Wilson, John Makemie,Dd

Wilson, John Makemie,D.D.

a Presbyterian divine, was born in Mecklenburg County, N. C., in 1769. He graduated with the highest honor at Hampden Sidney College in 1791; studied theology privately under the direction of the Rev. James Hall, D.D.; was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Orange, N. C., in 1793, and immediately after was sent by the Commission of Synod on a missionary tour through the counties in the lower part of the state. He was ordained in 1795, and continued in this mission work until 1801, when he accepted a call from the congregations of Rocky River and Philadelphia. In 1812 he opened a school especially for the accommodation of the young men of his charge who wished to devote themselves to the ministry; this school he continued for-about twelve years, and twenty-five of his pupils became ministers of the Gospel. He died July 30,1831. Dr. Wilson possessed a strong, penetrating, and well-cultivated mind. As a member of the judicatories of the Church, no man of his day was held in higher repute. He preached the Gospel with great fidelity and fervency, and with strong faith in the spirit of God to give it effect. He published, a Sermon (1804): — Sermon (1811): — and an Appendix to a work on psalmody by the Rev. Dr. Ruffner, of Virginia. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 4:90; Foote, Sketches of North Carolina; Allibone, Dict. of Brit and Amer. Authors, s.v. (J. L. S.)