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RECORDS 



FROM THE LIFE 



OF 



v/ 



S. V. S. WILDER. 



"CONFIRMING THE WORD." Make: 16:20. 




PUBLISHED BY THE 
AMEBICAN TEACT SOCIETY, 

150 NASSAU-STREET, 'NEW YORK. 



r 



4 P 



Entebed according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by 
the Amebican Tbact Society, in the Clerk's Office of the District 
Court of the Southern District of the State of New York. 



CONTENTS. 



i. 

Birth and Ancestry.— Paternal ancestry— Maternal ancestry — 
Stoddard family — Van Vryling family — Evangelical sentiments 
of his grandmother Margaret Vryling — Influence of his moth- 
er 9 

II. 

Early Lite. — Filial affection — Death of his father — Placed in a 
store at Lancaster — Two years in a store at Gardner — Obedi- 
ence to his mother — Kindness to her and his sisters — Death of 
his mother - 22 

in. 

Early Mercantile Life. — Honesty and integrity — Becomes a 
clerk in Charlestown, Mass. — Acquaintance with Bev. Dr. Jed- 
idiah Morse — "String of providences " — The bank-note — In- 
terview with his future father-in-law, Mr. Joseph Barrell — Vac- 
cination — Letter from Sidney E. Morse, Esq. — Letter to an 
"old shopmate" — Punctuality and independence of charac- 
ter — Mr. John Codman 28 

IV. 

Education. — School life — Influence of Dr. Morse — Attendance on 
his Lectures — Letter from Committee to Dr. Morse, and re- 
ply — Habits of reading— Appreciation of the Bible 39 



Going to France. — Knowledge of French goods — Successful busi- 
ness transaction — Strict honesty — Appointed agent in Europe 
for "William Gray — Dangerous voyage — Besidence in Paris for 
twenty years — Crosses the ocean sixteen times 44 

VI. 

Earls Beligious Experience. — Beasons for joining the church — 
Circumstances of his admission — David L. Dodge — Letter from 
Bev. Dr. Samuel Miller — His reply 54 



6 CONTENTS. 

VII. 

Marriage and Home Life. — Marriage in Northampton, Mass., 
1814 — Dinner at " White Pine tavern" — Purchases an estate in 
Bolton, Mass. — Takes his family to France in 1817 — Letter to 
Mrs. Barrell — Death of children 64 

VIII. 

Lite in France. — His connection with Messrs. Hottinguer & Co. — 
Influence over many in his employ — Visits England and Hol- 
land — In London' becomes interested in missions — Purchases 
tracts — Adventure in passing them through French Custom- 
houses — "Village in the Mountains" — Correspondence with 
pastor of church there — Widely known in Europe — Visited by 
many 72 

IX. 

Paris Societies. — Residence in Rue Petit Carreau, No. 18 — Paris 
Bible, tract, and missionary societies formed there — Protection 
by Talleyrand — Incident of involuntary distribution of Bibles 
and tracts — " Continental Society " — " Society of Christian Mor- 
als " — Letter of Dr. Jonas King — Mr. Wilder's agency in his 
mission to Palestine — Mr. Wilder's influence on persons of dis- 
tinction — Establishment in Paris of the Monthly Concert for 
Prayer — "The Only Son" — Views of slavery- Letter of the 
Baron de Stael — Curious incident in distributing Bibles on 
New Year's day — Mr. Wilder's hospitality — Frequent religious 
services in his parlor - - 115 

x. 

Court Lite. — Eepresents the United States at the marriage of 
Napoleon — His French teacher, Latour Maubrey — Incident of 
Napoleon and the emperor of Austria — Court scenes — Scenes 
upon the fall of Napoleon — Entrance of the "Allies " into Par- 
is — Perilous journey in France — Method of dealing with Bour- 
bon officials — Likenesses of Napoleon — Plan to bring Napoleon 
to Mr. Wilder's residence in Bolton — Reflections of Talleyrand — 
Vanity of earthly glory — Interviews with Louis Napoleon in 
New- York — Bearer of despatches, and interview with President 
Madison — Interview with President Andrew Jackson 147 

XL 

Parting with Europe. — Final return to America in 1823 — Regrets 
of the societies in Paris — Parting addresses — Letter of Mo- 
nod 172 



CONTENTS. 7 

XII. 

Bolton. — Socinianism — Farming — Sunday afternoon exercises in 
his library — General Lafayette's visit — Correspondence with 
Baron de Stael and Lafayette — Letter of Dr. Waterbury - - 181 

XIII. 

"Wake Factory Village. — Kesidence there — Prevalence of Univer- 
salism — Contribution of. manufacturing company towards build- 
ing a church — Choice of pastor — Revival of religion — Farewell 
address — Two striking incidents — Testimony of Mr. Lewis Tap- 
pan — Letter of Dr. Leonard Woods — Friends at Ware — Letter 
of Bev. Parsons Cooke 196 

XIV. 

Hlll-slde Church.— A favorite enterprise — Intercourse with neigh- 
boring ministers — Services of distinguished preachers — Settle- 
ment of Bev. Dr. Chickering — Bevival of religion — Increased 
number of evangelical churches 214 

xv. 

American Tract Society. — Elected President at its formation in 
1825 — Incident leading to acquaintance with the father of Dr. 
Wm. A. Hallock, Secretary — Correspondence between Dr. Hal- 
lock and Mr. Wilder — Speech at laying the corner-stone of the 
Tract House — Parts of other addresses — Besignation as Presi- 
dent — Beply of the Society — Sketch of his life and character in 
official documents - - - 225 

XVI. 

Beligious Societies. — Bible societies — American Board of Foreign 
Missions — Home missions — American and Foreign Christian 
Union — Letter to evangelical Christians in France — American 
Education Society — Hartford Asylum for Deaf and Dumb — 
Views regarding the Sabbath — Sabbath-school efforts — Amherst 
college — Letter from Dr. Humphrey — Bemarkable incident con- 
nected with a refusal to aid Amherst college — Greek youths — 
Visits of consolation and charity — Plan of a Betreat for ladies — 
Orphan asylum - — 257 

XVII. 

Temperance. — Good health — Interest in the Temperance cause — 
The "Well-conducted Farm " — Letter to the father of a "prod- 
igal son " — Opposition to the use of tobacco — Letter to John 
Tappan, Esq. 295 



8 CONTENTS. 

XVIII. 

.Latee Mekcantile Life. — Eemoval from Bolton to Brooklyn — 
Visit to Charleston, S. C. — Death of his only son — Kemoval to 
New York city — His son-in-law G. U. Richards — Death of an 
infant daughter — Mercer-street church — Letter from S. F. B. 
Morse, Esq. — Business reverses — Letter of John Tappan, Esq. 
— Letters from Drs. Gallaudet and Proudfit — Letter to his wife 
from "Worcester — Residence in Greenwich, Conn. 309 

XIX. 

Special Peovidences. — Deliverances from danger by sea and by 
land — Adventure with outlaws — Two cases of hinderance - 330 

XX. 

Speaexng foe Cheist. — Fearlessness of man — Testimony of Mr. 
Lewis Tappan — Letter to a neighbor — Peculiar modes of giv- 
ing — Conversation with a lady about dancing — His views as to 
amusements — Story of Dr. Nettleton — Contracted notions of a 
country deacon — Discourse of a colored minister — Interview 
with the impostor Matthias — Wayside remarks 335 

XXI. 

Lettee weiting. — Extensive correspondence — Dictation of let- 
ters in old age — Music — Constancy in friendships 349 

XXII. 

Elizabeth and White Lake. — Venerable friends — Dominie Kit- 
tle — Rev. Dr. Magie — Be v. Dr. Murray — Life at White Lake — 
Colporteur-work there — His " golden wedding " — Prayer-meet- 
ings at Elizabeth — Death of adopted daughter 352 

XXIII. 

Last Days. — Sudden illness — Dying scenes — His last words — 
Death, March 3, 1865— Letters— "Conclusion of the whole 
matter" 364 

APPENDIX. 

Seventy-seven maxims for his grandsons 373 

Letter to his mother on the death of Washington, etc. 382 

Story of Kev. Frederic Leo, and of Kev. Lewis Way 386 

Preaching in Lancaster graveyard— The hatters' Sunday visit- 388 

Incidents in Ware Village — To a merchant in Germany 392 

Hearing Jenny Lind — An American's visit to king of Sweden- 398 

Incident at sea — White Lake summer recreations 400 

Flowers and winter — October farewell — Human life 401 



RECORDS FROM THE LIFE 



OE 



S. V. S. WILDER. 



I. 

Vktfy awl t&i| $w& »$«[ tfafy w lhn\{ gmniiiUuh fpn 
m rowfastiflf towuurit } to fy a ljto<t u»to tktfy mx& 
to tfcg $wd aljq ikij, |w, 15f $ J* 

No one passing through the beautiful town of 
Lancaster, Mass., ea,n have failed to notice the elm- 
trees, so remarkable for size and symmetry, which 
constitute the chief outward attraction of the place. 
One of these, standing just below the "old com- 
mon" near the ancestral home of S. V. S. Wilder, 
and partly overshadowing the burial-place of his 
fathers, might almost be considered a type of him- 
self. It grew in the highway, where all passing by 
might rejoice in its shadow. It was planted there, 
a mere sapling, by one of his ancestors, and noble 
in form and bearing, extending widely its branches, 
it, all through life and still in old age, brought forth 

1* 



10 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

a ricli treasure of blessing for all coming under its 
influence. "Blessed/' and like such a tree, said 
Jeremiah, " is the man that trusteth in the Lord, 
and whose hope the Lord is." Jer. 17 : 7. Of this 
the history of S. V. S. Wilder, in connection with 
that of his ancestry, is but another illustration. 

Of this ancestry many interesting records are 
preserved. Thomas Wilder, coming from Lancas- 
ter in England, spelling his name Wyelder, signs 
his name, July 1, 1659, to a "covenant," entered 
into by the first settlers of Lancaster, "for the bet- 
ter preserving of religion and ourselves from infec- 
tion of error." 

His son Thomas Wilder, Jr., paid among the 
highest rates for building a house for the minister, 
and also gave from his own farm a plot for the 
public burying-ground, in which he was the first 
interred. 

His son Judge Joseph Wilder was an "active 
magistrate;" is called "a man of extensive influ- 
ence, who in the depths of his wisdom opposed Lan- 
caster's being made a shire-town, lest it should be 
the means of corrupting the morals of the inhab- 
itants." 

Col. Caleb Wilder was the son of Judge Joseph. 
The old homestead, which, although it had been 
fortified during the troubles with the Indians, had 
suffered much from their assaults as well as from 
those of time, he allowed to subside into a mere 
farm-house, replacing it by a substantial brick 
house. 



BIETH AND ANCESTEY. 11 

To this dwelling, newly finished, Levi Wilder, 
the son of Col. Caleb, brought his bride Sarah 
Stoddard; and in it, May 20th, 1780, was born his 
son Sampson Vryltng Stoddard Wilder. 

The character of Levi Wilder in many respects 
foreshadowed that of his more widely known son. 
He is said more than once to have spent the whole 
day riding round with the sheriff sent to collect the 
minister's tax, and himself paying the dues when 
the cow or pig of any poor family would otherwise 
be seized in order to raise the sum required. In 
his last sickness, occasioned by a fall, he encour- 
aged his wife to adopt a poor destitute child, 
brought to her by its father, saying, " Take her, 
Sallie, you'll be blessed." He was beloved and 
respected by all, and died Jan. 5, 1793, aged 42. 

Of his paternal ancestry, S. V. S. Wilder, in 
1859, wrote to a distant relative, " Standing as I 
do on the ashes of a hundred generations who 
have entered upon the retributions of the eternal 
world, and having nearly attained to the age as- 
signed in the sacred Scriptures as the outer verge 
of life's duration, I have deemed it a matter of sec- 
ondary consideration whether the name of Wilder 
has been distinguished by any chivalrous deeds or 
scientific discoveries, or if it has in any way been 
engraved on the perishing tablets of earthly fame, 
provided the name be found written in the 'Lamb's 
book of life.' Nor have I considered it a matter of 
any consequence whether those of the name pos- 
sessed a few acres more or less of this terrestrial 



12 EEGOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

sod, or tlie glittering dust beneath its surface, pro- 
vided they have a clear title to 'an inheritance 
incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not 
away,' ' eternal in the heavens.* " And again he 
writes, " May not the feeble remnant of the elder 
branch of the Wilder family contemplate with 
thrilling and sacred emotion the joyful day when 
they shall recognize the pure spirits of their pious 
ancestry among the redeemed throng in that bliss- 
ful abode, where a more than earthly kindred shall 
be the bond, love to the Saviour the inspiring mo- 
tive, and praise to Him the everlasting theme?" 

The Stoddard family, to which Mr. Wilder's 
mother belonged, emigrated from the West of Eng- 
land, and came to Boston about A. d. 1639. Mr. 
Wilder ever felt that his great-uncle, the Rev. Sol- 
omon Stoddard of Northampton, though distin- 
guished as a divine, had done harm by favoring 
the introduction of the " half-way covenant" into 
the New England churches. Mr. Wilder's grand- 
father, Sampson Stoddard, who married Margaret 
Vryling, was the third in descent from the original 
settler in this country, Anthony Stoddard. This' 
Sampson Stoddard graduated at Harvard in 1730, 
was a man of property, and much respected. 
( The promise to Abraham and his seed was 
made when h6 was called to leave his father's 
house, and seek a distant country where he could 
find " freedom to worship God." Did Margaret 
Van Vryling, in 1715, think of this when she too, 
for a like reason, left the land of her fathers for a 



BIETH AND ANCESTKY. 13 

new home among strangers? Yet not strangers, 
for here on this Western soil did already many of 
her best friends, her kindred, dwell — those who, 
like herself, had here sought refuge from intoler- 
ance and persecution. 

Of the history of Margaret Van Yryling and her 
immediate descendants, also of some particulars 
respecting his father's loss of property, Mr. "Wilder 
has himself left some details. These were given in 
partial answer to inquiry as to the way in which he 
had been led, amidst counter influences, to take so 
decided a stand on the Lord's side, and this at a 
comparatively early period in life. This record 
was intended — to use his own words — "to show 
how the blessed truths of the gospel, as preached 
at Amsterdam by the Rev. John Robinson of Puri- 
tan memory, were transmitted from mother to 
daughter, and were thus imbibed by my precious 
grandmother and mother, and that it was through 
their instrumentality, by the sustaining grace of 
God, that I was enabled to resist the seductions 
and temptations of errors which at one time spread 
throughout New England." 

"My maternal great-grandfather Van Yryling was a dis- 
tinguished merchant in Amsterdam, and acquired his prop- 
erty in trading between that city and Batavia. He died 
about the year 1714, leaving an ample fortune to his family, 
consisting of a wife, Mrs. Margaret Van Yryling, and four 
daughters, the youngest of whom was my grandmother Mar- 
garet Yryling, then an infant. 

"After the death of King William III., in 1702, party 
politics and religious dissensions prevailed in Holland to an 



14: EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

alarming extent for many years, to the severance, in many 
instances, of family ties and social intercourse. The Yryling 
family were not exempt from this religious disunion. 

" For many years previous to the death of William and 
Mary, my great-grandmother Margaret Van Vryling, having 
when a girl been sent to a boarding-school at Dort, had, by 
the grace of God, imbibed the orthodox tenets which were 
promulgated by the pious Eobinson and our Pilgrim fathers 
during their stay in Holland, previous to their embarkation 
for Plymouth Eock in 1620. Her two eldest daughters, how- 
ever, who were many years older than my grandmother, had 
embraced the then more fashionable and lax opinions of 
Erasmus. 

4 'The Van Vryling family being thus divided on the great 
and essential truths of the gospel, and my pious, evangelical , 
great - grandmother being unrelentingly 'persecuted for 
righteousness' sake ' by her influential opponents, and find- 
ing no longer any sympathy, peace, or comfort in the society 
of her two oldest daughters, decided to divide the heritage 
with them, and embark with her portion thereof and that of 
her two youngest daughters for the land of the Pilgrims, 
where she could openly profess the pure doctrines of the 
cross, and worship God in conformity to the dictates of her 
own conscience, without any one to molest or make her 
afraid. 

"Commending therefore her two eldest daughters to the 
God of all grace, and cherishing the fond hope that their 
hearts would ere long become imbued with the riches of 
divine grace, and they thereby be led to relinquish their 
heretical views and follow her footsteps to this land of ref- 
uge, and bidding farewell to all her former associates and to 
the local attachments of her younger years, this lonely widow 
embarked, in the year 1715, with her two youngest daugh- 
ters and several pious Dutch families, who, like herself, 
were animated with the same glorious hopes, cheered by the 
same exhilarating prospects, relying on the same gracious 
promises, and looking to the same divine Saviour for sal- 
vation. 

"It seems, however, that this my truly evangelical great- 



BIRTH AND ANCESTRY. 15 

grandmother, who relinquished all the associations and en- 
dearments of her native home for the gospel's sake, never 
realized her fond anticipations of being joined by her two 
eldest daughters, who lived as maiden ladies in Amsterdam 
to a great age. 

"After several years' residence in Boston, my great-grand- 
mother was called to mourn the death of the eldest of her two 
daughters in this country ; and two years after, the bereaved 
mother died, in the joyful hope of a blissful immortality, 
leaving my grandmother Margaret Yryling — the Van, it 
seems, then being relinquished — sole heiress of all the prop- 
erty, which was considered in those days a large estate. 

"Previous to this period, my maternal grandfather Samp- 
son Stoddard, who was then a widower with one son, Samp- 
son, and one daughter, had made the acquaintance of my 
grandmother Margaret Yryling, with whom he was subse- 
quently united in the sacred bonds of matrimony. 

"My grandfather Stoddard, unwilling to appropriate any 
part of the Vryling patrimony to his own use, and desirous 
to secure the same for the benefit of his wife and the chil- 
dren of his second marriage, invested those funds in the pur- 
chase of the townships of Fitz-William, Ackworth, Stoddard — 
which bears his name — and a part of the town of Rindge, 
New Hampshire, forming in the aggregate upwards of eighty 
thousand acres. 

"By this second marriage he had one daughter, Sarah 
Stoddard, who was my highly cherished mother, and one 
son, Yryling Stoddard. 

"My two uncles, Sampson Stoddard and Yryling Stod- 
dard aforesaid, who were educated at Cambridge, graduating 
there in 1763 and 1765, died before my mother's marriage, 
and she became sole heiress of her mother's estate, and I 
inherited the combined names of said uncles. Hence the 
initials S. Y. S. W. 

"About the year 1770, intelligence was received from 
Amsterdam that both the maiden sisters of my grandmother 
had died within a few months of each other, leaving a prop- 
erty to the heirs in America of thirty-two thousand pounds 
Bterling in cash, with three houses estimated to be worth six 



1C EECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

or seven thousand pounds more; making in all, with accumu- 
lated interest, about forty thousand pounds sterling. The 
question then was, how to transmit this property to America. 

"It so happened that at this period there resided at 
Chelmsford, of which place my great-grandfather was the 
minister, a retired sea-captain, who some ten years before 
had purchased a snug estate near my grandfather's, and who 
had become intimate with the family. This captain proposed 
to my grandfather to charter a moderate sized vessel, and 
proceed to Amsterdam, with full powers to dispose of the 
real estate and sell the public securities of the thirty-two 
thousand pounds, invest the whole in specie, and return with 
it to Boston. 

