Baie Verte, Salisbury, Exmouth Street, Queen Square and Zion (St. John), New 
     
     Brunswick to which latter church he was connected for twelve years prior to his 
     
     retirement. In all these fields he saw the work of God prosper in his hands, a 
     
     deep interest in spiritual realities being awakened and in many instances 
     
     widespread revivals occurring. The handsome edifice at Marysville, destroyed by 
     
     fire, was built during his pastorate. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In public affairs he took the keenest interest and assumed positions of trust 
     
     and honor. He was president of the St. John Branch of the Evangelical Alliance, 
     
     president of the local branch of Imperial Federation, he held high positions in the 
     
     Sons of Temperance and Good Templars, filling, beside, many other public posi- 
     
     tions, especially in the City of St. John where for so long he resided. A firm 
     
     believer in the natural resource and possibilities of Canada, in pulpit and on 
     
     platform, by speech and by pen, he persistently set forth the advantages of life 
     
     in the colony, and in the year 1883 — 1884 he made an extensive tour in England 
     
     in official relationship to the Canadian government, lecturing in the interests of 
     
     Canadian immigration and confederation. 
     
    
   
   
    
     His literary attainments were of a high order, and possessed of a style which 
     
     was chaste and commanding, he wielded a pen which made his writings at all times 
     
     both popular and persuasive. For some time he published a weekly paper called 
     
     “The Methodist.” He wrote for many magazines and reviews, and often acted as 
     
     correspondent for daily newspapers. He was the author of several small works and 
     
     in later years of life, occupied himself with the manuscript of a volume on 
     
     Methodism in the Maritime provinces. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Possessed of a great versatility of gifts, it was very natural that he should have 
     
     exercised them in many different departments of the world’s activity, but Dr. ~ 
     
     Wilson was at all times first of all a minister of the Gospel of Christ, and his pulpit 
     
     was his throne. His style of preaching was not declamatory, but simple and earnest 
     
     with sufficient intellectual charm to arouse keen interest and to command large con- 
     
     gregations. As a pastor, he entered sympathetically into the lives of his congrega— 
     
     tion, bearing their grief and carrying their sorrows. As a friend he was faithful and 
     
     valuable and would frequently give surprise by some intimation which showed that 
     
     quietly but vitally he carried his friends interest close to his heart. In Christian belief, 
     
     this servant of God found full satisfaction for his heart in the Gospel of Christ and 
     
     its interpretation as found in Methodist doctrine. Although he was not unacquainted 
     
     with modern critical speculations, yet down to the last he stood soldierlike for the 
     
     defence of a faith once for all delivered to the Saints. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Although for some years Dr. Wilson held a supernumerary relationship to the 
     
    
   
   
    
     church and was for a long time in failing health, yet down to the last he was alive to 
     
     all the varied interests of the church and the moral life of the community. 
     
    
   
   
    
     On Monday, June 34, 1912, then in his 80th year, the eyes of this Christian saint 
     
     and warrior were closed forever to all earthly scenes, and in the calm and simple and 
     
     triumphant Christian faith in which he walked through all his days, so passed he 
     
    
   
   
    
     unto the presence of God and King, and entered upon the full and perfect and 
     
     eternal joy and service of Heaven.”23 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     23 Minutes ofthe New Brunswick, P.E,I. Conference, 1912 
     
    
   
   
    
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