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 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 BV 3680 .T3 W75 1840 
 Griffin, John, 1769-1834. 
 Life of Capt. James Wilson 
 

 

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CAPT. JAMES WILSON 
 
 CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS RESIDENCE IN INDIA; HIS CON- 
 VERSION TO CHRISTIANITY; HIS MISSIONARY VOY- 
 AGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS, AND HIS 
 PEACEFUL DEATH. 
 
 ABRIDGED 
 
 FROM THE MEMOIR BY REV. JOHN GRIFFITH. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, PUBLISHING AGENT. 
 
 1840. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Parentage — Sails for India — Instance of daring 
 enterprise Imprisonment Wonderful es- 
 cape — Retaken — Cruelty of Hyder Ali — 
 Extreme sufferings — His release, and future 
 prosperity — His return and settlement in 
 England, 1—23. 
 
 His infidel principles — Apparent hopelessness 
 of his case — His argumentative discussion 
 with the Rev. Mr. Griffin, and its effects — 
 Attends church — Hears Mr. Griffin preach — 
 The subject, Predestination — Its effect on his 
 mind — His conversion, .... 23 — 84, 
 
 He offers himself to conduct the Missionary 
 ship Duff, on her first voyage to the South 
 Seas — Account of his ability and success in 
 the voyage — His return — His Christian cha- 
 racter — His happy death, . . . 84 — 139. 
 
LIFE OF 
 CAPTAIN JAMES WILSON. 
 
 Captain Wilson is well known as the able and 
 enterprising conductor of the first Christian Mis- 
 sion to the South Seas, in 1796, an expedition 
 at that time novel in its character, and altogether 
 unprecedented in its object. He commanded the 
 ship Duff, which was purchased and fitted out 
 at the expense of the Missionary Society, for 
 the purpose of introducing the blessings of re- 
 ligion, and the arts of civilized life, among the 
 remote and barbarous islands of the Pacific 
 Ocean ; the destination fixed upon by the Di- 
 rectors, as the most eligible for commencing the 
 benevolent exertions of missionary zeal. 
 
 The singular prudence and ability with which 
 he discharged that important trust, not only 
 contributed materially to the success of the ex- 
 pedition, but stamped a general character of 
 respectability on the Society; which speedily 
 manifested itself, in the increased confidence 
 and popularity which the subject attracted, both 
 2 
 
6 LIFE OF 
 
 at home and abroad; and it tended also to secure 
 many favours and valuable privileges, both from 
 the British and other governments, who have lent 
 an attentive ear to their official representations, 
 and extended the shield of their protection over 
 the heads of those adventurous apostles of Chris- 
 tianity, who have since, under the patronage of 
 numerous societies, carried the message of sal- 
 vation to almost every region of the habitable 
 earth. 
 
 The life of Captain Wilson was marked by a 
 strange variety of changes and misfortunes, and 
 furnishes a narrative, which, for diversity of 
 circumstances, affecting incidents, and striking 
 illustration of the happy influence of religious 
 principles, has but few equals. It affords, at 
 the same time, a beautiful and remarkable de- 
 velopment of those kind but mysterious opera- 
 tions of Providence, which often makes events, 
 that we consider adverse or accidental, to ter- 
 minate in some wise and salutary result, and 
 accomplishes the most momentous changes in 
 our lives, by means of the most unpromising 
 instruments. In the early period of his life, the 
 perils, imprisonments, and almost incredible 
 sufferings he endured, throw an air of romance 
 over that part of his history, which makes it re- 
 semble more the adventures of a fabulous hero, 
 than a literal detail of truth and fact. These 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 7 
 
 interesting events have been recorded at consid- 
 erable length, as tending, not merely to gratify a 
 laudable curiosity, but to present that particular 
 view of his character, which it is our main ob- 
 ject to elucidate. It is chiefly, however, after 
 he had weathered the storms of captivity and 
 adverse fortune, and retired to enjoy, in calm 
 security, the fruits of his successful speculations 
 in commerce, that his narrative becomes a sub- 
 ject of importance, by presenting him as a con- 
 vert to the truth of religion, and one of the 
 earliest and most distinguished agents in its 
 propagation among the heathen. 
 
 Captain James Wilson was born in 1760, 
 and was the youngest son of nineteen children. 
 His father, who was commander of a ship in the 
 Newcastle trade, tramed him from his earliest 
 years for the sea service, a profession for which 
 he soon discovered an excellent capacity. He 
 entered the navy while quite a youth, and serv- 
 ed in the American war. He was present at 
 Bunker's Hill, 1775, the first regular battle that 
 was fought between the British army and the 
 colonists ; and at Long Island, where the Amer- 
 icans effected a dexterous retreat, under cover of 
 a thick fog. 
 
 On his return to Europe, he obtained a birth 
 as mate of an East Indiaman, a preferment for 
 
8 LIFE OP" 
 
 which his nautical experience sufficiently quali» 
 fied him. On their arrival at Bengal, he quitted 
 his ship and engaged in the service of the 
 country. His bold and seaman-like conduct, 
 speedily procured him both friends and promo- 
 tion. He was employed as the bearer of dis- 
 patches to the Nicobar Islands ; to advertise the 
 ships returning from the East, of the arrival of 
 the French squadron, under Suffrein, on the 
 coast; but, from the leaky state of his small 
 vessel, he was obliged to put about for Madras ; 
 and "when off Pulicat, where he discovered 
 the French fleet, he was under the necessity 
 of running her on the beach to save their 
 lives. 
 
 When he reached Madras, the British troops 
 in that settlement, under Sir Eyre Coote, were 
 in the greatest distress, and in danger of starva- 
 tion ; their stores being nearly exhausted, and 
 all supplies by sea cut off by the French squad- 
 ron, then at anchor at Pondicherry, while the 
 army of Hyder Ali intercepted their provisions 
 by land. Several ships, laden with rice, were 
 lying ready for their relief, but the enemy's 
 fleet being directly in the way, they durst not 
 attempt the passage. The Governor of Madras, 
 apprised of Mr. Wilson's courage and dexterity, 
 offered him four hundred pagodas if he would 
 undertake to carry down the ships with supplies 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 9 
 
 for the troops to Cuddalore, near which Sir 
 Eyre Coote was encamped. 
 
 This hazardous service he engaged to per- 
 form ; and embarking immediately with four 
 vessels under his command, all navigated by 
 Hindoos, without a single European on board, 
 except himself, and a military officer on his pas- 
 sage to the army, he proceeded, with sufficient 
 caution to conduct the long expected stores to- 
 wards their destination. By a piece of singular 
 good fortune, he passed the French fleet near 
 Pondicherry, in the offing, at such a distance as 
 not to be discovered, at the moment when they 
 were occupied in repairing their water casks, 
 which had been staved, while lying on shore to 
 be filled, by a party of the British grenadiers. 
 This providential escape enabled him to bring 
 in the whole of the cargoes entrusted to his con- 
 voy, which proved a most seasonable relief to 
 the army, already reduced to extreme necessity, 
 and threatened with impending famine. For 
 this fortunate adventure, which produced him 
 nearly ^1000, he received the most cordial ac- 
 knowledgments of the General, who invited 
 him next day to dine with his staff, and placed 
 him at his right hand, in testimony of the high 
 value he set upon his services. 
 
 He continued, for some time, to be employed 
 in carrying down supplies, without meeting 
 2* 
 
10 LIFE OF 
 
 with any thing in these voyages particularly in- 
 teresting. On one of these occasions, however, 
 while conveying a valuable cargo of military 
 stores for Sir Edward Hughes, whose ammuni- 
 tion had been exhausted in a late engagement 
 with the enemy, under Suffrein, he was unfor- 
 tunately captured by the French; and carried 
 prisoner to Cuddalore, which had lately fallen 
 into their hands. Here he found the officers 
 and crew of the Hannibal doomed to the same 
 captivity. At first the officers were permitted 
 to be at large on parole, and entertained hopes 
 of being shortly exchanged ; but these expecta- 
 tions were sadly disappointed. 
 
 Hyder Ali, who had overrun and desolated a 
 great part of the Carnatic, and hoped, with the 
 assistance of the French, to expel the British 
 from the whole of that territory, was then using 
 every effort to get English prisoners into his 
 hands; in order to tempt them into his ranks, 
 either by bribery, or the tortures of a lingering 
 death. Suffrein was prevailed upon, by an offer 
 of 300,000 rupees, to deliver up to him all his 
 prisoners at Cuddalore, though the greatest in- 
 dignation was testified by the commander and 
 officers of the fort at this infamous bargain. All 
 the captives on parole were accordingly ordered 
 to be surrendered, without delay, to the escort 
 appointed to carry them next day to Seringapa- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 11 
 
 tarn, there to join the standard, or be exposed 
 to the brutal cruelty of the Hindoo conqueror. 
 
 No sooner was this intelligence communicated 
 to Captain Wilson, than he determined that very 
 night, if possible, to efTect his escape; although 
 no other alternative remained, than dropping 
 from the rampart into the river that ran at the 
 foot of the walls, in hopes of making his way 
 across the country, to some neutral settlement, 
 before he should be discovered. He intimated 
 his design to a brother officer, and his own ser- 
 vant, a Bengalese boy, who both resolved to 
 accompany him in his flight. They had con- 
 certed to meet on the ramparts as it grew dark, 
 before the guard was set, and silently drop 
 down from the battlement ; but ere the hour 
 arrived, his companion's heart failed him. The 
 captain, with his boy, stole unperceived to the 
 spot, and as not a moment was to be lost, he 
 leaped down from a height of about forty feet, 
 and fortunately pitched on his legs: but the 
 shock of so great a descent made his chin strike 
 against his knees, with such violence, that he 
 tumbled headlong into the river. Upon reco- 
 vering himself, he returned instantly to the foot 
 of the wall, and caught the boy, who dropped 
 from the same height, safe into his arms. 
 
 All that part of the Tanjore country is low, 
 and intersected by rivers branching from the 
 
12 LIFE OF 
 
 great Coleroon, some of which are very wide, 
 and dangerous from tlie rapidity of the tides. 
 These obstacles, however, embarrassing as they 
 were, it was necessary to encounter. As their 
 hopes of safety depended mainly on the dis- 
 tance they could reach before the morning light, 
 he pushed resolutely forward ; and taking the 
 boy on his back, as he could not swim, he cross- 
 ed three arms of the river, directing his course 
 towards Porto Nuovo, about four leagues and a 
 half distant. Near this place, they were chal- 
 lenged by a sentinel, whose inquiries they for- 
 tunately eluded by concealing themselves. The 
 river here was very broad, and greatly agitated 
 by the tide. Taking the boy again on his back 
 he plunged in, but after they had advanced a 
 considerable way, the boy became so terrified 
 in the midst of the breakers, that the captain 
 was compelled to return and put him ashore, 
 otherwise they must have inevitably perished 
 together. After directing him to a place of se- 
 curity, he plunged again into the waves ; but 
 the tide running in so strong, he found it im- 
 possible, with all his efforts, to gain the oppo- 
 site side, and was glad to turn back, after being 
 carried to a considerable distance up the stream 
 by the impetuosity of the current. 
 
 Here he providentially discovered on the dry 
 beach, a canoe, which he instantly seized, and 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 13 
 
 was preparing to launch, when two Indians 
 rushed upon him, demanding to know whither 
 he was going, and what his intentions were. 
 Seizing the outrigger of the boat, as his only- 
 weapon of defence, he told them, in a determi- 
 ned tone, that he had lost his way, and was 
 proceeding to Tranquebar, where he had urgent 
 business that required instant despatch. Over- 
 awed by his stern and undaunted air, the two 
 black assailants laid down their paddles, and 
 when he had drawn the canoe to the river, they 
 peaceably rowed him across. He continued his 
 route, favoured by moonlight, and after travel- 
 ling several leagues, he reached the Coleroon 
 before day-break, much exhausted with anxiety 
 and fatigue. 
 
 The width of this mighty river, the parent of 
 all the others he had crossed, caused a momen- 
 tary dismay and hesitation, as he stood friend- 
 less and solitary on its sandy brink. But the 
 approach of morning, and the perils of delay, 
 dissipated his reluctant timidity, and casting 
 himself into the flood, after long struggling, and 
 almost in a state of insensibility, he reached 
 the land before sunrise. He now congratulated 
 himself that all his dangers were past, and his 
 liberty secured ; but these flattering expectations 
 proved only the harbingers of new and more 
 afflicting calamities. 
 
14 LIF£ OF 
 
 Upon ascending a sand-bank, to look around 
 him, he was immediately discovered by a party 
 of Hyder's cavalry, scouring the coast. Unable 
 to fly or resist, he was seized in a moment, and 
 stripped naked, his hands tied behind his back; 
 and in this situation he was driven before them 
 several miles to head-quarters, under a burning 
 sun, and covered with blisters ; having travelled, 
 as he supposed, since he quitted his prison, 
 more than forty miles, besides all the rivers he 
 had crossed. The officer there, who was a 
 Mahometan, and one of Hyder's chieftains, in- 
 terrogated Wilson sternly, whence he came, and 
 whither he was going? The prisoner gave him 
 an ingenuous account of his escape from Cudda- 
 lore, and the reasons for it, with all the circum- 
 stances attending his flight. The officer regarded 
 him at first as an impostor, and could not credit 
 his narrative ; telling him that no man ever yet 
 passed the Coleroon by swimming, or could 
 possibly escape the alligators. But being as- 
 sured of the fact by evidence he could no longer 
 doubt, his indignation changed into reverence, 
 and he began to look upon him as a being of 
 some superior order. 
 
 From this place he was marched back, naked 
 and half famished as he was, to his former pri- 
 son ; and, as an additional punishment for his 
 flight, he was refused permission to join his 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 15 
 
 fellow officers, and thrust into a dungeon among 
 the meanest captives. Next day he was brought 
 out, chained to a common soldier, and, in that 
 deplorable condition, in a burning climate, or- 
 dered to march on foot to Seringapatam, nearly 
 five hundred miles distant. His companions, 
 though unable to procure him any redress, ex- 
 pressed their concern by endeavouring to alle- 
 viate his miseries, and supplying him with 
 clothes and other necessaries for his long and 
 toilsome journey. But the avarice of his brutal 
 conductors soon deprived him of these slender 
 accommodations; for no sooner had they reach- 
 ed the first halting place, than they again stripped 
 him to the skin, and left him once more exposed 
 to the rays of a vertical sun. 
 
 They added insult to cruelty; and after goad- 
 ing him on all day, at night they thrust him, 
 still chained to his fellow-sufflerer, into a damp, 
 unwholesome prison, crowded with other mise- 
 rable objects. In various villages through which 
 they passed, he was exhibited to the country 
 people as an object of curiosity, many of them 
 having never before seen a white man. There 
 he was compelled to present himself in all pos- 
 sible positions, and to display all the gestures 
 of which he was capable, that his mercenary 
 keepers might obtain money at the expense of 
 their captive. 
 
16 LIFE OF 
 
 On their way, he, with other prisoners, were 
 brought into Hyder's presence, wlio strongly 
 urged them, as the only means of regaining their 
 liberty, to enlist in his service, and profess his 
 religion ; which some of them were induced to 
 do, to escape from the horrible barbarities they 
 had suffered. But Captain Wilson, though a 
 stranger to any nobler principles than those of 
 honour, rejected this offer with disdain, and 
 resolved to encounter death with all its horrors, 
 rather than desert his country, or exchange the 
 creed of the Christian, for that of Mahomet; 
 although, as a matter of faith, he probably re- 
 garded all religions with equal indifference. 
 
 Jn consequence of this inhuman treatment, 
 and the forlorn state to which he was reduced, 
 from the want of food and clothing, his health 
 had begun to sink under such a complication of 
 severities. He reached Seringapatam, however, 
 greatly weakened by disease; his limbs corro- 
 ded with the irons, his body covered with sores, 
 and emaciated with dysentery, which had at- 
 tacked him in addition to the rest of his afflic- 
 tions. Here a new series of calamities, and 
 more aggravated wretchedness awaited him, for 
 he was thrust, without food or medicine, into a 
 noisome dungeon; and cooped up with one 
 hundred and fifty-three fellow-sufferers, who 
 were chiefly prisoners of Colonel Macleod's 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 17 
 
 Highland regiment. He was loaded with the 
 very irons which Colonel Baillie had worn, of 
 thirty-two pounds weight; and kept chained to 
 a common soldier night and day. This extra- 
 ordinary rigour was inflicted as a punishment for 
 his daring to escape, as well as for his rejecting 
 the tempting offers of Hyder's friendship; for 
 the other officers, among whom was General 
 Sir David Baird, who afterwards avenged their 
 wrongs by storming this very city, were permit- 
 ted to be at large. 
 
 In this horrible captivity he remained two- 
 and-tvventy months, of unvaried and inexpres- 
 sible misery. The place of confinement allotted 
 to the common soldiers, was a kind of area or 
 square, covered above, but exposed on all sides 
 to the wind and rain. Thus, without any bed 
 but the earth, or covering except the rags wrap- 
 ped round him, he continued, fastened to his 
 wretched companion, and suffering the extre- 
 mity of disease and privation. Their whole 
 allowance was only a pound of rice a day for 
 each man, which they had to cook for them- 
 selves. This scanty portion, which was often 
 of bad quality, was scarcely sufficient to sus- 
 tain life, much less to appease the cravings of 
 raging hunger; and they were compelled to the 
 disaureeable resource, in order to make up the 
 deficiency, of collecting and frying the white 
 3 
 
18 LIFE OF 
 
 ants, which pestered them in their prison. The 
 rice was brought in, not in separate rations, but 
 in a large basin ; and, in order to secure an im- 
 partial distribution, and prevent any from taking 
 more than their share, they provided themselves 
 with a small piece of wood, rudely formed into 
 a spoon, which no one was suffered to use but 
 in his regular turn. 
 
 Such unexampled misery was more than the 
 human constitution could bear. The hardy 
 and athletic Highlanders fell among the first 
 victims. Dropsy and flux were making daily 
 inroads into this melancholy group of sufferers, 
 and rapidly diminishing their numbers. How 
 Captain Wilson escaped, is truly astonishing. 
 Often was the dead corpse unchained from his 
 arm in the morning, that another living victim 
 might take its place, and fall by the same dis- 
 ease. Yet he himself recovered from the attack 
 which he had when first carried into prison, 
 and for more than a year maintained a tolerable 
 state of health. 
 
 Before his captivity expired, however, he 
 was seized with the usual symptoms, and felt 
 the effects of the disorder that had carried off so 
 many others. His body and legs swelled ex- 
 ceedingly, so that his chains were too strait to 
 be endured : his face became livid and bloated, 
 and every appearance seemed to indicate the 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 19 
 
 moment of his dissolution to be at hand. And 
 when his circumstances are considered, ex- 
 hausted with famine and disease, breathing 
 the infected vapours of a prison, and bearing a 
 weight of iron, cankering and consuming his 
 flesh, it seems next to a miracle that he could 
 ever have recovered or survived. A singular 
 incident, however, whether by design or acci- 
 dent, is not said, proved the means of unex- 
 pected and instantaneous relief. He happened 
 one day to exchange his usual allowance of rice 
 for a small species of grain, called ratche pier, 
 which he eagerly devoured, and being very 
 thirsty, he drank the liquor in which it was 
 boiled ; and such was the effect of this diet, 
 that, in a very short time, his body was reduced 
 almost to a skeleton ; and though greatly weak- 
 ened, he felt completely relieved. The same 
 remedy was recommended to others, and tried 
 with great success by many of his fellow-pri- 
 soners. 
 
 By this time the ravages of death had greatly 
 thinned their numbers, and it is probable the 
 few that remained, the living monuments of All's 
 cruelly, would not have struggled much longer 
 with their miseries, had not the victories of Sir 
 Eyre Coote happily compelled the barbarian 
 to submit ; and extorted from him as one of the 
 conditions of peace, the release of all the Bri- 
 
20 LIFE OF 
 
 tish captives. At this announcement, the prison 
 doors flew open, when a scene of inexpressible 
 wretchedness presented itself. Of one hundred 
 and fifty-three brave men, only thirty-two re- 
 mained, in a state of disease and emaciation, 
 that told too plainly the dismal history of their 
 suflferings. Their humane and compassionate 
 deliverer, Mr. Law, son to the Bishop of Car- 
 lisle, immediately provided them with food and 
 clothes, and dressings for their wounds ; but 
 the kindness of their friends had nearly proved, 
 to some of them, as fatal as the cruelties of their 
 oppressors. Though cautioned against the dan- 
 gers of excess and repletion, their ravenous ap- 
 petites could not be restrained ; and they de- 
 voured their meat with such voracity, as com- 
 pletely to surcharge the weakened and exhausted 
 powers of nature. 
 
 Of this number. Captain Wilson was one. 
 After devouring, with too great avidity, a large 
 piece of beef, he was almost instantaneously 
 seized with a violent fever, became delirious, 
 and for a fortnight his life was despaired of. 
 His constitution, which had resisted more than 
 human nature seemed capable of enduring, sus- 
 tained, in the moment of liberty and abundance, 
 a severer shock than it had yet received, from 
 the complicated infliction of fetters and famine. 
 But in the councils of Supreme Wisdom, it was 
 
^ CAPT.JAMESWILSON. 21 
 
 determined that he should not thus perish; for 
 He wlio had watched over him in prisons, and 
 in perils by sea, restored his understanding, and 
 brought him once more back from the gales of 
 death ; though as yet he acknowledged not the 
 hand of his deliverer, nor expressed one sen- 
 timent of thankfulness, in gratitude to his bene- 
 factor. 
 