"My grandfather having most unqualified confidence in 
this captain, readily embraced what was then considered an 
advantageous arrangement. Accordingly the requisite pa- 
pers, with authenticated vouchers identifying the heirs in 
this country, were made out and delivered to the said cap- 
tain, who proceeded in his chartered vessel to Amsterdam. 
After remaining there between five and six months, he wrote 
home to my grandfather that he had succeeded in disposing 
of the real estate for a little rising five thousand pounds; that 
he had sold the stocks, and had realized some thirty-eight 
thousand pounds sterling for the whole, which, in conform- 
ity with instructions, he had invested in specie, and that he 
had caused insurance thereon to be effected in London, from 
the port of Amsterdam to that of Boston in America, and that 
he was ready to sail with the first fair wind. 

"This was the last letter that was ever received from him. 
The only intelligence that he had sailed was an announce- 
ment to that effect in an English paper a few days after the 
date of the last letter. 

"Month after month rolled away, and no tidings of said 
vessel until after eighteen months, when two sailors arrived 
in Boston from China, stating that they were hands on board 
said vessel, and were the only survivors who escaped when 
the vessel was wrecked in the straits of Malacca. 

"On being questioned before a magistrate in Boston, 
they stated that when the vessel, on its way to America, 



BIETH AND ANCESTBY. 17 

reached the mouth of the British Channel, the captain assem- 
bled the crew, and apprized them that by proceeding to 
China and investing in teas and silk, he could more than 
double the amount ; and that if they would assent to pro- 
ceed to China, he would double their wages and allow them 
a certain percentage on the profits of the voyage. 

" Having thus obtained the assent of the crew, the course 
of the vessel was changed, by crossing the Bay of Biscay and 
round the Cape of Good Hope, until they reached the straits 
of Malacca, where the vessel foundered, and all perished but 
these two men, who were picked up by another vessel. 

" Whether the captain was tempted by the large funds in 
possession to run away, or whether he really intended to 
invest the property and return to Boston, will never be 
known until the parties shall be summoned to the judgment- 
seat of Christ. But be this as it may, it was a deviation from 
the direct course, and in consequence vitiated the insurance. 
Thus was lost to the family a property of nearly two hundred 
thousand dollars. 

" But misfortunes seldom come singly. A few years after 
the foregoing catastrophe, my grandfather Stoddard, desir- 
ous of having his townships settled and realizing part of the 
proceeds, made arrangements with from one to two hundred 
young men to proceed thither and select farms of two hun- 
dred acres each, and become actual settlers thereon, and 
agreed that when they could pay down a certain portion, he 
would give them deeds, taking mortgages for the residue of 
the payment. 

" My grandfather, not having stipulated to be paid in 
hard money, and being a firm Whig and patriot, and having 
great confidence in the good faith of the new government 
that the Continental paper money would eventually be re- 
deemed, a portion of the young men availed themselves of 
its deterioration — when one silver dollar would purchase 
fifty, or even a hundred paper dollars — to pay off my grand- 
father, and thus obtain their deeds. 

"I perfectly recollect, when a boy, seeing in the attic of 
our brick mansion in Lancaster, several barrels of this mon- 
ey, which had been paid to my grandfather and his execu- 



18 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

tors, and which our government finally redeemed at one cent 
on the dollar. 

' ' But hundreds of farms in the aforesaid townships were 
taken possession of by squatters at and after the period of 
my grandfather's death, during the distracted times of cur 
Eevolutionary struggle, who never obtained ahy titles from 
the Stoddard family. 

" I well recollect that a short time after my father's death, 
a lawyer from Stoddard called on my mother, and stated that 
two claimants were in litigation respecting a valuable farm in 
the town, and he being employed in behalf of one of the 
claimants, offered my mother one thousand dollars for her 
deed of the farm ; but she absolutely refused to accede to the 
offer, saying that although there was no original title from 
the Stoddard family, yet subsequent owners had undoubtedly 
paid a fair price for it, and she would not incur the risk of 
doing an act of injustice for any pecuniary consideration 
whatever. 

"The result of this attempt to procure a title from the 
direct heir of the Stoddard estate, led other holders of prop- 
erty in the aforesaid towns to retrace their titles. Such they 
found to be the deficiency, and such the number and value 
of farms that were destitute of original titles, and such was 
then considered the importance of obtaining a clear title from 
the Stoddard estate, that another lawyer from that section of 
country called on my mother, and importuned her for several 
days to accept of fifty thousand dollars for her full and irre- 
vocable power of attorney to act in the matter as he might 
hereafter deem expedient ; but for reasons already assigned 
she absolutely declined the tempting offer. 

"On taking leave of this conscientious mother for the 
last time, on the eve of my departure for France, she en- 
joined on me as the next heir after her decease, never to dis- 
turb the firesides of those who were now in quiet possession 
of the numerous farms aforesaid. 

" Thus it will be perceived that in this world of mutabil- 
ity, a once opulent branch of our family became, by two un- 
toward events in the providence of God, dispossessed of what 
was considered in those days a vast property. 



BIKTH AKD ANCESTRY. 19 

"But in this, as in every other event of life, we may be 
consoled by the conviction that every thing cooperates di- 
rectly or indirectly for the accomplishment ol the wise designs 
of that Providence who * doeth according to his will in the 
army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth ;' 
and if we, the descendants of onr pious grandmother, do not 
inherit their worldly possessions, if we can imitate their vir- 
tues, and possess their faith in the blood and righteousness 
of a crucified Redeemer, we may hope, in God's good time, 
to possess with them an * inheritance, where neither moth 
nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
through nor steal, ' and where ' all tears shall be wiped ' from 
sorrow's eye. 

" You may wish to know something of the person, appear- 
ance, and character of my grandmother Margaret Vryling. 
She is said to have been a tall, elegant young lady of prepos- 
sessing appearance and lady-like manners. She died when 
I was about eight years of age, but I recollect her face and 
figure perfectly when she was above eighty. She was then 
very upright, standing about five feet six inches high, as 
nearly as I can remember ; a person of no ordinary appear- 
ance, and one who commanded the deference and respect of 
all who approached her. 

" Being of the real orthodox Whitefield school, and hold- 
ing the glorious truths she had imbibed from her pious, evan- 
gelical mother, she was greatly opposed to the prevailing 
lax or Socinian doctrines. Wishing to educate a minister 
who, by the grace of God, would one day preach nothing but 
the pure doctrines of the cross, she entreated my father and 
mother to place me at her disposition ; and upon their acced- 
ing to her request, presented me with six thousand acres of 
land on Pleasant river in Maine, and eight hundred dollars in 
cash, to carry me through college and the theological course. 
From that time I was placed at the first grammar-schools, 
where I continued to pursue my studies with unremitting 
diligence and perseverance until the age of thirteen, at which 
time my father, on his death-bed, expressed a wish that I 
should enter mercantile life. 

"It must here be stated that my benevolently disposed 



20 RECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

father, a few years before his death, merely to oblige a friend, 
endorsed for him to the amount of between three and four 
thousand pounds sterling, it being said at the time to be 'for 
form's sake only,' as his friend was reputed to have ample 
means to meet the debt at maturity. But my father, con- 
trary to his expectations, was called upon, a year or two after, 
to pay the amount of the endorsement. In order to provide 
the means, he shipped two cargoes of potash to England, in- 
tending to apply part of the proceeds to this purpose ; but 
the vessels and cargoes being wrecked in a storm on the 
coast of Ireland before the advices for insurance thereon had 
reached London, my father sustained a loss of some fifty 
thousand dollars, which swept off nearly the whole of a snug 
personal property which he then possessed, and obliged him 
to mortgage his home estate, consisting of fifteen hundred 
acres, in order to make out the requisite sum to pay the 
aforesaid bonds. His being aware, in consequence of these 
disastrous losses, of the circumscribed means with which his 
widow and fatherless children would be left, was probably his 
motive for changing my destination for life, thinking thereby 
to place me in a more advantageous position to assist the fam- 
ily in case of need. 

"I was therefore compelled to relinquish my studies, and 
was immediately placed behind the counter, where, and in 
various mercantile operations in Europe and this country, I 
have passed the last sixty years of my unprofitable life." 

To his mother Mr. Wilder felt that lie owed 
much, writing, in another connection, "If I have 
any title to the endearing name of evangelical 
Christian, it is to the faithful, untiring admonitions 
impressed, ' line upon line, precept upon precept,' 
by this devoted mother, that, by the grace of God, 
I owe that blessing." 

"Planted," as it were "in the house of the 
Lord," it was truly according to promise that he 



BIKTH AND ANCESTKY. 21 

"flourished in the courts of our God," and still 
"brought forth fruit in old age." If the seed thus 
early sown did not immediately germinate, is it not 
to the encouragement of Christian parents that it 
was no doubt very much due to the influence of a 
pious ancestry that Mr. Wilder became so eminently 
one of those " trees of righteousness" of which Isa- 
iah speaks, " the planting of the Lord, that He might 
be glorified ?" 

The magnificent elm-tree of his native place, to 
which we compared him, now no longer remains. 
All the places here which once knew Mm, must now 
know him no more ; but, transplanted to the banks 
of the pure river of the water of life, he lives for 
evermore where not even a leaf can again wither 
away. 



22 RECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 



II. 

mag fy ton$ iijhm % laud wfcfoft % !wd % |<rd 

Never perhaps was this command more strictly 
obeyed, or the promise attached more literally ful- 
filled, than in the present instance. The ardor and 
strength of affection which all through life distin- 
guished Mr. Wilder was very early shown towards 
his parents. An aged sister, now the last remain- 
ing of a family of seven, gives some recollections of 
him as a boy ; also a few regarding his mother. 

" Sampson was about thirteen years old when our father 
died. This made him almost sick ; he mourned, and could not 
eat ; said he could not sit down to the table without his father. 
I remember the funeral as if it were yesterday. It was the 
largest ever known in Lancaster. The procession reached 
from our house to the burying-ground. Sampson walked 
with his mother ; but when we came near the grave, he rushed 
away from her, and people said if he had not been prevented 
he would have gone into the grave of the father whom he 
loved so well. 

" Our mother was left with six children, and was so much 
overcome with grief as hardly to be able to take care of them. 
She never seemed like herself after father died. Grandfa- 
ther Stoddard had given her every advantage. She had been 
almost worshipped in her own family, by father and mother 
and brothers and all. Her dress and wardrobe were always 
in perfect order. And she was such a good woman ; so kind 



EAELY LIFE. 23 

to the poor ; they all came to her door knowing they would 
not be turned away. She would even take the clothes from 
her back to give to the needy. She was small and delicate 
in person, and my father would never let her have any unnec- 
essary care. His death almost killed her. Sampson was 
always so good and obedient to her, and such a good brother 
too. 

' ' After my father's death, it was necessary for my brother to 
go into a store. My mother chose that of 'Squire Flagg, who 
had been an old clerk of my father. Here he was much 
liked, he was so honest and reliable." 

This Josiah Flagg, Esq., with whom the boy was 
now living, seems to have been a man of excellent 
judgment, in some respects resembling his uncle 
Benjamin Franklin. His character and advice no 
doubt had a decided influence upon his young clerk, 
who in return became one of the chief comforts of 
his declining years. 

During Mr. Wilder's absence in Europe, Mr. 
Flagg looked after his mother's interests. Letters 
written by Mr. Flagg to Mr. "Wilder at this time, 
about 1811 and 1812, give decided touches of the 
character of each of the three concerned, showing 
the devotion of the son, the unselfishness of the 
mother, the gratitude and good common-sense of 
the aged friend. 

"You have manifested the most filial affection for your 
mother, in your bountiful provision for her wants. She 
would not suffer the money you sent to be invested in those 
comforts you so judiciously mentioned, but appropriated it 
to the education of your sister. Of the larger sum, your 
mother would take only the income. Said she, 'Ah, Mr. 
Flagg, how do we know but that poor Sampson may come 



24 RECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

home penniless ; and shall it be said that I have spent the 
fruits of his earnings ? No ; I should never forgive myself.' " 
Again Mr. Elagg writes: "The very polite and substan- 
tial proofs of your benevolence I have fully realized, and with 
the most heart-felt gratitude I acknowledge your disinterested 
friendship. Acts of benevolence which must be approved by 
the Creator are those when our charity is directed to objects 
without either sinister or interested motives. Such, my good 
friend, has been your munificence towards me. With tears 
of affection, I acknowledge the receipt of your gift. I assem- 
bled my family on the occasion ; showed them your goodness. 
Such a picturesque scene would afford ample scope for an 
artist. The various emotions of gratitude, affection, joy, 
and all the heavenly passions commingled in the group, had 
you been present unobserved, would have drawn from you 
the exclamation, ' How richly am I rewarded for this gener- 
ous act. I thank thee, O heavenly Parent, for thus enabling 
me to help this distressed, grateful family. ' Can I say more, 
my dear friend, than that you have all our benedictions, and 
may Heaven bless you for ever." 

At the age of fourteen Mr. Wilder was placed in 
a store at Gardner, Mass., his mother having reason 
to suppose that this situation offered greater advan- 
tages. This did not prove to be the case, unless 
as strengthening by exercise the valuable traits of 
character, patience and perseverance. For two 
years he remained without complaining, for fear of 
troubling his mother. But at the end of that time 
he concluded to leave, feeling that he ought to do 
'so in justice to himself and those who might be de- 
pendent upon his future efforts. Engaging some 
one to take his place, he returned home. 

"How well I remember," says his now aged sis- 
ter, "when he came back, the tall, pleasant youth 



EAKLY LIFE. 25 

standing in the doorway, and dressed in nankeen. 
My mother was troubled at first; feared he had 
done wrong; but soon became satisfied that it was 
not so. Brother was always so kind to us all. 
Soon after this, when he was about to go to Boston 
to seek a place, he having already some acquaint- 
ance there, my mother offered him money. 'No,' 
he said, ' I cannot take it from the widow and the 
fatherless,' and so he always said."* 

It has already been explained in part how the 
Stoddard and Wilder property had, in the provi- 
dence of God, so melted away as to render a change 
of occupation necessary for the oldest son in so large 
a family. These losses had been still further in- 
creased through the fraud or carelessness of a rela- 
tive whom Mr. Wilder's mother trusted to sell the 
family estate. Even her own jewelry and trinkets 
were in some way taken from her, some of which 
were afterwards found in a Boston auction-room. 
The man who bought the property came from Phil- 
adelphia, and kept up great style, driving with four 
horses to his open carriage. 

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest," so did the 
Lord, in this case, seem to have broken up Mr. 
Wilder's early home, that he who otherwise would 
probably have inherited it might be kept from laps- 

* At Gardner as elsewhere, Mr. Wilder, though so young 
at the time of his residence there, seems to have made his 
mark. In 1858 there came a letter asking for an account of 
his life and a likeness, that both might be inserted in a his- 
tory of that place about to be published. 

Wilder. 2 



26 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

ing with his neighbors into a faith far from evan- 
gelical. Thanks be to God, he was preserved from 
this, and on the contrary became not only, as has 
been said, " a prince of benevolence in the church," 
but a stanch upholder of "the faith once deliv- 
ered" to his Puritan ancestors. 

All these family troubles much affected the 
health and spirits of Mr. Wilder's mother; but he 
never forgot the respect due her as a parent. He 
himself says, " An implicit obedience to the wishes 
and entreaties of a pious mother was an important 
link in the chain of overruling providences which 
led to my success in life." As in the case of Wash- 
ington, obedience to a mother seems to have been 
the hinge upon which turned his future course. 

Mr..Wilder's mother died August 3, 1818, sur- 
viving her husband twenty-five years. A friend on 
that occasion wrote to him in Paris : 

" Her health had been for the most part as good 

as usual until this attack. Mrs. H visited her, 

and found her calm and cheerful, convinced that 
her disease was incurable. I lost no time in grati- 
fying her with a sight of the portraits of her son 
and wife, which she had requested the day before. 
She would not permit me to leave them, for feai 
they should be injured. 

" Her last days were full of kindness in giving 
advice and consolation to all around her. She 
directed minutely all that should be done about her 
property. 

" You have in this event the highest consolation 



EAKLY LIFE. 27 

possible. Your parent was indeed one of the best. 
With a lofty turn of mind, she had a most benevo- 
lent heart. Her principles of religion and morality 
were of the purest kind. She died in the full faith 
and hope of salvation through her Saviour. 

" You have the satisfaction to reflect that you 
have done the utmost you could do to testify respect 
and regard, and make a parent comfortable." 

Mr. Wilder's sisters were all married but one, 
and ever received much kindness from their elder 
brother. There was a younger brother, but his 
health was feeble, and he died early. 

The sisters all spoke of their brother Sampson 
as always good to them, but as a boy full of vivac- 
ity and. sport. Indeed, all through life, the quiet 
vein of humor, the quick sense of the ludicrous that 
distinguished him, conjoined with the courtly man- 
ners natural even in early life, rendered his society 
fascinating to both old and young. 

We have seen how truly S. V. S. Wilder honored 
his parents, and his days were long upon the land 
which the Lord his God gave unto him. Beautiful 
was the old age that crowned these well-spent daj^s. 
Surely " the Lord showeth himself to be ever mind- 
ful of his covenant." Psalm 111 : 5. 



28 EECOKDS OF S S. Y. 8. WILDER. 



III. 

Steict honesty and integrity, combined with 
energy of character, are the highways pointed out 
by God himself as leading to success in life. Those 
who honor their parents, and being just and true, 
are jthemselves worthy of honor, may expect to 
receive an inheritance according to the promise. 

To show how trustworthy and capable the boy 
who, in- 1797, came to Boston to look for a situation, 
had been considered by his employer in Gardner, 
and how regard for his mother's wishes affected his 
whole history, it is but necessary to give a few 
memoranda hastily taken from his own lips. 

" While at Gardner, at the age of sixteen, I had 
been sent to Boston, about fifty miles, in charge of 
seven wagons of produce, which, according to com- 
mission, I sold and invested in goods. In this way 
I had made the acquaintance of several merchants 
who offered me employment in their service. Among 
others, were Messrs. Richardson & Walker. I par- 
tially made an arrangement to go with them, at a 
salary of $150 a year ; but their religious senti- 
ments were not of a kind to suit my mother, and 
she was entirely opposed to my taking the placfi. 



EAELY MEKCANTILE LIFE. 29 

In compliance with her wishes, but much against 
my own will, I went into the store of a Mr. Henley, 
at a salary of $50. Here I found a home with pious 
people, and while here I was favored with the notice 
and acquaintance of Rev. Jedidiah Morse, D. D., 
who invited me often to his house, and put his library 
at my disposal, only while engaged there I was to 
make no noise to disturb him at his studies. In 
addition, he gave me some instruction on Saturday 
evenings." 

