under the direction of Dr. William Rankin of Shippensburg, Pa., where his father was pastor at the time. Thus he pursued his studies in private for about one year, when he enrolled himself, October 31, 1829, as a student in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, and spent the winter in Philadelphia. According to the custom of that day, he was now prepared to begin the practice of his chosen profession; but the Lord had other plans for him and he was destined to find a wide and varied sphere of usefulness in the sacred office of the gospel ministry. In his early youth he had been somewhat inclined to wild and reckless courses; but when he returned home in the spring from the university a great change came over his life. There is a tradition that his conversion was attributed at that time to the believing importunate prayers of his father. It is said that this man of God was often heard in the night watches entreating a covenant-keeping God for the soul of his child. The story is told that it was a time of deep religious interest in the churches of this region. Dr. De Witt, of Harrisburg, was assisting his father at a protracted meeting. The anxious father besought his brother in the ministry to speak to his son on the subject of religion. At first the high-spirited and wayward young man took offense and left the house in displeasure; but returning late at night, he overheard his father and Dr. DeWitt engaged in fervent prayer for his conversion. His heart was touched and deep conviction of sin took hold of him. Whether this tradition is in strict accord with the facts or not, at all events, near the close of the first year in the university, he experienced a marked quickening in his religious life, he became hopefully converted, and, on profession of his faith in Christ, was admitted, May 1, 1830, to the full communion of the church in Shippensburg. Of him it could be truly said, "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Life began to have a new meaning. He began to feel an irresistible desire to tell the story of the cross to others, and to devote himself in some special way to the service of his new-found master. So clear was his conviction of duty and so strong his desire to preach the gospel, that he at once aban doned all idea of practicing medicine, for which he was now prepared, and devoted himself to the study of theology. It was not that he disliked his chosen profession. To the end of his life he retained his respect for that profession and his interest in medical studies. But now to his fervent religious spirit the claims of eternity began to overshadow everything else; and, strongly impressed with the traditional belief of his people, that the functions of the sacred office can only be properly discharged by one thoroughly equipped for his work, he entered Princeton Theological Seminary, where he spent something more than two years in diligent study under the direction of Drs. Alexander, Miller and Hodge. It was while at Princeton that his attention was specially turned to the subject of foreign missions. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Carlisle, October 4, 1832, at Gettysburg, and on the 16th of the same month he was ordained at Shippensburg as an evangelist, with a view to entering upon the work of foreign missions. The sermon was preached by Dr. William R. DeWitt, from the suggestive words: "As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men." Dr. Amos A. McGinley presided and offered the ordaining prayer, and Dr. Henry R. Wilson, his beloved father. then pastor of the church in which these interesting services were held, delivered the charge. As this was before the regular organization of our foreign mission work as at present under the auspices of our own church, he offered himself to the American Board and was sent to "the Cherokees of the Arkansas," in the double capacity of missionary and physician. It is interesting to note that when Presbytery made the arrangements for his ordination the following action was taken: "Resolved that this Presbytery will pay to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions the sum necessary for the support of Mr. Henry R. Wilson, Jr., as a missionary among the Indians." It was a time of faction, feud and turbulence among the Indians. They had but recently been removed from Georgia beyond the Mississippi. The region was one vast wilderness. The field of labor to which the young missionary was sent was two hundred miles distant from the nearest white family, and the journey thither involved no little hardship and privation. Having spent one year among the Cherokees he was sent to the Choctaws, who at this time were removed from the State of Mississippi to the far west. Here, on the borders of Texas, the young missionary commenced his labors, single-handed and alone. There being no houses, no cultivation, no supplies of provisions to be had, he was obliged to build his own cabin, clear the ground, plant and cultivate his corn and potatoes on which to subsist. If the country was new and strange to the poor Indians, who had but recently explored for the first time. this wild region, how much more so to the young missionary accustomed to all the refinements of the east. His labors here were interrupted for one summer by a tour which he was instructed by the Board to make among the wild tribes of Indians living in the direction of the Rocky Mountains. This