 A supply of clothes had been humanely for- 
 warded to the destitute captives, by Lord Ma- 
 cartney; but there not being a sufficiency for all, 
 some had one thing, some another. To Cap- 
 tain Wilson's share, a very large military hat 
 fell, with a banian and pantaloons, very much out 
 of repair. As soon as he was capable of under- 
 going the fatigues of the journey, he joined 
 some others of his countrymen, and proceeded 
 to Madras. Here he was received and wel- 
 comed in the kindest manner, by his former 
 friends, who were not a little astonished at the 
 grotesque figure he cut in his tattered and motley 
 habiliments ; which, added to his meagre per- 
 son, made him very much resemble a maniac. 
 Their hospitable treatment soon restored him to 
 his wonted strength and spirits ; and he began 
 to think of entering again on service, as he had 
 yet obtained but a very scanty provision. Ac- 
 cordingly, he made a voyage to Bencoolen and 
 Batavia, as first mate of the Intelligence. Ben- 
 3* 
 
22 LIFE OF «( 
 
 coolen is a most unhealthy place, and few who 
 visit it escape without the putrid fever. On 
 this occasion, there was a very great mortality 
 among the crew of the Intelligence; every Eu- 
 ropean on board, except Captain Wilson, having 
 died before they left Puley Bay. A recruit of 
 black men were taken in to navigate the vessel, 
 and after visiting Batavia, they returned to Ben- 
 gal. This proved to Captain Wilson a very pro- 
 fitable voyage, though his health had suffered 
 materially. 
 
 In this manner he continued, for a year and a 
 half, to improve his fortune ; and became him- 
 self the commander, as well as a sharer in the 
 vessel. By one of those mercantile specula- 
 tions, the success of which seems often to be 
 determined by the most trifling circumstances, 
 he rose at once to prosperity and independence. 
 Taking advantage of a sudden and unexpected 
 turn of the wind, he got the start of all the 
 other merchantmen bound for the same port, 
 and finding the markets very much in want of 
 the articles with which he was freighted, he ob- 
 tained his own price for the greater part of his 
 goods, as there was no competitor to contend 
 with him. Thus in one month, and by a sin- 
 gular occurrence in his favour, he realized a sum 
 sufficient to induce him to retire from business, 
 
CAPT. JAMESWILSON. 23 
 
 and exchange the toils and hazards of the sea, 
 for the comforts of domestic society. 
 
 With this view he embarked, in 1794, as a 
 passenger in a ship that was returning from 
 Bengal to England. On the voyage, he had 
 frequent disputes about religion with a Baptist 
 missionary on board, who was greatly scanda- 
 lized at his infidel principles, as well as his 
 careless conduct ; and used to observe, that he 
 should have more hope of converting the Las- 
 cars to Christianity, than Captain Wilson. On 
 arriving in safety at Portsmouth, he immedi- 
 ately began to look about him for an agreeable 
 abode, in which he might repair his shattered 
 health, and enjoy the fruits of his fortunate en- 
 terprise. He soon discovered a place to his 
 mind at Horndean, in Hampshire. This he pur- 
 chased : and set himself down contented, antici- 
 pating much happiness from the sports of the 
 country, and the fashionable society in the neigh- 
 bourhood. Being unmarried, he found it ne- 
 cessary to have a proper person to manage his 
 household economy. This duty he devolved 
 upon his niece, a prudent and agreeable person, 
 and one whose sentiments were imbued with 
 true piety. 
 
 Here he lived nearly two years, decent and 
 sober in his conduct, but careless and uncon- 
 cerned about religion, and an utter stranger to 
 
24 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 its principles and its power. During all the 
 perils and sufferings he had undergone, his 
 heart appears to have remained as insensible as 
 the nether millstone to any thing like feelings 
 of gratitude or devotion. No humiliation, no 
 prayer, no sense of sin, no recourse to the blood 
 of a Redeemer, no regard for the future welfare 
 of his soul, ever seems to have entered his 
 thoughts, or alarmed his conscience. He came 
 out of the furnace as hardened and impenitent 
 as ever — his principles unchanged, and the 
 obduracy of his heart not softened with the 
 tears of repentance, nor melted down into godly 
 sorrow. 
 
 His mercies had no better effect than his 
 chastisements and afflictions. He returned to 
 life and health with tiie same callous propensi- 
 ties, the same stubborn nature, the same forget- 
 fulness of God, and the same insensibility to 
 those manifestations of divine care, that had in 
 such a wonderful manner led him by a way 
 which he knew not — preserved him in deaths 
 oft — in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness — in 
 journeyings and in prisons — in perils of waters, 
 in perils in the wilderness, in perils by the 
 heathen ; and after all tliese dangers, crowned 
 his labours with uncommon success, by means 
 which appeared almost miraculous. But the 
 plans of Omniscience are inscrutable ; and while 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 25 
 
 they are directed by infinite wisdom, they are 
 also characterized by benevolence. His Divine 
 Master, who had chosen him from the beginning 
 to be the herald of his cross, and to carry the 
 message of eternal life to the neglected solitudes 
 of the Indian Ocean, bore with him in his igno- 
 rance and rebellion, and was gradually preparing 
 him, by a series of providences, for that peculiar 
 work, in which he afterwards embarked with so 
 noble and disinterested a zeal. 
 
 Captain Wilson's infidelity may be ascribed 
 mainly to two causes ; the want of an early and 
 scriptural acquaintance with religion and his 
 residence for so many years in India: a country 
 which has proved fatal to the principles of many 
 Europeans; who, making wealth the sole object 
 of their worship, prostrate their hearts before 
 the shrine of this golden image, with a more 
 unhallowed devotion, than if they bent the knee 
 in the chambers of Asiatic idolatry. His mind 
 had been rendered completely callous, by the 
 events and occupations of his life ; and this 
 baleful influence had darkened down upon his 
 faculties, so as to obliterate any remains of re- 
 ligion, and all sense of God's moral government 
 among men. 
 
 Like all other disciples of Deism, he enter- 
 tained lofty conceptions of human nature, and 
 was deeply imbued with a self-complacent ad- 
 
26 LIFE OF 
 
 miration of his own goodness. He considered 
 that lie had so conducted himself as to merit the 
 congratulations of the world, and had done no- 
 tliing he could reproach himself with, as unjust 
 to his neighbour or ojETensive in the eye of God. 
 He had even, in some instances, behaved with 
 a generosity that he thought could not fail to 
 secure for hirn the divine approbation ; and 
 when compared with others of his countrymen 
 in that part of the world, he flattered himself he 
 ouffht rather to be celebrated as a man of exalted 
 virtue, than regarded as an unbeliever, or a 
 sinner. He was conscious of the goodness of 
 his heart and the general integrity of his ac- 
 tions, and therefore saw no reason to embitter 
 his present enjoyments with disagreeable or 
 alarming reflections. Besides, his many won- 
 derful escapes, his singular preservations, and 
 above all, his success in his mercantile engage- 
 ments, which had raised him to affluence, after 
 being stripped of all he possessed, led him 
 proudly to imagine that he was not only a child 
 of fortune, but in special favour with the Deity. 
 • He had, while in the prime of life, obtained 
 an easy competency, returned home with a con- 
 stitution unsubdued by an eastern climate, pos- 
 sessed a cheerful mind, which fitted him for 
 company, and for what the world calls a 
 man of fashion ; it was time, therefore, he con- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 27 
 
 ceived, to enjoy himself, and to adopt the maxim 
 of the rich mail in the gospel, " Eat, drink, and 
 be merry, for thou hast goods laid up for many 
 years." In this state of tranquillity and easy 
 indifference, he felt no desire to investigate the 
 evidences of religion, or have his repose broken 
 in upon by considerations about the moral go- 
 vernment of the world — the method of man's 
 acceptance with God, or the final retribution 
 to be awarded hereafter to the righteous and the 
 wicked. 
 
 It is difficult, indeed, to imagine almost any 
 thing more unlikely, than that the subjects of re- 
 velation should engage, or interest a mind so 
 wrapt up in the flattering opinions of superior 
 worth, and the romantic schemes of earthly 
 happiness. The objections must have appeared 
 to him numerous and formidable, against re- 
 ceiving a book as a revelation from God, the 
 design of which was to teach him that his heart 
 was deeply depraved — that he had been a rebel 
 through life against his Maker — that he had in- 
 curred his displeasure, and must expect pardon 
 and happiness solely through the unmerited 
 mercy of him he had offended. These senti- 
 ments, however, humiliating and repugnant as 
 they were to his present system, he came at 
 length to adopt. 
 
 The conversations and exemplary conduct of 
 
28 LIFE OF 
 
 his niece, had no small share in diffusing this 
 preparatory influence over his mind ; though he 
 regarded her anxiety about religious ordinances, 
 as a weakness, or a needless scrupulosity of 
 conscience ; and her aversion to mingle in fash- 
 ionable society, he mistook for a morose con- 
 tempt of innocent gaieties and social amusement. 
 He was favoured also with the acquaintance and 
 friendship of Captain Sims, a gentleman who 
 had retired from the active duties of his profes- 
 sion, upon a respectable competency, and was 
 residing in the immediate neighbourhood. Cap- 
 tain Sims was then advanced in life, but he had 
 for many years regularly attended divine wor- 
 ship, and professed a zealous attachment to the 
 principles of vital religion. He had frequently 
 introduced the subject to Captain Wilson, re- 
 presenting to him the dangers of infidelity, and 
 endeavouring to impress his mind with a con- 
 viction of the truth of a divine revelation: but 
 though a confirmed believer himself, he was 
 belter acquainted with the interior of religion, 
 than qualified to defend its outworks. He had 
 studied the Scriptures with great care, but had 
 employed his mind about the general evidences 
 of Christianity too little, to meet the sophistical 
 reasonings of his sceptical companion. 
 
 The Indian Captain proudly defied the artil- 
 lery of his heavy denunciations against unbe- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 29 
 
 lievers, and smiled at his entreating him to 
 abandon the ranks of scepticism, in which he 
 had enrolled himself, and to join in affinity and 
 allegiance with the orthodox party. Citations 
 from Scripture, to prove that his principles were 
 wrong, with him had no authority, because he 
 disbelieved them; and demanded better evidence 
 than mere assertion, that the Bible was really 
 the word of God. He found it easy, therefore, 
 to obtain a temporary victory over his friend, 
 and to foil a less dexterous combatant, who was 
 sincere in his profession, but unskilful in the 
 use of his weapons. 
 
 Captain Sims, unable to defend himself 
 against the spiritual attacks of his ingenious 
 antagonist, wisely withdrew from the field, but 
 left, as a substitute, a book, written by the late 
 General Burn, entitled, "The Christian Offi- 
 cer's Complete Armour;" being a dialogue be- 
 tween a captain a]\d a major, on the evidences 
 of revelation. Of this treatise, Captain Wilson 
 read only the title page, and finding that it rela- 
 ted to the defence of Christianity, he returned 
 it, after having kept it carelessly by him for a 
 few weeks. 
 
 These conversations and discussions, how- 
 ever unprofitable at the time, were not without 
 their good effects. Occasionally, and at inter- 
 vals, transient convictions would strike his con- 
 4 
 
30 LIFE OF 
 
 science, like the flashes of lightning that cross 
 the path of the benighted traveller. He would 
 sometimes indulge the reflection, that if Chris- 
 tianity were from God, his plan of life was alto- 
 gether wrong, his estimate of himself erroneous, 
 and his hopes of future happiness fallacious. 
 Yet though his judgment might suggest llie 
 propriety of a candid investigation of the sub- 
 ject, his heart rose with indignant opposition, 
 against sentiments which were at variance with 
 the system of his whole life. 
 
 It happened that Captain Sims had invited 
 the minister of the chapel at Portsea, (the Rev. 
 J. Griffin,) where he attended divine worship, 
 to spend a few days with him in the country. 
 During this short visit, he was introduced to 
 Captain Wilson, and this seemingly accidental 
 circumstance, not only proved the happy means 
 of his conversion, but laid the foundation of a 
 cordial attachment between them, that was only 
 broken off by death. At one of their dinner 
 parties, the topic of conversation chanced to be 
 on the authenticity of the sacred Scriptures, 
 and Captain Sims pleasantly remarked, that, as 
 he liad already been foiled on that subject, he 
 referred the cause to his young friend the minis- 
 ter, who was better able to maintain the contest 
 than he was. 
 
 The minister politely declined what might 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 31 
 
 seem an obtrusion of his sentiments on the com- 
 pany, and added, that he thought the matter too 
 serious and important for the occasion, although 
 he was ready at all times to defend the truth, 
 according to the best of his abilities. Captain 
 Wilson smiled at the gravity of the clergyman, 
 and observed, that it would be no obtrusion : 
 *' I assure you, sir," continued he with a dog- 
 matical air, " I am glad of the opportunity to 
 converse on it; for I have never met with a 
 clergyman yet, and I have conversed with seve- 
 ral, that I could not foil in a quarter of an 
 hour." This seemed a challenge that no man 
 of honour could decline ; and when the party 
 broke up, the two combatants, embracing the 
 delightful opportunity which a fine evening in 
 July afforded, adjourned to a shady bower in 
 the garden, there to debate the point, whether 
 Christianity was a revelation from God. 
 
 The minister reminded him to treat the sub- 
 ject with all the seriousness it deserved ; and 
 very generously proposed to allow him the 
 choice of his own mode of argument, either to 
 object or reply, as he might find most agreeable. 
 Captain Wilson admitted the subject was seri- 
 ous, and that he intended to treat it as such; 
 but rather declined entering into a formal and 
 logical mode of reasoning; observing, that if the 
 principal objections were removed, he was ready 
 
Sa L I F E O F 
 
 to acknowledge the Scriptures as the word of 
 God; and would endeavour to conform his prin- 
 ciples and his conduct accordingly. He grant- 
 ed at once the superior excellence of Chris- 
 tianity, and that none of the writings of the 
 Mahometans, the Hindoos, or the Chinese, 
 could bear a comparison of claims to divine 
 revelation, with those contained in the Old and 
 New Testament; but he thought there were dif- 
 ficulties connected with its evidences and its 
 doctrines, which could not be satisfactorily ex- 
 plained. These it appeared to him impossi- 
 ble to obviate, in such a way as to produce con- 
 viction. 
 
 Being requested to state what he thought most 
 objectionable, the following, after some delibe- 
 ration, were urged as the chief reasons of his 
 incredulity : That the Scriptures give an unlove- 
 ly representation of the divine character, con- 
 trary to what appears in the works of nature; 
 that they increase our perplexities with respect 
 to religion, by requiring us to believe mysteries, 
 or truths not within the sphere of our under- 
 standing; that what is assumed as a revelation 
 from God to the world, and as a universal 
 remedy for all its intellectual errors and moral 
 evils, had not, after so many thousand years, 
 reached one-tenth part of the inhabitants of the 
 globe ; that the magnitude of creation renders it 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 33 
 
 altogether improbable that the Supreme Being 
 has conducted himself towards the inhabitants 
 of this comparatively insignificant spot of the 
 universe, in the manner the Scriptures represent 
 him to have done ; and that Judaism and Chris- 
 tianity, instead of being a benefit, had been an 
 injury to the world. These he confessed were 
 the most weighty and formidable difficulties, 
 and though there were others in detail, yet if 
 these could be removed, the rest, he allowed, 
 would have very little influence. 
 
 These objections, the reader will perceive, 
 have been produced and re-produced by infidels 
 in various forms, and as often refuted in the 
 most satisfactory manner; but as it would not 
 have answered his present design merely to 
 make this assertion, the minister condescended 
 to reply briefly to the several particulars, in 
 such a way as he hoped would tend, if not fully 
 to repel the arguments, at least to weaken their 
 force. He stated as a general preliminary, that 
 it was unphiloaophical, and contrary to the ac- 
 knowledged methods of sound reasoning, to 
 object to the truth of a proposition, because that 
 truth contained some principles difficult to be 
 comprehended. Such a prejudice would be a 
 mighty barrier to the attainment of knowledge 
 in almost every science ; in chemistry, mathe- 
 matics, natural history, &;c., where there are 
 4* 
 
34 LIFE OF 
 
 innumerable principles, the truth or reality of 
 which is proved by incontestible evidences, 
 although the truth itself contains first principles 
 that cannot be explained. 
 
 This mode of objecting, he observed, would 
 apply with equal force against Deism as against 
 Christianity, since there were many positions 
 in natural, as well as in revealed religion, against 
 which similar difficulties might be urged. For 
 example, the permission of moral evil, the pro- 
 vidence of God, the existence of spirit as dis- 
 tinct from matter, and consequently a future 
 state of being, might all be denied on the same 
 principle, since each of these truths have mys- 
 teries connected with them; and yet many 
 Deists believe them, and admit the evidence by 
 which they are proved. This, therefore, clear- 
 ly showed ihe unreasonableness of those who 
 objected to the evidences on which revelation is 
 founded, merely because the subject was found 
 to contain some inexplicable difficulties. 
 
 He next replied to his objection as to the 
 Scriptural representations of the divine charac- 
 ter — unloveliness and severity. He observed, 
 that our conceptions of character are often rather 
 pictures drawn after our own fancies or feelings, 
 than exact resemblances of the truth ; and that 
 which is excellent in the esteem of one man, 
 often is, in the opinion of another, q\iite the re- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 35 
 
 verse. Thus, a disobedient son, an indolent ser- 
 vant, or a condemned criminal, will form their 
 estimates as to the character of a father, a mas- 
 ter, or a judge, very differently from a virtuous 
 child, an industrious servant, or a loyal subject. 
 The one will see goodness and virtue, where 
 the other can discover nothing but harshness 
 and severity. One who has a competent 
 fortune, a comfortable residence, and pleasant 
 gardens, will think more favourably of the 
 kindness and munificence of the Deity, than the 
 slave in the mines, or the beggar who wanders 
 on a precarious charity. If it be true, as Scrip- 
 ture asserts, that we are in a state of enmity 
 and rebellion against God, is it to be wondered 
 at if we should dislike the description he has 
 given us of himself, or deem those features 
 unlovely that we cannot look upon but with 
 terror ! 
 
 He showed him, on the other hand, that they 
 must adopt very partial and erroneous views of 
 the divine character, who should conceive of it 
 as all goodness and mercy; forgetting, that at 
 the same time, to be consistent with itself and 
 with our ideas of perfection, it must possess 
 also the attributes of justice and holiness. These 
 latter attributes are in Scripture associated with 
 his goodness, in order to form a complete and 
 perfect character. In order to apply this argu- 
 
36 LIFE OF 
 
 ment, and bring it home to the case of his oppo- 
 nent, the minister drew a contrast between the 
 two systems, and left his friend to infer, which 
 of them gave the most favourable representa- 
 tion of the goodness and benevolence of the 
 Deity — that which assured us of a future state, 
 which brought life and immortality to light, and 
 directed us to the means of obtaining them ; or 
 that which left these momentous and interesting 
 questions in darkness and uncertainty. " Is 
 this then," he asked, *'a proof of the goodness 
 of God, to leave you in a state of the most aw- 
 ful suspense, on subjects that so nearly concern 
 your greatest happiness ? Is this a mark of 
 goodness, to give you the dim light of reason, 
 which, like that of the glow-worm, only serves 
 to make the surrounding darkness more visible; 
 and to refuse that light which is able to dispel 
 your darkness ? To give you a conscience capa- 
 ble of tormenting you, without the method of 
 having it appeased — without knowing whether 
 he will pardon few sins, or many, and on what 
 conditions ? And is this the system that is 
 founded on the goodness of God ? No : the 
 subject will not bear looking at; the further 
 you go, the more the mind is perplexed. It is 
 revelation that gives the most lovely exhibition 
 of this goodness. There the doubts and fears 
 of the anxious mind are resolved. Life and 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 37 
 
 immortality are brought to light by the gos- 
 pel." 
 
 To this Captain Wilson had nothing to reply; 
 but he mentioned some particular passages in 
 the Old Testament that he could not reconcile 
 with his ideas of the divine goodness, such as 
 the distinction between the offerings of Cain 
 and Abel, the command of God to the Israelites, 
 with respect to the nations that were to be ex- 
 pelled from the promised land, and especially 
 the destruction of the Canaanites. Of these the 
 minister gave him such explanations, as satis- 
 fied him that the Scripture account was not at- 
 tended with greater difficulties than any other, 
 but the contrary; and that even as matters of 
 fact, they appeared not to be a greater violation 
 of justice or humanity, than the African slave- 
 trade, which he scrupled not to reconcile with 
 his principles. 
 
 The captain, finding that he could make no 
 ground on his antagonist, abandoned this point 
 as indefensible, and retired to what he consid- 
 ered a more tenable position, the absurdity of 
 Scripture requiring him to believe mysteries. 
 The minister admitted that the Scriptures con- 
 tain a variety of truths which may be considered 
 as mysteries ; that is, which imply something 
 in their nature, degree, or mode of existence, 
 which lies beyond the sphere of our compre- 
 
38 LIFE OF 
 
 heiision ; not that the doctrine or truth itself is 
 hidden, for this would be a contradiction in 
 terms. But he contended, that these were not 
 more mysterious than a number of principles 
 which are commonly received by philosophers ; 
 the evidences of whose existence are so strong, 
 that they cannot refuse their assent to them ; 
 such as the phenomena of animal and vegetable 
 vitality; the formation of matter out of nothing; 
 the eternity and immensity of the Divine Being, 
 which no finite mind can comprehend. " If 
 therefore," he concluded, *' the inspired volume 
 contains a variety of truths which lie beyond 
 the sphere of our limited capacity, it is rather 
 an evidence of its divine authenticity, than 
 against it." 
 