It was a great privilege for a young man thus 
to have direct access to the fountain-head in this 
country of geographical knowledge and research; 
for it is well known that in this department Dr. 
Morse was pioneer ; and well have his sons sustained 
the prestige of the name, transmitting it through 
the world of letters, telegraphing it by sea and land 
down to the present day.* 

* ' ' Dr. Morse was the father of American geography, hav- 
ing prepared and published in 1784, at New Haven, in Con- 
necticut, a small 18mo school geography, which was the first 
book of geography, so far as I can learn, ever published on 
the American continent. In 1789 the first edition of his large 
Geography, in one volume 8vo, was printed in Elizabeth- 
town, N. J"., 'by Shepard Kollock, for the author.' This 
work was immediately reprinted in three separate editions, 
in England, Scotland, and Ireland. It was translated into 
French, and published in Paris, and into German, and pub- 
lished in Hamburg. It was from this work, in its successive 
editions, that foreigners for many years derived their chief 
knowledge of this country. For more than twenty years Dr. 
Morse's geographical works, large and small, and in the form 
of gazetteers, etc. , were circulated more widely in the United 
States than those of all other geographies combined. " s. e. m. 



30 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

With regard to Mr. "Wilder, mark " the string of 
providences," as he loved to call them, which about 
this time entwined him, and gave direction to his 
earthly future. He goes on to say : 

" Thus, in consequence of obeying my mother, I 
was brought under the notice of Dr. Morse, near 
whose house was Madame Henley's store; for Mr. 
Henley dying while I was there, the business was 
carried on by Madame Henley, and I became her 
head clerk. Through Dr. Morse, I became ac- 
quainted with Talleyrand. By Madame Henley's 
friends I was sent to France. Through Talleyrand 
I received special protection from the French gov- 
ernment, which protection allowed of the forming, 
under my own roof, of various societies for the pro- 
motion of the dear Redeemer's cause in the world. 
It is rather a curious coincidence that Talleyrand, 
having been first received by Mr. Thomas Russell, 
and by Mr. Joseph Barrell in his mansion in Charles- 
town, was by them introduced to Dr. Morse, who 
saw much of this remarkable man, and so was pre- 
pared, when I was about sailing for Prance, to give 
me letters of introduction to him. Mr. Joseph Bar- 
rell was Mrs. Wilder's grandfather; so it proved 
to be." 

About 1800, Mr. Barrett's spacious grounds, now 
covered with buildings, were an attractive place of 
resort, where the young Charlestown clerk would 
often pass a leisure hour, noticing on more than 
one occasion the lovely group of Mr. Barrett's grand- 
children, with a miniature carriage provided for 



EARLY MERCANTILE LIFE. 31 

their amusement ; little surmising that here in these 
gardens was growing the rose destined to adorn 
and render happy his existence. 

Mr. Wilder never perhaps appeared in more 
characteristic guise than in an interview he had 
about this time with the younger Mr. Joseph Bar- 
rell, his future father-in-law. 

"The first and the last time, as far as my recollection 
serves me, that I ever enjoyed the privilege and satisfaction 
of being personally known or speaking to my late respected 
father-in-law, as he afterwards proved to be in the good prov- 
idence of God, was as follows : 

"During the period of my clerkship in the store of Col. 
Henley, I one day presented a check of $1,000 to a bank in 
Boston of which Mr. Joseph Barreil was the cashier, and 
received from the paying teller two bank-notes of $500 each. 
On reaching our store in Charlestown, I opened the porte- 
monnaie with a view to proceed to the counting-room to 
deposit the money, when I perceived that I had three bills of 
$500 each, instead of two . The bills being new, had adhered 
together, in consequence of which the teller, it seems, had 
paid them out inadvertently. I at once announced the fact 
to my employer, who concurred with me in the propriety of 
immediately returning to the bank with a view to rectify the 
mistake. 

"On reaching the bank, I at once said to the teller that 
I had discovered a mistake in the money which he had paid 
me shortly before on the check which I had presented for 
that purpose. Said he, ' Sir, you should have discovered the 
mistake before leaving the bank, as we rectify no mistakes 
after the persons receiving the money pass the threshold of 
yonder door.' 

"At the same time opening my porte-monnaie, I found 
to my great alarm that the $500 bill which I had placed in it 
was gone. I at once, without saying another word, left the 
bank for our counting-room, when, opening my porte-mon- 



32 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

naie, which had two sides just alike, behold, there was the 
$500 bill safe and sound. 

"I immediately returned a third time to the bank; on 
reaching which the teller exclaimed, ' Well, sir, come again ? 
Shall I say to you that we rectify no mistakes here after the 
persons receiving the money shall have passed the threshold 
of yonder door ?' ' "Well, ' said I, ' sir, I am determined not 
to leave this bank until the mistake is rectified. ' The teller 
then left me to stand in the middle of the floor, and went on 
paying several persons who presented checks at his desk. 

"After allowing me to stand for some time, the cashier, 
Mr. Barrell, happened to pass near the paying teller, and 
asked him what that young man was waiting for who had 
been standing so long on the floor. ' Why, ' said the teller, 
'he pretends that I made a mistake in paying him some 
money an hour or two ago, and seems not disposed to take 
No for an answer, when I tell him that we rectify no mis- 
takes." 

"On hearing this, the cashier, Mr. Barrell, approached 
me very courteously, and said, ' Young man, you perhaps are 
not aware that the rules of our institution forbid the teller to 
rectify any mistakes, pretended or otherwise, which are dis- 
covered after the persons receiving the money shall have left 
the premises.' I replied, ' Your teller has already announced 
to me that fact ; but allow me to say, sir, that there is a mis- 
take, and that justice to your institution and myself demands 
that I should not leave the bank until said mistake be recti- 
fied ; and I shall persist in this determination, sir, whatever 
be your rules and regulations. ' 

1 ' Speaking with rather an elevated voice, as I had become 
rather excited, it drew from his seat the president of the insti- 
tution, and the loud discussion seemed to attract the atten- 
tion of several of the clerks, who fixed their eyes upon the 
place where I was standing. The teller then, in answering 
the president's question, said I had become quite obstreper- 
ous, and evinced a disposition not to conform to the regula- 
tions of the institution. So, for the time being, I was let 
alone. 

"When the business of the bank was about to close for 



EAKLY MEKCANTILE LIFE. 33 

the day, the very gentlemanly cashier, with that suavity of 
manner which characterized all his movements, again ap- 
proached me, and said, ' Young man, have a little patience 
until the doors of the bank are closed, when the teller shall 
add up his accounts, and we will investigate and ascertain, if 
possible, if any mistake can be discovered.' I then made 
answer that, ' seeing a disposition on the part of the officers 
of the bank to render justice, I will not trouble the teller to 
have recourse to his cash account in order to investigate the 
matter. ' I then took from my porte-monnaie the $500 bill, 
handing it to the cashier, and told him it had adhered to the 
two other bills, all of which were evidently of a new issue, 
and how I had discovered it, as heretofore stated. 

"'What,' said he, 'may be your name, young man?' 
Said I, ' Names are of no consequence ; my name, however, 
is Wilder. ' ' Mr. Wilder,' said he, ' walk behind the counter 
and take a seat, and allow me to introduce you to the presi- 
dent.' 'You will excuse me, sir,' said I, 'as I have been 
here so long ; other engagements oblige me to return forth- 
with to our store.' 

"The president, cashier, and teller then consulting aside 
for a moment, the latter approached me as I was leaving the 
bank, and tendered me the acceptance of a fifty-dollar bill, 
which of course I declined, expressing a wish that in future 
they might not be so ready to decline rectifying a mistake. 

"I little imagined at the time that the cashier herein 
mentioned was the honored father of her who in after years 
constituted the charm, the delight, and joy of my life." 

Another fact of some interest is connected with 
Mr. Wilder while living in Charlestown, and is men- 
tioned in the " New York Observer " of March 16, 
1865, that he was the second person vaccinated in 
this country. Sidney E. Morse, Esq., in a private 
letter, gives the details as follows : 

"Mr. Wilder was a clerk in Mrs. Henley's fancy silk and 
drygoods store in Charlestown, on the main street, about 

2* 



34 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

fifteen or twenty rods from our house, the parsonage, as early 
as the year 1800, and how much earlier I know not. He 
must have been then twenty years old. In the autumn of 
that year he was vaccinated by Dr. Waterhouse of Cambridge, 
and, I suppose, was the first healthy subject of vaccination in 
America. Dr. Waterhouse vaccinated his own son, but would 
not use the matter from his arm to vaccinate others, because 
of some disease with which his son was afflicted. Mr. Wilder 
was an uncommonly ruddy and healthy looking young man, 
and on that account, I presume, was regarded with great 
favor by Dr. Waterhouse for his purpose. 

" When vaccination was first introduced, it met with 
much opposition in this country as well as in England. 
Many persons here believed that it would endanger the 
health, if not the life of the person vaccinated. Dr. Water- 
house experienced great difficulty on this account in finding 
persons willing to incur the risk. My father, through his 
correspondents in London, became satisfied that vaccination 
was entirely safe, and that it would be the great boon to 
mankind which it has proved to be. He therefore invited 
Dr. Waterhouse to Charlestown, with the assurance that he 
would find him healthy subjects for his experiment Accord- 
ingly, when Dr. Waterhouse arrived, my father took him at 
once to Mrs. Henley's store, and after a representation of the 
case to him, Mr. Wilder without hesitation stripped up his 
sleeve and submitted to the operation. 

"Mrs. Henley, I believe, was in Boston at the time, and 
was quite shocked when she heard of what had occurred in 
her absence. 

"After vaccinating Mr. Wilder, Dr. Waterhouse returned 
to my father's house, and vaccinated me and my brother 
Eichard. I was then only six and a half years old, but I 
have a vivid remembrance of the scene, and of the cries of my 
brother Eichard when the doctor scraped his arm and pricked 
it with the lancet. My recollections are distinct. I remem- 
ber the corner of the parlor in which he stood, the old Wil- 
lard family clock, the chairs, and the group of persons around 
him." 



EAKLY MEKCANTILE LIFE. 35 

A venturesome offering this on the altar of pro- 
gressive science by the truly wise and far-sighted 
father. The vaccination proved effectual in Mr. 
Wilder's case, as it has since then in so many 
others, although he was again and again exposed to 
both varioloid and small-pox in the course of his 
many voyages. 

There was another clerk in Madame Henley's 
establishment, James Ferson. In 1848, he, after a 
cessation of intercourse of fifty years, wrote to Mr. 
Wilder, giving some account of himself and family, 
and asking for similar information in return. The 
following is from Mr. Wilder's reply : 

"My dear old Shopmate — Near fifty years 
have rolled away since I last beheld your face in 
the flesh. I had supposed you were among the 
dead with most of my early associates in Charles- 
town. Judge then of my delightful surprise on 
receiving your much valued favor, and hearing that 
your brothers were devoted evangelical Christians, 
and that you are animated by the same hope, 
cheered by the same delightful prospects, relying 
on the same gracious promises, and looking to the 
same divine Saviour with myself for salvation. . . . 
To go into details of my pilgrimage through this 
wilderness world would require volumes." 

An interesting incident, given. in his own words, 
occurred during the latter part of Mr. Wilder's 
clerkship with Madame Henley. 

"For the information and advantage of my grandsons, 
and other young men who are approaching the period when 



36 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

they will be called upon to enter on the stern realities of 
active life, and, exempt from the legal control of parental 
authority, will assume the responsibility of acting for them- 
selves, I relate the following incident : 

"I had completed the term of my clerkship, or as it was 
called in those days, apprenticeship, in the respectable mer- 
cantile house of Col. Henley in Charlestown, whose widow 
was a sister of the great merchant prince of that day, Thomas 
Russell, and was also sister-in-law of the distinguished mer- 
chant John Codman, who married another sister of Thomas 
Russell, and was the honored father of the late Rev. Dr. 
Codman. 

"Having enjoyed the great advantage of being personally 
known to these distinguished families, and being then en- 
gaged in winding up the concerns of my late employers, pre- 
paratory to commencing business on my own account, an old 
country customer called at our store one morning, and after 
having made a selection of several articles which we still had 
on hand, and wishing, in order to complete his assortment, 
half a bale of Russia duck, which we had not, I told him that 
he might calculate upon having it at the time he was to call 
for the other articles, which was at one o'clock. 

• ' I soon left for Boston, in order to obtain the article 
wanted. Having purchased it, and not meeting with the 
truckman who usually transported at noon the merchandise 
that was ready to be taken over to Charlestown, I engaged a 
young man with a wheelbarrow to take over the bale of duck. 
After accomplishing my other business, I proceeded on my 
return home. On reaching Back-street, leading to Charles- 
town bridge, I perceived the young man sitting upon the 
wheelbarrow, quite overpowered by the tremendous heat of 
the day, and unable to proceed any further. 

" Having promised the goods at one o'clock, and it being 
already half-past twelve, and no time to be lost, I immedi- 
ately seized the wheelbarrow, dressed as I was in Nankeen 
small-clothes, with silk stockings, white Marseilles vest, a 
striped gingham coat, and a white fur hat. 

1 ' Thus I was propelling along the wheelbarrow when over- 
taken by Mr. Codman on horseback. 'What,' said he, 'Mr. 



\ 

EAELT MEKCANTILE LIFE. 37 

Wilder turned truckman ?' ' Why,' said I, ' sir, I have prom* 
ised these goods to be ready for a customer at one o'clock at 
our store, and am determined not to disappoint him, and 
this young man being quite overcome by the intense heat, it 
only remained for me to assume his place.' ' Good, good !' 
said Mr. Codman, and rode on over the bridge and called at 
his sister-in-law's at our store. Said he, ' I witnessed a scene 
just now, in coming over the bridge, which afforded me much 
satisfaction, being nothing less than observing your head 
clerk with a wheelbarrow loaded with a heavy package, which 
it seems he had promised a customer of yours to be delivered 
at one o'clock, and it now wants but twenty minutes. I 
understand,' said he, 'that that young man is about com- 
mencing business for himself. You may say to him on his 
arrival, that such is my approval of the energy of character 
which he has displayed in not hesitating to wheel the barrow 
himself rather than disappoint a customer, that when he 
commences business my name is at his service for thirty 
thousand dollars, so long as he does not endorse for others. ' 

" He immediately mounted his horse on his return, when 
he again met me on Charlestown-square, still propelling the 
wheelbarrow. ' Good, good !' said he again, and continued 
his route. 

" On reaching the store, I found the customer there with 
his other goods packed, and only waiting for the duck, which 
arrived just in time to be loaded on the team with the other 
articles. Although very much heated from overexertion and 
exposure in the sun, the heat was not a little allayed on being 
told of the estimate with which Mr. Codman had regarded 
me from this transaction, and the promises which he had 
made in my behalf. 

"A few months after, I commenced business in Boston on 
my own account, and although I never availed myself of the 
facilities offered by Mr. Codman, yet he consigned to me, a 
few months after, a cargo of Russia sheetings, diapers, and 
ducks, which I shortly disposed of on commission, which 
amounted to upwards of three thousand dollars, with the 
sales of which he was so well satisfied, that it led to two or 
three similar consignments during the first year of my busi- 



38 KEOOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

ness, and which resulted in the aggregate to a gain of over 
ten thousand dollars." 

Let the young profit by this example, and make 
the prayer of David their own : " Let integrity and 
uprightness preserve me." Psa. 25 : 21. Let them 
ever have courage to do what is right and neces- 
sary ; and let them only " be ashamed who trans- 
gress without cause." Psa. 25 : 3. 



EDUCATION. 39 



IV. 

Hli$^ mm tag up %mmhi^ fvow* $%h 

Eefeeence has already been made to Mr. "Wil- 
der' s early destination for the ministry by his pious 
grandmother, and his attending the best grammar- 
schools with a view to that most noble of all human 
employment; and also to the change rendered nec- 
essary by his father's loss of property and early 
death. But though his school-life, properly so 
called, was so early interrupted, it is not to be un- 
derstood that he enjoyed no further advantages for 
education. Informal at first as the instruction may 
have been, this could not in truth be said of any 
pupil of Dr. Morse, whose kindness has already 
been mentioned. The impetus given by such a 
friend to a mind combining ardor and perseverance 
with good common-sense, no doubt affected Mr. 
"Wilder's mental habits through life. 

In answer to some inquiries, Sidney E. Morse, 
Esq., writes, " In November, 1801, my father estab- 
lished a Saturday evening lecture in Charlestown, 
for the religious instruction of the youth of his par- 
ish, taking the Westminster Assembly's Catechism 
as his text-book. This lecture was soon attended 
by more than two hundred young people. It was 
renewed in the autumn of 1802 and 1803, with an 
increase in the number of attendants to three and 



40 KECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

four hundred, and evidently with good effect ; more 
than one hundred persons having been added to 
my father's church during three years at this period 
of his ministry. Mr. Wilder seems to have been 
prominent among the young men who promoted 
this enterprise, as he was one of the committee who 
addressed a letter to my father, accompanied with 
a handsome gift, expressing their gratitude for the 
services he had rendered them." The substance of 
this committee's letter to Dr. Morse, and his reply, 
are subjoined. 

" Chablestown, Oct., 1802. 

"Most Reverend Sib — We beg leave to approach you 
with sentiments of grateful regard, and offer you our highest 
acknowledgments for your unremitted and disinterested ex- 
ertions in our behalf : our best wishes and our highest grati- 
tude are but a reasonable return for privileges so inestimable. 
And while we sincerely wish you health and happiness in this 
world, our united prayers are offered for your inheritance of 
that felicity which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not 
away. 

"In behalf of the young gentlemen who have attended 
the Saturday evening lectures, we have the honor to be, rev- 
erend sir, your sincere and grateful friends, 

"A. R. THOMPSON, \ 

" SAMPSON V. S. WILDER, V Committee." 

"CHARLES TUTTLE, ) 

"Chablestown, Oct., 1802. 
"My young Friends — These evidences of your kind re- 
gard and of your gratitude for attentions on my part to your 
religious improvement, and which I have paid with heartfelt 
satisfaction, have yielded me no common pleasure. The 
affectionate attachment you so kindly express towards me, 
my young friends, I can and do most cordially reciprocate. 
The respectful and handsome manner in which your address 
has been penned and presented does honor to your under- 



EDUCATION. 41 

standings, and the sentiments you express do equal credit to 
the sensibilities of your hearts. 

" Truly I am your affectionate pastor and friend, 

"JEDIDIAH MOUSE." 

Before the time of these lectures, Mr. Wilder 
must have entered upon a rigid course of self-im- 
provement. A full and appropriate letter, which he 
wrote to his mother, Jan. 1, 1800, on the death of 
Washington, shows that, at the age of twenty, his 
mind had had the discipline of much reading and 
study. 

In August, 1801, he wrote a letter of advice to 
a younger sister, the style of which would have 
* been appropriate as coming from her grandfather, 
rather than from a brother of twenty-one years. 
But this brother being the eldest, felt that he must 
take the place of a father to the younger children. 
The first part of the letter consists of what would 
now be called an old-fashioned disquisition upon 
the three virtues of "fortitude or patience, humil-/ 
ity, and resignation," and their opposite vices. 
This is written much in the manner of the better 
Greek and Boman moralists, and shows distinctly 
that at this time the writer had not even begun to 
know the Lord Jesus Christ as he is, divine, per- 
sonal, in whom is revealed to us that God who in 
this letter is spoken of as an ancient philosopher 
might have written, merely as " the Author of our 
being," " under whose eye" we are, to whose " prov- 
idence the mind should resign itself, and triumph in 
his approbation." 



42 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

The name "Jesus," which was Mr. Wilder's 
especial theme in after life, and which even in 
death it was his wish to " sound so loud that all 
the earth might hear," is not even alluded to in the 
whole production. At the same time, the precepts 
inculcated are excellent, only wanting that grand 
motive power which the love of Jesus alone can 
supply. 

