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6. A Last Appeal to the Church and Congregation of Market Street, a Volume of Sermons, 1818.

7. A Volume of Posthumous Discourses, 1821.

His remains were deposited under the front of the church in Lexington which had been built for his use; and a marble slab in the back of the pulpit records the fact, with this motto "The resurrection of the just shall unfold his character.”

No. 12.

SKETCH OF THE LABOURS AND CHARACTER OF REV. ROBERT WILSON-By Rev. JOHN T. EDGAR.

THE Rev. Robert Wilson was born in Virginia, and there raised, educated, and ordained to the work of the Gospel Ministry. After labouring some time in the gospel vineyard there, he came to Kentucky as a missionary, and having fulfilled his mission, became stationary at Washington, Mason county. Shortly after, he married Elizabeth Harris, daughter of Mr. Ed. Harris, sen. of Washington; and, amidst many difficulties and discouragements, unceasingly persevered in the discharge of his ministerial duties. Seldom has a person been known combining in his character more amiable qualities than were manifested by this man of God. The leading trait

in his character was deep and unaffected piety. This was uniformly apparent in his life and conversation. As a minister, he was grave, zealous, faithful and laborious. Upwards of twenty years he continued among the same people, "instant in season and out of season," prosecuting the arduous duties of his office. In his preaching, he was peculiarly mild, solemn and engaging. He was not contented with merely discharging the duties of the pulpit; but, after the example of his Divine Master, "went about daily doing good," visiting families, and instructing them in things pertaining to the kingdom of God. "Twas his, to seek out objects of distress, and the afflicted of every kind; to alleviate their distresses, to offer the consolations of the Gospel, to raise the bowed down, to administer healing to the wounded heart, and to calm the agitated passions; and to heal the breaches and seek the peace of Zion, and of the society in which his lot had been cast. In these labours of benevolence and peace, he was truly eloquent and eminently successful; and his mild and affectionate disposition, and his easy and amiable manners made him a welcome visitant to families of almost every character.

In the pulpit, and in all his pastoral visitations, he taught with assiduity the total depravity of the humán heart; the necessity of regeneration; the proper divinity and real atonement of the Saviour; and justification by faith in his blood. Like the great apostle, he determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. All the events which occurred in the life and at the death of Him whom he termed "his Prince Emanuel,"

were frequently related by him in the most persuasive and interesting manner. His solemn appeals to the heart were often made the means of arresting the attention of the thoughtless, and bringing to serious re flection. As a Christian, his heart was signally benevo lent. In proportion to his circumstances he contributed largely to the promotion of religion. In his private walk, he was remarkably exemplary, and possessed the art of happily introducing pious conversation in almost every circle he entered. He was strictly conscientious in the performance of all personal and relative duties. He was the good citizen, the obliging neighbour, the loving husband, and the most tender and affectionate parent. And thus, by his daily example, he enforced all the truths which he taught; and to this may be attributed much of that success which marked his ministration in the gospel.

During his last illness he maintained the same equanimity of temper and conduct, which had so eminently characterized his past life. Although his affliction was long and distressing, he was not heard to utter one repining word, or manifest the least impatience under his sufferings. To the kind friends, who attended him most anxiously and tenderly, he exhibited the highest degree of gratitude.

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The writer of this hasty sketch had the privilege of frequently visiting him on his dying bed, and of hearing him express his unshaken confidence in his Lord and Redeemer. His soul was animated with the prospects of glory, and appeared anxious to take its flight to heaven. He embraced, with ardent affection, his

afflicted family, and soothed their sorrows, by express ing his hopes of a blessed immortality. When he drew near to the closing scene, being asked how he then viewed the Saviour, he replied, "as my Prophet, Priest, and King, and all my hope is founded on his righteousness." Again, being asked how the Divinity and Atonement of Christ then appeared, he declared they were at the foundation of all his hopes.

As through life he had laboured unremittingly for the good of Zion, so his last prayer was offered up for her peace and prosperity, and for that of his own charge, still peculiarly dear to his heart:—and, according to the evidence exhibited, he closed his eyes in the full assurance of hope.

Ilis life was eminently a life of faith, and prayer, and hope, and he was not without his reward even in this life. The church at Washington was not only preserved, and cherished, and strengthened, under his pastoral care, but the neighbouring churches of Smyrna and Flemingsburgh, when destitute of a pastor, and in languishing state, were preserved and built up by his services. To his unwearied persevering care, the churches of Augusta and Maysville are indebted also for their organization. His character was perhaps peculiar with respect to meeting difficulties of a particu lar kind. Though nearly one of the meekest men of the earth, he was sometimes exposed to very rude attacks on account of his unwearied diligence in trying so save souls. He uniformly considered these attacks as evidence that the strong man was about to be dis

lodged, and consequently as an additional encouragement to perseverance. And a very considerable num. ber of facts might be mentioned as proof, that in many of these cases he was not mistaken. His weapons were not carnal. They were faith, and prayer, and gentle admonition, and authority. And they were in some well attested cases powerful means.

Upwards of twenty years he continued at his post. Many were his difficulties-many were his discouragements. But during the last years of his life his comforts were multiplied, in obtaining evidence that his labours had not been lost. They that sow in tears shall

reap in joy.

Though seed lie buried long in dust,

It shan't deceive their hope,
The precious grain can ne'er be lost,

For grace secures the crop.

When he was absent from his pastoral charge on the last journey he ever made on earth, a lady, who was a member of his church, and who gave some evidences of piety, lamented to a friend with whom she had only an occasional interview, that though she had in former days been much edified by his ministrations, yet for some time past she could not derive much benefit from them, on account of some difference of opinion with him on some doctrinal articles, or about something else of still less importance. But little did she think that neither she, nor her family, were ever to enjoy any more of these ministrations. Hearer of the gos pel, if you love the Lord Jesus, beware of cherishing in the smallest degree unfavourable impressions against

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