 The captain was willing to allow, that he 
 might receive some truths which he did not 
 fully comprehend, but could never be brought to 
 believe what was contrary to the nature of 
 things. He instanced the doctrine of the Tri- 
 nity; and added, that this was so contrary to 
 reason, that he had hardly patience to attend to 
 evidences which attempted to prove such an ab- 
 surdity, as that three are one, and one is three ; 
 or that the book which contains such prepos- 
 terous positions was the word of God. 
 
 The minister again reminded him, that the 
 Scriptures contained some things hard to be un- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 39 
 
 derstood, and therefore to attempt to explain 
 what is inexplicable, would be as ridiculous as 
 it was impossible; but this, he observed, could 
 be no reasonable objection to our receiving a 
 revelation from the Deity, if otherwise proved, 
 that we could not understand the mode of his 
 essence or existence. It was too assuming, to 
 make our judgment of the Deity a standard by 
 which to try the evidences of a revelation from 
 him to man; since, upon such a principle, it 
 would be impossible for the Divine Being to 
 make a revelation of himself to his creatures, 
 supposing that there was any thing in the nature 
 of his existence, incompatible with our modes 
 of reasoning. And as to believing nothing that 
 is seemingly contrary to reason, he question- 
 ed whether, in this assertion, the captain was 
 quite correct. "Do you not," said he, "be- 
 lieve that God is every where present, in 
 the most strict and philosophical sense of the 
 word ? and yet do you not as firmly believe, 
 that there are innumerable worlds of matter in 
 the universe, and also innumerable spirits, who 
 are distinct, intelligent, free agents ? What 
 power of reasoning is your mind endowed with, 
 by which it can reconcile these two opposite 
 propositions? Can two beings, two substances, 
 occupy exactly the same space at the same 
 time ? If you believe the other two proposi- 
 
40 L I F E O F 
 
 tions, you must also believe that tliey can. But 
 is not this contrary to your mode of reasoning; 
 or as far as your perceptions go, contrary to the 
 nature of things?" 
 
 The doctrine of the unity of the Deity, so 
 clearly taught in Scripture, and which appears 
 to us now to be a self-evident position, for 
 many ages, he told him, had to struggle with 
 the reasonings of men before it obtained exten- 
 sive belief; and even yet had not obtained uni- 
 versal reception. It was contrary to the reason 
 of the ancients, seeing there were so many 
 opposite principles in the universe, both moral 
 and physical, that there should be but one God. 
 The belief of a plurality of deities was general 
 through all nations; a fact which might serve 
 to show how dangerous it is, to make our ideas 
 of the nature of the divine existence a reason 
 for refusing to examine the claims of Scripture 
 to be a revelation from God : since, had men 
 always acted under the influence of this princi- 
 ple, the doctrine of the divine unity might still 
 have been treated as an absurdity. 
 
 The captain agreed that there was something 
 in the nature of spiritual beings that we could 
 not understand, and seemed to perceive the 
 absurdity of his prescribing a mode of existence 
 to what was incomprehensible, or of making 
 human reason the standard by which to deter- 
 
CAPT. JAMES, WILSON. 41 
 
 mine the nature of the divine essence. He, 
 therefore, proposed to take up his third objec- 
 tion to revelation, viz. that it had never been 
 universally known ; a defect that rendered it, in 
 a great measure, of no use, since it could nei- 
 ther be a rule of duty, nor a remedy for misery, 
 where men had never heard of it. *' It is not 
 denied," replied his friend, " that the want of 
 the universal diffusion of revelation, is a serious 
 evil to the world; but may not the objection you 
 now urge, have been one cause of preventing its 
 becoming universal ? If your argument is valid, 
 it never can become so ; for if all men refuse to 
 examine its claims to divine authenticity, till it 
 is universally known, it is morally impossible it 
 should ever be received by the whole world, for 
 the objection would present an insuperable bar- 
 rier to its general reception. This is reasoning 
 in a circle, and terminates in absurdity : it is, 
 in fact, to say, that it ought not to be universal- 
 ly received, till it is universally received. But 
 perhaps your objection supposes, that if God 
 gave a revelation of his u'ill to man, there is 
 something in the nature of his character, and of 
 his moral government, which would justify us 
 in concluding, that he would at the same time 
 make the discovery to all." 
 
 Upon this supposition, he showed him that 
 his objection was quite unsupported by the 
 5 
 
42 LIFE OF 
 
 analysis of the divine government; and was 
 extremely inconsistent in a Deist, who profess- 
 ed to believe that God had given a discovery of 
 himself in his works, sufficiently intelligible to 
 all mankind; and yet Deism was not universal, 
 the numbers of its disciples being few, compared 
 with Christians, and still smaller compared with 
 heathens and idolaters. The objection ought, 
 therefore, he observed, to have no weight with 
 him, because it applied with more than equal 
 force against his own system. " I see no alter- 
 native for you," he concluded, " upon your 
 own argument, but either to admit the princi- 
 ples of Atheism or Paganism, or to go calmly 
 into the evidences of Christianity." That the 
 Scriptures are not universally known, he inform- 
 ed him, was one evidence of the truth of some 
 of the great principles which they contain ; for 
 they describe men as in a state of rebellion 
 against their Maker, not liking to retain God in 
 their thoughts. It was not then a matter of sur- 
 prise, that men should make objections against 
 the divine origin of a book, which prescribed 
 rules to which they have no wish to be con- 
 formed, motives of action they never feel, and 
 denunciations of wrath against sins to which 
 they are strongly attached, both by inclination 
 and habit. But it can never be an excuse to the 
 objectors of Christianity, that it is not univer- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 43 
 
 sally received, or that others have neglected to 
 inquire into its authority, or refused submission 
 to its proposals. Such a plea would rather 
 aggravate than extenuate their criminality. In 
 applying the argument, he begged his friend 
 seriously to consider, that however some might 
 plead before the tribunal of their Maker, that 
 they never had an opportunity to investigate the 
 claims or the doctrines of Scripture, he would 
 not be entitled to make this plea. " Let me 
 entreat you then," he concluded, " patiently to 
 examine their evidences, and study their con- 
 tents. I am persuaded you will not be offended 
 with me, for using this earnestness; since it 
 must appear to you a species of hypocrisy in 
 me, to profess to believe the truth and impor- 
 tance of revelation, and not be desirous that 
 others also should believe its divine origin, and 
 participate in its benefits." 
 
 The captain expressed himself obliged to the 
 minister for his good wishes, however unneces- 
 sary he might think them ; but dropt no remarks 
 that could indicate what impression his argu- 
 ments and earnest expostulations had made upon 
 him. It appears, however, he could advance 
 nothing in his own vindication, for he imme- 
 diately turned the conversation towards another 
 objection, which he drew from the extent or 
 magnitude of creation. It seemed to him highly 
 
44 LIF£ OF 
 
 improbable, he said, that the inhabitants of this 
 comparatively insignificant spot, should receive 
 that kind of attention described in the Scrip- 
 tures, since the globe we inhabit, probably bears 
 a less proportion to the universe, than an orange 
 bears to the solar system: When we see that 
 the waters and the air are full of animation, and 
 that vegetables and animals are little worlds 
 covered with inhabitants, is it not natural to 
 suppose that the globes which float in the bound- 
 less extent of space around us, are also inhabit- 
 ed? And when we consider that our own is the 
 centre of a system, with planets like our earth, 
 and some of them much larger, revolving round 
 it, is it not probable that the fixed stars are suns 
 to other systems? Now, that a Being possess- 
 ed of such vast, and to us, boundless dominions, 
 should speak and act as though all his other 
 works were made for the inhabitants of this lit- 
 tle spot; and that he who made and governs all, 
 should unite himself with human nature, and 
 die to restore man to happiness, seemed so 
 much beyond the bounds of probability, that he 
 wondered how any man of a philosophical mind 
 could believe such things. 
 
 Before replying to this objection in detail, the 
 minister reminded him that the whole argument 
 was weak ; and one part of his view erroneous, 
 since Scripture no where represents, that all the 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON, 45 
 
 works of God were made for the benefit of man, 
 nor that any of them were made exclusively for 
 his advantage. " I do not," he proceeded, 
 '* deny some of your probabilities ; it may be 
 true, that the stars are suns, and these suns have 
 planetary systems, and these systems are all in- 
 habited ; but it may be useful to recollect, that 
 these are only probabilities and not certainties. 
 It is from one train of probabilities that you de- 
 duce another, so that the probabilities urged 
 against the truth of revelation are not deductions 
 from known facts : this to a philosopher (that 
 is, to a man of close reasoning) must very much 
 weaken the objection. To probability then, I 
 would oppose probability, and thus balance your 
 objection, or, as I think, turn the scale against 
 it. The probabilities in favour of revelation, to 
 be deduced from the minuteness of the works of 
 God, are, I think, equal both in number and 
 weight, to those which form the objection ari- 
 sing from the magnitude of his works." 
 
 This he illustrated, by referring to the nice 
 adjustments in the minutest parts of the animal 
 structure : the adaptation of the eye to light, the 
 ear to sound, the lungs for respiration; and in 
 short, the whole animal economy, which ex- 
 tended even to the smallest fly or insect. This 
 minute attention of the divine Being to the ope- 
 rations of matter, made it probable, that he is 
 5* 
 
46 LIFE OF 
 
 not less attentive to the operations of mind : and 
 considering that all these arrangements are con- 
 nected with animal or human happiness, the in- 
 ference obviously was, that he who has been so 
 kindly attentive to the body, had not neglected 
 the soul ; that he who has given light for the 
 eye, has given truth for the understanding: And 
 seeing that the Scriptures contain principles as 
 suited to the comfort of the mind, as food is 
 suited to the sustenance of the body, the proba- 
 bility is that these truths are from God, because 
 there is as pleasing an adaptation between these 
 truths and the state or condition of the human 
 mind, as there is between food and hunger, light 
 and the power of vision. 
 
 But the magnitude of his works suggests pro- 
 babilities in favour of revelation, as well as the 
 minuteness of them. In surveying the greatness 
 of his power in creating such boundless works, 
 and liis astonishing wisdom in the management 
 of them; who can resist the persuasion that he 
 would, for the same reasons, magnify his con- 
 descension, goodness, and mercy, by some me- 
 thod corresponding with that by which he has 
 displayed his wisdom and power; and nowhere 
 is this so fully to be seen, as in those Scriptures 
 which relate the history of the redemption of the 
 world by the Son of God. This is an event 
 which fills us with as much astonishment at his 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 47 
 
 loving kindness and tender n:iercy, as the vast- 
 ness of his works fills us with astonishment at 
 his power. Philosophy presents a magnificent 
 display of the greatness of God, but the Scrip- 
 tures give us also a grand display of his good- 
 ness. Here, therefore, the probability is also 
 in favour of revelation. 
 
 In estimating the argument from the magni- 
 tude of creation, and the comparative insignifi- 
 cance of man, there was one fact we ought not 
 to lose sight of, the superior excellence of intel- 
 ligence to that of matter. The inhabitants of 
 this earth, considered as intelligent creatures, 
 were of more importance in the scale of being, 
 than all the innumerable worlds of matter which 
 God had made; and which appeared, either di- 
 rectly, or remotely to minister to the good of 
 man. The demonstrations of beneficent design, 
 therefore, arising from the works of God, were 
 proofs in favour of the Scriptures being a reve- 
 lation from him ; and that he had done every 
 thing to show his concern for the present and 
 future happiness of his creatures. Besides, it 
 was enough to. expose the weakness of the ob- 
 jection, that the whole reasoning was built alto- 
 gether upon hypothesis and probability. 
 
 These arguments, though they did not appear 
 to the Captain altogether satisfactory, or con- 
 vincing, yet tended, by his own concession, to 
 
48 LIFE OF 
 
 set the subject in a more favourable light. " But 
 how do you account for it," said he, *' that the 
 principles of the Scriptures have done so little 
 good in the world ; and have been the cause of 
 so much superstition, tyranny, and bloodshed ?" 
 *' You appear," said the minister, " to take these 
 things for granted, as though they were self-evi- 
 dent positions ; but I must beg leave to deny 
 the statement. Christianity has done vast good 
 in the world, and has not, properly considered, 
 been the cause of superstition, tyranny, or cru- 
 elty. It is certainly much to be lamented, that 
 some, for ambitious purposes, under the mask 
 of religion, have invented superstitious obser- 
 vances, to divert the attention of men from their 
 just rights ; and have persecuted myriads with 
 unrelenting severity, for daring to think for them- 
 selves. But I presume you will admit that this 
 was done from political motives; and nothing 
 can be a stronger proof that these things cannot 
 be fairly attributed to the principles of Christi- 
 anity, than the Catholics having prohibited the 
 people from reading the Scriptures. Who does 
 not perceive, that had Christianity justified their 
 conduct, they would most readily have circula- 
 ted the sacred book in their own defence ?" 
 
 Nothing, he justly observed, could be more 
 opposite to the spirit of cruelty and oppression, 
 than the language of Christ, or the principles 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 49 
 
 and examples recorded in the New Testament; 
 and nothing can be more uncandid, than to as- 
 cribe to Christianity, the vices and misconduct 
 of those who have disgraced the name and pro- 
 fession of Christians. It must be evident to 
 every one, that since the Scriptures have been 
 more freely circulated, and more generally read, 
 the state of society in Europe, and the world at 
 large, has gradually increased in amelioration. 
 
 Here the Captain, imagining he had found in 
 this sort of argument, a two-edged sword which 
 he could turn with advantage upon his adversary, 
 interrupted him ; and observed with a smile, 
 " You certainly have a happy knack of getting 
 clear of a difficulty. When I object to the mys- 
 tery of your principles, you refer me to your 
 practice ; and when I refer to the bad practices 
 of the votaries of Christianity, you refer me 
 to your principles." " Notwithstanding your 
 pleasantry," rejoined his friend, "I am per- 
 suaded, however indignant you feel, and not 
 more so than I do, at the conduct of those who 
 have disgraced the Christian name, by their un- 
 just and cruel actions, you do not believe it is 
 fairly to be attributed to the principles of Chris- 
 tianity. This, however, is only the negative 
 part of the subject ; but there are, I think, strong 
 positive evidences that the Gospel has proved an 
 extensive blessing to the world. In order to 
 
50 LIFE OF 
 
 ee this truth in a strong light, we should con- 
 template the ancient state of the world, where 
 revelation had not reached ; and we should also 
 compare those parts of the world now, where 
 Christianity has not been received, with those 
 where it has been suflercd to have its unres- 
 trained and native influence." 
 
 It could be proved, he observed, from various 
 evidences of historical facts, that Christianity 
 had been the cause of abolishing the practice of 
 human sacrifices, which once prevailed both in 
 Britain, and various parts of the Continent of 
 Europe, where vast numbers of human beings 
 were every year immolated, as the effect of their 
 false religion, but the benign genius of the Gos- 
 pel had long since trodden dov;n their cruel 
 altars, and wrested from them their bloody 
 knife. It had restored women to their proper 
 station in society, and thus tended to render one 
 half of the inhabitants happy; and by them to 
 soften the manners, and promote the happiness 
 of the other half. The sacred institution of 
 marriage had been sanctioned, and guarded by 
 the Christian religion; divorce rendered diffi- 
 cult and unattainable, except for high crimes ; 
 females and children were thus protected, and 
 the great and depopulating vices kept in check, 
 by the laws and manners which it had difTused. 
 The cruel manner in which slaves were 
 
C APT. JAMES WILSON. 51 
 
 treated by the ancients, is written in lines of 
 blood on the historic pages of almost every na- 
 tion — England and every kingdom of the Con- 
 tinent, had its market for slaves as well as for 
 cattle, till the Gospel infused milder principles 
 into their laws and usages. It is to the influ- 
 ence of Christianity that Europe owes its ad- 
 vanced state of civilization, beyond the other 
 parts of the world ; and wherever it has had the 
 most extensive and unrestrained operation, there 
 is the most improved and happy state of society. 
 These, he concluded, were known and public 
 facts, which could be accounted for on no other 
 principles, than those enforced from the Chris- 
 tian revelation. 
 
 The Captain was here allowed an opportunity 
 of offering any remarks he had to make, by way 
 of refutation or defence ; but as he remained 
 silent, the minister began to infer, that he either 
 found his objections giving way, or grew tired 
 of the conversation. "I will relieve you from 
 that suspicion," replied the other, " for I assure 
 you, I never was more interested in a conversa- 
 tion in all my life, and I should be sorry if our 
 friends came to interrupt us : but there is one 
 thing more I should like to have your remarks 
 on, which has often occurred to me to be very 
 unaccountable. If Christianity contains a di- 
 vine revelation, how is it that there is such a 
 
52 LIFE OF 
 
 diversity of opinions among tliose who believe 
 it to be the word of God? There are as many 
 opposite sentiments as there are pages, and al- 
 most as many sects as sentiments; how then 
 am 1 to know what is right ?" 
 
 This objection, his friend answered, would 
 apply more forcibly to the system of Deists 
 than of Ciiristians, since the former diflfer among 
 themselves as much as the latter ; and though 
 they might have a few sentiments that are fixed, 
 the far greater part were as fleeting and mutable 
 as the clouds; for among all the Deists that have 
 ever written, there were not two that had agreed 
 even upon the outlines of the system of natural 
 religion. But he begged to remind him, that 
 the real differences among Christians were 
 fewer than is generally supposed. Some of the 
 opinions in which they differed, were about 
 such comparative trifles, that they bear no pro- 
 portion to the sentiments in which they agreed. 
 Besides, as revelation never pretended to afford 
 supernatural powers of intellect, to preserve all 
 who received it from the possibility of any 
 error; but proposed its truths to the minds of 
 men, in the state in which it found them, it 
 could not be matter of surprise, that there should 
 be differences of opinion on subjects so various 
 and complicated; especially considering what a 
 diversity of degrees there is in the strength of 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 53 
 
 human reason — what secret influence the dis- 
 positions of the heart have over the decisions of 
 the understanding, and how deep and extensive 
 are the prejudices of education. It should also 
 be remembered, that many who professed to 
 believe Christianity, were not under the influ- 
 ence of its doctrines; and had an interest in 
 giving them such explanations as suited their 
 pride, their evil passions, and worklly spirit. 
 As to the diflSculty of knowing what is right 
 among such a diversity of sentiments, he was 
 told that the Scriptures did not lay him under 
 obligation to be absolutely guided by the opin- 
 ions of any ; that he was to exercise his own 
 faculties, and form his own opinions from the 
 Scriptures themselves. If the heart, added his 
 friend, be truly under the influence of the truths 
 of the Gospel, the judgment will not be essen- 
 tially and finally wrong ; and wherever men are 
 unanimous about the spirit and temper of the 
 Gospel, and feel its influence, they can diflfer 
 without disagreeing on subjects of minor impor- 
 tance. 
 
 As they had already spent a considerable time 
 in this discussion, and could not expect much 
 more leisure to prolong the debate, the minister 
 could only advert in a very cursory manner to 
 some of the leading particulars of the Christian 
 evidences. He represented to him the neces- 
 6 
 
54 LIFE OF 
 
 sily of revelation, and the inefficacy of Deism 
 to answer all the purposes of religion ; though 
 these were stated rather as preliminaries to the 
 grand subject of inquiry: That no better evi- 
 dence than the history of the heathen world was 
 required, to prove that a revelation from God 
 was absolutely necessary, to make known the 
 attributes and will of the Deity ; as well as to 
 teach the reality, and explain the nature of the 
 divine government — a subject denied, or mis- 
 conceived by Pagans and Deists, and of which 
 Scripture alone has given a correct and conso- 
 ling view : That revelation was necessary to 
 assure us of the reality of a future state — to 
 give us a decisive standard of right and wrong, 
 to describe our duty to God, to ourselves, to our 
 relatives, and to our neighbours: That it was 
 necessary to satisfy the guilty and anxious mind, 
 whether God will pardon sins, and by what evi- 
 dence we may know he pardons them. 
 
 These were points essential to the happiness 
 of man, especially to the inquisitive mind, even 
 during health ; but more peculiarly so, in the 
 time of affliction and of approaching dissolu- 
 tion. Of these. Deism could give no satisfac- 
 tory answer to men's anxious anticipations of 
 future hopes or fears. It was incapable of bring- 
 ing the mind, the heart, and the conscience to a 
 state of rest and tranquillity. It was deficient 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 55 
 
 in strong and clear motives to produce a holy 
 life; and appeared obviously unequal to effect 
 any extensive moral change in the state of man. 
 The principles and conduct of avowed Deists 
 were for the most part immoral, and unconcern- 
 ed about all religion ; and the manner of their 
 death has generally been such, as will bear no 
 comparison with the death of a vast cloud of 
 Christian witnesses, for unfeigned resignation, 
 manly fortitude, or clieerful willingness to die, 
 and a confident expectation of future felicity. 
 
