native youth, and reduced the Grebo language to writing, publishing a grammar and dictionary, and translating the gospels of Matthew and John, to- gether with several small volumes, into the native tongue. In 1842 Mr. and Mrs. Wilson removed to the Gaboon river, 1,200 miles southeast of Cape Pulmas, and began a new mission among the Mpongwe people. Here again the language was reduced to writing for the first time, and a gram- mar, a vocabulary, parts of the Bible, and several small volumes were published. In the spring of 1858. owing to failing health, he and his wife returned to the United States. The following autumn he became secretary of the board of for- eign missions of the Presbyterian church, and con- tinued to discharge his duties until the begin- ning of the civil war, when he returned to his home in the south. On the organization of the Southern Presbyterian church, Dr. Wilson was ap- pointed secretary of foreign missions, and contin- ued to act as such until 1885, when he was made secretary emeritus. For seven years during this period the home mission work was combined with that of foreign missions, he taking charge of both. In 1852 a strong effort was made in the British parliament to withdraw the British squadron from the African coast, under the impression that the foreign slave-trade could not be suppressed. To prove that this view was erroneous, Dr. Wilson wrote a pamphlet, and pointed out what was neces- sary to make the crusade against the traffic success- ful. The pamphlet, falling into the hands of Lord Palmerston, was republished in the " United Ser- vice Journal," and also in the parliamentary " Blue Book," an edition of 10,000 copies being circulated throughout the United Kingdom. Lord Palmer- ston subsequently informed Dr. Wilson that his protest had silenced all opposition to the squadron's remaining on the coast, and in less than five years the trade itself was brought to an end. Dr. Wil- son edited " The Foreign Record " (New York, 1853-'61), which gave an account of the progress of work in the foreign missionary field, and " The Missionary" (Baltimore, 1861-'85). He received the degree of D. D. from Lafayette college in 1854. While in Africa he sent to the Boston society of natural history the first specimen of the gorilla that was sent from there. He contributed to the "Southern Presbyterian Review" and other periodi- cals. He also published "Western Africa: its His- tory, Condition, and Prospects " (New York, 1857).
WILSON, John Lyde, lawyer, b. in Marlbor-
ough district, S. C, 24 May, 1784 ; d. in Charleston,
S. 0., 12 Feb., 1849. He received a good academic
education, studied law, and was admitted to the
bar in Columbia, S. C, in 1807. He began to prac-
tise in Georgetown, and in 1808 he was returned to
the South Carolina house of representatives from
Prince George Winyaw. He was repeatedly re-
elected and subsequently was chosen senator. In
1822 he was made president of the senate, and dur-
ing the same year elected governor and commander-
in-chief. Before his election as governor he pub-
lished a severe attack on the court of appeals,
which is believed to have contributed materially to
the abolition of that tribunal. Gov. Wilson re-
mained in office until 1824. In 1827 he was again
elected to the senate. He was also a member of
the Nullification convention of 1832, and advocated
the most violent of the measures that were pro-
posed then and during the session of 1833. In
1838 he published a " Code of Honor," which he
affirmed was the means of saving life, but which
seemed to be intended rather to regulate duels, in
several of which he took part. Gov. Wilson's in-
tellectual powers were remarkable, and his speeches,
political and legal, were always prepared with the
greatest care. He also possessed the art of extem-
poraneous speaking. His voice was good and his
manner graceful. He published a " Speech on the
Codification of the Laws of the State " (New York,
1827), and " Cupid and Psyche : from the ' Golden
Ass' of Apuleius" (Charleston, 1842).
WILSON, Matthew, clergyman, b. in East Nottingham, Chester co., Pa., 15 Jan., 1781 ; d. in Lewes, Sussex co., Del., 30 March, 1790. He was licensed to preach in 1754, and in 1756 was installed pastor of the congregations at Lewes and Cool Spring, Del. By consent of his two congregations, he began, in 1767, to preach every third Sabbath at the neighboring town of Indian River. For this extensive parish he continued to minister until his death. As he had received a medical as well as a theological training, Dr. Wilson divided his time between the two professions, and few physicians of his day displayed more learning, skill, or achieved greater success. In the " Old Side " and " New Side " controversy that preceded the " Plan of Union," that restored peace to the Presbyterian church in 1758, he took part with the former, although his piety and amiable character made him esteemed by both parties. In the Revolutionary struggle he held decided views in favor of the in- dependence of the colonies. He received the degree of D. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1786. — His son, James Patriot, clergyman, b. in Lewes, Sussex co., Del., 21 Feb., 1769; d. in Bucks county,- Pa., 9 Dec, 1830, was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1788, and was at once offered the chair of assistant professor of mathematics in that institution, but declined on account of feeble health. Subsequently, and after teaching in his native town, he studied law and was admitted to the bar of Sussex county, Del., in 1790. He also acted for some time as surveyor-general of the state. Although he rose to eminence in his profession, the sudden death of his wife and the murder of his brother combined to turn his attention to the subject of religion, and he abandoned his profession for the pulpit. He was licensed to preach in 1804, and the same year was installed as pastor of the three congregations over which his father had so long presided. In May, 1806, he was called to the charge of the 1st Presbyterian church in Philadelphia. Here he remained until May, 1828, when he retired to his farm, about twenty miles from that city, on account of failing health. He preached occasionally until 1830, when his resignation was accepted. Dr. Wilson was noted for eccentricities of character, but they were overlooked in view of his sterling worth. As a preacher he was deliberate and unimpassioned, and spoke without notes. He Was probably the only clergyman of his country and time who had not only read all the volumes extant of Patristic theology, but literally lived among them. On a blank leaf of his copy of Henry Ware's tract on "Extemporaneous Preaching" he wrote: "I have preached twenty years, and have never written a full sermon in my life, and never read one word of a sermon from the pulpit, nor opened a note, nor committed a sentence, and have rarely wandered five minutes at a time from my mental arrangement previously made." " I heard him preach one sermon," says a writer, who knew Dr. Wilson, " and it was throughout as consecutive and condensed as the demonstration of a problem of Euclid." He received the degree of D. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1807. His publications include " Lectures upon Some of the Parables and Historical