By a course of useful, systematic reading, early 
commenced and continued into the busy days of 
commercial life, Mr. Wilder attained a degree of 
general information and knowledge of English lit- 
erature not always possessed by gentlemen in mer- 
cantile business. At a later period he says, " Con- 
sidering the circumscribed advantages for intellect- 
ual improvement under which I labored during my 
youthful years, if I have acquired a superficial know- 
ledge which allows me to pass in the crowd without 
precisely disgracing my erudite friends, it must be 
ascribed, with the blessing of God, to exertions 
made during the meridian of life." He highly esti- 
mated the ability to write a good letter. A few of 
his own will be introduced in these pages, as occa- 
sion may demand. In language they were often 
euphonious ; in style clear, though at times involv- 
ed through redundancy of expression ; in manu- 
script unmistakably neat and beautiful. His 
unique signature, early adopted, always seemed 
significantly appropriate. Bat the crowning charm 
of all his letters was the almost never-failing refer- 
ence in them to his Master's cause. It seems as if 



EDUCATION. 43 

lie "would His love" record on "every fleeting" 
page. 

His addresses also on various public occasions 
evidently showed culture of mind as well as benev- 
olence of heart. , 

True education, after all, is that which best pre- 
pares us for the life beyond the present. The most 
important problem to be solved is what it profits a 
man to gain his own soul. As Mr. "Wilder' s mind, 
emerging from a state of comparative indifference 
to the great truths of religion, became more en- 
lightened, he the more strongly felt the superior 
worth of that wisdom which is from above, in com- 
parison with mere literary cultivation. The Bible 
became to him the book it is. In the society of a 
humble Christian he found more congeniality than 
in that of the merely learned, however great and 
distinguished. How truly would he pity those who, 
"ignorant of their danger, ignorant of a Saviour 
dying to redeem them," were "ignorant of all that 
pertained to their eternal peace." He felt increas- 
ingly that this alone was in fact to be desired, " to 
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.' 
Eph. 3:19. 



44 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 



V. 

Me. Wilder remained as clerk with. Mrs. Henley 
until, her affairs being closed up, he went into busi- 
ness on his own account in Boston. This was in 
1802. His store was in Court-street. The partner- 
ship Mr. Wilder formed at this time proved in the 
end an unfortunate one ; yet for a time the reasona- 
ble expectations he had formed of success were more 
than realized, and in the course of it, by the provi- 
dence of God, he was led to Europe, where was laid 
the foundation of his future success. Nor did this 
providence act even apparently in an arbitrary 
way. Mr. Wilder's great promptness and strict 
integrity, added to his knowledge of the business 
required, seem to have been the natural stepping- 
stones to his life in France, at a time too when there 
was little commercial intercourse between that 
country and ours. 

The circumstances attending Mr. Wilder's leav- 
ing this country are here condensed from his own 

account of them. 
i 

' ' John Codman, of wheelbarrow memory, had a brother 
Bichard, who had resided in France, and had occasionally- 
consigned French goods to his brother John, who, being in 
the Kussia trade, did not well understand them, and so al- 
ways sent them to his sister Mrs. Henley for sale. Having 
consequently had much experience with these French goods, 



GOING TO EKANCE. 45 

it is not vanity for me to say I became a better judge of them 
than the merchants in English goods about me were likely 
to be. 

" One day a gentleman named Allan Melville came to Bos- 
ton with an invoice of $30,000 worth of Erench goods, which 
he wished to dispose of as a whole and at once for cash. 
They consisted of silks, satins, lutestrings, sarcenets, cam- 
brics, thread laces, shawls, silk and kid gloves, hosiery, rib- 
bons, artificial flowers, suspenders, fans, perfumery, orna- 
mental combs, and other fancy articles. I went to see the 
goods, and found the price of them estimated at so many 
cents the livre Tounois, an old Bourbon coin of a currency 
few or none understood who had not been in the habit of 
dealing in French goods. I at once perceived that these 
goods were charged at from ten to fifteen and even twenty 
per cent, less than those which Bichard Codman had been 
in the habit of sending to this country, and that consequently 
very satisfactory profits could be realized on them and quick 
sales no doubt effected. But I had a large stock of goods 
in my own store, and no ready money for the cash payment 
required. 

" A day or two after, standing with a gentleman in State- 
street, I expressed my regret that I had not $30,000 with which 
to buy a lot of goods on which money could be made. ' Well, ' 
said he, 'if you are confident of this, there stands on the 
other side of the street the millionaire William Gray of Sa- 
lem, who has ample means for any operation where money 
is to be made without any great outlay of funds. Now/ said 
he, ' I will introduce you to Mr. Gray on condition that you 
will occupy my large salesrooms to open the cases and dis- 
play the goods, allowing me one third of the profits, and 
offering Mr. Gray another third. In your retail-store in 
Court-street there is no room to show such goods properly. ' 

" 'Well,' said I, 'come right over and introduce me to 
Mr. Gray. ' No sooner said, than for the first time in my lif e 
I was introduced to this merchant prince. After stating to 
him my views in full about the purchase I wished to make, 
also that the whole transaction could be wound up within 
pixty days, I finished by offering him one third of the profits 



46 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

on condition of his furnishing the money required in ten 
days after the delivery of the goods. 

" 'All/ said he, 'young men are apt to be very sanguine, 
and I am not prepared to respond without further considera- 
tion. ' ' "Why, sir, ' said I, ' I feel confident there can be no 
loss,' and repeated my reasons for this opinion. The gentle- 
man who had introduced me standing by, then observed that 
he had offered me the use of his store, and that he himself 
should not hesitate to trust me with any amount of goods. 

" 'Well,' said Mr. Gray, 'as the young man seems to be 
so confident of success, I will try him. And when, sir, ' turn- 
ing to me, 'will the money be wanted ?' 'In ten days,' said 
I. ' Well, ' said he, ' I suppose you must count upon it. ' 

' ' I immediately left Mr. Gray, went and closed the bar- 
gain wich Melville, had the goods delivered the following 
morning, and advertised and ready for sale the same day. 

' ' There were other merchants hoping by delay to obtain 
Mr. Melville's invoice at a lower rate, who being disappoint- 
ed, spread a report that I had paid too much, and this came 
to Mr. Gray's ears before he returned to Salem. 

"But customers began to throng the store in State-street. 
I was obliged to employ extra clerks. Suffice it to say, that in 
five days every case of goods was sold except three, which I 
took to my own account. At the end of a week the money 
was all realized, and I went at once and paid Mr. Melville. 
I also prepared a receipt for one third of the profits, $1,875, 
ready for Mr. Gray to sign. 

"Perceiving the next morning, it being the ninth day 
from the purchase of the goods, that Mr. Gray had alighted 
from his carriage at the door of his counting-house in Con- 
gress-street, I went there with the money and receipt, thinking 
agreeably to surprise Mr. Gray. On reaching his office, how- 
ever, instead of being cordially received, Mr. Gray, walking 
up and down his room, and surrounded by his clerks, ex- 
claimed, ' Ah, young man, I did a very foolish thing in assent- 
ing to go into that operation, in which they say much money 
will be lost ; and besides, it is only the ninth day, and you 
told me you would not need the money for ten days, and I 
shall not pay you one cent to-day, sir. Call to-morrow, and 



GOING TO FKANCE. 47 

I suppose I must give you the money ; and I now therefore, 
as I am very busy, bid you good-morning. ' Said I, 'Mr. 
Gray, before leaving your office, I must request you to do me 
the favor to sign this paper. ' Said he, ' Young man, I shall 
sign no papers until at least to-morrow. ! ' Well, ' said I, ' Mr. 
Gray, you must excuse me, sir, but I do not leave your office 
until you sign this paper. ' Being somewhat excited when I 
said it, I attracted the attention of the clerks, among whom 
was Mr. Bates, with the pen back of his ear, who is now at 
the head of the banking-house of Baring & Co., London. 

"Mr. Gray, still continuing to walk up and down his office, 
turned to me again and said, ' It is of no use, young man, for 
you to stand there, as I shall sign no papers. ' ' But, ' said I, 
* Mr. Gray, do you object to cast your eye on the paper and 
see its purport?' 'Why,' said he, 'it is really too bad to 
have one's time taken up in this way. There are two ships I 
have to despatch for sea this afternoon. Here,' said he, 
reaching out his hand and putting on his specs, ' let me see 
the paper. ' He then began reading it aloud. ' Beceived of 
S. Y. S. Wilder ' — * received !' said he, ' I 've received noth- 
ing,' and was on the point of handing back the paper. Said 
I, 'Bead on, if you please, Mr. Gray.' 'Beceived eighteen 
hundred and seventy-five dollars;' — 'eh, eh?'— 'it being my 
proportion of profits ?' ' Yes, ' said I, ' I 've sold the goods, 
all but three small cases I take myself, and here is the mon- 
ey,' handing it over to the clerks to count. ' What !' said he, 
' and you want no money of me to-morrow ?' ' No, sir, ' said 
I ; 'I sold for ready cash, with which I have paid Mr. Mel- 
ville. You have one third of the profits counted down, sir. ' 
' And you want no money from me ?' ' No, sir ; it 's all set- 
tled, as you perceive. ' 

"'Why, Mr. Wilder, walk into my private counting- 
room. Do you ever come to Salem?' 'No, sir,' said I; 
' and all I ask of you, sir, is to sign the receipt, and as I have 
other pressing engagements, excuse me from coming into 
your counting-room. ' ' Well, ' said he, ' come down and pass 
a week with us, and allow me to introduce you to my family. ' 
Thanking him, I left, perhaps a little exultant on account of 
the nuts he had allowed me the opportunity of cracking. " 



48 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

. So even commerce has its romance, and on the 
dry yard-stick are sometimes found, though in un- 
promising shells, kernels of true humor, for enjoy- 
ing which the upright young merchant of 1802 may 
be excused. 

It was, under God, Mr. Wilder's fastidious hon- 
esty in thus making a payment of profits, the legal 
necessity of which might be questioned, superadded 
to his energy and the knowledge shown by him of 
French goods, which in November, 1802, led Mr. 
Gray to propose to him to become his agent in Eu- 
rope. Mr. "Wilder was taken by surprise. He had 
never thought of leaving this country, had no ac- 
quaintance with the French language, and was qui- 
etly pursuing his own business in Court-street. 

Mr. Gray's offer was tempting, not on account of 
a large per centage of profits, but from the large 
sums of money — large for that day — to be handled. 
Funds were to be collected at Nantes, Bordeaux, 
Marseilles, and elsewhere, and invested in goods to 
the best advantage : also in Leghorn, Naples, Tri- 
este, Gottenberg, and other places. Crapes and 
sewing-silks were to be bought in Italy. 

Mr. Yfilder declined taking a single step with- 
out consulting his "honored mother;" but having 
received her consent, finally concluded an arrange- 
ment with Mr. Gray, and " set sail on board the 
old ship Elizabeth, Capt. Silbee, in which the now 
millionaire John Bryant of Boston went also as su- 
percargo." We give Mr. Wilder's own account of 
the passage. 



GOING TO EKANCE. 49 

"Even the cabin was so filled up with freight, with bags 
of pepper and coffee, that Bryant and myself could not reach 
our berths without creeping on our hands and knees. These 
inconveniences were characteristic of what passengers to Eu- 
rope at that time often endured. After passing the banks of 
Newfoundland in a violent storm, both Bryant and myself 
had to take our turns with the sailors at the pumps during 
forty odd days, until we reached the port of Nantes, where 
the old ship Elizabeth was condemned as unseaworthy. 

"Proceeding from Nantes to Bordeaux, I there invested 
what funds were at my disposition in such manufactures as I 
found in that place, and finally reached Paris on the very day 
and hour on which Napoleon was proclaimed emperor on 
twelve squares of the city. The fountains were all running 
wine from morning till night. A distribution of thousands 
of legs of mutton, roast fowls, and loaves of bread was made, 
enough to satisfy the cravings of 800,000 people. 

"I immediately commenced by engaging the celebrated 
language-master LatourMoubrey, to instruct me in the French 
language. He came to my lodgings every morning at sun- 
rise. Latour Moubrey spoke fluently at that time seven lan- 
guages. He afterwards became the private secretary of Na- 
poleon, and was by his side generally in all his battles, and 
followed him during the disastrous campaign to and from 
Moscow. He finally died of a broken heart, on account of 
not being allowed by the government to go with Napoleon 
into exile. 

"Without going into details as to my business transac- 
tions, suffice it to say that before one year I found myself 
giving regular employment to upwards of twelve hundred 
persons, and shipping goods to the amount of some millions 
of francs ; having cleared for Mr. Gray, during the first eigh- 
teen months, some sixty thousand dollars, and for our own 
house upwards of half that sum. 

* ' But such prosperity was too much for my weak-headed 
partner. Becoming intimate with several dissipated young 
men of the first families, he became in a degree unqualified 
for business ; and intoxicated as he was with success, he often 
became more so with large potations of eau de vie, and ran 

Wlldar. 3 



50 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

into all sorts of personal and family extravagance. Hearing 
of these events, I hurried home, dissolved the connection, 
sold off the stock of goods, and settled up the concern at the 
sacrifice of thirty-seven thousand dollars, which I had the 
means to sustain without much injury to myself. In six 
weeks I reembarked, with new orders to execute for Mr. 
Gray ; also for Israel Thorndyke ; also for William Bartlett 
of Newburyport. These were then the three wealthiest 
houses in New England." 

Mr. Wilder did not learn the lesson he might 
have done from the failure of this first business 
connection. It must be confessed that this is not 
the only instance in the course of his life where his 
own interests severely suffered from his taking it 
for granted, even after bitter experience to the con- 
trary, that every one must of course be as large- 
hearted and as honest as himself. 

He remained in Europe this second time until 
1807, when, the French ports being blockaded by 
English fleets, rendering business very hazardous, 
he returned for a short time to this country. A few 
items as to his business relations may here be added. 

For three or four years Mr. Wilder had few competitors 
in trade, and quite forestalled the supply for the xlmerican 
market, having in his employ all the best and cheapest man- 
ufactories of goods suited to this country ; and this not only 
in Paris, but in the various departments of France. Other 
Americans began to arrive, among them Henry Higginson, 
brother of the wealthy Stephen Higginson of Boston. Henry 
Higginson, finding Mr. Wilder was about to return to Amer- 
ica, w T rote to his brother to engage him as purchasing agent, 
saying that he could buy goods fifteen or twenty per cent, 
cheaper than any one else, and that he himself should leave 
France, and become a banker in London. 



GOING TO FKANCE. 51 

Arrived in Boston, Mr. Gray now wished Mr. Wilder to 
become agent for him exclusively, offering a larger premium 
on investments than before, namely, three per cent. Mr. 
Wilder thought that, from his experience and virtual com- 
mand of the French market, the rate should be higher, at 
least five per cent. ; but Mr. Gray would not consent to this. 
Thus matters rested for two or three weeks. In the mean 
time he had numerous offers from others, among them Ste- 
phen Higginson, who, not very judiciously perhaps, showed 
his brother's letter advising that Mr. Wilder's services should 
be secured at even ten per cent. , and this without confining 
him to purchase for their house alone. With regard to this, 
Mr. Wilder says : 

"Having done so much business for Mr. Gray, I rather 
preferred remaining with him, and waited upon him again, 
saying I had other offers, and would be glad to decide upon 
them. He would give no more than three per cent. , and I 
bade him good-afternoon. I would have taken my old offer 
of five per cent, from him. 

"I then called on Mr. Higginson, who in the mean time 
had taken in Mr. John Tappan to participate in the pro- 
posed arrangement. Mr. Tappan made some restrictions 
which I considered equitable, and I acceded to them, and 
began making preparations for departure. 

"A week after came a line from Mr. Gray, very anxious to 
see me at his office. On arriving there, ' Well, ' said he, ' Mr. 
Wilder, have you thought better of my proposed arrange- 
ment with you ?' I observed that ' at our last interview I had 
considered the matter settled by his declining to agree to my 
proposition, and that I had accordingly concluded arrange- 
ments with other houses. ' * Have you reduced it to writing V 
said he. ' No, ' said I, ' but I consider my word the same as my 
bond. ' ■ Well, ' said he, ' if there is any thing that is not 
definitely settled, I will allow you four per cent.' Said I, 
' Mr. Gray, I extremely regret that you had not sooner come 
to that conclusion, for such was my desire to continue with 
you, that I might possibly have acceded to your views ; but 
now, sir, not even five per cent, or more would induce me to 
swerve from the engagement I have made. ' 



52 BEOOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

" On hearing this, Mr. Gray, turning towards Bates, said to 
him, * Hold yourself in readiness, sir, to proceed to Europe.' 
This was the turning-point in Mr. Bates' life and fortunes." 

Mr. Wilder himself soon returned to France, to 
fulfil the new engagements lie liad made. 

Thus we see him fairly installed in the French 
metropolis. We have yet to trace how, through 
grace, he became " a burning and a shining light " 
in the midst of a population so wholly given to the 
busy scenes and pleasures of this world. The can- 
dlestick was now placed in its socket, but the flame 
of the candle not yet kindled. 

It may be stated in this connection, that in the 
course of twenty years Mr. Wilder crossed the ocean 
sixteen times. No mere pleasure-trips these in those 
clays; no mere crossings of a gigantic ferry, which 
they have now become ; but long, tedious, patience- 
killing voyages were they, of from forty to eighty 
days duration, and fraught with danger from storm 
and iceberg. To give the date and particulars of 
each with historic verity would be of little moment. 

We may think of the traveller as also gradually 
sailing into middle life, sometimes embarking at one 
port, then at another; sometimes going as bearer of 
despatches in time of war, in those days not a nom- 
inal affair, but one of risk and real service to the 
government; again stealing back to England via 
Lisbon, having strange visions sent him on the way 
to vindicate his then strict observance of the Sab- 
bath ; for in the course of these years he had also 
begun his journey towards heaven. 



GOING TO FKANCE. 53 

Strange old passports, worn by use, but valua- 
ble now for mere antiquity as well as for the auto- 
graphs of distinguished officials of those early days, 
with which they are signed and countersigned to 
excess, are found among the papers of the then 
young traveller, who is described in them in a way 
those who knew him only in his latter years can 
easily imagine to have been correct. 

But he has passed now beyond the need of any 
earthly permit. The last river is crossed in safety. 
It was Jesus who held for him, as he does for all 
his people, the keys of death and the grave. To 
gain the blissful shores where he now abides, he 
needed but one passport, the blood of Christ. 

In even imperfect communion with Christ and 
his people, we can sometimes faintly imagine a little 
of what is the true luxury that now surrounds him, 
infinitely beyond the best of earth. There it is 
revealed to us, "there shall be no more sea," no 
more waves and tumults; but thy people, Lord, 
shall for ever rest in thee. 

As these words are written, comes sounding in 
the news that our land too has rest — has peace 
again. Thanks be to God, and to him alone. Does 
not the glad-tidings, "Peace on earth," again re- 
sound from angelic tongues, as once it did in Beth- 
lehem, and echo and reecho from the heavenly hills, 
until those who cannot, without losing identity itself, 
forget the country, the home on earth they so much 
loved, rejoice anew in this fresh proof of the good- 
ness of their God and ours ? 