 The minister next directed his attention to 
 the evidences arising from revelation itself, from 
 the nature, the number, and the designs of the 
 facts recorded in Scripture. He showed him 
 that if the facts were true, the doctrines could 
 not be false ; for the principal doctrines rested 
 on the principal facts, which were such as none 
 but Omnipotence could have effected, and were 
 preferred for the purpose of confirming the doc- 
 trines taught by Moses and the prophets of the 
 Old Testament, and by Christ and his apostles 
 in the New. That the Scripture history had 
 been sufficiently corroborated by the writings of 
 the ancients, and the customs and manners of 
 Eastern nations. That the critical observations 
 of the most profound linguists, the disquisitions 
 of those best acquainted with Oriental literature, 
 the modern geographical discoveries within the 
 
56 LIFE OF 
 
 sphere of sacred history, together with the deep- 
 est researches into chronology, and the most 
 accurate astronomical calculations, all united to 
 prove the authenticity of the Scripture facts. 
 
 The Captain here confessed that since his re- 
 turn from India, on hearing his niece refer to 
 some parts of the Bible, he had been forcibly 
 struck with several things, which proved the 
 Scriptures to be an Eastern book. Among other 
 things, he remarked, tliat the language of one of 
 the Psalms, where David says. Thou anointest 
 my head icith oil, and my cup runneth over, 
 most likely alludes to a custom which has con- 
 tinued to this day. " I once, (says he) had this 
 ceremony performed on myself, in the house of 
 a great and rich Indian, in the presence of a 
 large company. The gentleman of the house, 
 poured upon my head and arms a delightfully 
 odoriferous perfume, put a golden cup into my 
 hand, and poured wine into it till it ran over; 
 assuring me, at the same time, that it was a 
 great pleasure to him to receive me, and that I 
 should find a rich supply in his house. I think 
 the sacred poet expressed his senseof the divine 
 goodness, by allusion to this custom." 
 
 His friend assured him, that on a more care- 
 ful perusal of the inspired writings, he would 
 discover various other allusions to Eastern man- 
 ners ; and that so many historical truths, and 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 57 
 
 matters of fact, united to corroborate the claims 
 of revelation, as could not possibly meet in any 
 imposture whatever: that observances and anni- 
 versaries had been instituted, in memory of cer- 
 tain transactions ; which still remain the vene- 
 rable memorials of their reality: that such facts 
 as the departure of the Israelites from Egypt — 
 the destroying of the first born of all the Egyp- 
 tians, in memory of which the passover was 
 kept, and by the Jews still continuing to be 
 kept — the dispersion of the Jews, and yet their 
 continuing for so many ages a distinct people — 
 the agreement of prophecies and historical events 
 respecting the cities of Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre, 
 and Jerusalem — the resurrection of Christ — the 
 conversion of St. Paul — the gift of tongues — 
 the institutions of Baptism and the Lord's Sup- 
 per — and the irresistible success of the gospel, 
 in opposition to the reasonings of the Grecian 
 philosophers, the malignant designs of the Jews, 
 and the systematic and persevering efforts of the 
 Roman government — were all such singular and 
 unparalleled events, that it appears almost im- 
 possible for any man seriously to consider them, 
 in connexion with the truths they are designed 
 to establish, without feeling an awe upon his 
 spirit, and a secret conviction in his mind, that 
 the Scriptures are the word of God. 
 
 Of the fulfilment of some of these predic- 
 6* 
 
58 LIFE OF 
 
 tions, the Captain confessed that he had himself 
 had ocular demonstration. Besides the Jews, 
 whose dispersion and distinct nationality for so 
 many ages, was very remarkable, there was 
 another people equally distinct, and whose pro- 
 phetical character he had often seen verified, viz. 
 the Ishmaelites. — " I have frequently," says he, 
 " had them in my service, and seen them in 
 various situations ; but no change of place, con- 
 nexion, or circumstances, in the least alters their 
 character: Their hand is against every man , 
 and every man^s hand is against them. No- 
 thing can be more accurate than this description, 
 which the Bible gives us of them." 
 
 As the evening was drawing on apace, and 
 time would not permit them to prosecute the 
 subject at greater length, the minister, in order 
 to strengthen the impressions which his argu- 
 ments had evidently made, recommended to the 
 Captain such books as treated on the several 
 topics they had been discussing. A course of 
 systematic reading, he thought best fitted to ob- 
 viate all difliculties, which could not possibly be 
 done in a hasty conversation; and to extirpate 
 every lingering doubt that might still lurk in 
 the dark recesses of his heart. Leland's " View 
 of the Deistical Writers," and Halyburton's 
 " Inefficacy of Natural Religion," were pointed 
 out to him, as tests by which to try the efficacy 
 
C A P T . JAMES WILSON. 59 
 
 of his system. He was advised likewise to 
 peruse Ryan's " History of the Effects of Re- 
 ligion on Mankind;" Butler's " Analogy of Na- 
 tural and Revealed Religion;" Leslie's "Short 
 Method with the Deists;" Newton "On the 
 Prophecies ;" Campbell " On Miracles ;" Lard- 
 ner " On the Credibility of the Gospel History;" 
 West "On the Resurrection of Christ;" Lyt- 
 tleton "On the Conversion of St. Paul;" and 
 Paley's " Horae Paulinae." " From these," 
 added his friend, " your mind, I am persuaded, 
 will receive such a refulgency of evidence, that 
 you will as readily admit the divine authenticity 
 of the Scriptures, as you do that light is the 
 medium of vision, or that life is the cause of 
 sensibility. Before parting, I must beg leave 
 to remind you, that of all the subjects that can 
 possibly engage your attention, this is the most 
 important. Be not surprised, therefore, that I 
 feel a sincere and friendly concern that you may 
 believe unto eternal life ; that you may expe- 
 rience the happiness which I believe nothing 
 else can afford ; and devote your life to glorify 
 Him, who has so wonderfully preserved and 
 prospered you.'' Captain Sims and their other 
 friends now entered : " Has he convinced you ?" 
 said he, addressing himself to Captain Wilson. 
 " I will not say much about that," replied the 
 other, " but he has said some things I shall 
 
60 LIFE OF 
 
 never forget." Here the subject of controversy 
 was dropt, and the evenuig spent in cheerful 
 conversation. 
 
 The impression produced on Captain Wil- 
 son's mind, though it could hardly yet be said 
 to amount to confirmation, or entire conviction, 
 had the effect of rousing his attention to the 
 subject. He read Major Burns' book, which he 
 had formerly returned unopened, with the avid- 
 ity with which a hungry man receives food. 
 Every page fortified and confirmed the prin- 
 ciples he had heard inculcated. For some days 
 he continued to peruse the Scriptures, occa- 
 sionally conversing with his niece, and the Cap- 
 tain of Marines. She attended the Baptist Cha- 
 pel at Portsea, and under pretext of obliging 
 her, he proffered to drive her down to the place 
 of worship on Sabbath ; but his chief object 
 was to hear the minister, with whom he had 
 held the late interesting conversation. He ex- 
 pressed himself highly delighted, with what he 
 considered the simplicity of the worship, and 
 the deep interest the congregation appeared to 
 take in it. But the text was rather unfavoura- 
 ble for disarming the prejudices of one who had 
 objected to the mysterious doctrines of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 On the day the Captain first entered the 
 place, the text in course for the sermon that 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 61 
 
 morning was, "And whom he did foreknow, 
 Ihem he also did predestinate, to be conformed 
 to the image of his Son." The foreknowledge 
 of God had been the subject of a previous dis- 
 course, predestination, therefore, was the sub- 
 ject for that morning. The minister was in a 
 high degree of perturbation when he saw the 
 Captain enter the place of worship, thinking it 
 was unfortunate that such a doctrine should be 
 the first he should hear, as he feared it might be 
 misunderstood, and thus rivet his prejudices 
 against the truth of Christianit3^ He felt a 
 wish, if it had been any way possible, to change 
 the subject, for some one in his view more 
 likely to interest the Captain's mind, and im- 
 press his conscience, but this could not be done. 
 He knew the people were come in expectation 
 of this subject. Some feared the young minis- 
 ter might darken counsel by words without 
 knowledge ; others feared the doctrine might be 
 so represented as to make God the minister of 
 sin, and to extenuate the guilt of human trans- 
 gression ; while others were concerned lest it 
 should be explained away, and the divine will 
 be made to rest on the volition of fallen creatures, 
 constantly changing, but always wrong; and, 
 instead of his purposes directing and controlling 
 all events, they should be represented as always 
 floating upon human contingencies. Though 
 
62 LIFE OF 
 
 the minister was asilated with fears durincr the 
 singing of the hymns, his mi-nd reflected on 
 itself, Do you believe the doctrine you are about 
 to explain and prove ? Do you not believe that 
 tlie Spirit of God knew the subject, and who 
 were to hear it? If it be truth, can he not 
 make this truth, as well as any other, the means 
 of tliat man's conversion to God ? This rea- 
 soning calmed his apprehensions, and after 
 some fervent ejaculations to the Spirit of Truth, 
 he felt as though the voice of God addressed 
 him, saying, " Arise, and preach the preaching 
 that I bid thee." 
 
 The Captain, as he often declared afterwards, 
 was highly delighted with what he considered 
 the simplicity of the worship, and the deep 
 interest the congregation appeared to take in it. 
 
 The introduction to the sermon was formed 
 with a design to produce seriousness of mind, 
 in the discussion of a subject which is of a se- 
 rious and awful kind, and which, it is con- 
 fessed, has difficulties, in whatever view it is 
 taken; in the second place, to excite candour 
 towards those who could not see the subject in 
 ih same light in which it appeared to the 
 preacher, for the belief of the doctrine neither 
 constitutes a real Christian, nor proves that he 
 is one : and also to call for candour from those 
 who differ from the predestinarians; for, how- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 63 
 
 ever luminous the evidence of its being a Scrip- 
 ture truth may appear to them, and however 
 important and useful they judge the belief of it 
 to be, it is not considered by them in general as 
 essential to salvation, that persons should be- 
 lieve it in the sense they consider and represent 
 it; and, lasdy, it was intended to excite prayer 
 in the minds of the hearers, that what was error 
 might be perceived and rejected, and what was 
 truth might be cordially received, and humbly 
 submitted to, whatever difficulties might attend 
 it. The introduction disarmed the Captain's 
 prejudice and fixed his attention. 
 
 The divisions of the sermon showed that it 
 was the design of the minister — first, to make 
 some observations explanatory of the doctrine 
 of predestination ; secondly, to advance some 
 arguments to confirm it; thirdly, to show the 
 uses that should be made of it ; and, lastly, to 
 guard both those that receive and those that re- 
 ject the doctrine, from abusing it. 
 
 The outlines and general principles of this 
 sermon are stated here for the purpose of show- 
 ing in what light this doctrine was first present- 
 ed to the Captain, seeing it was often mentioned 
 by him to his relatives, his Christian friends, 
 and to the missionaries, that it was the preaching 
 of the doctrine of predestination that was the 
 means of his conversion to God, As the doc- 
 
64 L I F E O F 
 
 trine had been useful in the hand of the Spirit to 
 rouse his soul to a sense of his danger, and to 
 constrain him to seek in earnest for divine mer- 
 cy and gracious influence, it was natural for 
 him to think that occasionally and scripturally 
 to preach it, is calculated to awaken others. 
 He used to reason thus : if it be a truth, it must 
 have been revealed — if revealed, it is fit men 
 should believe it ; if they must believe it, the 
 doctrine should be preached. Besides, certain 
 minds require, he used to remark, strong and 
 powerful sentiments to rouse their attention and 
 awaken their conscience. If men are taught, 
 that they are in danger of being lost, but that 
 the remedy is in themselves, the representation 
 is awfully deceptive — for the first part of the 
 sentence is much weaker than the Scriptures 
 represent the subject, and the other part is alto- 
 gether untrue. The man who believes such a 
 representation, is in danger of procrastinating 
 that to some future time which should employ 
 all the powers of his soul immediately. But if 
 he believes that he is now lost, for " Christ 
 came to seek and to save that which is lost" — 
 that" he who has oflfended in one point is guilty 
 of all" — that "he who believeth not is con- 
 demned already, the wrath of God abideth on 
 him" — and that, in consequence of man's mo- 
 ral depravity, " no man can come to Christ, 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 65 
 
 except the Father draw him ;" or, in other 
 words, if the man believes that he is ruined, 
 and that it depends solely on the grace and 
 mercy of God whether he shall be saved, he is 
 most likely to be alarmed and at once to fly to 
 the refuge set before him in the Gospel. 
 
 In the explanatory observations, it was staled, 
 1. By predestination is intended that wise, holy, 
 good, and sovereign arrangement which God 
 purposed in himself, and in which he predeter- 
 mined whatsoever should come to pass ; but, 
 more especially, it is the gracious determination 
 of his will, to save those whom he foreknew or 
 approved, by delivering them from the condem- 
 nation of his law, through the justifying righte- 
 ousness of his Son; and, by the influence of 
 his grace subduing and finally eradicating sin, 
 and restoring the lost image of God in their 
 souls. 
 
 2. Predestination does not suppose a number 
 of abstract decrees, but a connected and harmo- 
 nious arrangement of purposes. It does not 
 decree effects without causes, ends without 
 means, volitions without motives; so that no 
 one would be justified in reasoning, as some 
 thoughtless and ignorant persons say the doc- 
 trine would justify us in doing: "If God has 
 predestinated us to be saved, we shall be so, 
 whatever we believe, and however we act." 
 7 
 
66 L I F E O F 
 
 Nothing can be more absurd or inconsistent 
 with this doctrine than such reasoning, because 
 the apostle declares, " whom he did foreknow, 
 them he also did predestinate to be conformed 
 to the image of his Son;^^ none can be saved, 
 therefore, who is not conformed to the image of 
 Christ, and he was " meek and lowly of heart, 
 holy, harmless, and separate from sinners." He 
 who has decreed the salvation of a soul, has 
 predetermined that it shall believe, repent, be 
 holy, and finally be made perfect in love ; he 
 has appointed the reading of the Scriptures, the 
 keeping the Sabbath, the hearing of his word, 
 and prayer, as means by which these ends are 
 to be effected, and he has also promised the in- 
 fluence of his Spirit, as the great cause by which 
 all is to be finally accomplished. 
 
 3. Predestination does not even interfere 
 with, much less destroy, the free exercise of 
 the human will. Men sin voluntarily, and all 
 acceptable religious services must be the free 
 exercise of the will. Though grace influences 
 the will, it does not force, but inclines it, by 
 the motives of the Gospel meeting and agreeing 
 with the renewed dispositions of the heart, and 
 hence the motives become operative on a pious 
 or renewed soul, which have no influence on a 
 wicked or unregenerated one. 
 
 It is said, when Satan came to Christ he 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 67 
 
 found nothing in him. The motives Satan had 
 to present to him, met with nothing correspond- 
 ing with them, in his holy mind, and hence the 
 motives produced no effect; so, on the contrary, 
 when motives to holiness and the service of 
 God are presented to a bad man, they find no- 
 thing in his heart corresponding to them, and, 
 consequently, they have no influence. 
 
 Though a man's conversion to God, therefore, 
 be the result of predestination, yet predestina- 
 tion has not effected the freedom of his will; for 
 he as freely wills to be righteous and serve 
 God now, as he before freely willed to be 
 wicked and disobey him. Besides, no one is 
 influenced by the decrees of predestination, as 
 motives of his conduct, seeing no one can be 
 acquainted with them, as they are the secrets of 
 the divine will. 
 
 4. Predestination affords no ground for pre- 
 sumption, or for putting things out of that order 
 which infinite wisdom has assigned. The re- 
 vealed will of God is the rule of faith and con- 
 duct, and not his secret will. The doctrine no 
 more justifies a person in attempting to break 
 the constituted order of things in moral and re- 
 ligious subjects, than in natural ones. He who 
 has rendered air essentially necessary to respi- 
 ration, and food for human sustenance, and both 
 essential to the maintenance of animal life, has 
 
68 LIFE OF 
 
 rendered failh, repentance, and obedience essen- 
 tial to salvation, not as conditions in the sense 
 some present them, but as constituent parts of 
 salvation, as the others are constituent parts of 
 human life. It would be as much in vain to ex- 
 pect salvation without these constituent parts, 
 as for men to expect the continuance of life 
 without air and food. 
 
 5. Predestination, properly understood, pre- 
 sents no inducements to indolence on the one 
 hand, or despair on the other, but the contrary. 
 Because I learn from the nature of things, that 
 it is preordained that air should refresh me, I 
 go into it ; that water should quench my thirst, 
 I drink it; and that fire should warm me, I ap- 
 proach it. Because God has predetermined 
 that faith should be connected with salvation, I 
 endeavour to believe, and because prayer is to 
 be followed by answers, we offer them. The 
 doctrine can be no just cause even of discourage- 
 ment, much less of despair, because no one can 
 understand what are the purposes of God, till 
 events have discovered them; and the promise 
 is absolute that all who seek shall find, and all 
 who ask shall receive, and the promise is as 
 much a part of the scheme of predestination, as 
 the blessing promised, and surely the blessing 
 of the promise being absolutely and immediately 
 certain to them that believe, can afford no cause 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 69 
 
 of discouragement to faith. A man who knows 
 the depravity of his own heart and the mutabi- 
 lity of his best resolutions, wall feel encouraged 
 from considering that his final salvation is de- 
 pendant on God, not on himself. 
 
 6. The doctrine of predestination accounts 
 for many events which appear very unaccount- 
 able without it. Some persons appear to be 
 singled out by Providence, by a peculiar train 
 of occurrences, and are preserved amidst a 
 thousand deaths, even while they are in rebel- 
 lion against the Divine Being, and at length 
 they are truly converted to God. Others are 
 brought to genuine repentance under the first 
 sermon they hear, while others continue to hear 
 the word for years with awful indifference and 
 to no saving benefit. The ways of Providence 
 are inscrutable upon any scheme of doctrine, but 
 they are more easily accounted for on that of 
 predestination, than upon any other. "Even 
 so. Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight," 
 is a principle to which the reflecting mind must 
 revert, while contemplating the divine govern- 
 ment with reference to almost all events, re- 
 specting itself or others. It is by banishing 
 contingencies or chance from our system of 
 faith, and tracing every thing up to the sove- 
 reign, infinitely wise, and all controlling, but 
 righteous will of God, that the mind is resigned 
 7* 
 
70 LIFE OF 
 
 to afflictive dispensations, and calm amidst ter- 
 rific circumstances — "It is the Lord, let him 
 do what seemeth him good" — " Shall not the 
 Judge of the whole earth do right?" — "The 
 Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away," is 
 language that shows our reason and will are 
 prostrate before the throne of God, resolving all 
 into the will of him who has a right to say, " my 
 counsel shall stand, and I will do all my plea- 
 sure." 
 
 Lastly : There is nothing in the doctrine of 
 predestination, properly understood, that is a re- 
 flection upon the justice or goodness of God, 
 unless it could be proved that the events of Pro- 
 vidence are reflections upon his justice and 
 goodness; for the occurrences of every day and 
 of every province exhibit instances, which can- 
 not be reduced to any standard that such objec- 
 tions would erect of the justice of God. It is 
 as difficult to account for tiie facts of the sufl^er- 
 ings of children, in body, mind, and circum- 
 stances, on account of the conduct of their 
 parents, of the sufferings of nations, arising from 
 the cruel conduct of a few individuals, or of the 
 wretched slavery of one great part of mankind 
 to the other, and of innumerable favours being 
 conferred by Providence upon some parts of the 
 world which are withheld from the other, as it 
 is to account for the doctrine of predestination : 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSOX. 71 
 
 this shows that men have incorrect ideas of the 
 divine justice. To suppose that the Divine 
 Being is bound by any principle of justice to 
 exercise mercy upon a race of rebels against his 
 government, is to suppose an absurdity; for this 
 would resolve all his kindness to his creatures 
 into acts of justice, which necessarily destroys 
 the idea of mercy; and this involves another 
 absurdity, that to exercise justice in any case 
 would be an act of injustice. To suppose that 
 because God is pleased to exercise mercy to- 
 wards any of the rebels in his dominions, it 
 would be injustice to the rest if he did not ex- 
 ercise mercy towards them, is not only limiting 
 the Almighty by denying to him the preroga- 
 tive exercised by every supreme governor in the 
 world, which is that of displaying his sove- 
 reignty in the discrimination of the objects, and 
 the ends of mercy, and of suffering justice to 
 take its course as to others; but it is to suppose 
 that the act of mercy towards the first indivi- 
 dual that was pardoned, rendered it necessary, 
 in order to preserve the honour of the Divine 
 character, that all the rest should be pardoned ; 
 which converts what was an act of mercy in the 
 first instance into an act of justice in every sub- 
 sequent case ; this also shows that some rea- 
 soners have very mistaken conceptions of the 
 
72 LIFE OF 
 
 divine justice. The supposition that this doc- 
 trine is a reflection on the justice of God pro- 
 bably arises from two causes; first, from the 
 want of a deep and proper sense of the evil and 
 demerit of sin, and next from the unwillingness 
 of the human heart to submit to the absolute 
 and unlimited sovereignty of the Divine Being ; 
 which is a principle so deep in human nature as 
 not to be fully discovered, and so extensive in 
 its operation as not only to arraign the truths of 
 revelation at its bar, but also the ways of Pro- 
 vidence and to "judge the justice of our God." 
 
 1. As an explanation of this subject was prin- 
 cipally intended by introducing it here, it is 
 unnecessary to say more by way of proof, than 
 simply to state that the truth of the doctrine 
 was argued from its being reasonable, that the 
 Divine Being should propose to himself some 
 ultimate end of all his works, that his glory 
 should be that end, and that every thing and 
 every event should be made conducive to it. 
 An ultimate end to be accomplished supposes a 
 design, a design supposes an arrangement of 
 parts and operations, an arrangement supposes 
 a determination, and the work is the result of 
 the whole, this is what is intended by predesti- 
 nation. This argument is not only collected 
 from the operations of the human mind in its 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 73 
 
 progress to the accomplishment of some design, 
 but is evident from the works of creation and 
 providence. 
 
