29 October 1898 Alexander White born 1 October 1853 died in India 15 July 1875 William born 14 April 1855 died June 1918 8 Artistic recognition editHis portrait by James Michael Brown is held by Dundee Art Gallery 10 References edit a b Ewing William Annals of the Free Church GENUKI Genuki St Paul Dundee Free Church Angus www genuki org uk Retrieved 26 May 2019 Free Church Monthly May 1866 Free Church Monthly February 1888 Dundee Post Office Directory 1900 Dundee Courier 17 January 1888 Wilson 1880 a b Scott 1925 M Bain 1897 Reverend William Wilson 1808 1888 Art UK artuk org Retrieved 26 May 2019 Sources editBayne Peter 1893 The Free Church of Scotland her origin founders and testimony Edinburgh T amp T Clark pp 127 et sequim Brown Thomas 1883 Annals of the disruption Edinburgh Macniven amp Wallace p 787 et passim Buchanan Robert 1854a The ten years conflict being the history of the disruption of the Church of Scotland Vol 1 Glasgow Edinburgh London New York Blackie and Son Buchanan Robert 1854b The ten years conflict being the history of the disruption of the Church of Scotland Vol 2 Glasgow Edinburgh London New York Blackie and Son M Bain James M 1897 Eminent Arbroathians being sketches historical genealogical and biographical 1178 1894 Arbroath Brodie amp Salmond pp 346 358 Ritchie Lionel Alexander 2004 Wilson William Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 29701 Subscription or UK public library membership required Scott Hew 1925 Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation Vol 5 Edinburgh Oliver and Boyd pp 433 434 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Smith John 1851 Our Scottish clergy fifty two sketches biographical theological amp critical including clergymen of all denominations Vol 3 Edinburgh Oliver amp Boyd London Simpkin Marshall Glasgow A Smith pp 351 356 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Stronach George 1900 Wilson William 1808 1888 In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 62 London Smith Elder amp Co nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Wilson William minister of St Paul s Free Church Dundee 1880 Memorials of Robert Smith Candlish D D minister of St George s Free Church and principal of the New College Edinburgh with a chapter on his position as a theologian by Robert Rainy Edinburgh A and C Black pp 11 12 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Wylie James Aitken ed 1881 Disruption worthies a memorial of 1843 with an historical sketch of the free church of Scotland from 1843 down to the present time Edinburgh T C Jack pp 505 510 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Wilson Dundee minister amp oldid 1170941411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