54: RECORDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 



VI. 

The twenty years from 1803 to 1823, which have 
been spoken of as marked by Mr. Wilder's sixteen 
voyages to and fro on the Atlantic, were,- as may 
well be imagined, not devoid of many matters of 
still deeper interest. In the early part of them his 
future, both for time and for eternity, became more 
definitely shaped, and in the later are found some 
of the most important years of his life. We now 
consider the events connected with what may more 
strictly be called his early religious history. 

The same principles of probity which guided 
Mr. Wilder's course in commercial life regulated 
his duty to his Creator. Not to Caesar only, but to 
God would he render the things which are due. 

Referring to the early part of his residence 
abroad, Mr. Wilder wrote, "In France I was a 
moral man. That is all that can be said." Would 
that as much as this could be said of every young 
American similarly situated. So numerous have 
Americans now become upon the continent, that a 
young man there cannot quite break away from 
home influence and home public sentiment; and 
yet, alas, how many fall ! 

In 1812 Mr. Wilder made a public profession of 



EAELY BELIGIOUS EXPEEIENCE. 55 

religion in Boston, connecting himself with the Sum- 
mer-street church. "With regard to this he says : 

" I had always intended to join the church when 
I returned finally to this country. "What led me to 
this resolution was the text, ' Whosoever shall be 
ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the 
Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his 
own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy an- 
gels.' Luke 9:26. I thought all churches pretty 
much alike. I had never heard of a prayer-meeting. 

" The immediate cause of my joining the church 
was, however, as follows. On board Captain Hall's 
; ship, during a tremendous storm on the way to 
France, a scene presented itself that made me trem- 
ble. The waves swept the deck. Several men were 
washed away by them. I then and there made a 
solemn resolve, that if the Lord would bring me 
safely to land, I would consecrate myself to him by 
joining the church immediately upon my landing in 
America. I did not wish to join the Oratoire in 
Paris, because it was Socinian. In this country I 
knew no difference in churches. Unitarianism was 
not yet developed, nor was it until two years later, 
at the time of the controversy between Channing 
and Stuart. Consequently I thought all was right 
about the Boston churches. There was much piety 
among individual members of them. My own views 
were not distinct. 

" I could not but remark that, in one hour from 
the time I made my vow, the sea became calm, and 
the sailors all right and cheerful again. 



56 KECORDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER, 

"Upon my next arrival in Boston, Dr. Morse 
having gone to Charleston, S. C, I went to see Rev. 
Mr. Thatcher, of the Summer -street church, or 
rather, I went to his door ; for, arrived there, my 
courage fttiled me to knock. I thought, c What will 
the world say, to see a young man just from Paris 
join the church?' I left after having my hand on 
the knocker. 

" Soon after, I went to see my friends in the coun- 
try. At Worcester the landlord said to me, * There 
is a gentleman up stairs very sick ; will you see him? 
He is from Boston.' I went up, and to my surprise 
found it was Mr. Thatcher, pale, and seemingly at 
the gates of death, from an attack of bleeding at the 
lungs. I knew him, having often been at his church 
with friends attending there. I resolved, if he were 
restored, I would, conte qu'il coute, join the church. 
He recovered. 

" Soon after this, hearing at Mr. Higginson's 
that if any one wished to join the church, the day 
was coming to be propounded for it, I ran to Mr. 
Thatcher's door with all my might, and gave such 
a knock that the girl came running to the door ex- 
claiming, 'What? what? what?' supposing there 
was a fire; and Mr. Thatcher himself came out of 
his study. I told him my story. He wept like a 
child, and seemed too very happy; but he asked 
me no questions, made no examination, at which I 
felt disappointed, having expected it. He only put 
down my name as one to come forward at the next 
communion. 



EAELY RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. 57 

" When the Sabbath came to do this, I remem- 
ber my feelings perfectly. I had hoped it would 
rain, so as to prevent a large attendance; but the 
day was fine, and the £Lite of Boston present. But 
no sooner was my name called, and I stood in the 
broad aisle, than all fear of man vanished, and I 
could have faced ten thousand worlds. I can truly 
say that never from that time have I been ashamed 
of the Lord Jesus." 

Surely, O Lord, " thou meetest him that work- 
eth righteousness, those that remember thee in thy 
ways." Isaiah 64:5. It is said of the ten lepers, 
" As they went, they were cleansed." Luke 17 : 14. 

"Rev. Mr. Thatcher came out afterwards to 
France, and died there in Toulon. In view of death, 
he expressed much regret on account of a sermon 
he had preached and published on the 'unity of 
God,' fearing it had done harm. He was a man of 
devout feelings." 

A friend states that at the time of Mr. Wilder's 
making this profession of religion, " he was consid- 
ered a very correct young man. It was thought 
remarkable that he would not even go to the post- 
office on Sunday. His doctrinal views were not 
clear, but he was in practice most conscientious." 

With regard to the outward character here de- 
scribed as so excellent, we are irresistibly led, in 
view of Mr. "Wilder's subsequent Christian life, to 
notice still further fulfilments of God's precious 
promises — that "to him who ordereth his conversa- 
tion aright," he will show his salvation. Psalm 

3* 



58 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

50:23. To him thus doing "his will" by owning 
his name before men, he did soon make known "the 
doctrine." John 7 : 17. Would that all, like Mr. 
Wilder in 1812, would follow what light they have. 
It would lead them to a clearer shining of the truth ; 
it would lead them, as it has done him now, to the 
perfect day, refulgent for ever in heaven with the 
inspiring rays of the Sun of righteousness. 

Mr. Wilder, during his brief visits to New York 
from 1809 onward, though lodging at the City Hotel, 
would often visit his friend David L. Dodge, to 
whom he felt he owed much for his kind, Christian 
advice and encouragement, and in whose children 
and grandchildren, rejoicing in their prosperity and 
benevolence, he ever took much interest. Through 
Mr. Dodge, Mr. Wilder became acquainted with Rev. 
Dr. Samuel Miller, then settled in the Wall-street 
church. The following letters passing between Dr. 
Miller and Mr. Wilder in 1820, show how, probably 
about or before 1813, this eminent servant of Christ 
was made the instrument of " expounding " to the 
then young disciple "the way of God more per- 
fectly." 

"Pkinceton, N. J., Feb. 17, 1820. 
" My dear Sir — Though it is a long time since 
I had the pleasure of seeing you, yet my small ac- 
quaintance with you was contracted under circum- 
stances so extremely interesting to my feelings, 
that I have followed you with many inquiries dur- 
ing your residence in Europe, and have been happy 



EAELY KELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. 59 

to hear from time to time of your welfare. This 
letter is written under the impression that you still 
reside in the city of Paris. 

" In the year 1813 I removed from the city of 
New York, where you heard me preach, in conse- 
quence of being chosen by the General Assembly 
of our church ' Professor of Ecclesiastical History 
and Church Government' in the 'Theological Sem- 
inary of the Presbyterian church' at this place. 
Here I have resided ever since, and have been 
favored by a gracious Providence with much health 
and comfort in my new employment. I preach 
every Sabbath; but my principal work is in con- 
ducting, with the aid of a colleague, the theologi- 
cal studies of near seventy candidates for the holy 
ministry. 

" My object, my dear sir, in addressing you at 
present, is to endeavor, through your kind agency, 
to obtain two or three books which I greatly need 
in the discharge of my official duties, but which I 
cannot procure in any of the bookstores in this 
country, and which I have not been able to obtain 
even in England.* I hope, sir, you will pardon my 
giving you this trouble. If they cannot be had in 
Paris, I shall be almost ready to despair of getting 
them. 

" And now, my dear sir, having despatched the 
business which prompted me to write, allow me, 
before I close, to advert with fraternal freedom to 

* They were the works of Theodore Beza and David 
Blondel. 



60 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

the state of mind in which I once saw you, and to 
express the hope that your exercises have issued in 
that 'joy and peace in believing' which appeared 
then to be the object of your earnest pursuit. Since 
that time you have seen much of the gay and splen- 
did world, and have had, I doubt not, many new 
proofs of its vanity and emptiness. It would give 
me great pleasure to know that, amid all this van- 
ity and emptiness, you have found the c pearl of 
great price,' and have - chosen that good part which 
can never be taken away from you.' 

"From a variety of circumstances concerning 
you which have reached me, I trust this is the case. 
If it be so, the best wish I can form for you is, that 
you may ' daily grow in grace, and in the know- 
ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' If 
not, allow a friend, many hundred miles from you, 
but who has often borne you on his heart before 
the throne of grace, to remind you of the infinite 
importance of this great subject, and to press it 
upon your renewed and prayerful attention. The 
external advantages indeed which you now enjoy 
for spiritual improvement are comparatively small; 
but with access to the precious book of God and 
the throne of grace, you cannot be essentially at a 
loss. 

" Praying that the God of all grace may be with 
you and bless you, I am, dear sir, your sincere 
friend, 

"SAMUEL MILLER." 



EAKLY KELIGIOUS EXPEKIENCE. 61 

"Pakis, April 8, 1820. 
"Bev. Samuel Milleb, Princeton: 

" Reverend and dear Sir — Your kind and affec- 
tionate letter of February 17 has been read with 
emotions known only to myself. The sentiments 
you therein express are truly refreshing to my soul. 
Yes, sir, it was through you, as the instrument 
under Providence, and by the aid of divine grace, 
that I became confirmed in the realities of that glo- 
rious gospel which I have since found is so wisely 
calculated to afford peace, comfort, and consolation 
under every trial of life, and which, by adhering to 
its principles and practice, will, I trust, through the 
righteousness of Christ, secure to me an abode in 
those blessed mansions of rest which our divine 
Redeemer has gone forward to prepare for all his 
followers. 

" The longer I reside in this city of vice and 
infidelity, and the more I see of the imperfections 
attached to our frail natures, the more I am led, 
each succeeding day of my life, to view with in- 
creased gratitude the great work of redemption 
through the blood of a crucified Redeemer. Christ 
does appear to me to be the only refuge. His right- 
eousness is my only hope. 

" Oh, my dear sir, do continue to offer your pray- 
ers in my behalf, that I may cultivate, by the aid of 
the Holy Spirit, a livelier faith in this dear Saviour, 
whose name I have so often heard pronounced from 
your lips with so much joy. 



62 KECOEDS OE S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

" Yon are engaged, sir, in a most delightful em- 
ploy — that of preparing instruments to promote the 
glorious cause of our Saviour, and I rejoice to hear 
that Providence continues to smile on your institu- 
tion. I pray that he may bless your exertions, and 
that the heart of each of the young men you are 
preparing for the sacred ministry may become im- 
bued with the riches of divine grace, and thereby 
be enabled to preach the truth ' as it is. in Jesus ;' 
and when they shall have done serving their Lord 
and Master here on earth, that they may rejoice 
with you in the realms of endless felicity. 

" It will be, dear sir, both my duty and pleasure 
to procure for you the books which you desire, pro- 
vided they can be found in this city or Geneva, and 
as soon as I can ascertain the fact I shall write you 
and forward in conformity. 

"In gratitude to you, sir, and in love to our com- 
mon Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I salute you, 
and remain, with Christian affection and respect, 

"Truly your obliged friend and obedient ser- 
vant, 

"S. V. S. WILDEE." 

The above letters speak for themselves. There 
is no other record ; but a dear friend states that 
Mr. Wilder often expressed his deep obligations to 
Dr. Miller * 

* At the anniversary of the American Tract Society in 
1840, Mr. Wilder occupied the chair, supported by Eev. Dr. 
Miller as Yice-president, and Eev. Dr. James Milnor as Chair- 



EAELY EELIGIOUS EXPEKIENCE. 63 

Oh, the meeting on the heights above of the 
teacher and the taught, both having learned Christ, 
both now alike rich in experience of the goodness 
of our God through Him on whom alone they de- 
pended, and in whom they have now found actual 
and full salvation. 

man of the Executive Committee ; and it was remarked by 
many that rarely if ever were three presiding officers seen 
together of equal personal elegance and beauty. They were 
past middle age, but with a rosy freshness and healthfulness 
of countenance seldom met in gentlemen of their years. 



64 EECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 



TIL 

In alt tfcg map m%mwU&$$[ |iro, ai*d %$ $Wi 

The year 1812 was a marked one in Mr. Wil- 
der's history. Not only did lie then publicly pro- 
fess himself to be on the Lord's side, but in this 
year was laid the foundation of his future happiness 
in domestic life. To give the details of a courtship 
most characteristic, and replete with delicate refine- 
ment of feeling, might add much to the interest of 
these pages, but this of course cannot be done. Mr. 
"Wilder loved in after years to trace the course of it 
all as guided by an overruling Providence. The 
war with England detaining him in this country 
for several months; the laming of a favorite horse 
changing completely a plan of travel; the New 
Hampshire snow-storm blocking up his way when 
turning his steps in that direction; the letter of 
introduction to a lady in Northampton, which he 
came near not delivering — these were some of the 
circumstances which led to an acquaintance with 
and subsequent marriage, June 15, 1814, to Miss 
Electa Barrell, then living with her widowed mother 
in Northampton, Mass. 

Of the wedding itself, it may be allowed to give 
a few particulars, condensed from a letter written in 



MAKKIAGE— HOME LIFE. 65 

1860 to one of his daughters on his wedding anni- 
versary. 

"As soon as the ceremony was performed by the Eev. 
Parson Williams, we entered our carriage in company with 

aunt S and her daughter, and after proceeding almost 

three miles on our way to Pittsfield, on looking back we were 
surprised to perceive that we were followed by an array of 
carriages. 

" On stopping to allow the first carriage to approach, con- 
taining Judge H and lady, I exclaimed, ' What means all 

this, Judge ?' 'It means,' said he, 'that some of your nu- 
merous friends in our village are determined to see you and 
your interesting bride safely for a few miles on the commence- 
ment of your journey of life, and that there are thirty vehicles 
containing sixty persons in the cortege. ' On hearing this, 
and aware that they had all left the village before dinner, I 
asked if there were any hotels near by. The judge replied 
that the word hotel was probably unknown in that region, 
but that there was a ' White Pine Tavern ' located about three 
miles ahead. 

"I at once directed our coachman to drive on with speed, 

leaving Judge H and the other distinguished elite of 

Northampton to follow. On arriving at said 'White Pine 
Tavern, ' the landlady presenting herself at the door, I said, 
' My good woman, I want you to prepare a dinner as soon as 
possible for sixty persons. ' ' Pray, where are they ?' said 
she. 'Coming down, madam,' I replied, 'in that array of 
carriages on yonder hill.' ' Oh, Oh !' she exclaimed, 'we have 
nothing to entertain such a company.' 'O yes,' said her 
little daughter standing at her side, ' father killed the fatted 
calf this morning. ' ' Let us have that roasting forthwith ; 
and what else have you, my good lady?' 'Nothing,' said 
she. ' Why, yes, mother, ■ said the daughter, ' father brought 
home four hams for the dancing-party to-morrow evening. ' 
'Let them, my kind madam, be boiling at once,' said I. 
' And what else have you, my good woman ?' ' Nothing,' said 
she. ' Why, yes, mother,' said the daughter, ' you forget that 
we made twenty-two pies for the dance to-morrow. ' ■ That 



66 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

will do, ' said I, ' my good lady. Now prepare our dinner as 
soon as possible. ' 

"I happened to have in the case of our travelling car- 
riage, what I should not presume to have at the present day, 
several bottles of old Madeira and claret wine. In less than 
two hours, I had the satisfaction to witness these sixty guests 
seated at the well-furnished table ; and I never saw a more 
harmonious and social company, who seemed to be at peace 
with all the world, and all the world at peace with them. 

"In the midst of this hilarity I arose, and expressed my 
grateful acknowledgments for their courtesy and kindness in 
having thus far accompanied us on the journey of life, and 
bade one and all an affectionate farewell ; we continuing our 
journey towards Pittsfield, they with conflicting emotions 
returning to their respective homes." 

In 1860 Mr. and Mrs. "Wilder, at the urgent 
request of the lifelong friend who first introduced 
them to each other, revisited Northampton for the 
last time. The following item appeared with regard 
to this in the local paper : 

"A Lesson. Eorty-six years ago a gentleman left this 
town with his newly married bride, accompanied by a wed- 
ding party of sixty persons. Now returning here, he natu- 
rally looks about to see who of them are left. Alas, he meets 
none but strangers : four only of the wedding party yet re- 
main ; the rest he finds in the cemetery. Such is lif e ; mu- 
tability is written upon all things. ' Behold, we all do fade 
as a leaf.' " 

About the time of his marriage, Mr. "Wilder pur- 
chased an estate on the western slope of the Bolton 
hills in Massachusetts, and overlooking his native 
town, Lancaster. He had decided not to buy his 
father's old place, because his mother said she had 
seen so much trouble in that house she could never 



MAKEIAGE — HOME LIFE. 67 

go there. In liis new home Mr. Wilder was able 
to remain about a year. There are some living 
who still remember the extreme care taken by him 
of his wife and mother through that cold New Eng- 
land winter. 

Here in this country home Mr. "Wilder enjoyed 
all the pleasures, and vexations too, of a gentleman 
farmer's life. It was then the time of the famous 
speculations in merino sheep, which, like others in 
later years, quite swept over the land. The idea of 
a shepherd's life with his young bride touched his 
vein of romance ; but he soon felt he had had suffi- 
cient experience in the fleecy line, and was doubt- 
less the more ready to fulfil engagements long be- 
fore made to return to Europe, when, on account of 
probable speedy peace with England, business could 
be resumed. Fresh inducements were also laid 
before him to go as soon as possible, which it was 
much to his interest to accept ; and a sense of duty 
led him to do so, even though the still unsettled 
state of political affairs obliged him to go alone. 

Not being able to pass direct from our ports to 
those of England, where business led him first, Mr. 
Wilder went via Portugal. In England he found it 
was very difficult to obtain a pass into France. 
None but those supposed to be English could leave 
the country. And here occurred an amusing scene.. 
Riding in a stage-coach on the way to Holland, 
hoping in some way to get across the channel, one 
of the fine, burly-looking passengers took occasion 
to remark, speaking of the new regulation about 



68 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

passports, "Why, how perfectly ridiculous; one can 
tell an Englishman anywhere. There is no mistak- 
ing any one of us here." " Certainly not," said Mr. 
"Wilder. Arrived at the custom-house, the officer 
in a gruff voice said to each, " British-born subject, 
sir?" "Yes," said Mr. Wilder among the rest. 
" How perfectly ridiculous," said his fellow-travel- 
ler, " to put such a question to either of us. Any 
one could tell where we belong." Mr. Wilder's 
fine florid appearance certainly did make the Eng- 
lishman's assurance quite excusable; and he was in 
truth a British-born subject, as in 1780 this country 
was not otherwise recognized than as a colony of 
Great Britain. 

In 1817 Mr. Wilder took his family to France, 
consisting of his wife, infant daughter, and mother- 
in-law. We give an extract from a letter written 
by him to the latter in view of her thus going to 
Paris. After expressing his satisfaction at her de- 
cision to do so, he goes on to say to her, whom he 
addresses as his " honored mother," 

"In assuring you, madam, that it is and ever 
will be my endeavor to render your situation, dur- 
ing your abode with us, as pleasant and agreeable 
as my circumstances will admit, I consider it neces- 
sary to state to you that my object in visiting Eu- 
rope is business — to gain, not to expend more money 
than, with economy, is necessary to render our sit- 
uation comfortable, and at the same time respect- 
able. 