 2. It was argued from the admission of the 
 divine prescience or foreknowledge. To deny 
 his foreknowledge, is to deny one of the perfec- 
 tions of his nature, and what in the Scriptures 
 he claims as his distinguishing prerogative; but 
 as it is observed by a great writer on this sub- 
 ject, " Tliere can be no prescience of future con- 
 tingencies, for it involves a contradiction to say, 
 things which are not certainly to be, should be 
 certainly foreseen. If they are certainly fore- 
 seen, they must certainly be, and can therefore 
 be no longer contingent. An uncertain fore- 
 sight is also an imperfect act, as it may be a 
 mistake, and is therefore inconsistent with divine 
 perfection. On the other side the difficulty is 
 easily explained. When God decrees that an 
 event shall take place, its existence becomes 
 thenceforth certain, and as such, is certainly 
 foreseen. For it is an obvious absurdity to say 
 that a thing happens freely, that is to say, that it 
 may or may not be, and yet that it is certainly 
 foreseen by God. He cannot foresee things but 
 as he decrees them, and consequently gives 
 them a certainty of future existence; and, there- 
 fore, any prescience antecedent to his decree 
 must be rejected as impossible. Conditional 
 
74 L I F E O F 
 
 decrees are farther absurd, inasmuch as ihey 
 subject the purposes of God to the will and 
 action of his creatures. Infinite perfection can 
 wish nothing but what it can execute, and if it 
 is fit to wish, it is fit to execute its wishes." 
 
 3. It was argued from ^-he express language 
 of the Scriptures, and from its being evident that 
 the apostle Paul intended to establish the doc- 
 trine, not only from the arguments he used, but 
 from his anticipating and replying to the objec- 
 tions usually urged against it ; the apostle's rea- 
 sonings in the first of the Ephesians, and in the 
 eighth, ninth, and eleventh chapters of the Ro- 
 mans, were cited in confirmation of the doc- 
 trine. 
 
 The use of the doctrine teaches those who 
 believe it, to admire the harmony, the irresisti- 
 ble energy, and the immutable stability, of the 
 divine government. It afl^ords encouragement 
 for prayer, by accounting for its efficacy, show- 
 ing that the prayer, the promise, and the bless- 
 ing are inseparably connected in the purpose of 
 God, and therefore constantly united in the 
 divine conduct and in our experience. It lays 
 a firm basis for faith, confidence, and hope of 
 whatever God has promised, as it teaches us 
 that his infinite wisdom, his all-controlling ener- 
 gies, and liis immutable fidelity are all engaged 
 to accomplish these promises. If some of the 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 75 
 
 promises bear a conditional aspect, the condition 
 of one promise is the blessing absolutely en- 
 gaged by another. 
 
 The doctrine presents us with many power- 
 ful motives to employ every faculty we possess, 
 in working out our salvation, for it is God that 
 worketh in us both to ivill and to do of his good 
 pleasure, and we are persuaded that he who has 
 begun the good work will perform it till the day 
 of Jesus Christ. " He is of one mind, and who 
 can turn him, and what his soul desireth, that 
 he doeth. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, 
 to-day, and for ever." 
 
 The doctrine affords the strongest induce- 
 ments to holiness of heart and conduct, for we 
 are predestinated to be conformed to the image 
 of his Son ; that we should be holy and with- 
 out blame before him in love ; that we should 
 apprehend that for which we are apprehended 
 of Christ Jesus ; and that we should be to the 
 praise of his glory. Now if the subordinate 
 ends are not accomplished or accomplishing, we 
 have no just cause to expect the ultimate end 
 will be accomplished in us ; hence the induce- 
 ments to self-examination, to much and fervent 
 prayer, and to an earnest striving to enter in at 
 the strait gate. 
 
 Lastly : The doctrine affords various reasons 
 
76 L I F E O F 
 
 for submission to afflictive dispensations, and 
 patience lo wait the issue ; for " the vision is 
 for an appointed time, but thougli it tarry, it 
 shall speak and not lie " 
 
 The doctrine is indeed full of much holy and 
 practical improvement, but it is acknowledged 
 that it is abused by those who reject it, by ma- 
 king those who believe it, answerable for con- 
 sequences which they utterly disavow, and by 
 their denial of the sovereignly of God, and 
 making events contingent, which the word of 
 God assures us are certain. But ihe most fatal 
 abuse to many is, that prosuniing on their own 
 inherent ability, independent of the special 
 grace of God, they rely upon the exertion of 
 their ability at some future period, and thus 
 from season to season they continue to procras- 
 tinate the work; and in consequence of depend- 
 ing on their own strength, they neglect earnestly 
 to seek for that divine influence, which is pro- 
 mised to lliose who ask for it, till death closes 
 the scene, and places the soul on that side of the 
 gulf, mentioned by our Lord, from whence 
 prayers are never answered. 
 
 Those who believe the doctrine, were cau- 
 tioned not to abuse it, by viewing the subject in 
 abstract parts, and separating eflfects from their 
 cause — (luiies frou) privileges — the end from the 
 means — sin from sufferinij — and holiness from 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 77 
 
 happiness — for God having united lliem in his 
 purposes, we must unite them in practice. 
 
 They were cautioned against attempting to 
 pry into secret things, and of being wiser than 
 what is written, for " secret things belong to 
 God, and revealed things to us and our chil- 
 dren." Could they read the book of purposes 
 as clearly as the book of revelation, no one diffi- 
 culty would be removed from the mind, but it 
 mast still submit to the divine sovereignty and 
 wait in faith for the accomplishment of his will ; 
 and lastly, those who were under concern about 
 eternal realities, and were desirous of salvation, 
 were cautioned against drawing conclusions un- 
 favourable to themselves ; for whatever their 
 doubtful minds might imagine respecting the 
 secret purposes of God, there can be nothing 
 contrary to the word of God, and its language 
 is, " all that the Father giveth me, shall come 
 to me, and him that comelh, I will in no wise 
 cast out." " God so loved the world, that he 
 gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
 lieveth on him should not perish, but have eter- 
 nal life." 
 
 This sermon was listened to by Captain Wil- 
 son with a fixed attention, which excited the 
 observation of those who sat near him, and es- 
 pecially of the minister in the pulpit. The sen- 
 timents produced a conflict of feelings in the 
 8 
 
78 L I F E F 
 
 breast of the Captain, like what we may con- 
 ceive to have been the conflict of the primary 
 elements of nature, when blended in chaos, 
 each striving to obtain its situation and influ- 
 ence in the universe. His memory, reason, 
 conscience, imagination, and passions, were all 
 in agitation. His prejudices for and against the 
 doctrine, his hopes and fears, his love and ha- 
 tred, his pleasures and disgusts, raised a storm 
 in his soul, resembling the concussion of the 
 elements in a hurricane; for while his heart 
 rose in hatred against the sovereignty of God, 
 the events of his whole life appeared before 
 him as incontrovertible evidences of its truth. 
 
 The impassioned strains in which the con- 
 cUiding part of the sermon was addressed to the 
 auditory, representing the infinite compassion 
 of the Saviour, his long sufl'ering with sinners, 
 the various and persevering methods he used to 
 bring them to repentance, and his inexpressible 
 readiness to receive and pardon all that applied 
 to him for mercy, drew tears from those eyes, 
 which had never wept during the long and 
 almost unparalleled sufferings he had endured 
 under Hyder Ali. These silent tears, which 
 he endeavoured to suppress, and which he was 
 afraid to wipe otf, lest he should excite obser- 
 vation, drew tears of benevolent joy from the 
 eyes of his friend that sat opposite him, who 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 79 
 
 heard the sermon more for the Captain than 
 himself, and spent a great part of the time in 
 turning its principles into earnest supplications 
 for his spiritual welfare. 
 
 When the service was ended, he declined 
 giving any opinion, and showed a reluctance to 
 enter into conversation on the subject; but when 
 alone, he felt discomposed, and agitated with re- 
 flections, though he scarcely knew to what he 
 should attribute them; at one time he was angry 
 with himself, for allowing his feeling to carry 
 him away; again, he thought it could be no- 
 thing else than the impressions of the Deity 
 upon his mind, or the coincidence of the prin- 
 ciples explained in the sermon, with the circum- 
 stances of his life. He was thus alternately 
 agitated by speculations on the truths he had 
 heard, and by the emotions they had excited. 
 While reason and conscience, on the one hand, 
 suggested that he ought patiently to investigate 
 the matter, and if found to be truth, then to em- 
 brace and acknowledge it : the notion of enthu- 
 siasm on the other, and the dread of becoming 
 an object of ridicule, returned with increased 
 force, and determined him to resist the current. 
 The painful remembrance of former sins, and 
 the fearful apprehensions of futurity, recurred 
 to aggravate this internal conflict. On their way 
 home, he appeared very serious : and observed 
 
80 LIFE OF 
 
 to his niece, " If what I have heard to-day be 
 true, I am a lost man." With great affection 
 she began to present the bright side of Chris- 
 tianity to his mind, assuring him that he would 
 soon find more pleasure in believing it, than he 
 had ever found from the world. 
 
 He now became exceedingly pensive and 
 thoughtful; the Bible and religious books formed 
 his constant, and almost his only companions. 
 He attended regularly and punctually the place 
 of worship, joined with fervour in the service, 
 and seemed wholly absorbed in the inquiry, 
 What shall I do to be saved? This change in 
 his principles he soon manifested to his ac- 
 quaintance, by a change in his habits. But 
 though he was ardent and sincere in his desires 
 for eternal life, still he imagined he might be- 
 lieve in Christianity, without altogether renoun- 
 cing the world ; as he was acquainted with 
 many who, though they professed to be zealous 
 Christians, yet mingled in gay society, without 
 losing or impairing their religious impressions. 
 He was persuaded, therefore, that it was not ne- 
 cessary to abandon his former associates; and 
 that he might frequent their company, with a 
 view to their religious improvement, without 
 going all the accustomed lengths of gaiety. For 
 a time he accepted their invitations, and received 
 their visits ; but endeavoured to carry his 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 81 
 
 purpose into execution, by making every enter- 
 tainment subservient to their spiritual edifica- 
 tion. With one, he would converse on the truth 
 of the Bible, and the necessity of practising 
 what it enjoins. With another, he would speak 
 of the sin and folly of swearing, and taking the 
 Lord's name in vain. To a third, he repre- 
 sented the importance and sanctity of the Sab- 
 bath, and the guilt of not keeping it holy. To 
 some of the loquacious ladies, he hinted some 
 doubts whether all the anecdotes they related of 
 their neighbours were quite correct, and whether 
 they might not bear a more favourable construc- 
 tion than they gave them. On some occasions, 
 he even ventured to mention the certainty of 
 death, judgment, and a future state ; and to 
 make allusions and applications, intimating that 
 he thought it their duty to consider these sub- 
 jects. 
 
 For a while he supposed, from the silence 
 with which he was heard, that his conversations 
 had made some useful impression, and that this 
 intimacy might be continued with advantage ; 
 but he soon found that his gay associates pro- 
 fited little by his exhortations, and only vvanted 
 an opportunity to rally their forces, and turn the 
 current of ridicule against him. One remarked, 
 from the solemn cast of his countenance, that 
 he was surely very ill, and about to die — ano- 
 8* 
 
82 LIFE OF 
 
 ther thought him excellently qualified for the 
 Methodist Chapel — another took the Lord's 
 name in vain, and then apologized. The lady 
 he had questioned, as lo the correctness of her 
 reports against some who were not of her party, 
 had no doubt but he would soon turn parson, 
 and that she would see him with a white wig 
 on a white horse ; while a witty officer kept 
 the company, for an hour at a time, in a roar of 
 laughter, by relating a number of amusing anec- 
 dotes about the Puritans and Methodists. 
 
 The Captain found the artillery of wit which 
 he had often poured on others, now returned on 
 himself. He frequently tried to stem the tor- 
 rent by argument; at other times he attempted 
 to go with it, by joining in the laugh till it had 
 spent itself, but all in vain. They were re- 
 solved either to rout him out of his strange no- 
 tions, or to laugh him out of their society; but 
 as they could not do the former, they gradually 
 accomplished the other, by breaking off the 
 connexion. This convinced him at length, that 
 it is impossible to serve two masters — that there 
 is no communion between light and darkness — 
 and that a faithful and sincere Christian is con- 
 strained to come out from among the world, and 
 to be separate. But though one class of society 
 shunned his acquaintance, he soon found that 
 another as eagerly courted it. Many rejoiced 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. oS 
 
 to hear of his conversion, were solicitous for his 
 spiritual welfare, and cheerfully aided his mind 
 in its researches after evangelical and experi- 
 mental truth. 
 
 As he had now much leisure, he occupied 
 his time chiefly in reading, and in receiving oc- 
 casional visits from his minister. Most of the 
 principal works on the evidences of Chris- 
 tianity, he studied with great attention; until he 
 had obtained such a firm persuasion of the truth 
 of revelation, as to declare that nothing in the 
 world, not even Satan, with all his principali- 
 ties and powers could persuade him that the 
 Bible was not the word of the Most High ; 
 neither could any thing have weaned him from 
 his errors, so completely as that precious volume 
 had done. He read the Scriptures daily with 
 better understanding, and with increased de- 
 light. 
 
 Like most young Christians, however, his 
 faith was occasionally obscured, and his soul in- 
 volved in doubt and despondency. Reflection 
 and self-examination taught him to discover in 
 himself many deficiencies. Sometimes he be- 
 gan to question, whether his knowledge were 
 not merely theoretical, the effect of human, in- 
 stead of divine teaching; whether his pleasures 
 in religion were not the excitements of mere 
 human passions, instead of the exercise of pure 
 
84 L I F E O F 
 
 and heavenly affections: whether his confidence 
 in the divine promises were not presumption, 
 and his zeal for God the mere offspring of no- 
 velty or self-applause. But time, the corrector 
 of mistakes, and a proper course of reading, 
 soon relieved his mind from its perplexities, and 
 gave him clearer views of the warrant of faith, 
 and the nature of Christian experience. Though 
 he perceived that the sanctification of the Spirit 
 forms the evidence of our meetness for heaven, 
 and is as essentially necessary to salvation, as 
 an interest in the justifying righteousness of 
 Christ; he likewise saw that the atonement of 
 the Redeemer, and the promises of God, con- 
 stitute the foundation of our hopes of accept- 
 ance with him. On this basis, he was enabled 
 to build the superstructure of his faith, hope, 
 and practice; and when the evidences of grace 
 became weak and indistinct, he had recourse to 
 these first principles, to revive and strengthen 
 them. 
 
 Early in the year 1796, he was admitted a 
 member of the congregation of Portsea, where 
 he gave diligent and exemplary attendance, al- 
 though his residence was ten miles from the 
 place of worship. As he was naturally of an 
 active and benevolent turn of mind, and perceiv- 
 ed clearly that the design of God, in imparting 
 divine grace to the heart, was not only to save 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 86 
 
 the individual, but to make him the means of 
 saving others, it began to be a subject of consid- 
 erable anxiety with him, and even an evidence 
 of his being a true Christian, whether, and how 
 far his faith would induce him to exercise this 
 benevolence in behalf of others. And to such 
 reflections as these, is to be ascribed the reason 
 for his ofl*ering himself to the Missionary Socie- 
 ty, to conduct their first expedition to the islands 
 of the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 The thought is said to have originally occur- 
 red to his mind, from a sermon which he had 
 heard on the faith of Abraham, in leaving his 
 country and his friends at the call of God, not 
 knowing whither he went. While meditating 
 on the subject in his own garden, and reviewing 
 other circumstances of the patriarch, he was 
 much aflfected at the wonders wrought by faith ; 
 and admired the devotedness and self-denial of 
 the worthies recorded by the writer of the Epistle 
 to the Hebrews. These contemplations led him 
 to contrast his own faith with theirs, and to ask 
 the question, whether, if called in providence to 
 suffer or to serve like them, he could as readily 
 give up all for Christ, and go forth at the divine 
 bidding? 
 
 In a few weeks an opportunity seemed to 
 oflfer of putting the strength of his principles to 
 the test. He observed in the Evangelical Ma- 
 
86 LIFE OF 
 
 gazine, an account of a design to form a Mis- 
 sionary Society in London, and to convey the 
 Gospel, if possible, to the islands in the South 
 Seas. He approved of the project, and it struck 
 his mind very forcibly, whether, if he Avere 
 called upon to take the command of the expedi- 
 tion, he could freely devote himself to the ser- 
 vice, and embark once more on the deep ; not 
 in quest of worldly substance, but to carry to 
 heathen lands, treasures more valuable than the 
 gold of nations. He felt at the moment that 
 he could do it with pleasure ; he perceived his 
 faith equal to the sacrifice ; that he could quit 
 his present comforts, encounter the perils of the 
 ocean, and brave all the dangers and difficulties 
 to which such an enterprise must necessarily 
 expose him. 
 
 He determined to accompany his minister to 
 the general meeting of the Hampshire Associa- 
 tion of Ministers, to be held at Salisbury ; for 
 the purpose, among other objects, of deciding on 
 the intended mission, and promoting its accom- 
 plishment. But the result tended rather to 
 damp and discourage his zeal ; for although 
 they were unanimously in favour of the mis- 
 sionary attempt, and highly applauded his desire 
 to promote so glorious a cause, they could en- 
 tertain but little hopes that his services would 
 ever be required; as it seemed to them improba- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 87 
 
 ble that a ship would ever be employed solely 
 for that purpose. 
 
 A brighter prospect, however, soon opened 
 up. The first general Missionary Meeting was 
 announced to take place at London, in order to 
 consult what steps were proper to be pursued, 
 at the commencement of so great an undertaking. 
 The Captain resolved to make one of the party. 
 He listened with serious attention to the dis- 
 courses and speeches that were delivered on the 
 occasion ; and their deliberations not only met 
 with his cordial approbation, but had the effect 
 of fully deciding his mind on the subject. He 
 solicited an interview with one of their leading 
 members, which he readily obtained. After 
 some conference concerning the mission, he in- 
 timated with great modesty and diffidence, but 
 with a firm decision of purpose, that if the So- 
 ciety could not find a better conductor, which 
 he wished and hoped they might, the service 
 should not be impeded for lack of nautical skill, 
 and that he was ready, without any other reward 
 than the satisfaction resulting from the service, 
 to devote himself to the work, whatever incon- 
 venience to liimself it might be attended with. 
 
 A letter was immediately addressed to the 
 president of the meeting in the Captain's name, 
 offering his services to the Society. A com- 
 mittee of the Directors was appointed to con- 
 
88 L I F E O F 
 
 verse with him. They were equally charmed 
 with his modesty, ability, zeal, and devotedness 
 of heart to the work ; and concurred in opinion, 
 that nothing could tend more powerfully to the 
 accomplishment of their designs, than having 
 such a man to command the vessel that should 
 convey the missionaries to the place of their des- 
 tination. It seemed to them an omen of success, 
 that God was thus raising up, in different places, 
 men, unknown to each other, for the fulfilment 
 of his own gracious purposes towards the hea- 
 then. The off'er was, therefore, embraced by 
 the committee with delight, and seemed to ani- 
 mate their confidence, that God would provide 
 all other necessary means for the equipment and 
 execution of the enterprise. 
 
 The Captain was next presented to the Di- 
 rectors, and his demeanour at once confirmed 
 the reports they had heard of his character, and 
 his fitness for the service in which he had vo- 
 lunteered. It was their unanimous opinion, 
 that a man more highly qualified for the task 
 could not be hoped for, if tliey had sought the 
 whole island. They found him in all his man- 
 ners a gentleman — a mien that was command- 
 ing — an age yet in the vigour of manhood, with 
 the maturity of experience — and withal, an ami- 
 able diffidence, that seemed only conquerable 
 by the calls of the mission, and the deep impres- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. By 
 
 sions resting on his own heart. After the lapse 
 of a few months, which were spent in seeking 
 out and examining missionaries, providing funds, 
 and taking other preparatory measures, Captain 
 Wilson was informed of the resolution the So- 
 ciety had come to, of making the attempt in a 
 ship to be purchased by themselves, and re- 
 questing him to undertake the command. 
 
 The affair having arrived at this state of ma- 
 turity and decision, the Captain sold his house 
 at Horndean, fixed his niece in London, and 
 went thither himself to superintend and forward 
 the necessary preparations. 
 
 About this time he wrote to his friend at 
 Portsea, describing the state of his mind. 
 
 London, June 28, 1796. 
 
 *' My Dear Friend — According to my pro- 
 mise, I write to inform you, of a ship having 
 been purchased yesterday afternoon. 1 this 
 morning took possession. She is the first rate 
 vessel of her burden in the river, but when I 
 tell you she cost five thousand pounds, you will 
 think she ought to be a good one. Such is the 
 high value of ships at present, that I think she 
 is worth what we gave for her. She is river 
 built, two years old, copper bottomed and fast- 
 ened, and a complete vessel for our purpose. I 
 cannot help observing that it will require all the 
 9 
 
90 LIFE OF 
 
 well wishers of the cause to exert themselves to 
 the utmost — but why should I talk thus? Has 
 He not power to command the gold, that com- 
 manded such a rebellious wretch as I was, to be 
 willing in the day of his power? 
 