tour of exploration he was enabled to make under the protection of the United States troops, commanded by Gen. Leavenworth. On this expedition he was obliged to act as surgeon, in consequence of the sickness and mortality which prevailed among the troops. After Mr. Wilson had spent about two years of laborious service on the frontier, he returned to the east, and, on October 20, 1834, was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Beatty. Mr. Wilson had chosen his bride from a family well known in the annals of the Presbyterian church. She was the daughter of Dr. Reading Beatty, who was a surgeon in the Revolutinary army, and an elder in the Newtown church in Bucks county, Pa. Her grandfather was Rev. Charles Beatty, who, in 1766, was "sent to the frontiers of the province" with Rev. George Duffield by the *Synod of New York and Philadelphia to explore the region, report the condition of the new settlements, and "preach for at least two months in those parts, and to do what else is best for the advancement of religion." Miss Beatty was a lovely christian character, and she was quite willing to join her husband in his privations and toils. to carry the gospel to the benighted children of the forest. *See Appendix A. The wedding occurred at her brother's house at Bridge Point, a little village near Doylestown, Pa., and she was married by her brother-in-law and former pastor, Rev. Alexander Boyd, of Newtown, Pa. They started at once for their field of labor among the Choctaw Indians, where Mr. Wilson had been laboring for the last year. In that day it was a long and tedious journey to the Indian Territory, but it was undertaken with brave and willing hearts. With his own hands Mr. Wilson built the house which sheltered his little household, having carried the glass for it many miles on horseback, His mission work was beset with discouragement; but it was not without the seal of the holy spirit upon it, and to the day of his death Dr. Wilson was accustomed to speak of it as a work signally blessed. Here months of self-denying labor were passed, a checkered scene of cloud and sunshine. Here finally was enacted one of the most pitiful chapters in all the history of modern missions, when the young missionary, after nursing and watching with his sick wife, was not only compelled to give her up to the fell destroyer, but to make the coffin, dig the grave, deck his loved one in her bridal dress, and finally bury her with his own hands. The pathetic loneliness of this scene is unequaled in the long chapter of modern missionary sufferings and sacrifices. It was no doubt largely owing to their exposure that Mrs. Wilson was attacked by the fever of the country. Her sickness was of short duration; but as she had been happy and contented in her work she was peculiarly serene and tranquil in her death. She constantly maintained the same sweet, gentle, patient submissive spirit which she possessed in health. Her last audible words were "Jesus can make a dying bed and she finally passed away July 15, 1835, without the struggle of a limb or the distortion of a feature. Thus the young evangelist was left once more alone to bear the trials of missionary life, having to cook his own food, attend to his school and church which he had planted among the Indians, preaching statedly to the troops at Fort Towson, and practicing medicine extensively among the Indians. In this way he became the pioneer preacher of our church in Texas, preaching the first Presbyterian sermon in many localities. While a missionary among the Indians, he one day rode over into Texas, where a company of horsemen were gathered. When he approached the camp he was invited to "light." This done the next command was, "drink." He replied, "I never drink." Then came the invitation, "Have a game of cards." To this he responded, "I do not play cards." Then, with an oath, they asked what he did do. He modestly said, "I sometimes preach." Nothing daunted the horsemen said, "Then preach." Without a moment's hesitation the young minister mounted a box and preached the first Presbyterian sermon ever delivered in Texas. In the summer of 1835. the mission among the Choctaws was reinforced by the arrival of Messrs. Wood, Byington and Kingsbury. It was a time of discussion in our church as to the best methods of conducting missionary operations. Mr. Wilson sympathized with those who favored a church organization for mission work in each denomination. This with other considerations prompted him to resign his connection with the American Board and offer his services to the Western Foreign Missionary Society of his own church. This society had been originally organized by the Synod of Pittsburgh in the month of November, 1831. After much debate, which was carried on for several years, this society was practically adopted by the General Assembly in 1837, and merged or changed into the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wilson was in hearty sympathy with this movement, which finally resulted in our church's taking its foreign missionary work into its own hands. In 1836 he returned to the east, and as the funds of the Western Missionary Society were low Mr. Wilson was prevailed upon to act as agent for one year before embarking for Hindoostan, to which field he had been assigned. His experience in missionary life had taught him the importance of medical knowledge, and so, in October, 1836, he matriculated |