" With the blessing of a benign Providence on 



MAEEIAGE — HOME LIFE. 69 

niy present commercial arrangements and future 
exertions, seconded by you, madam, and my Elec- 
ta, my prospects are fair of ere long acquiring, 
with the continued aid of that ever-blessed Being 
to whom I am already so largely indebted, and to 
whose superintending providence I still confide my- 
self and all my concerns, a sufficiency to enable me 
to accomplish the first object of my soul — that of 
being made the humble instrument of contributing 
largely to disseminate the glorious gospel of our 
Saviour among the benighted nations of the world, 
and to convey the glad tidings of salvation through 
the blood of Jesus Christ to those who now ' sit in 
the region of the shadow of death,' and also to alle- 
viate the wants of those whose claims are sanc- 
tioned by the ties of nature, friendship, or charity. 
" With filial respect, madam, I remain your ever 
dutiful son, 

"S. V. S. WILDEB." 

Thus in an indirect manner, in a letter rescued 
from the privacy of domestic life, we learn that to 
promote the dear Redeemer's cause had now dis- 
tinctly become Mr. Wilder's ruling motive in attend- 
ing to his mercantile affairs. 

And thus too, we see, became established in Paris 
the true Christian home, which, at No. 18 Petit 
Carreau, for six or seven years became a centre of 
Protestant religious influence, and almost a place 
of exchange for all respectable Americans. 

In Paris three daughters were added to Mr, 



70 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

Wilcler's family. The elder one of these died in 
early infancy, and her mortal remains lie near those 
of friends from her fatherland, beneath the shadows 
of Pere la Chaise. The younger, closing her beau- 
tiful eyes, reached the final haven of rest three days 
before her stricken parents landed in New York, 
upon their final return to America in 1823. Mr. 
"Wilder would never suffer any one to speak of these 
babes, nor of two others subsequently removed, as 
lost. No; the number of his children to him was 
still complete — so many on earth; so many in 
heaven. 

Thus mingled to Mr. Wilder, as to others, was 
the cup of life with blessing and with sorrow. We 
see at one time the Parisian home shrouded with 
grief because one little "child was not;" and again 
the joy of being finally homeward bound drowned 
in tears just as the shores of that home began to 
loom upon the horizon. 

Thus mingled also is the cup God gives us as a 
nation. In the very midst of public rejoicings and 
heartfelt thanks at the crumbling of the boasted 
bulwarks of rebellion, comes the stunning sharp 
report of that pistol-shot, heard all over the land, 
above all party strife or private interest. Hark the 
low wailing cry surging up from the very hearts of 
the people — Lincoln is laid low. Nay, rather, rais- 
ed now above all fear of fall, his name enshrined 
for ever by the side of that of Washington. "I was 
dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst 
it." Psa. 39 : 9. " Surely the wrath of man shall 



MAKBIAGE— HOME LIFE. 71 

praise thee." Psa. 76:10. "And let all the peo- 
ple say, Amen." Psa. 106 : 48. 

Do such events excite no interest in heaven? 
Believe it ye who can ; but surely as there is a place 
where those who on earth belonged to Jesus are 
now with him in glory, so surely, we believe, have 
many of them rejoiced anew at hearing the welcome 
plaudit given in that blessed abode to the noble 
leader whose loss we mourn : "Well done, thou good 
and faithful servant : thou hast been faithful over a 
few things, I will make thee ruler over many things : 
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25 : 21. 



72 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 



VIII. 

gat $l<rf%J fa Imium } tpvpmt fa tykti } swprv 
wg % y&L $«, \%*A\* 

In the above letter from Mr. "Wilder to his hon- 
ored mother-in-law are shown the sentiments which, 
after his heart was turned unto the Lord, inspired 
him in the prosecution of his worldly business. The 
whole-souled consecration of himself and all that 
was his to his divine Master seems to have been 
graciously accepted. In the very offering itself Mr. 
"Wilder received a blessing, and his efforts in mer- 
cantile life were much prospered. 

He early became associated in business with the 
well-known banking-house of Hottinguer & Co., the 
senior partner of which, Baron Hottinguer, he was 
often said to resemble in appearance. Mr. Wilder 
retained his connection in some form with this 
house as long as he remained in business ; and both 
Baron Hottinguer, and the son so worthy of him, 
Henri Hottinguer, proved themselves to be true, 
life-long friends upon whom he could depend in 
time of trouble. 

In 1812, Mr. Wilder associated himself in the 
French trade in New York with the late Najah 
Taylor, Gustavus Upson, and Nathaniel Richards, 
under the name of Richards, Taylor, & Wilder. 
This firm dissolved partnership in 1823, when Mr. 



LIFE IN FRANCE. 73 

Wilder thought he had finally retired from busi- 
ness. 

During his residence abroad, the trade in silks, 
crapes, etc., came to be very much under Mr. Wil- 
der's control. It is interesting to notice this, be- 
cause it gave him such influence over hundreds of 
workmen and their families, who were dependent 
for employ upon his orders, and so, as was natu- 
ral, were the more ready to receive with respect the 
Bibles, tracts, and good words of advice with which, 
after a time, it was his constant endeavor to supply 
them. We who, standing behind the scenes as it 
were, can see through Bible optics why Joseph was 
raised to power, can perhaps understand without 
difficulty why it was the Lord's will to place Mr. 
Wilder in the position he occupied in France. 

Mr. Wilder's time was often much taken up with 
other than his own affairs. Letters of introduction 
from friends at home were constantly pouring in 
upon him, rendering some kind of attention neces- 
sary upon each new arrival ; for these letters had 
not then become, as now, almost matters of form, 
to be answered by a card, or merely giving one a 
formal entree to the recipient's house upon some 
state occasion. The case in Mr. Wilder's day was 
vastly different. Boys were to be placed at school, 
their morals watched over and examined into ; med- 
ical students to be put in the right way to walk the 
hospitals; physicians to be provided, and suitable 
lodgings for invalids ; travellers were to be directed 
on their way and informed as to the best hotels all 



74 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

over Europe ; and many asked for just a line to any 
friends Mr. Wilder might have in various cities they 
were about to visit. None but those similarly situ- 
ated can tell how onerous are such requests when 
coming thick and fast from a succession of appli- 
cants. Yet Mr. Wilder did all he could, feeling 
often that, while aiding those particularly who loved 
his Master, he himself received a rich reward. 

With commissions too for the purchase of arti- 
cles then not to be obtained in America, Mr. Wil- 
der was constantly favored. It is curious and 
amusing to review some of the letters containing 
them. Rev. Dr. Buckminster writes for foreign 
magazines for the Boston Athenaeum ; Mr. S. Salis- 
bury for a large number of books for Prof. Stuart 
at Andover ; ladies send for lace shawls and bridal 
veils; a Roman-catholic bishop in this country asks 
that his friends in and about Paris may be visited 
and assured of his welfare ; the American ambassa- 
dor in Sweden that his fame may be vindicated, it 
having been said that he had abused official station 
to promote private interest. Boston children send 
a French guinea to procure French toys, offering a 
commission on the purchase, and Boston lawyers 
send for law-books. In one letter alone are actu- 
ally found orders in detail for paper-hangings, a 
clock, several paintings — size specified — fine en- 
gravings, wine, looking-glasses, porcelain, Michaux's 
Trees of America, then just out ; a book on Napo- 
leon's campaigns ; also a Ramboutel buck, and some 
Fontainebleau grapevines. 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 75 

In the prosecution of his business it was some- 
times necessary for Mr. "Wilder to visit England, 
Holland, and other countries. Events connected 
with a few days spent by him in England, in 1816, 
had a decided influence upon his whole future 
course in life, introducing him more fully into the 
world of benevolence, acting by means of the va- 
rious societies which, as Mr. Wilder would say, 
"both characterize and adorn the present age." 
He writes, 

"In order to delineate the unknown ways in 
which a benign Providence makes use of the most 
feeble instruments for the accomplishment of his 
great and wise designs, I will here state that, dur- 
ing my stay in London at the Bedford Coffee-house, 
I had engaged to meet a gentleman one evening 
near St. Paul's at Ludgate Hill, with a view of be- 
ing introduced to another gentleman at the ' Lon- 
don Coffee-house.' 

"While awaiting his arrival, and walking up 
and down the Strand, I discovered a church light- 
ed up ; and the gentleman not making his appear- 
ance* according to agreement, and it still being in 
the early part of the evening, it pleased Providence 
to direct my steps into said church. It proved to 
be a Dissenting chapel. The congregation were 
assembled, as I learned from the sexton, to hear a 
number of addresses from the Dissenting ministers 
then present on the occasion of two missionaries, 
under the sanction of the London Missionary Soci- 
ety, being about to depart for the West Indies 



s 



76 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

with a view to proclaim salvation, through the 
blood and righteousness of a crucified Redeemer, 
to the benighted inhabitants of those islands. 

"I soon learned that among the prominent min- 
isters who were officiating on this interesting occa- 
sion, were the endeared names of Rev. Dr. Burder, 
Dr. Winter, the two brothers Clayton, and others, 
and that the distinguished Mr. Hardcastle/' whose 
praise was in all the churches,' occupied the chair. 

" Residing, as I had been for many years, in 
that modern Babylon, Paris, and in consequence of 
the non-intercourse with England during the reign 
of Napoleon I., I at this time had never as much as 
heard of a missionary society, or, in fact, of any of 
the leading religious societies which are the glory 
and ornament of this nineteenth century. It was 
therefore the first time that I had ever listened to 
those pathetic appeals in behalf of a perishing 
world. 

" Having taken, on entering the church, a hum- 
ble seat near the door, at some distance from the 
audience, I did not, it seems, attract the attention 
of the deacons in passing round the contribution- 
boxes. 

" Some of the addresses which fell from the lips 
of the speakers having made a deep impression on 
my mind, an$ my heart becoming penetrated with 
the importance of the subject submitted to our con- 
sideration, I could not resist the desire to contrib- 
ute my humble mite to this sacred object. I there- 
fore made my way to the foot of the platform and 



LIFE IN FEANCE. 77 

deposited my offering, [a <£10 note.] The treasurer 
perceiving that it was a larger sum than was usu- 
ally contributed at that period, made known the 
circumstance to Mr. Hardcastle, who soon after 
rose from his seat and came round to the pew in 
which I was seated, saying that the demonstration 
which I had given of interest in the missionary 
cause induced him to ask the favor of my name and 
invite my attendance at a meeting at his house the 
following evening, when special directions would be 
given to the two missionaries about to embark for 
the West Indies. 

" Thus coming in contact with the pioneers of 
missionary efforts, to which I had heretofore been a 
stranger, my curiosity was 'excited to learn some- 
thing more of the proceedings of these men of God. 
I therefore the more readily accepted his courteous 
invitation. 

" On the following evening, in conformity with 
this engagement, I proceeded to the mansion of 
Mr. Hardcastle, near tht London Monument, where, 
to my inexpressible surprise, I found some fifty or 
sixty clergymen and laymen assembled, the most 
active and evangelical of the Dissenters of London. 
Being formally introduced to the two missionaries 
and to the most distinguished of the clergy and 
laity as taking a lively interest in the objects for 
which they were convened, a seat was assigned me 
near the presiding chair. I took the seat with re- 
luctance. I ought here to state, that at that mo- 
ment I felt no other interest but that excited by the 



78 KECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

novelty of the scene, though in the course of the 
evening the instructions given to the missionaries, 
and the powerful appeals made in behalf of the 
object, caused a thrill of sacred emotion to pene- 
trate the inmost recesses of my heart ; leaving so 
indelible an impression of the importance of the 
missionary cause and kindred enterprises, that nei- 
ther time, distance, nor circumstance has effaced 
that eventful hour from the tablets of memory. 

" Among the gentlemen present on this memo- 
rable occasion, was Mr. Collins of the London Re- 
ligious Tract Society, to whom I was particularly 
introduced. In the course of conversation he asked 
me if there was any demand for French tracts in 
Paris, or if any quantity could be disposed of there. 
Not being certain whether he referred to tracts of 
land, or otherwise, I was quite at a loss what reply 
to make to this inquiry, when he happily relieved 
my embarrassment by drawing from his side-pocket 
two or three unpretending pamphlets, on which I 
saw inscribed, ' London Religious Tract Society.' 

" After casting my eye over several pages, and 
believing that the French people might be benefit- 
ed by their perusal, I took from my pocket-book a 
bank-note of ten pounds, requesting Mr. Collins to 
furnish me to that amount with French tracts, em- 
bracing a due proportion of all the numbers which 
had at that time issued from their press. 

" I was struck with surprise the next day, to see 
a large bale of tracts brought to my lodgings, hav- 
ing previously had no idea of the low price of them, 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 79 

nor consequently of what a quantity a ten-pound 
note would purchase. However, I took them over 
with me to Calais, where they were all at once 
seized at the custom-house, with the understanding, 
however, that I could claim the package upon my 
arrival in Paris, after it had been examined there 
by the prefect of police. 

" Arrived in Paris, I proceeded to the very build- 
ing in which Marie Antoinette and Josephine had 
been incarcerated, where I saw my bale, and asked 
for it. 

" ' "Who is the presumptuous man who dares to 
say he owns these suspected books?' exclaimed & 
pompous official. ' Follow me, sir.' I obeyed, and 
found myself in a large room full of persons occu- 
pied with their own various concerns. 

" ' Here he is ; here is the owner of that bale of 
books,' called out the man I was following in a 
voice so loud as to attract the attention of all. 

" ' Allow me, sir,' said I to the chief officer stand- 
ing within the railing, ' to have the bale brought in 
here and opened, that I may present you, sir, with 
a copy of each of the publications it contains.' 

" ' That is but fair,' said the officer. 

" After making a selection of the books, I said, 
speaking aloud, ' These books contain only the 
truths taught us in the Bible ; some of them in the 
very words of our Lord Jesus Christ. I give them 
to you gladly. Let me read a short one to you.' 

" ' Sir,' said he when I had finished, ' I see noth- 
ing but good in this book. I thank you for these 



80 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

you have given me.' Others standing about the 
railing asked for a few to take home with them, 
saying, ' These teach good morals.' 

" Suffice it to say, I distributed on the spot from 
three hundred to four hundred tracts. The remain- 
der I was allowed to take home. The workmen in 
my employ received them with great eagerness. In 
less than a month my whole supply was exhausted. 

"I wrote to London to order more, sending 
to Mr. Samuel "Williams another ten -pound note 
for the purpose ; but I heard nothing from him.. A 
friend, Dr. Gallaudet, then recently from Paris, 
meeting him at dinner, mentioned that I had never 
received some tracts I expected, when Mr. Williams 
said, 'What is Wilder about in Paris, ordering 
such books?' However, he now attended to my 
commission. 

"There was such a strong prejudice in France 
against any thing English, that I found there would 
be decided advantage in having tracts printed in 
Paris. Mr. Hillhouse, from New Haven, being in 
that city at this time, I engaged him to translate 
some English tracts into French, and for two years 
went on with the printing and distribution of them 
with great success." 

In this quiet, informal way was the work com- 
menced which was afterwards adopted and contin- 
ued by the Paris Tract Society, formed under Mr. 
Wilder's roof in 1818. 

By Mr. Wilcter's own account, above given, we 
see how, almost unconsciously to himself, he was 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 81 

prepared for the work he was to do in France ; 
how, after this, a new interest attached itself to his 
intercourse with those he employed, and indeed 
with any human being brought under his influence. 
This led him, in his various journeys through 
France and elsewhere, to add the new feature of 
tract and Bible distribution to his previous general 
desire to benefit those about him, and is the key to 
his well-known efforts in connection with " The Vil- 
lage in the Mountains " — a village now truly " set 
on a hill, that cannot be hid." The substance of 
this history, as drawn substantially from his own 
lips, and published by the American Tract Society, 
is here given. 

Mr. W , a merchant at the head of one of 

the first commercial houses in Paris, had occasion 
to visit the manufactories established in the moun- 
tainous tracts of the departments of the Loire and 
the Puy-de-Dome. The road that conducted him 
back to Lyons traversed a country rich in natural 
productions, and glowing with all the charms of an 
advanced and promising spring. The nearer view 
was unusually diversified, not only by the fantastic 
forms of mountains, the uncertain course of small 
and tributary streams, and the varying hues of 
fields of pasture, corn, vines, and vegetables, but 
by the combinations and contrasts of nature and of 
art, and the occupations of rural and commercial 
industry. Factories and furnaces were seen rising 

amid barns and sheep-cotes; peasants were dig- 

4* 



82 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

ging and ploughs gliding amid forges and founder- 
ies; verdant slopes and graceful clumps of trees 
were scattered amid the black and ugly mouths of 
exhausted coal-pits ; and the gentle murmur of the 
stream was subdued by the loud rattle of the loom. 

Sometimes Mr. W and his friends halted amid 

all that is delightful and soothing; and, after a short 
advance, found themselves amid barrenness, de- 
formity, and confusion. The remoter scenery was 
not less impressive. Behind them were the rugged 
mountains of Puy-de-D6me ; the lofty Tarare lifted 
its majestic head beside them, and far before ap- 
peared the brilliant summit of Mont Blanc. 

In this state of mind he arrived at the outskirts 
of a hamlet placed on the declivity of a mountain; 
and being desirous of finding a shorter and more 
retired track, he stopped at a decent-looking dwell- 
ing-house to inquire the way. From the windows 
several females were watching the movements of a 

little child; and just as Mr. W inquired for a 

road across the mountains, the infant was in dan- 
ger of being crushed by a coal-cart which had 
entered the street. The cries and alarms of the 
females were met by the activity of the travellers, 

and the companion of Mr. W set off to snatch 

the infant from danger, and place him in security. 
An elderly female, from the second story, gave Mr. 

W , who was still on his horse, the directions he 

desired, and at the same time expressed her unea- 
siness that the gentleman should have had the 
trouble to seek the child. 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 83 

" Madam," interrupted Mr. W , " my friend 

is only performing his duty : we ought to do to an- 
other as we would that another should do to us; 
and in this wretched world we are bound to assist 
each other. Tou are kind enough to direct us trav- 
ellers in the right road, and surely the least we can 
do is to rescue your child from danger. The holy 
Scriptures teach us these duties, and the gospel pre- 
sents us the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, 
when we were in ignorance and danger, came to our 
world to seek and to save that which was lost." 

"Ah, sir," replied the good woman, "you are 
very condescending, and what you say is very true ; 
but your language surprises me : it is so many years 
since in this village we have heard such truths, and 
especially from the lips of a stranger." 

"Madam," resumed Mr. W , "we are all 

strangers here, and sojourners bound to eternity; 
there is but one road, one guide, one Saviour, who 
can conduct us safely : if we feel this, young or old, 
rich or poor, we are all one in Christ ; and, however 
scattered on earth, shall all arrive at the heavenly 
city, to which he has gone to prepare mansions 
for us." 

"These doctrines, sir," exclaimed the female, 
" support the hearts of many of us who have scarcely 
travelled beyond our own neighborhood ; and it is 
so rare and so delightful to hear them from others, 
that, if it will not be an abuse of your Christian 
politeness, I would request you to alight, and visit 
my humble apartments." 