 *' Praise be to God for all his mercies. Were 
 it not for the many precious promises, I know 
 not what I should do, for it is really hard part- 
 ing from all those we fondly love, and entering 
 into a sea of trouble and perplexity. I look 
 back on my past life with pain, to my future 
 pilgrimage I look with fear and trembling, but 
 to that slate where we shall all meet, and every 
 tear be wiped from our eyes, I look with a 
 pleasing hope, that I shall be one of that happy 
 number, that God in his great mercy has cho- 
 sen. This cheers my drooping spirits and 
 causes me to press onward to the prize, forget- 
 ting the past and the present, and looking only 
 to the future for real happiness. 
 
 " Had I thought I should have been held up 
 to public view, as I have been by some of my 
 friends, I should most certainly never have 
 offered myself, but now there is no retreating. 
 
 "I therefore trust that the Lord will strength- 
 en me for the work, and enable me to accom- 
 plish it to his praise and glory. Ah ! my wor- 
 thy and dear friend, you say what I now expe- 
 rience: 'New engagements and new circum 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 91 
 
 Stances will cause new trials.' I am persuaded 
 that even at this .^arly stage of the business, I 
 have seen more of the human heart, than I 
 should have known for years in the calm retreat 
 of a country life, but knowledge is of little use 
 if it does not influence the heart. If 1 do not 
 deceive myself, I think I feel more humble, and 
 find Jesus more precious than ever, and a throne 
 of grace the greatest consolation I can enjoy. 
 " I am your aff'eclionate brother in Christ, 
 
 J. Wilson." 
 
 London, July 27, 1796. 
 
 *' My Very Dear Friend — I have just time 
 to tell you, I received your kind and aflfectionate 
 letter; it came at a very suitable time. I had 
 just returned from the India House, where I 
 met with the severest ridicule ; but blessed be 
 God, I bore it with patience, and I trust this is 
 some proof, that he will bear me up through 
 every trial and difficulty. 
 
 " I find my mind, though severely pained, 
 yet quite resigned to the will of my gracious 
 God and Father, and can look up to him for a 
 supply of grace and strength in the trying hour 
 of parting. You are mistaken, my dear friend, 
 respecting my inward conflicts; I have never 
 been more assaulted by the great adversary, 
 since I professed to believe the truth as it is in 
 
92 LIFE OF 
 
 Jesus, than I have recently; but blessed be his 
 name, he has kept me, though I have been con- 
 strained to cry out, " O wretched man that I 
 am, who shall deliver me from the body of this 
 death.' My inward and outward trials keep me 
 very low, but I trust the Lord will enable me to 
 carry his people to the furthermost parts of the 
 globe. Should he bless me thus far, I trust I 
 shall then be able to resign my all into his 
 hands ; for the only thing I wish now to live 
 for is to promote his glory. — Your affectionate 
 letter I shall peruse when I am many leagues 
 from you, and will follow your kind advice. 
 
 " I hope the Lord will be with you of a truth. 
 I shall be on my knees at half-past six on the 
 morning you allude to, for the purpose of pray- 
 ing for you ayd my church, through whose in- 
 strumentality I have received such unspeakable 
 blessings. 
 
 "I am ever, ever, your affectionate friend, 
 
 J. Wilson." 
 
 He sought out and purchased a proper vessel, 
 which cost 565000 ; engaged the mariners, and 
 took an active share in every thing connected 
 with his department. The ship, which was 
 called the Duff, was manned by three principal 
 officers, besides a gunner, carpenter, steward, 
 and sail-maker, fifteen sailors, and the captain ; 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 93 
 
 most of whom made a profession of being under 
 the influence of Christian principles. In her 
 were embarked, four ordained ministers, a sur- 
 geon, with twenty-five other missionaries, or 
 settlers, who had for the most part been em- 
 ployed in business or mercantile engagements, 
 highly necessary to impart the principles and 
 habits of civilization to the South Sea Islanders. 
 Besides these, there were six women, wives of 
 some of the missionaries, and three children. 
 
 Several of the directors visited the ship, and 
 crowds of pious people, who left a variety of 
 presents, either for the missionaries or for the 
 natives. The zeal of Captain Wilson burned 
 with all the fervour of a first impression ; and 
 he declared himself astonished, after what he 
 had seen and heard, that none of the prominent 
 ministers in London should oflTer to go as mis- 
 sionaries. He was equally surprised that any, 
 who were not absolutely bound by circum- 
 stances, and had felt the power of truth, and 
 knew the state of the heathen world, could quiet- 
 ly remain in England, while millions abroad 
 were perishing for lack of knowledge. 
 
 The novelty of the scheme, and the publicity 
 given to the whole proceedings, excited a very 
 general and lively interest in their design. It 
 was a new event in the Protestant Church, for 
 an expedition to be wholly employed in convey- 
 9* 
 
94 L I F E O F 
 
 ing the messengers of divine truth to the most 
 distant part of the globe. By this means, the 
 attention and the benevolence of the public were 
 attracted, in a manner such as they never could 
 have been, had the Society been more limited 
 and private in this first outset of its operations. 
 It was of immense importance to the missionary 
 cause, that they should commence on such a 
 scale, and with an embassy so well calculated to 
 excite an interest in the religious world : and to 
 this partly may be ascribed that universal diffu- 
 sion of the missionary spirit, which has since 
 imparted its energies to so large a portion of 
 Christendom, and lighted up a sacred flame, 
 which has not only continued to blaze in Eng- 
 land, but spread to many of the churches on the 
 continents of Europe and America. 
 
 Whether the islands in the South Seas were 
 the most eligible spot that could have been 
 pitched upon for making this experiment, it is 
 needless now to inquire; yet it cannot be denied, 
 that the situation possessed many advantages. 
 Their extreme distance, and the glowing, and 
 even exaggerated descriptions of them, which 
 represented them as equalling, in natural charms, 
 all that the imagination conceives of the Elysian 
 fields, or the primeval paradise, threw an air of 
 adventure and romantic anticipation over the 
 enterprise, that tended to increase the popula- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 95 
 
 rity of the subject. The station was, besides, 
 one that could create no jealousy or opposition, 
 nor give the smallest possible offence to the 
 English or to any other government, or national 
 church upon earth. Perhaps there was no other 
 place to which the attention and energetic ope- 
 rations of the Society could have been directed, 
 at that perturbed period of the world, without 
 exciting alarm or opposition from some quarter 
 or other. 
 
 The character of the mission, and the object 
 which it professed, soon dispelled any unfavour- 
 able suspicions that might have been entertained 
 against it, and obtained for its agents and its 
 transactions, not merely public confidence, but 
 even official patronage and protection. In pro- 
 ducing this effect, the conduct of Captain Wil- 
 son, his skill as a navigator, his prudence in 
 presiding among the missionaries, and his suc- 
 cess in the voyage, it must be admitted, con- 
 tributed in no small degree. He certainly had 
 an arduous task to perform ; sucii as made seve- 
 ral aged and experienced Christians tremble for 
 the ark of God, and the event of the expedition. 
 He had duties to discharge, which required 
 great diversity of talents, and even opposite 
 qualifications. Among the sailors, he had to 
 maintain authority and command, and yet con- 
 duct himself towards them as a brother in Christ. 
 
96 LIFE OF 
 
 Among the missionaries, he had to superintend 
 their arrangements, and preside in their meet- 
 ings and debates. His authority on the quarter- 
 deck, was here to be softened down into Chris- 
 tian meekness, and the character of commander 
 exchanged for that of a counsellor and a friend. 
 Such a situation required great firmness and 
 decision of mind, and yet much real kindness 
 and pliability of temper. 
 
 On the 10th of August, 1796, the expedition 
 sailed from the river Thames, having for their 
 flag, hoisted at the mizen-top-gallant-mast-head, 
 three doves argent, on a purple field, bearing 
 olive branches in their bills. At Spithead, 
 where the Captain joined her and took the com- 
 mand, they were detained, waiting for wind or 
 convoy, for some weeks. On the 23d of Sep- 
 tember, the convoy being at length ready, the 
 Dufi', in company with more than fifty others, 
 weighed anchor, wafted by propitious winds, 
 and under the auspices of the efiectual fervent 
 prayers of many thousands of British Christians. 
 The Captain was furnished, by the Directors, 
 with an excellent letter of instructions, by which 
 he was to regulate his conduct, as far as it might 
 be expedient, both with respect to the voyage 
 itself, and also with relation to the establishment 
 of the mission. Although Otaheite was the place 
 destined for making the first attempt, their plan 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 97 
 
 embraced a field of much greater extent. The 
 Friendly Islands, the Marquesas, the Sandwich, 
 and the Pelew Islands, were specified as com- 
 ing within the limits of their enterprise, and as 
 being desirable stations for planting the know- 
 ledge of the Gospel. 
 
 Within six days after her departure, the Duff 
 passed the Island of Madeira; on the 14lh of 
 October, she touched at St. Jago; and on the 
 12th of November, she cast anchor in the har- 
 bour of Rio de Janeiro, from whence the cap- 
 tain addressed the following letter, giving an 
 account of himself and the voyage, to his friend 
 at Portsea : 
 
 Rio de Janeiro, Nov, 15, 1796. 
 
 " My Dear and Rev. Friend — Were you 
 near the Directors, I would refer you to their 
 letter for information ; but as that is not the 
 case, I will give you all I can. We sailed from 
 you on Friday the 23d of September, and on the 
 following Sunday we lay to off Falmouth ; and 
 on the 30th a fresh wind springing up from the 
 north east, I thought it a favourable opportunity 
 of parting with the convoy, by which we had 
 been considerably detained. In six days after- 
 wards, we passed the Island of Madeira, and 
 on the 14th of October, cast anchor in Porto 
 Praya Bay, in the Island of St. Jago. After 
 
98 L I F E O F 
 
 getting our water-casks filled, and obtaining 
 other refreshments, we sailed the next day, so 
 that you will see there was no time lost. At 
 this place, and the two following days we expe- 
 rienced the hottest weather, and then the ther- 
 mometer was only 77 degrees, and when imme- 
 diately under the sun, which was in latitude 16° 
 south it was 72 — 30. Thus you see how ex- 
 ceedingly kind our God has been to us. From 
 the time we sailed, till our arrival here, the 
 vessel has had little more moiion than on the 
 day you and our friends came on board in the 
 sloop. On the 29th, we crossed the Equator in 
 longitude 30° west. Hereabout we had a few 
 squalls. These being what the missionaries 
 were not accustomed to, the first one alarmed 
 them very much. They were at prayers below 
 at eight in the evening, when the vessel laying 
 down suddenly, some fell to leeward; one in 
 particular got up the fore hatchway, but before 
 he knew where he was, he tumbled head fore- 
 most down the main without hurting himself. 
 These things to old sailors cause a great deal of 
 mirth when attended with no injury. 
 
 " We arrived here on Saturday the 12th in- 
 stant. After waiting on the Governor, I could 
 not go on shore again, owing to the ceremony 
 of visiting the ship, which was not over till late 
 last night. A fleet bound to Lisbon being on 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 99 
 
 the point of sailing, I thought it best to stay on 
 board to write to you and the Directors, lest I 
 should lose this opportunity. I mean, if possible, 
 to sail from this place by Saturday next, as I wish 
 to get to the field of action. I trust the great Head 
 of the Church will conduct us safely through, and 
 give me wisdom to conduct this interesting un- 
 dertaking. We must be infidels indeed, after 
 experiencing the past loving kindness of the 
 Most High, not to trust him for the future. 
 
 " Myself, officers, missionaries, and ship's 
 company, are all in perfect health, blessed be 
 his name, who said, ' When thou goest through 
 the waters, I will be with thee ;' this promise, 
 with many others, we have fully realized. I 
 have had five of the missionaries at my table 
 every day, besides giving all on board one, and 
 sometimes two fresh meals a week, beside other 
 refreshments suited to the climate. Some of the 
 missionaries tell me they have not tasted salt 
 meat yet. Their conduct has really been very 
 pleasing. I have no doubt but the Lord will do 
 good by them to the poor Indians. I am per- 
 suaded should one soul be called to the know- 
 ledge of the glorious Gospel of our blessed God 
 and Saviour, it will more than recompense me 
 for all the dangers, watching, anxieties, and 
 various privations that I have had or may have 
 to endure in this long voyage. I feel my mind 
 
100 LIFE OF 
 
 prepared to act as circumstances offer; I am 
 persuaded that God has called me to this work, 
 and that he will carry me through it. I know, 
 my dear friend, in my own strength I can do 
 nothing right, but as the apostle says, * I can do 
 all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.' 
 " The Bible is no cunningly devised fable, 
 though I may have my doubts at times of ray 
 personal interest in the glorious work of redemp- 
 tion, yet not all the men in the world, nor Satan 
 with all liis principalities and powers, can, or 
 ever will, I trust, be able to persuade me that it 
 is not the word of the Most High. Nothing in 
 this life could so completely have weaned me 
 from the things and maxims of this world, as 
 this precious volume has done since I have 
 been enabled to believe it to be the word of 
 God. I have not had yet a single wish for any 
 of my temporal blessings left behind, and the 
 only fear 1 have had has been that the Lord 
 would not prosper the work in my hands. I 
 have been often afraid lest I should not please 
 the Society ; but now, though conscious of al- 
 ways offending, I can go and plead with my 
 great Employer, my own ignorance and insuffi- 
 ciency, and earnestly intreat for more wisdom 
 and strength according to his promises. This, 
 my dear friend, is part of my experience since 
 I left you ; I trust I have an interest in your 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 101 
 
 prayers and in those of the church. Give my 
 Christian love and affectionate regards to them 
 all. My continual prayer to God for them is, 
 that they may live in brotherly love, and that 
 they may stir up each other to act more and 
 more like king's sons and daughters, and not to 
 choke the good seed with over anxious cares 
 for the things of this world. This will pain 
 their consciences and fret their souls till they 
 are as lean as Pharaoh's cattle. I trust, my 
 dear friend, as the Lord has placed you over his 
 vineyard, you will be careful to destroy those 
 injurious weeds. I know you cannot do this of 
 yourself, but what you have to do, is to use the 
 means, to cry aloud and spare not, and leave 
 consequences with your Master. 
 
 " I would have written to my friend Mr. 
 Eastman, but I think as I have written you 
 every particular, and am very much engaged, 
 he will excuse it; give my Christian love to 
 him and to all his family — let me hear from 
 you at Canton in China. Give my love to all 
 my Christian friends in your neighbourhood. 
 The Lord bless you ; guide you ; prosper and 
 preserve you, is tb.e fervent and sincere prayer 
 of your affectionate broiher in Christ, 
 
 J.Wilson." 
 
 The officers, missionaries, and whole ship's 
 10 
 
102 LIFE OF 
 
 company were in perfect health ; their conduct 
 had been in every respect pleasing; and all en- 
 tertained the most sanguine hopes of success. 
 After receiving a plentiful supply of provisions, 
 they left that port on the 19ih; but finding it 
 impossible, from tempestuous weather, to beat 
 round Cape Horn, they bore away to the east- 
 ward, to go by the Cape of Good Hope, and 
 after nearly circumnavigating the globe, they 
 landed at Otaheite, after a voyage of five months, 
 on the 4h of March, 1797; where they were 
 received in the most friendly manner. 
 
 This island, as well as most of the others 
 which are spread over the vast expanse of the 
 Southern Ocean, had, thirty years previous to 
 the arrival of the Duff, been repeatedly visited 
 by Europeans, who were traversing those unex- 
 plored regions, either for the purpose of enlarg- 
 ing the boundaries of science, or with the hope 
 of discovering new and promising fields for 
 commercial speculation. Wth one or other of 
 these objects in view, a succession of adven- 
 turers, among whom were Wallis, Cook, Bligh, 
 and Edwards, besides several continental navi- 
 gators, had paid occasional visits, and kept up a 
 friendly intercourse with these remote islanders; 
 although the only return they received for their 
 attachment, appears to have been a knowledge 
 of some of the arts and vices of civiliztd life; 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 103 
 
 and the communication of diseases that had di- 
 miii shed, and seemed to threaten the extinction 
 of the whole race. A nobler object had enga- 
 ged the attention of the present expedition. 
 They came to communicate the word of life; 
 the greatest blessing, and the most inestimable 
 gift that was ever imparted to mankind. It was 
 not avarice or science that had attracted them to 
 these distant shores ; but the desire of repair- 
 ing the injuries and miseries which Europeans 
 had partly occasioned, of presenting them with 
 a remedy against their moral and spiritual de- 
 gradation, and saving their souls as well as their 
 bodies from destruction. 
 
 The missionaries, before landing, had made 
 all necessary arrangements, and separated them- 
 selves into divisions, according to their respec- 
 tive establishments. Eighteen were allotted for 
 Otaheite, ten for the Friendly Islands, and two 
 for the Marquesas. Those destined for Otaheite, 
 were immediately provided by the chiefs with 
 suitable accommodations. Nothing could have 
 exceeded the kindness and attention of the na- 
 tives. Their deportment was frank and peace- 
 ful. Every day they attended worship, and 
 listened with seriousness to such addresses as 
 their instructers were able to make to them, 
 through an interpreter. 
 
 As soon as they were fixed in permanent and 
 
104 LIFE OF 
 
 commodious settlements, the Duff sailed for the 
 Friendly Islands, and on the 9th of April, they 
 made the harbour of Tongataboo. Here the 
 missionaries disembarked, and it was their good 
 fortune to be received with the same respectful 
 and hospitable treatment; they were taken under 
 the protection of the government ; a house and 
 a portion of land was furnished them, and no 
 attempts were made to molest either their per- 
 sons or their property. The remainder of the 
 mission proceeded on their voyage to the Mar- 
 quesas ; leaving their brethren perfectly content 
 with their situation, and thankful for the kind 
 reception they had experienced from the na- 
 tives. At this place, the last two of the breth- 
 ren were settled ; and though there was not 
 the same appearance of comfort and fertility as 
 in the other islands, they experienced an equal 
 degree of respect and kindness from the inha- 
 bitants. 
 
 The following letter was received from Cap- 
 tain Wilson from China, which is inserted be- 
 cause it gives an epitome of the voyage, in the 
 laconic and unvarnished language of the Cap- 
 tain. 
 
 To Joseph Hardcastle, Esq. 
 
 Canton, December 16, 1797. 
 
 " Dear Sir — I wrote to you last from Rio 
 Janeiro, dated the 15lh of November, which I 
 
Ca[pT. JAMES WILSOM. 105 
 
 hope you received, informing the Society how 
 kind our heavenly Father had been in wafting 
 us so far in perfect heahh and safety; we can 
 now further say, from experience, that he has 
 never left us from that time to this. At present 
 I can only give you the outhnes of our voyage, 
 which no doubt you will be all glad to hear. 
 
 " After receiving a plentiful supply of every 
 thing needful, which I was able to pay for, 
 having cash of my own, we left that port on the 
 19th. From that time to the 3d of December, 
 nothing material happened, only the weather 
 getting gradually colder. But the Lord showed 
 us we were going the wrong way by sending a 
 severe gale from the south. We could now see 
 that to beat round Cape Horn would be folly to 
 attempt. After shipping several heavy seas, by 
 which we lost some of our live stock, we bore 
 up to go by the Cape of Good Hope. This 
 was a great trial, being in latitude 30, and lon- 
 gitude 50 west, and having now a line to run of 
 262 degrees in longitude, besides latitude. How- 
 ever, we had soon reason to rejoice, for, by the 
 24th of January, 1797, we were in longitude 
 133 east. Had we laid to another night, ere 
 we bore away, we must have lost all our stock ; 
 instead of which, the Missionaries had fresh 
 meat twice a-week all the way, besides dining 
 with me, as before related, and though we had 
 10* 
 
106 LIFE OF 
 
 repeated gales we never had occasion to batten 
 down our hatches once : add to this the inesti- 
 mable blessing of the public ordinances of our 
 God, and the Missionaries every means of im- 
 provement. Thus were we carried along in a 
 most pleasing manner. On the 30th of January 
 we rounded New Zealand, and on the 4th March 
 made Otaheite ; but, from various winds, we did 
 not anchor in Matavia till the 6th, where we 
 were received in the most friendly manner. 
 
 "Here mark the dealings of Providence: a 
 large house, which the natives had built for 
 Captain Bligh, was just finished; the whole 
 island in perfect peace ; (Pomarre and his son 
 Otoo being absolute sovereigns of this island and 
 of Eimeo,) thus our business was expedited ; for 
 instead of many chiefs, as we expected, we had 
 only to make our errand known to Pomarre. 
 This we were fully able to do, our God having 
 kept two Europeans for the purpose, the other 
 having gone to Europe; one of them, whose 
 name is Peter, had left the Daedalus, the other, 
 named Andrew, was cast away in the Matilda, 
 and had been five years on the island — both 
 could talk the language fluently. Our reasons 
 for coming were no sooner made known to Po- 
 marre, than he said wo should not only have the 
 house, which is a hundred feet by forty, but 
 that all Matavia should be given to the English, 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 107 
 
 which was accordingly done in the most formal 
 manner. 
 
 " After having thus succeeded far beyond our 
 expectation, it is now necessary that I should 
 acquaint you that, some time before we made 
 the land, the Missionaries had divided in the 
 following manner: eighteen for Otaheite, be- 
 sides women and children ; ten for the Friend- 
 ly Islands, and two for the Marquesas. This 
 being the case, we had no time to spare. As 
 soon, therefore, as 1 saw them in their commo- 
 dious house, we sailed for Eimeo, with a view 
 to get the ship ready, but more particularly to 
 see how the natives would behave during the 
 absence of the ship. After five days we return- 
 ed — found them all well, the natives having 
 treated them with the utmost kindness. Having 
 no time to spare, we made all sail to the Friend- 
 ly Islands. This was on the 26th of March. 
 On the 1st of April we made Palmerston Islands, 
 and on the ninth, Tongataboo. The next day 
 we anchored about the place Captain Cook lay, 
 according to his bearings. The anchor was no 
 sooner gone than the ship was surrounded with 
 canoes. A number of chiefs came on board, 
 who informed us that two Europeans were on 
 the island, and to our great joy they soon made 
 their appearance; but of all the men we ever 
 gaw, these were certainly the most wicked look- 
 
108 LIFE OF 
 
 ing fellows, and they soon gave us proof lliey 
 were as bad as they appeared to be. One of 
 them was an Irishman, named John Kennelly, 
 the other Benjamin Ambler, of London. They 
 told us a strange story respecting their coming 
 to these islands, but this was a matter of little 
 consequence to us, firmly believing that the 
 Lord had sent them as our interpreters ; for 
 though we had provided, as we thought, suffici- 
 ent instruments for the purpose, by bringing 
 Peter and two Otaheiteans with us, we should 
 have been much at a loss, the language differing 
 so much, that they could not understand one 
 word in ten: but these two men. Ambler and 
 Kennelly, who had been only thirteen months 
 on the island, speak the language well. After 
 some time our business was partly told them. 
 They readily agreed to give all the assistance 
 in their power. x\fter giving them and the 
 chiefs presents, they all went on shore, appa- 
 rently highly satisfied. Very early the next 
 morning, we were surrounded with a prodigious 
 number of single canoes, besides ten or twelve 
 large double ones. From the peaceful manner 
 they left us the night before, v/e had not the 
 least suspicion, until the two Europeans came 
 and told us they intended to take the ship. 
 This, you may easily conceive, alarmed us very 
 much. We got the people to their quarters as 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 109 
 
 privately as possible. After getting thus ready, 
 we scaled two of our guns ; on this, the large 
 canoes began to sheer off, and a number of sin- 
 gle ones followed. Whether their intention 
 was really to attack us we know not — but it 
 was very alarming to see so many canoes and 
 people round the vessel, presenting their clubs 
 and spears for sale, which might in a moment 
 be turned against us. 
 
 " Our lears in a great measure being done 
 away, Ambler pointed out four chiefs which he 
 said were the only ones we need care for. 
 Tibo Mamoe, the present king, was then at the 
 point of death, and his son Tugahowe, the least 
 of the four, would certainly succeed his father, 
 which afterwards proved to be so, he would 
 therefore recommend the Missionaries being 
 placed under his care. After talking with them 
 on the subject they readily agreed to go. I told 
 them they could not expect to keep their chests, 
 and if they were the least afraid I would take 
 them back to Otaheite. Their answer was, that 
 property was only a secondary object with 
 them, that they would go in an humble depend- 
 ance on that God who had brought them safe 
 over the mighty ocean, and had enabled them to 
 leave their country and their friends. After a 
 most solemn season in prayer, six of them went 
 with the chief and Ambler, but not before they 
 
110 LIFE OF 
 
 promised they should want for nothing. The 
 other chiefs wanted each to have one, but we 
 thought it best for the present they should all 
 be together, promising ihem that when the ship 
 returned, if they then chose to separate, each 
 should have some of them — this satisfied them 
 all. Having received various presents they all 
 went on shore before dark, and all the canoes 
 left us. The next morning we weighed and ran 
 further out, that we might have plenty of room 
 in case of an attack. About noon, two of the 
 Missionaries returned with the pleasing intelli- 
 gence that the natives did not attempt to steal, 
 but treated them with the greatest respect. We 
 then loaded the canoes with the remainder of 
 their things, and with such stores as they 
 thought they should want. 
 
 " We now got under weigh to endeavour to 
 find a channel to the westward of the spot where 
 Captain Cook got a-ground. After some time a 
 very good one was found, which we sailed 
 through. This we conceived to be a valuable 
 acquisition, as we should now, in case of being 
 attacked, be able to sail out of the harbor either 
 to the east or west. Being now without the 
 reefs, we intended to spend two or three days 
 to see how the natives would behave to our peo- 
 ple; but the Lord saw fit to send us a smart 
 gale from the north-west, so that at day light 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. Ill 
 
 we found ourselves in a critical situation, not 
 being able to weather the reefs on either tack ; 
 but to our comfort we just fetched the channel 
 which we had discovered only the day before, 
 and thus we narrowly escaped shipw^-eck. Be- 
 fore we cleared the harbor we were nearly cast 
 away a second time. What cause have we to 
 praise our God for thus preserving us in such 
 imminent danger. Having now cleared the har- 
 bor, April the 16lh, we made the best of our 
 way towards the Marquesas, with the only two 
 Missionaries on board, Messrs. Harris and 
 Crook. The fair wind lasted six days, and was 
 succeeded by hard gales from the eastward, so 
 that on the sixth day of May, we were only in 
 206 degrees of longitude and 39 degrees of south 
 latitude. 
 
 " On the 23d of May we discovered two 
 islands, on which we endeavoured to land, but 
 the natives from their hostile disposition pre- 
 vented us. We named one the Crescent, from 
 its shape, the other after Sir Charles Middleton; 
 they lay in latitude 23° 12' south, and in longi- 
 tude 226° 15' east. The next day we discov- 
 ered another which we named after Admiral 
 Gambier, latitude 21° 36' longitude 225° 40' 
 east, and on May the 29ih, discovered another, 
 whicli we called after our friend Mr. Searle ; 
 latitude 18° 18' south, longitude 224° 12' east. 
 
112 LIFE OF 
 
 On the 4lh of June made the island Christi- 
 ana, and the next day anchored in Resolution 
 Bay, after a long disagreeable passage of fifty 
 days. Our rigging being now in a bad state, 
 it was necessary to get it on deck. I shall only 
 remark, that on getting the fore shrouds down 
 we found two of them gone, so that had we 
 been on the starboard tack instead of the lar- 
 board, during the gales we had in this passage, 
 we must have been dismasted. O what cause 
 of gratitude for all His kindness to us! We 
 no sooner arrived than we were visited by 
 many of the natives, and amongst them the 
 chief, whom, after a few visits, we gave to un- 
 derstand that the two Missionaries were to stay 
 with him. On hearing this he could not con- 
 tain himself, b-ut jumped about the cabin for joy. 
 He said they should have a house, and that they 
 should never want while he had to give. The 
 young lad, Crook, went immediately with the 
 chief, but Harris staid on board to get the things 
 ready as he said; however, I am sorry to say 
 in this place, that though he was the first that 
 proposed coming to these islands, and was the 
 cause of two others not coming, he seemed now 
 to have lost his missionary spirit, which was 
 visible to every one. After a little time, he 
 went on shore, but with such a gloomy counte- 
 nance, that the natives soon look a dislike to 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 113 
 
 him. The youth on the contrary, was cheer- 
 ful and obliging, so that the whole village was 
 remarkably fond of him. In consequence of 
 this, I was under the necessity of carrying Har- 
 ris back to Otaheite. I would have brought 
 Crook away likewise, but he begged to be left, 
 v/hich was agreed to, and I have no doubt but 
 he will prove a blessing to those poor good- 
 natured heathens. 
 
 *' Having now refitted our rigging, supplied 
 Crook with every thing needful, we took an 
 affectionate leave of each other, and sailed for 
 Otaheite on the 27th of June. In our way we 
 took a view of Trevenen's and Sir Henry Mar- 
 tin's Islands, and arrived in Matavia the 6th of 
 July, when I found them all well. I began di- 
 viding their property, which I found a very dis- 
 agreeable task; this took up all the time I was 
 here, but I got through it apparently much to 
 their satisfaction. 
 
 " Having now completed our business, we 
 took leave of our dear friends and the kind na- 
 tives, the 4th of August, and touched at Hua- 
 hine, which was in a dreadful state, owing to 
 their wars. From this we made Palmerston 
 Island, and planted bread-fruit, plantains, and 
 Ava trees; and on the 18th of August, anchored 
 off Tongataboo, nearly in our old berth. We 
 were soon visited by our dear people, who in- 
 11 
 
114 LIFE OF 
 
 formed us they were all well, except one, and 
 how the Lord had preserved them from the ma- 
 chinations of their countrymen, who had done 
 all in their power to make the poor heathen de- 
 stroy them; and that some of ihem had sepa- 
 rated, (under different chiefs,) with a view to 
 counteract their villainous plots. During my 
 stay, Messrs. Buchanan and Gallon went to live 
 with another chief, which I trust will be the 
 means not only of gaining their affections, but 
 will likewise facilitate the knowledge of the lan- 
 guage, which is of the greatest importance. 
 After doing every thing in our power with the 
 chiefs, and dividing the articles, we parted with 
 many tears on both sides. I brought away Mr. 
 Nobbs, by their advice, as he had not his health 
 from the time he landed. Our intention was 
 now to touch at the Fegee Islands, and if possi- 
 ble to have some intercourse with the natives. 
 
 " On the 7th of September, we left Tonga- 
 taboo, and on the 9th, in the evening, made the 
 Fegees ; but after six days toil, trying to find 
 anchorage, we were under the necessity of quit- 
 ting them without finding any, or having any 
 intercourse with the natives ; yet not before we 
 struck on a coral rock, but got off without re- 
 ceiving any damage. I believe no islands in the 
 world are so hemmed in by dangerous reefs. 
 We not into the middle of them, and we have 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 115 
 
 reason to be thankful we got out in the manner 
 we did. In steering to the westward, we made 
 the Island of Ruttuma, and had a little inter- 
 course with the natives, who seem to be of the 
 same race with the Friendly Islanders; liiey 
 talk the same language, and their canoes are of 
 the same construction. From thence we intend- 
 ed making the best of our way to the Pelews, 
 but from variable winds and calms, we did not 
 reach them till the 7th of November, and then 
 from the stormy appearance of the w^eather, we 
 did not think it prudent to stay; after a little in- 
 tercourse with the natives, therefore, we pro- 
 ceeded on our way to this port, with a view to 
 send you intelligence, if possible, by the first 
 ship. We found on our arrival at Macao, which 
 was the 21st of November, that we could not 
 proceed to VVampoa, without an authority from 
 the Hoppo, because we had no cargo. Finding 
 a ship had been detained a month, I went to 
 Canton, by which means we got permission the 
 fourteenth day we anchored at Wampoa. There 
 are three of the last ships ready for sea^ but I 
 prefer sending you this by a Danish ship — there 
 are four direct ships arrived. My nephew re- 
 ceived a few lines from you and Mr. Fenn, but 
 I have not yet received any; three of the pack- 
 ets are not yet up, and 1 could not think of 
 losing this opportunity. 
 
116 LIFE OF 
 
 " This brief relation, I hope will be satisfac- 
 tory to all our dear friends, but you must make 
 great allowance for the writer. Shall conclude 
 with only observing, that as our work has been 
 great, having been eleven months out of four- 
 teen at sea, the wear of the sails, &c. has been 
 in proportion. We never split a sail, nor car- 
 ried away a mast. The seamen and officers are 
 in the ship, all well, except one seaman, who 
 ran from the ship. I can give you no idea when 
 we shall leave this place. To me it is the 
 worst part of my voyage, having to associate 
 with the professed enemies of my Lord, and 
 frequently I am the butt of the whole company. 
 
 *' May the Lord increase your zeal, and pre- 
 sent you with such instruments as he will own 
 and bless. This is, and ever will be the sin- 
 cere prayer of, dear sir, your affectionate ser- 
 vant, J. Wilson." 
 
 •Having now established the missionaries in 
 their respective destinations. Captain Wilson re- 
 turned once more to Otaheite, anxious to know 
 in what circumstances he might find the breth- 
 ren whom he had settled there. The report he 
 heard was in every respect pleasing. They 
 had in general enjoyed good health ; the natives 
 had constantly observed the same respectful be- 
 haviour towards them as at first, and had never 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 117 
 
 failed a day to supply them with abundance of 
 provisions; as to the success of their religious 
 labours, it was a point of which they could not 
 yet say much more than that appearances were 
 encouraging. Before taking his final departure 
 from the South Seas, he again visited the other 
 stations, where he had also the satisfaction of 
 learning, that no threatening danger, and no ma- 
 terial obstacle had occurred, to oppose the glo- 
 rious design in which they were engaged ; but 
 that a door for preaching the word throughout 
 these extensive islands was opened to them, 
 even by unexpected and improbable means. 
 
 Thus was the first expedition of the Mission- 
 ary Society crowned with a success beyond 
 what they had ventured to anticipate, and which 
 far exceeded their most sanguine expectations. 
 During the whole of their extended voyage they 
 lost not a single individual, and scarcely ever 
 had a sick list. After traversing more than twice 
 the circumference of the globe, passing through 
 climates so difi'erent, amidst shoals, reefs, and 
 hidden rocks, they not only escaped dangers 
 and indispositions, but arrived at the various 
 destinations, in better health than when they 
 quitted their native shores. By this experiment, 
 the way was opened up, into the innumerable 
 groups that cover the Southern Ocean ; and the 
 facilities for extending the missionary labours, 
 11* 
 
118 LIFE OF 
 
 greatly increased. The foundations thus laid, 
 succeeding adventurers have built upon with 
 advantage. The seeds of knowledge then plant- 
 ed have struck root, and spread with all their 
 happy effects, over a great portion of these 
 unenlightened regions. New and vast countries 
 around them have become accessible, and afford- 
 ed an inexhaustible field for the most vigorous 
 exertions of Christian zeal. 
 
 Before finally quitting the islands. Captain 
 Wilson received several, both general and indi- 
 vidual testimonies, of the affection and gratitude 
 of the missionaries. From Tongataboo, the last 
 island that he visited, he received at his depar- 
 ture, a very kind and complimentary letter, 
 expressive of the grateful sense they entertained 
 of the many friendly and endearing offices he 
 had rendered them, in the course of their long 
 and successful voyage. On the 7th of Septem- 
 ber they left Tongataboo, and proceeded, accord- 
 ing to their letter of instructions, on their way 
 to Canton, which they reached about the 14th 
 of November. Here Captain Wilson met with 
 considerable ridicule from his old Indian ac- 
 quaintances, on account of his religious enthu- 
 siasm. The singularity of the manners of the 
 officers, and ship's crew, likewise excited ob- 
 servation. All immorality being utterly dis- 
 countenanced, not an oath heard, and an unusual 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 119 
 
 devotion maintained, induced those who wit- 
 nessed this extraordinary conduct, to signalize 
 the Duff, by calling her, The Ten Command- 
 ments. They left China on the 3d of Decem- 
 ber, and after touching at the Cape of Good 
 Hope, St. Helena, &c. they arrived in safety in 
 the river Thames, on the lOlh of July, 1798; 
 after being wafted from place to place, in a most 
 wonderful manner, and having sailed nearly 
 50,000 miles, in little more than one year and 
 nine months. 
 
 The return of the Duff, and her successful 
 voyage, excited an unusual degree of interest, 
 and of gratitude to God, among the friends of 
 the Missionary Society ; while the admiration at 
 the conduct of the Captain, was the subject of 
 almost universal conversation. On her arrival, 
 the fervour of pleasing emotion glowed in every 
 bosom, and darted from individual to individual, 
 like an electric shock. A day of public thanks- 
 giving was appointed by the Society, in grati- 
 tude for the singular interposition of Providence, 
 from beginning to end of this remarkable expe- 
 dition. As a token of their respect for the Cap- 
 tain, and as a lasting memorial to his family, an 
 elegant representation of his public interview 
 with the king and queen of Otaheite, was paint- 
 ed, and presented to him by the directors. His 
 friend. Dr. Haweis, one of the founders, and a 
 
120 LIFE OF 
 
 most zealous promoter of the institution, com- 
 plimented him with a diamond ring of consi- 
 derable value, accompanied with the following 
 note : — " Anxious for your arrival, I had pre- 
 pared the following little token. I wish to cou- 
 ple my name with yours. The circle is an em- 
 blem of the eternity I hope to spend with you. 
 The brilliant is not brighter than my afTections, 
 nor the gold purer than my friendship. Wear 
 me on your heart ; while mine beats, it will 
 remember you, and bless God for you." 
 
 A narrative of the voyage, drawn up from 
 their several journals, under the superintendence 
 of a committee of the directors appointed for the 
 purpose, was immediately published, and dedi- 
 cated to the king. To it was prefixed a scien- 
 tific discourse on the geography and history of 
 the South Sea Islands, where the missionaries 
 had settled; together with a detailed account of 
 the natural and civil state of Otaheite, from ori- 
 ginal documents. The Society obtained ^2000, 
 for the copy-right of this volume; of which 
 12,600 copies were printed, of the first edition. 
 This sum, together with £4100, received from 
 the East India Company, for freight of teas from 
 China, and the value of the ship, greatly reduced 
 the expenses of the voyage; which, including 
 the outfit of the missionaries, furnishing them 
 with books and implements, conveying them to 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 121 
 
 their several destinations over lialf the globe, 
 and settling them comfortably with ample stores 
 in the islands, did not exceed £140, for each 
 individual. 
 
 After Captain Wilson's return from the South 
 Seas, he resided in London for some time; his 
 niece having again resumed the superintendence 
 of his domestic concerns. The effects of a 
 sedentary life, after a long sea voyage, soon 
 manifested themselves in a very serious bilious 
 attack, which indicated a morbid aflfection of the 
 liver, and in his own opinion threatened his life. 
 In this state of body, however, he possessed 
 great patience and comfort of mind. He felt 
 that he had lived to accomplish an important 
 object, and he was therefore not unwilling to 
 die; but He who had fixed the bounds of his 
 habitation, added nearly twenty years more to 
 his life, though he was frequently annoyed by 
 renewed attacks of the same disease. 
 
 The conspicuous part he had acted, might, 
 had he inclined, have given him a commanding 
 influence among the religious societies in Lon- 
 don ; yet being naturally diffident of his own 
 opinion, on subjects not within the range of his 
 immediate profession; and perhaps not suffi- 
 ciently inured to the free discussions and unre- 
 strained animadversions of popular meetings, in 
 this land of liberty, so uncongenial with the 
 
122 LIFE OF 
 
 habits and manners of an East India merchant, 
 he found the storms of protracted debates, a 
 sphere of action not suited to his talents and 
 disposition, and therefore preferred retirement 
 to the bustle and business of official life. He 
 was chosen, from time to time, on the direction 
 of the affairs of the Missionary Society, but did 
 not make a point of attending, unless when he 
 thought his mercantile, geographical, or nautical 
 knowledge could be turned to advantage ; and 
 then he never withheld his presence or his opi- 
 nions, whenever his health would admit of his 
 attendance. 
 
 The celebrity he had acquired, greatly widen- 
 ed the circle of his friends and connexions; and 
 among other families of worth to v/hose acquaint- 
 ance it introduced him, was that of Richard Hol- 
 bert, Esq. of Denmark-Hill, Camberwell ; a gen- 
 tleman of very ample fortune, and who had only 
 one child, a pious and amiable daughter. This 
 lady Captain Wilson married, in 1799, and found 
 in her to his latest day, a most tender and afTec- 
 tionate wife. With her he got a considerable ad- 
 dition to his fortune, which was deemed by many, 
 a providential compensation for the noble sacri- 
 fice of time and property he had made, in the 
 missionary voyage. 
 
 Circumstances occurred, however, which 
 taught him an experimental lesson, on the muta- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 123 
 
 bility and uncertainty of human possessions ; 
 and tended to wean his heart from placing an 
 undue attachment on gifts merely temporal and 
 earthly. He had, from motives of pure benevo- 
 lence, and a friendly concern for promoting the 
 interests of some of his relatives, engaged in mer- 
 cantile life, and advanced, on various occasions, 
 to the amount of many thousand pounds. These 
 sums, from the pecuniary embarrassments of 
 the times, and the failures of the British mer- 
 chants in the shipments to South America, were 
 all swallowed up in adventurous and unsuccess- 
 ful speculations. 
 
 Though these losses, on the whole little short 
 of ^£30,000, deprived him of none of the com- 
 forts of life, or the means of making a respect- 
 able appearance in society ; for, through the 
 kindness of a munificent providence, he still 
 possessed sufficient fortune for his children, in 
 the right of Mrs. Wilson ; yet they tried his 
 mind in a very considerable degree, not only on 
 his own account, but also on account of those 
 friends and relations who had partaken of his 
 kindness; and from whom he now found him- 
 self compelled, in a great measure, to withhold 
 his benevolence. They led him to examine, 
 and to know more thoroughly his own character, 
 which he often lamented he had not studied 
 with sufficient care. They furnished instructive 
 
124 LIFE OF 
 
 views of the dispensations of providence, by 
 showing how easily God can return to his peo- 
 ple a hundred- fold in this life, for what they do 
 for his cause ; and how easy it is for him to 
 take it again, when he pleases. Few lives could 
 have impressed this truth more clearly and 
 forcibly than his, which was subject to so many 
 changes, disasters, and reverses. " In how many 
 ways, (he observes) has God taught me my de- 
 pendence upon him. All I possessed was by 
 his special gift; and the same hand which had 
 given, or rather lent, had a right to take it again. 
 He saw this was the most effectual way to hum- 
 ble my spirit, to wean me from the world, and 
 to bring me nearer to himself; and I trust he 
 has done it." 
 