84 BECOKDS OF S, Y. S./WILDEK. 

" I shall comply most cheerfully with your re- 
quest," replied Mr. W ; "for, though time is 

precious, I shall be thankful to spend a few min- 
utes in these mountains among those with whom I 
hope to dwell for ever on Mount Sion." 

Mr. W mounted to the second story, fol- 
lowed by his companion. He found the female 
with whom he had conversed surrounded by her 
daughters and granddaughters, all busily employed 
in five looms, filled with galloons and ribbons des- 
tined for the capital and the most distant cities of 
the world. The good widow was between sixty 
and seventy years of age ; her appearance was neat, 
and all the arrangements of her apartment bespoke 
industry, frugality, and piety. "Ah, sir," she ex- 
claimed as he entered, " how happy am I to receive 
such a visitor !" 

" Madam," replied Mr. W , " I am not wor- 
thy to enter under this roof." 

"Why, sir," exclaimed the widow, "you talked 
to us of Jesus Christ, and — " 

"Yes, madam, but I am a poor guilty sinner, 
and hope only for salvation through the cross. I 
was yesterday at St. ■ , where they were plann- 
ing a cross with great ceremony; were you there?" 

"No, sir; for it is of little use to erect crosses 
in the streets, if We do not carry the cross in our 
hearts, and are not crucified to the world. But, sir, 
if you will not be offended, may I ask what you are 
called?" 

Mr. W , giving a general sense to the French 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 85 

phraseology, answered, "My name, madam, is 

"Thank you, sir, I shall not forget; but this is 
not what I meant : I wished to know whether you 
are Protestant or Catholic — a pastor or a priest?" 

"Madam, I have not the honor to be either; I 
am a merchant : I desire to be a Christian, and to 
have no other title but a disciple of Christ." 

" That is exactly as we are here, sir," exclaimed 
the good widow, and added, "but, as you are so 
frank, are you, sir, Catholic or Protestant?" 

" Catholic," replied Mr. W . Madam looked 

confused, and observed that "it w.as rare for the 
Catholics to talk as hex visitor had done." 

"I am a Catholic," resumed Mr. W , "but 

not a member of the i?oracm-catholic church. I 
love all that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. I 
do not ask in what fold they feed, so that they are 
guided and nourished by the good Shepherd and 
Bishop of souls." 

" Oh what a favor the Lord has granted us to 
meet with a Christian like ourselves," said the 
tearful widow, looking round her. " We desire to 
live in charity with all mankind; but, to be frank 
also, sir, we do not go to mass, nor to confession, 
for we do not learn from our Testament, which is 
indeed almost worn out, that we are required to 
confess to sinners like ourselves, nor to worship the 
host, nor to perform penance for the salvation of 
our souls ; and we believe we can serve God accept- 
ably in a cave, or in a, chamber, or on a mountain." 



86 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

" I confess, madam, in my turn," said Mr. W , 

" that I am exceedingly astonished to find such per- 
sons on such a spot ; pray, how many may there be 
of your sentiments ?" 

"Here, sir, and scattered over the mountains, 
there are from three to four hundred. We meet on 
Sabbath evenings, and as often as we can, to pray 
to Jesus, to read the Testament, and to converse 
about the salvation of our souls. We are so much 
persecuted by the clergy, that we cannot appear as 
publicly as we wish. We are called beguines* and 
fools ; but I can bear this, and I hope a great deal 
more, for Him who has suffered so much for us." 

While the conversation of which this is a sketch 
was passing, the rooms had filled, the neighbors 
had been informed and introduced, at the request 
of the worthy hostess, and as many as could quit 
their occupations pressed to hear of the things of the 

kingdom of God. Mr. W desired to see the 

New Testament. It was presented. The title-page 
was gone, the leaves were almost worn to shreds by 
the fingers of the weavers and laborers, and he 
could not discover the edition. A female of respect- 
able appearance approached him and said, 

"Sir, for several years I have sought every- 
where a New Testament, and I have offered any 
price for one in all the neighboring villages, but in 
vain. Could you, sir, possibly procure me a copy ? 
I will gladly pay you any sum you demand — " 

* Religious enthusiasts. 



LIFE IN FEANCE. 87 

" Madam, I will not only procure you one," re- 
plied Mr. W eagerly, "but in forty-eight hours 

I will send you half a dozen." 

"Is it possible?" exclaimed the astonished vil- 
lagers. "May we, sir, believe the good news? 
May we rely on your promise? It appears too 
great — too good. We will pay for them now, sir, 
if you please." 

" You may depend on receiving them," said Mr. 

W , "if God prolongs my life. But I entreat 

you to do me the favor to accept them as a proof 
of my Christian regard, and an expression of my 
gratitude for having been permitted to enjoy, in 
this unpromising spot, the refreshing company of 
the followers of Christ." 

The conversation then turned on the value of 
the sacred volume, and the sinfulness of those who 
withhold it from perishing and dejected sinners. 
After some time the hostess inquired, "Pray, sir," 
can you tell us if any thing extraordinary is passing 
in the world ? We are shut out from all intercourse ; 
but we have an impression that God is commencing 
a great work in the earth, and that wonderful events 
are coming to pass." 

" Great events have taken place, and news is 

arriving every day," said Mr, W , "from all 

parts of the world, of the progress of the gospel 
and the fulfilment of the holy Scriptures." He 
then gave to his attentive and enraptured auditory 
an outline of the moral changes accomplished by 
the diffusion of the Bible, the labors of missiona- 



88 EEOOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

ries, and the establishment of schools; but only 
such an outline as was suited to their general igno- 
rance of the state of what is called the religious 
world. And when he had concluded, they all joined 
in the prayer, " Thy kingdom come ; thy will be done 
on earth, as it is done in heaven." Anxious as was 

Mr. "W to pursue his journey, he devoted three 

hours to this interview. He exhorted them to re- 
ceive and practise only what they found in the 
Scriptures, and to cleave to the Lord with full pur- 
pose of heart. 

The termination of this extraordinary meeting 
was most affecting : tears of pleasure, gratitude, and 
regret streamed from the eyes of the mountaineers ; 
ajjd the traveller, though more deeply moved by 
having seen the grace of God than by all the scenes 
through which he had passed, went on his way re- 
joicing, and following the directions of the good 

widow, he arrived at the town of S . In this 

town he had correspondents among the principal 
inhabitants and authorities, and under the impres- 
sion of all he had witnessed, he inquired, as if with 
the curiosity # of a traveller, the name of the hamlet 
he had passed on the mountains, and the nature of 
the employments and the character of its inhabit- 
ants. 

" The men," said the mayor, " work in the mines, 
drive tlie teams, and labor in the fields, and the 
women and children weave. They are a very curi- 
ous people, outres illumines, new lights, but tfie 
most honest work-people in the country — probity 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 89 

itself. We have no occasion to weigh our silk, 
either when we give it out or take it in, for we are 
sure not to lose the value of a farthing: and the 
kindest creatures in the world ; they will take their 
clothes off their backs to give to any one in distress : 
indeed there is no wretchedness among them; for, 
though poor, they are industrious, temperate, char- 
itable, and always assist each other \ but touch them 
oh their religion, and they are almost idiots. They 
never go to mass nor confession; in fact, they are 
not Christians, though the most worthy people in 
the world — and so droll: imagine those poor peo- 
ple, after working all the week, instead of enjoying 
the Sunday, and going to a fete or a ball to amuse 
themselves, meeting in each other's houses, and 
sometimes in the mountains, to read some book, 
and pray, and sing hymns. They are very clever 
work-people, but they pass their Sundays and holi- 
days stupidly enough." 

This testimony, so honorable to his new acquaint- 
ance, was confirmed to Mr. W from several 

quarters ; and he learned from others, what he had 
not been told by themselves, that, besides their 
honesty and charity, so great is their zeal, that they 
flock from the different hamlets, and meet in the 
mountains, in cold and bad weather, at eight or 
nine o'clock at night, to avoid the interruption of 
their enemies, and to sing and pray. 

These accounts were not calculated to lessen the 

interest excited in the breast of Mr. W , and 

immediately on his arrival at Lyons, he despatched 



90 



EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 



six copies of the New Testament, and some copies 
of the tract entitled "Les Deux Vieillards" The Two 
Old Men. Some time after his return to Paris, Mr. 

W received, through one of his correspondents 

at Lyons, a letter from the excellent widow with 
whom he had conversed. Of this letter a literal 
translation is subjoined; the modesty, dignity, and 
piety of which not only evince the influence of true 
religion, but will satisfy the reader that, in this nar- 
ration, no exaggerated statement has been made of 
the character of these mountaineers. 

" Sir — I have the honor to write you, to assure you of my 
very humble respects, and at the same time to acknowledge 
the reception of the six copies of the New Testament which 
you had the goodness and the generosity to send us. My 
family, myself, and my neighbors know not how adequately 
to express our sincere gratitude ; for we have nothing in the 
world so precious as that sacred volume, which is the best 
food of our souls, and our certain guide to the heavenly Je- 
rusalem. 

" As we believe and are assured that the Spirit of our Lord 
Jesus Christ could alone have inspired you with the desire to 
distribute the sacred Scriptures to those who are disposed to 
make a holy use of them, we hope and believe that the divine 
Saviour will be himself your recompense ; and that he will 
give to you, as well as to all of us, the grace to understand 
and to seek a part in his second coming ; for this ought to 
be our only and constant desire in the times of darkness and 
tribulation in which we live. 

" It is with this view, sir, that I entreat you to have the 
goodness to send six more copies of the sacred volume for 
several of my friends, who are delighted, not only with the 
beauty of the type, but especially with the purity of the edi- 
tion ; for it is sufficient to see the name of Monsieur le Mai- 
tre de Sacy, to be assured that this edition is strictly con- 






LIFE IN FRANCE. 91 

formable to the sacred text. Sir, as the persons who have 
charged me to entreat you to send six more copies of the 
New Testament would be sorry to abuse your generosity, 
they also charge me to say, that if you accomplish their 
wishes, as your truly Christian kindness induces them to 
hope, and will mark the price on the books, they shall feel it 
to be a pleasure and duty to remit you the amount when I 
acknowledge the arrival of the parcel. Could you also add 
six copies of the little tract, entitled ( Les Deux Vieittards ?' 

' ' I entreat you, sir, to excuse the liberty I have taken, 
and to believe that while life remains, I am, in the Spirit of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, your very humble servant, 

"THE widow — .»• 

The reception of this letter revived in Mr. W 

that lively interest which he had been constrained 
to feel for the prosperity of these happy villagers. 
Often had he called to mind the Christian kindness 
with which they received him, and often had he 
presented his ardent prayer to the God of grace, 
that he who "had begun a good work in them" 
would carry it on to "the day of Jesus Christ." 

Instead of complying with the request of this 
venerable woman to send her six copies of the New 
Testament, he sent her twenty, authorizing her to 
sell them to such as were able to pay ; but to pre- 
sent them, at her own discretion, to those who were 
desirous of obtaining them, and had not the means 
to purchase, "without money and without price." 
With these he also presented to the widow, as a, 
mark of his Christian affection, a Bible for her 
own use, together with a dozen copies of the tract 
which she had requested, and several other religious 
books. 



92 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

This unexpected bounty the widow acknowledged 
in a beautiful letter, breathing the same spirit as 
that above given, the reception of which produced 

an effect on the mind of Mr. W , as well as on 

the minds of many of his Christian friends at Paris, 
of the happiest kind. He informed the widow of 
the great satisfaction with which he had learned 
the eagerness of the villagers to obtain the word of 
God, and that he had directed his friend, the pub- 
lisher of the New Testament of De Sacy, to send 
her fifty copies more ; at the same time promis- 
ing her a fresh supply, if they should be needed! 
He also expressed to her the hope that, as he ex- 
pected his business would, within a few months, call 

him again to S , he should be able, Providence 

permitting, to avail himself of that opportunity, and 
enjoy the happiness of another visit at her resi- 
dence. 

In another letter Mr. "W was informed that 

the second supply of Bibles and Testaments had 
all been disposed of within two days from the time 
of their arrival, and that many who earnestly de- 
sired a copy were yet unsupplied — the distribution 
having only created an increased demand. Mr. 

W resolved not to neglect their wants, as long 

as it was in his power to supply them ; and the day 
being not far distant when he proposed to repair to 

S , and to make a second visit to the village in 

the mountains, he prepared a case of a hundred 
New Testaments and a hundred octavo Bibles, 
which he forwarded to Lyons by the roulage acoelere, 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 93 

or baggage wagon, to meet his arrival there ; and 
soon after took his departure from Paris. 

There were some interesting incidents in the 
progress of this tour, which so delightfully point to 
the hand of God, that the reader may be gratified 
in becoming acquainted with them. On his arrival 
at Lyons, Mr. W , finding no other way of trans- 
portation except the common diligence, a public 
stage-coach, was obliged to resort to this convey- 
ance. The case of Bibles and Testaments which he 
had forwarded was so large, that the only method 
by which it could be carried was to set it up on end 
in the basket attached to the back of the diligence ; 
and such was the weight and size of the box, that 
it was with no small difficulty, and by the assistance 
of several men, that it was safely adjusted. At first 
the passengers objected to taking their seats with 
such a weight behind, lest they should meet with 
some accident, or be impeded in their progress. 
After much persuasion, however, and after present- 
ing a number of religious tracts to each passenger, 
and requesting the conductor to drive slow, they 
were prevailed on to proceed on their journey. The 
course they were pursuing led through a part of the 
country solely inhabited by Roman-catholics, where, 
the year before, Mr. W had distributed a num- 
ber of Bibles and tracts, the reading of which, he 
had subsequently ascertained, had been forbidden 
by the priests, who had not only demanded them, 
but consigned most or all of them to the flames. 
Mr. W thought necessary, in this journey, to 



94 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

suspend his distributions in this immediate vicin- 
ity. But the providence of God had other views, 
and so ordered it that, without the instrumentality 
of men, the sacred records should be scattered 
among that people. On reaching the place of his 
destination at the foot of the mountains, and alight- 
ing from the diligence, Mr. W discovered that 

the case had opened at the top, and that not a few 
Bibles and Testaments had been scattered along 
the way. Travellers were soon seen coming tip, 
some in wagons and some on horseback, some with 
a Bible and some with a New Testament under their 
arm. They informed him that for eight or ten miles 
back, the inhabitants had been supplied by the dil- 
igence, as the books had fallen out whenever they 
descended a hill, or travelled over rocky and uneven 
ground. 

While taking the case from the diligence sev- 
eral more persons came up, each bringing his Bible 
or Testament, which they most readily offered to 

return to Mr. W , but which he as cheerfully 

requested them to accept, observing to them that 
they had been destined for their perusal by that 
Providence whose unseen hand directs all human 
events. Though ignorant of the contents of the 
volume which God had thus given them, they ex- 
pressed many thanks to Mr. W for his gener- 
osity, and were about to proceed on their way, 
apparently rejoicing, when he dismissed them by 
saying, " My friends, I feel peculiarly happy in thus 
being the instrument of putting into your hands 






LIFE IN FBANCE. 95 

that volume which contains the records of eternal 
life, and which points you to 'the Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sin of the world.' If you 
faithfully read it, and imbibe its glorious and pre- 
cious truths, and obey its precepts, it will render 
you happy in this life, and happy during the endless 
ages of eternity." 

Having opened the case, he found that forty- 
nine Bibles and Testaments had been thus distrib- 
uted. Some of his fellow-passengers were ready 
to believe that the box had been intentionally left 

open, but Mr. W assured them that it had been 

carefully secured in the usual manner, and that 
not until his arrival at the spot where they alighted, 
had he known that any had fallen out. 

Having made arrangements to have the case 
forwarded to the widow, and having addressed to 
her a note informing her of his intention to proceed 

to the large village of S , where he proposed 

tarrying a few days, during which time* he hoped 

once more to visit her and her friends, Mr. W 

resumed his seat in the diligence, and arrived at 

S the same night. On the next day but one 

after his arrival, he was agreeably surprised at an 
early hour in the morning, to find the hotel where 
he lodged surrounded by fifty or sixty persons, 
inquiring for the gentleman who had a day or two 
before' presented to a number of their citizens the 
book which, as they said, "contained a true history 
of the birth, life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and 
ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 



96 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

Others of them called it by its proper name, the 
New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. All of them were anxious to purchase a 

copy of it. As soon as Mr. W ascertained the 

object of their visit, he appeared on the balcony 
and expressed his regret that he had no more of 
those interesting volumes with him, informing them 
that if it pleased God he should return to Paris, he 
would forward a hundred to his correspondent in 
that place, that each of them might be furnished 
with a copy. This was accordingly done imme- 
diately after his return to Paris. And during his 

residence there Mr. W had the satisfaction to 

see that more or less individuals from S , who 

came to solicit orders for their manufacturing estab- 
lishments, also brought orders for an additional 
supply of the sacred volume. And the number of 
Bibles and Testaments which were introduced into 
a dense Catholic population, in consequence of the 
apparently trivial circumstance of the opening of 
the case in the diligence, will probably never be 
ascertained until the great day of account; nor will 
it be known to what extent they have been instru- 
mental in reclaiming and saving the souls of delud- 
ed men. 

On the day following, Mr. W received a 

deputation from the village in the mountains, anx- 
iously desiring to hear on what day and hour th£y 
might hope to enjoy his long-expected visit. He 
proposed to be at the widow's house the following 
morning, at 11 o'clock. Furnished with a carriage 



LIFE IN FBANCE. 97 

and horses by one of his friends, he set out accord- 
ingly; and, on reaching the foot of the mountain, 
was met by a deputation of twelve or fifteen of these 
faithful followers of the Lamb, who greeted his ap- 
proach with demonstrations of joy. He immediately 
descended from the carriage, and was conducted to 
the house of the widow with every expression of the 
most sincere Christian affection, some taking him by 
the sleeve, and others by the skirts of his coat, some 
preceding and others following him. But what was 
his surprise, on arriving at the house, to find an as- 
sembly of from sixty to eighty, who, with one voice, 
desired him to preach to them ! Mr. W ob- 
served to them, that he was an unworthy layman, 
and totally unqualified for such a responsible duty, 
and the more so at that time, as his mind had been 
occupied in his secular business; and he felt the 
need of himself receiving instruction, instead of 
attempting to impart it to others. But a chair had 
been placed for him in a suitable part of the room, 
and a small table covered with a green cloth placed 
before it, on which was laid the copy of the Bible 
which he had some months before presented to the 

widow. Mr. W saw he could not avoid saying 

something to this importunate company, and look- 
ing to God for assistance and a blessing, took the 
chair which had been set for him, and resolved to 
attempt to draw from the Bible, for their benefit, 
such instruction and consolation as he might be 
enabled to impart. 