 In these reflections, the Captain alludes to the 
 two points in his character, which were consi- 
 dered by his friends, as the most exceptionable ; 
 for none are without their faults, and to have de- 
 scribed him as such, would, in the esteem of all 
 that know human nature, even in its most im- 
 proved state, have tended to discredit the whole 
 account. His temper was naturally reserved, and 
 though softened and rendered affable by divine 
 grace, yet at times it partook of something bor- 
 dering on hauteur. Of this he was himself 
 sensible, and it was to him the cause of much 
 sorrow and regret. This, however, was sub- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 125 
 
 dued, and more than counter-balanced by his 
 noble feelings of kindness and generosity. 
 
 Another shade, which his friends alleged to 
 mingle with the general excellence of his cha- 
 racter, was a little too much attachment to the 
 wealth of this world ; and a want of a sufficient 
 sense of his obligation to God, by not devoting 
 a larger proportion of his properly to the sup- 
 port of religion. It is a question of conscience, 
 perhaps not very easily determined, what is the 
 exact portion of their income, which the richer 
 members of the church of Christ ought to appro- 
 priate to the cause of religion, or of charity. 
 There is no fixed rule that can hold universally, 
 or even individually ; the liberality of the weal- 
 thier classes, in the cause of God, must very 
 often be regulated by the importance of the ob- 
 ject, or the particular exigency of the occasion. 
 Captain Wilson was guided very much by this 
 principle. He did not circumscribe his benevo- 
 lence within the limits of stated rules, or me- 
 thodical calculations ; but left his benefactions 
 to depend principally upon the number, or the 
 nature of the demands made upon him. 
 
 The charge of penuiiousness, however, can 
 hardly with propriety be alleged against him, 
 when it is considered that he had lost to a con- 
 siderable amount, by the adventurous specula- 
 tions of others — that he had a young family to 
 12 
 
126 LIFE OF 
 
 provide for — and that from the general report 
 of his possessing a very large fortune the friends 
 of religion were led to form loo sanguine hopes, 
 and to expect from him donations or annuities 
 for pious purposes, corresponding in some mea- 
 sure with his riches, and his former distinguish- 
 ed zeal in the service. The calamity above 
 referred to, greatly abridged his resources ; and 
 prevented him at his death from leaving any 
 bequest, as a token of his concern for that So- 
 ciety and cause, to which he had contributed so 
 much by his personal exertions. Had the com- 
 mercial enterprise, in which so large a share of 
 his fortune was embarked, been successful, there 
 seems no reason to doubt that his liberality 
 would have kept pace with his zeal, and that 
 the Missionary cause would have had to enroll 
 his name among the number of its testamentary 
 benefactors. 
 
 His family afflictions, and frequent personal 
 indispositions, produced retired and domestic 
 habits; and though he was not prominent in 
 any of the associations in the metropolis, for 
 general usefulness, yet he improved his retire- 
 ment to the benefit of his personal religion. His 
 reading did not partake of an extensive range of 
 subjects, but it was well employed on those of 
 theology; he not only read, but studied the 
 Scriptures. The word of God was his com- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 127 
 
 panion. Part of the day he employed in com- 
 mitting certain portions of it to memory, and 
 another part to a repetition of them, as he walked 
 or rode to town, or occupied himself in his gar- 
 den. He had in this manner learned to repeat, 
 with perfect accuracy, a great part of the Psalms 
 of David — many chapters of the prophecies, and 
 of the gospels — and several entire epistles of the 
 New Testament. The account he gives of this 
 extraordinary practice is : That when he had 
 arrived at the age of forty-six, and had begun to 
 experience a failure of sight, the idea struck 
 him, that he might perhaps become wholly un- 
 able to read the sacred volume. Under this im- 
 pression, he set himself to learn by heart whole 
 chapters, and even books ; which he rehearsed 
 in his solitude, whether at home or abroad, in 
 set portions every day. In course of a week, 
 he would repeat all he had learned ; and by this 
 means he retained what he had previously ac- 
 quired, and still continued adding something to 
 the store. The pleasure and advantage of this, 
 he felt when laid on a sick-bed ; and when in- 
 eapable of reading, he drew from those sacred 
 treasures an inexhaustible fund of consolation. 
 
 By this means he obtained a most familiar 
 acquaintance with Scripture, and a great rich- 
 ness in experimental religion. His conversation 
 with his intimate friends, was highly instructive 
 
128 LIFE OF 
 
 and animating. His religious feelings were 
 kept so much alive by this profitable train of 
 meditation, and frequent prayer, that he felt 
 considerable reluctance to company ; as he was 
 often disappointed in not meeting with a corres- 
 pondent disposition in others, to converse on 
 spiritual subjects. 
 
 Towards the close of 1813, his health had 
 begun visibly to sufler by the encroachments of 
 an internal distemper. No very alarming symp- 
 toms, however, at first appeared ; but, as weeks 
 and months revolved, it was impossible not to 
 observe the change which increasing disease had 
 made on his frame and appearance. In the 
 month of February, he was unable to appear in 
 his usual manner, as a worshipper in the sanc- 
 tuary of God. He had cherished a steady at- 
 tachment to the ordinances of religion, and his 
 punctual attendance at divine worship, as well 
 as his humble, unassuming deportment there, 
 were attested by all who knew him. This in- 
 capacity, and unavoidable detention from the 
 courts of Zion, were to him the subject of much 
 uneasiness and regret. 
 
 His aspect was such as to excite the regret and 
 apprehension of all his friends, and he even then 
 entertained some thoughts that his sickness would 
 probably be unto death. Under this impression, 
 he made the following observation — " I would as 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 129 
 
 soon die now, as at any time, if it were not on 
 account of these ties, (alluding to his endeared 
 wife and his little children,) but the Lord is all- 
 sufficient ; I can trust them in the hands of that 
 God who has been my God." The first Sab- 
 bath in .January, 1814, was the last in which he 
 officiated at the table of the Lord, in distributing 
 the elements of bread and wine, and the last but 
 one (I believe in the month of February,) in 
 which he appeared as a worshipper in the sanc- 
 tuary of God. He used to express much regret 
 at this unavoidable detention from our public as- 
 semblies, saying, " When shall 1 come and ap- 
 pear before God ?" and in the language of He- 
 zekiah, " What is the sign that I shall go up to 
 the house of the Lord?" a commendable feeling 
 this in the chamber of sickness, and very unlike 
 the temper of some professing Christians, who 
 pant more ardently for a return to the places of 
 busy traffic and mercantile concourse, and are 
 sooner seen there on recovery, than for the 
 courts of Jehovah — the palaces of Zion. 
 
 It pleased God to exempt our departed bro- 
 ther from acute pain, of which he had only two 
 severe paroxysms during his long protracted 
 illness. This alleviating circumstance, enabled 
 him to employ his leisure hours in those 
 thoughts and exercises of mind, which were 
 suited to the dispensation under which he was 
 12* 
 
130 LIFE OF 
 
 placed, and to the prospects which were opening 
 before him, in unparalleled grandeur and awful 
 solemnity. As 1 was a near observer of the 
 operations of his mind, at this critical juncture, 
 I shall record them as they offered themselves 
 to my notice. I marked in the first place, a 
 deep and anxious investigation into the state of 
 his soul. He debated the matter of his personal 
 religion, as in the light and under the immediate 
 eye of God. Considering the ease with which 
 a man may deceive himself, and impose upon 
 others by an empty and unprofitable form of 
 godliness, he was desirous of availing himself 
 of every assistance in ascertaining the truth of 
 his condition. He felt perplexed on the ground 
 of indwelling sin, and for the sake of obtaining 
 clear views and refreshing his recollections on 
 this important point, he read Dr. Owen's mas- 
 terly treatise on the subject. On one occasion, 
 he told me, he had been seriously engaged in 
 examining the grounds and evidences of his own 
 conversion, fearing lest he should take too much 
 for granted, or regard a change of sentiment and 
 a reformation of manners as conversion, without 
 the inbeing of that spiritual life and those con- 
 comitant fruits of the Spirit, which the Scrip- 
 tures represent as indispensably necessary. He 
 dwelt much on this theme, and we concluded 
 with prayer for light, sincerity, and satisfaction. 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 131 
 
 Having attained to some good degree of certain- 
 ty on this momentous point, he enjoyed a stable 
 peace, by faith in the atonement and righteousness 
 of Jesus Christ, and never afterwards betrayed 
 even a momentary disquietude or alarm, at the 
 prospect or consequences of his approaching 
 dissolution. He had been generally accustomed 
 to repeat those lines of Dr. Haweis at the end of 
 every day: 
 
 " One day more is past. 
 
 And the nearer my last, 
 To the close of my life and my labours I haste. 
 
 My strength as my day] 
 
 Renewed — I stay 
 On Jesus my hope, and still hold on my way." 
 
 and was wont to add, with peculiar emphasis 
 and delight — 
 
 " And when my work done. 
 My full course I have run, 
 
 And my pilgrimage finished under the sun, 
 To heav'n I shall soar. 
 Where the night is no more. 
 
 And awake to thy praise, thee ever t' adore." 
 
 Habituated thus familiarly to converse with 
 death, he was not in the least degree dismayed 
 by its nearer approaches. To his medical 
 friend, and to those who occasional!)^ visited 
 him, he would talk with as much calmness of 
 his departure from the world, as of any trans- 
 action to which he had been accustomed while 
 in it. On one occasion he quoted with evident 
 
132 LIFE OF 
 
 pleasure the lines of that experimental author 
 named above, as applicable to his own case : 
 
 " Safe lodg'd my fruits, at even tide I rest ; 
 My work near done, I lean on Jesus' breast. 
 Wait, without fear, death's winter drawing nigh^ 
 Preparing for my mansion in the sky." 
 
 His, indeed, was a strong and unwavering faith, 
 which swallowed up every fear, and enabled 
 him to look at death not only without dread but 
 with joy and triumph. The exercise of this 
 holy principle, moreover, was not restricted to 
 the concerns of his soul, which he had commit- 
 ted into the hands of the Redeemer, but extend- 
 ed also to those of his family. He was the 
 subject of warm affections, and as a kind hus- 
 band and a fond father, his little ones were 
 closely entwined about his heart ; yet, through 
 a fiducial reliance on the divine Providence, he 
 was enabled to divest himself of all the tender 
 anxieties of a relative life, and to cast them on 
 his God and Saviour. The struggle was pain- 
 ful, but faith was completely victorious. He 
 would pray earnestly for his dear children, and 
 express a strong desire that they might be trained 
 up in scriptural sentiments, and thus be brought 
 to the knowledge of Christ — but it was evident 
 that he had no disquieting care concerning them, 
 and no prevailing wish to continue with them. 
 The cords of earthly attachment were all loosea- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 133 
 
 ed, and the willing spirit waited without pertur- 
 bation, the signal for its flight. 
 
 Exemplary patience was a distinguishing fea- 
 ture in the character of this dying believer. 
 Though made to possess months of vanity, and 
 though many wearisome nights were appointed 
 unto him, not a murmuring word was heard to 
 escape his lips. He justified the sovereign dis- 
 poser of events in his dealings towards him, and 
 was rather inclined to enlarge on the subject of 
 his mercies than his afflictions. Charily, also, 
 to his fellow-creatures was manifesdy apparent 
 in his last hours. He declared his forgiveness 
 of those who had injured him, and testified his 
 good will towards them by offering up prayers 
 on their behalf. In this state of readiness for 
 the hour of his departure, he seemed consider- 
 ably disappointed when the morning light re- 
 turned and beheld him still in this vale of tears, 
 and especially when the revolving Sabbath w^it- 
 nessed those conflicts on earth which he longed 
 to exchange for the rest and the triwnph of hea- 
 ven. Surveying the wastes of disease, in his 
 emaciated frame, he exclaimed, " What a diflfer- 
 ent body will this be in the morning of the re- 
 surrection, if I am found in Christ! 1 hope I 
 shall be enabled to wait with patience till my 
 change come. I am not afraid to trust my all 
 in the hands of the despised Nazarene !" To a 
 
134 LIFE OF 
 
 relation who said, "I hope you will get better," 
 he replied, " my hope is beyond Jordan!" At 
 one time he repeated these lines as applicable to 
 his own case — 
 
 " Triumphant now from sin and death. 
 From law and curse secure ; 
 Peaceful I yield my parting breath. 
 And know my heaven is sure." 
 
 On the return of his pastor from an excursion 
 in the country, of whom he had already taken 
 a solemn, affectionate, and, as it was judged, a 
 last farewell, he expressed great surprise that 
 we had met again in the body, " I had hoped," 
 said he, " to have obtained my release ere this, 
 but the messenger still delays. I desire to say, 
 the will of the Lord be done — but I request you 
 will pray for a speedy dismission." His nights, 
 which for the most part, were sleepless, he 
 passed in prayer, and in the recollection of those 
 passages of Scripture which were familiar to his 
 mind. And it is here especially worthy of ob- 
 servation that he derived the utmost solace and 
 refreshment from the many portions of sacred 
 writ which he had committed to memory in the 
 last years of his life. The word of Christ 
 dwelt in him richly, and as he delighted much 
 in the law of the liOrd, so he meditated therein, 
 day and night. 
 
 From a personal experience of the benefit ac- 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 135 
 
 cruing from such a familiar acquaintance with 
 the Bible, he enjoined it upon his dear children, 
 and recommended to his young friends in gene- 
 ral, to copy his example in this respect, only to 
 begin much earlier than he did. After express- 
 ing his kind wishes for a young gentleman for 
 whom he entertained a great esteem, he sent 
 this message to him by a mutual friend, who 
 was about to visit him in a remote part of the 
 country, " Charge him to store his memory 
 with the Scriptures, to begin immediately, for 
 now is the time to set about it. Had I begun at 
 his age, I should now have been able to recite 
 that blessed book from beginning to end." It 
 is believed this message from the lips of a dying 
 Christian had its full weight ; and has led to the 
 adoption of the salutary practice it was intend- 
 ed to recommend. In one of those nights which 
 he passed without sleep, he informed an old friend 
 who kept watch at his bed-side, that he had re- 
 peated the Epistle to the Hebrews, from the 
 first to the eleventh chapter inclusive; and he 
 believed, without the omission of a single verse. 
 To one of his children, the Sabbath before his 
 departure, he said, with a firm tone, " My dear 
 child, I thought I should not have seen you 
 again, I expected this would have been the first 
 Sabbath I should have spent in eternity, but 
 God's time is best." On one of his friends in- 
 
136 LIFE OF 
 
 quiring if he were comfortable, he replied, 
 *' Yes, and if I had but my tongue," (his mouth 
 being in such a state as to render speaking ex- 
 quisitely painful,) "I would let you all know 
 how happy I am ; I am looking for that blessed 
 hope and the glorious appearing of the great 
 God my Saviour." At one season he observed, 
 *' Here I am, waiting for my change — what a 
 mercy ! If I were a heathen I could not wait 
 so." To his medical attendant, who, aware of 
 his unconquerable aversion to medicine, had, 
 with much kindness, administered as little as 
 the case w'ould admit, he said, " I cannot take 
 any more, let me go as easily as you can;" and 
 then, lifting up his eyes to heaven, added, 
 '• Lord, now iettest thou thy servant depart in 
 peace, for I trust mine eyes have seen thy sal- 
 vation." Not long before his dismission, he 
 used the following verses, with a reference to 
 his own circumstances — 
 
 " My fluttering pulse, and falt'ring breath, 
 Announce the near approach of death ; 
 How can I meet, dear Saviour, say, 
 Tlie last dark, dismal, cloudiest day. 
 
 Look to my cross, the sovereign cure. 
 For all the ills thou can'sl endure ; 
 Whence dart the heams of endless day, 
 And clouds and darkness flee away." 
 
 He was blessed with the continuance of his 
 intellectual faculties till within two or three 
 
CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 137 
 
 hours of his dissolution, when the powers of 
 nature being completely exhausted, the unfetter- 
 ed spirit was allowed to take its joyful flight 
 to that blissful region, where the inhabitant saith 
 not, " I am sick," the people that dwell therein 
 having been forgiven their iniquities. Con- 
 templating his undisturbed and tranquil exit, we 
 may truly and emphatically say, " the end of 
 that man was peace." 
 
 Thus terminated the life of Captain Wilson, 
 on Friday, August 12, 1814, at the age of fifty- 
 four, leaving a widow, a son, and four daugh- 
 ters, to lament their loss. Since his death, Mrs. 
 Wilson has been bereaved of her second daugh- 
 ter about eleven years of age, who gave pleas- 
 ing testimony that she was graciously fitted to 
 meet the blessed spirit of her father in the 
 realms of eternal light and felicity. 
 
 The life and death of Captain Wilson furnish 
 to every serious mind, matter for much profita- 
 ble reflection. The whole of his eventful his- 
 tory, discovers a beautiful and interesting devel- 
 opment of the procedure of Divine Providence ; 
 which appears mysterious, yet wise in its ope- 
 rations — often afflictive in its events, yet kind 
 in its designs — the minutest parts accurately 
 arranged, and all, like the seasons of the year, 
 terminating in some grand and beneficial result. 
 The storms of commercial life, the tranquillity 
 13 
 
138 LIFE OF CAPT. JAMES WILSON. 
 
 of domestic retirement, the blasts of temporal 
 adversity, the beams of prosperity, religious 
 friendships, and family afflictions, all concurred 
 in fitting him to be an instrument of good, or in 
 promoting his final and everlasting welfare. 
 Who would have looked, as Dr. Haweis says, 
 for a convert in a haughty unprincipled Indian 
 merchant; or for the commander of a Christian 
 mission, in an infidel sailor chained in a prison 
 at Seringapatam? Who would expect the Deist, 
 who returned from India contradicting the faith 
 of Christ, and blaspheming the cause of the 
 cross, within five years afterwards on the quar- 
 ter-deck, in the midst of prayer and praise, 
 carrying the everlasting Gospel to the Isles of 
 the Pacific Ocean ? Yet such are the mysteri- 
 ous ways of Providence, such the irresistible 
 influence of truth, and such the power and effi- 
 cacy of Christian principles. 
 
 THE END* 
 
PRESBYTERIAN PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 The Board of Publication of the Pres- 
 byterian Church in the United States of Ame- 
 rica, have issued the following valuable Books, 
 viz. : 
 
 1. The Way of Salvation, familiarly ex- 
 plained, in a Conversation between a Father and 
 his Children. Price 15 cents. 
 
 2. The Mute Christian under the Smarting 
 Rod ; with sovereign antidotes for every case. 
 By Rev. Thomas Brooks. Price 37^ cents. 
 
 3. The Great Concern of Salvation. By 
 Rev. Thomas Halyburton. Abridged for the 
 Board. Price 31 cents. 
 
 4. Christian Consistency, or the connex- 
 ion between Experimental and Practical Reli- 
 gion. Designed for young Christians. By Rev. 
 E. Mannering. Price 37^ cents. 
 
 5. Self Employment in Secret, containing 
 an Inquiry into the state of the Soul ; Thoughts 
 
upon Painful Afflictions; Memorials for practice. 
 By Rev. John Corbet. Price 20 cents. 
 
 6. A Treatise on the Scripture Doctrine 
 OF Original Sin. With explanatory notes. 
 By Rev. H. A. Boardman. Price 25 cents. 
 
 7. The Pleasures of Religion, by the Rev. 
 Henry Forster Burder, D. D. Price 37^ cents. 
 
 8. The Revocation of the Edict of 
 Nantes, and its consequences to the Protestant 
 Churches of France and Italy ; containing Me- 
 moirs of some of the sufferers in the Persecution 
 attending that event. Price 31 cents. 
 
 9. The Utility and Importance of Creeds 
 AND Confessions ; by the Rev. Samuel Miller, 
 D.D. Price 25 cents. 
 
 10. The Psalms and Hymns approved by the 
 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, 
 in the United States. Several different sizes, 
 and in a variety of fancy and plain bindings. 
 
 11. An Exposition of a portion of the 
 Epistle to the Romans, in the form of Ques- 
 tions and Answers ; by the Rev. J. J. Jane- 
 way, D.D. Price 15 cents. 
 
 12. The Life of Captain James Wilson, 
 Containing an account of his residence in India ; 
 his Conversion to Christianity; his Missionary 
 Voyage to the South Seas, and his Peaceful 
 Death. Abridged, from the Memoir by Rev. 
 John Griffin. 
 
 13. The Life of John Knox, the Scottish 
 
Reformer. Abridged from McCrie's Life of 
 John Knox. 
 
 IN PRESS. 
 
 1. A new Stereotype edition of the Consti- 
 tution OF THE Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States of America : containing the 
 Confession of Faith, the Catechisms, and the 
 Directory for the Worship of God ; together with 
 the Plan of Government and Discipline, as 
 amended and ratified by the General Assembly. 
 
 2. Letters to an Anxious Inquirer. By 
 the late Rev. T. Carlton Henry, D. D. 
 
 3. The Reformed Pastor. By the late 
 Rev. Richard Baxter. 
 
 Besides the Books, twenty-one Tracts have 
 been published ; the smallest consisting of 12 
 pages, and the largest of 130 pages. Of these 
 various editions have been issued. Nine of 
 these are also published in a 12mo volume. 
 Price 50 cents. 
 
 OO" Orders for Books or Tracts, from Pres- 
 byteries, Churches, Booksellers, and others, 
 should be addressed to Wm. S. Martien, Pub- 
 lishing Agent of the Board, South-east corner of 
 Seventh and George streets, Philadelphia. 
 
 *..* Donations to the Board should be sent 
 to A. W. Mitchell, M. D., Treasurer, Walnut, 
 above Broad street, Philadelphia.