To the eye of Mr. W every thing gave beauty 



98 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

and solemnity to this unexpected scene. The room 
into which he was conducted was filled with the vil- 
lagers, all conveniently accommodated on benches. 
A large door opened in the rear of the house, and 
discovered the declivity of the mountain on which 
it stood, skirted also with listening auditors. While 
at a distance the flocks and herds were peacefully 
feeding, the trees covered with beautiful foliage were 
waving in the breeze, and all nature seemed to be 
in harmony with those sacred emotions which so 
obviously pervaded this rural assembly .^ 

After addressing the throne of grace, Mr. W 

read a part of the fourth chapter of the Acts of the 
Apostles. He turned their attention more espec- 
ially to that interesting passage in the twelfth verse : 
" There is none other name under heaven given among 
men, whereby we must be saved'' He endeavored to 
point out to them the exceeding sinfulness of sin, 
the awful consequences of violating the law of God, 
the inefficacy of all those expedients which the igno- 
rance, the pride, or the self-righteousness of men 
had substituted for the "only name" Christ Jesus. 
He spoke of the necessity of this great sacrifice on 
the cross, of the love of God in sending his Son into 
the world, of the fulness and all-sufficiency of the 
mighty redemption, and of the duty of sinners to 
accept it and live. "It is through Christ alone," 
said he, "that you can have hope of pardon and 
salvation. You must take up the cross and follow 
Christ. You must renounce your sins and flee to 
Christ. You must renounce your own righteous- 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 99 

ness, and trust alone in Christ. Yon must renounce 
all other lords, and submit to Christ. If you had 
offended an earthly monarch, to whom you could 
have access only through his son, would you address 
yourselves to his servants rather than his son? And 
will you then, in the great concerns of your souls, 
go to any other than the Son? "Will you have 
recourse to the Virgin Mary, or some favored ser- 
vant, rather than address yourselves to Him who is 
'the way, and the truth, and the life?' and when 
God himself assures us that ' there is none other name 
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be 
saved ?' " 

Having thus proceeded for the space of fifteen 
or twenty minutes, and at a moment when the 
greater partof his audience were in tears, the widow 

suddenly came running to Mr. W , saying, with 

great agitation, " Monsieur ! Monsieur!" 

" What, madam, what?" said Mr. W . 

"I perceive," said she, "at a distance, the Dep- 
uty Mayor of a neighboring village, in company 
with several women, approaching with a speedy 
step towards my house. These people are among 
our greatest persecutors: shall I not call in our 
little band of brothers and sisters, and fasten the 

doors?" " No, madam," said Mr. W ; "on the 

contrary, if it be possible, open the doors stil] 
wider : trust in God our Saviour, and leave to me 
the direction of this matter." 

By this time considerable alarm seemed to per- 
vade the whole assembly, and some confusion en- 



100 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

sued, in consequence of several leaving their seats. 

Mr. W begged them to be composed, and to 

resume their seats, saying that the object for which 
they were assembled was one which God would 
accept of and approve, which angels would delight 
in, and at which Satan trembled; and that they had 
nothing to fear from the arm of flesh. By this time 
the Mayor made his appearance at the threshold of 
the door, together with his attendants. 

"Come in, sir," said Mr. W , "and be seat- 
ed," pointing to a chair near the table. 

"No, sir," said he, "I prefer to remain here." 

"But I prefer," said Mr. W , "that you 

come in, and also your companions, and be seated." 

Perceiving Mr. W to be firm in his deter- 
mination, they complied, and were.all seated among 
his nearest auditors. 

He then, without any further remarks, having 
the Bible open before him, directed their attention 
to those words in Christ's Sermon on the Mount : 
" Blessed are they which are persecuted for right- 
eousness' sake ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and per- 
secute you, and shall say all manner of evil against 
you falsely, for my sake. Bejoice, and be exceed- 
ing glad ; for great is your reward in heaven : for 
so persecuted they the prophets which were before 
you." Matt. 5:10,12. 

He proceeded to set before ihem the sufferings 
of the apostles and primitive Christians for the 
truth as it is in Jesus, and the constancy and firm- 






LIFE IN FKANCE. 101 

ness with which, in all circumstances, they endured 
these sufferings, on account of the love which they 
bore to their Saviour; that they had good reason 
for so doing, for they were assured by Christ, in 
the words just read, that "great should be their 
reward in heaven." He then proceeded to show 
the immense responsibility which those assumed, 
and the enormity of their guilt, who, ignorantly or 
designedly, persecute the followers of Christ. That 
they were but " heaping up to themselves wrath 
against the day of wrath." That the day was not 
far distant, when the awful realities of eternity would 
burst upon their view; and that every man w r ould 
then be judged " according to the deeds done in the 
body." ' 

Mr. W had proceeded in this manner for 

ten or twelve minutes, bringing the truth to bear 
especially upon the minds of his new audience, 
when he perceived the Mayor wiping his eyes with 
the cuff of his sleeve, who, rising at that moment 
from his seat, exclaimed, 

" Sir, I acknowledge that I have heretofore felt 
an enmity towards many of the people whom I here 
see before me; and have, as far as my influence 
extended in my official capacity, endeavored to 
break up what I have considered their illegal assem- 
blies, and to coerce them back within the pale of 
the mother church, which one after another of them 
have been abandoning for years past. But if all 
that you have expressed be true, and is in conform- 
ity with the sacred volume of God's word, and if 



102 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

the book which you hold in your hand is a correct 
translation of the original copy, I beg you to sell it 
me, that I may peruse it myself, and give the read- 
ing of it to others better able to judge of its con- 
tents ; and if I there find the promises and threat- 
enings as stated by you to be correct^ you may rely 
upon it, that, so far from* persecuting these in other 
respects harmless people, I will hereafter be their 
friend." 

On hearing this, Mr. W immediately re- 
quested the widow to bring several Bibles from the 
case which he brought with him in the diligence, 
and which had reached the house according to his 
direction ; one of which he presented to the Mayor, 
and one to each of his Catholic associates. On the 
Mayor's offering to pay for the one put into his 
hand, Mr. W observed, that he had much pleas- 
ure in presenting it to him, as well as to his com- 
panions, in the hope that they would hereafter not 
only become the friends of this interesting people, 
but, what was of more importance, the friends of 
Jesus Christ, who is the "only Mediator between 
God and man." With this they took their depart- 
ure : Mr. W observing to them, that his heart's 

desire and prayer to God was, that by a careful, 
humble, and prayerful perusal of that sacred vol- 
ume, their understandings might become enlight- 
ened, and their hearts imbued with the riches of 
divine grace; that they might thereby be led here- 
after to advocate the very cause which they had 
heretofore been attempting to destroy; and that, 



LIFE IN FBANCE. 103 

when they had done serving God their Saviour here 
below, they might find themselves among that hap- 
py number "whose names are written in the Lamb's 
book of life." They left the house, all of them in 
tears, and, as it appeared, deeply impressed with 
the truths which had been exhibited. 

After he had concluded these remarks, Mr. 

W requested that some of the remaining Bibles 

and Testaments might be brought and laid before 
him on the table. These he distributed gratui- 
tously to all present who had not before been sup- 
plied, and who were unable to purchase them. 
While he was doing this, many who had previously 
received the sacred volume came forward and man- 
ifested their gratitude by laying upon the table their 
various donations of from two to ten francs each, 
till, in a few moments, the table was well-nigh cov- 
ered. Mr. Wilder told them he was unwilling to 
receive money in that manner, and wished them to 
put their gifts into the hands of the widow, accom- 
panied by the names of the donors, that they might 
be regularly accounted to the Bible Society. This 
they consented to do with some reluctance, when 
the widow brought from her drawer a purse con- 
taining a hundred and seventy francs, saying to Mr. 
Wilder that he could not refuse that money, as it 
was the proceeds of Bibles and Testaments which 
she had sold in compliance with his directions. He 
replied to her that he had indeed requested her to 
sell these volumes to such as were able to purchase, 
that he might ascertain whether there were persons 



104 



KECOKDS OFS.V. S. WILDEK. 



in that neighborhood who sufficiently appreciated 
the word of God to be willing to pay for it ; but 
that object having been accomplished, it was now 
his privilege, on his own personal responsibility, to 
place the hundred and seventy francs in the hands 
of the widow, to be distributed in equal portions to 
the three unfortunate families whom they had men- 
tioned as having recently lost their husbands and 
fathers by the caving in of a coal-pit. 

On hearing this, they together, spontaneously 

as it were, surrounded Mr. W , and with tears 

streaming from their eyes, loaded him with their 
expressions of gratitude and their blessings, ren- 
dering it the most touching scene which he ever 
witnessed. 

Amid all these tokens of their Christian affec- 
tion, Mr. W was compelled to prepare for his 

departure, and imploring the richest of heaven's 
mercies upon their heads, bade them an affection- 
ate farewell. 

The whole company followed him to the car- 
riage, and just as he had reached it, he once more 
addressed them, saying, "My dear friends, if any of 
you have not yet submitted yourselves to God, and 
are out of the ark of safety, I beseech you, ' give not 
sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids,' 
until you flee to the Saviour. And those of you who 
have tasted that the Lord is gracious, live near to 
God, bear cheerfully the cross of your Redeemer, 
follow on to know the Lord and do his will, and by 
his grace reigning in your hearts, you shall come 



LIFE IN FEANCE. 105 

off conquerors, and more than conquerors." When 
he had said this, and had again commended them 
to the God of all mercy through a crucified Re- 
deemer, he drove off amid their prayers and bless- 
ings, to see them no more till that day when they 
shall meet in the kingdom of their Father, where 
sighs and farewells are sounds unknown, and where 
God shall wipe away all tears from every eye. 

After Mr. W 's return to Paris, he had the 

pleasure to learn from the widow that all the Bibles 
he had left with her were disposed of, and that many, 
in various directions from the village, were earnest 
to obtain them, but could not be supplied. In the 
mean time a deep interest in the spiritual welfare 
of these villagers had diffused itself beyond the 
limits of Paris, or even of France. The first eight 
pages of this tract having found its'way to England, 
had been published by the Religious Tract Society 
of London, and had obtained a very wide circula- 
tion. A parish in one of the interior towns of Eng- 
land had forwarded to Mr. W twenty pounds 

sterling, for the purchase of Bibles to be presented 
to the widow for gratuitous distribution ; and a fam- 
ily of Friends from Wales, having read the narra- 
tive, visited Mr. W at Paris, and proceeded 

thence to the village in the mountains, where they 
tarried no less than three weeks, assuring Mr. 

W , on their return to Paris, that it had been 

the most interesting three weeks of their lives. 

As the proceeds of the twenty pounds, Mr. 

W forwarded to the widow fifty Bibles and 

5* 



106 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

fifty Testaments, with a selection of several other 
choice books and tracts. These Bibles, Testaments, 
and tracts were all actually disposed of in eight days, 
of which the widow gave early information, accom- 
panied by letters to Mr. W and to the benevo- 
lent donors in England, expressing, in the most cor- 
dial manner, her gratitude and that of those who 
had thus been supplied with the word of life. She 
gave a particular statement of the eagerness with 
which they had been read, of their distribution in 
many Catholic families, and the conversion of some 
to the truth as it is in Jesus. She informed that 
many individuals and families were still unsupplied ; 
and for herself and those around her, expressed her 
thanksgivings to God for the wonders of his love in 
inspiring the hearts of his children to unite their 
efforts in Bible and other benevolent institutions, 
and to contribute of their substance to extend to 
the destitute a knowledge of the gospel. 

The last letter which Mr. W received from 

the widow before he left the country, contained two 
hundred francs, which she and her children had 
contributed as a donation in acknowledgment of the 
Bibles and Testaments which he had from time to 
time forwarded. 

Mr. W replied to her that it gave him more 

joy than to have received twenty thousand francs 
from another source, as it testified their attachment 
to the word of God. He returned her the full 
amount of their donation in Bibles, with two hun- 
dred and fifty Testaments from the Society, to- 



LIFE IN FKANCE. 107 

getter with fifty from himself, as his last present 
before his departure, and also six hundred tracts 
and several other religious books. Pointing out to 
her an esteemed friend in Paris, to whom, if further 
supplies should be needed, she might apply with 
assurance that her requests would be faithfully 
regarded, and exhorting her to remain steadfast in 
the faith, and to fix her % eye always upon the Sav- 
iour, he commended her to God, in the fervent hope 
that, through the unsearchable riches of his grace, 
he should hereafter meet her and her persecuted 
associates in that world " where the wicked cease 
from troubling, and the weary are at rest." 

Mr. Wilder never lost his interest in this peo- 
ple, these sheep scattered in the wilderness, which 
he had been the means of more fully establishing 
in the fold of Christ, though for a long time after 
his return to America he received but indirect ac- 
counts of their welfare and well-doing. The Lord 
continued to watch over and to bless them. An 
evangelical Protestant church was formed at St. 
Etienne, schools were established among the neigh- 
boring Eoman-catholics, and the good work had 
gone on beyond the power of a feeble Protestant 
community to sustain it. Help was much needed, 
and in 1862 the thoughts and hearts of many who 
still remembered him, turned to their early friend 
now in far off America. Through the Rev. Dr. 
Merle D'Aubign6, their pastor Mr. Eivier learned 
Mr. Wilder's address in this country. This led to 



108 KECOKDS OF S. V. S, WILDEK. 

a correspondence of deep interest, which gladdened 
Mr. Wilder' s heart during the last three or four 
years of his life on earth. One of these letters 
especially filled him with gratitude, telling of the 
joy with which a letter written by Mr. Wilder to 
this flock in St. Etienne had been received. 

"August 30, 1862. 

"To the Bev. Theophile Kivier, Pastor at St. Etienne, De- 
partment of the Loire, near Lyons : 

"My dear Sir — I cannot but feel grateful to 
that superintending Providence, in whom we live 
and move and have our being, for having protracted 
my unprofitable life to the present period, thereby 
affording me the inexpressible satisfaction of receiv- 
ing at this my summer retreat the thrilling intelli- 
gence which your letter of May 19th conveys. 

"Forty years have indeed rolled away since I 
left that interesting country. I disclaim all merit 
in the providential incident which seems to be im- 
plied in your letter, and to God, and God alone, be 
all the praise, all the honor, and all the glory. 

" Believing that every thing cooperates, directly 
or indirectly, for the accomplishment of the wise 
designs of that benign Being whose power directs 
and controls all events ; and while I can and do 
most cordially reciprocate the kind and affectionate 
sentiments of the estimable granddaughter of that 
mother in Israel, the late widow Gillier, I can as- 
sure you that I feel the same lively interest in the 
temporal and spiritual welfare of the rising genera- 






LIFE IN FRANCE. 109 

tion in those regions, that I did in that of their 
forefathers in bygone years. 

" In view of the establishment of an evangelical 
church, followed by the wonderful and triumphant 
display of the power of divine grace in the convic- 
tion and conversion of sinners, among a population 
of one hundred thousand immortal souls, most of 
whom, it is to be apprehended, have been and still 
are under the pernicious and soul-destroying influ- 
ence of those spiritual guides alluded to in the fif- 
teenth chapter of St. Matthew and the fourteenth 
verse, sensations have been awakened in my breast 
which have penetrated the inmost recesses of my 
soul. 

" I see however, with sorrow and dismay, that 
this pious enterprise is laboring under pecuniary 

embarrassments Please to assure this little 

band, who by the grace of God compose the mem- 
berships of your infant evangelical church, that I 
feel united to them by the strongest ties of Christian 
affection, as well as to the survivors of the dear 
family of the widow Gillier. 

" Impressed as I am with the conviction that 
with yourself, reverend sir, we are all animated by 
the same glorious hopes, cheered by the same celes- 
tial prospects, relying on the same gracious prom- 
ises, and looking to the same divine Saviour for sal- 
vation, let me, in conclusion, assure one and all, for 
the last time in this world of mutability, that with 
our hopes founded on the promises of the gospel, 
our lives regulated by its unerring precepts, imbib- 



110 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

ing more and more of its benign and peaceful spirit, 
neither shrinking from the cross nor becoming 
weary in well-doing, we may look forward with a 
thrill of sacred joy to ere long meeting each other 
amid the effulgent glories of heaven, where a more 
than earthly union will be the bond, love the inspir- 
ing motive, and praise the everlasting theme. 

"In love to the Saviour I salute you, reverend 
and dear sir, with Christian affection, 

"S. V. S. WILDEK" 

"Mr. S. Y. S. Wilder, New York : 

" Thanks, dear sir, for all the sympathy you tes- 
tify for us, for all the encouraging words you address 
us, and for all the petitions you cause to ascend to 
the throne of grace in our behalf. 

" I also thank Dr. Hallock heartily for the lines 
he added to your letter, and am happy to have been 
by that means brought into relation with him. I 
also thank him as well as you for copies of the tract, 
' Le Village dans les Montagnes.' It has been 
distributed to many persons who were not before 
acquainted w T ith it, for it is not now to be had in 
France, and I hope it will continue to be blessed 
from on high to many souls. The whole letter has 
been translated and read before our assembled 
church, and produced a deep impression on those 
who heard it. 

"Many persons here still remember you; the 
granddaughter of the widow Gillier was overjoyed 
at hearing from you. Some days since I saw a 



LIFE IN FKANCE. Ill 

woman named Madame Boche, converted to the 
Lord and received into our church only a few years 
ago. She said to me eagerly, ' Tou have received a 
letter from that American gentleman ? How glad I 
should be to read it. The little child that fell by the 
roadside in front of the widow Gillier's house, and 
whom Mr. Wilder's friend picked up, ivas I, it wa$ 
L Oh, when you write to this good gentleman, tell 
him that you have seen me ; tell him that my mother 
was present at his visit to Mrs. Gillier's; that she 
was led to the knowledge of the Lord by that means, 
and that she died some time afterwards, entering 
into rest in the presence of God. Tell him that I 
also have learned to know my Saviour, and that I 
am alone in my family. Ask him if he remembers 
a little boy six months old who was playing on the 
ground before the house, and to whom he gave a 
five-franc piece to play with ; and when, at his de- 
parture, my mother would have returned him the 
coin, he told her to keep it. That little boy was 
my brother; he is not converted, but manifests 
deep interest in the concerns of the soul. Tell Mr. 
"Wilder how often my mother has spoken to us 
about him, and how much we love him.' 

"The joy of the woman in speaking of these 
things interested me much, and I thought I could 
do you a pleasure by transmitting to you this mes- 
sage in detail. How great and how faithful is our 
God, and how he knows how to employ the most 
trivial circumstances in accomplishing his designs 
of love. 



112 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

" Pray for us, and be assured of the sentiments 
of affection and Christian veneration with which I 
remain 

" Tour servant in Christ, 

"THEO. EIYIEE, Pasteue." 

Yes, " not even a sparrow falls to the ground 
without our Father," nor did that little child, whose 
fall and momentary danger has probably, under 
God, been the means of raising up many " to sit in 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus." The tract, "Vil- 
lage in the Mountains," has been translated at least 
into French, German, and Welsh; and in this coun- 
try alone, 238,000 copies of it have been printed. 

It was a great trial to Mr. Wilder's kind heart 
that, as in the providence of God his pecuniary 
means of doing good had been curtailed long be- 
fore the receipt of Pastor Rivier's letters, he could 
not respond as largely as was formerly his wont to 
such appeals for aid. Still he sought to do what 
he could, by asking others to give to an object so 
worthy and so important. Very touching is it now 
to review copies of some of these solicitations. 

There was an old gentleman, still living, the 
foundation of whose large fortune Mr. Wilder felt 
he had himself laid years before by a very profita- 
ble investment made for him in silk goods manufac- 
tured by these very people, who now needed help to 
finish their church. To this man Mr. Wilder ap- 
plied, reminding him of the time they crossed the 
ocean together amid circumstances of great danger, 



LIFE IN FEANCE. 113 

and of their subsequent business relations ; stating 
the present case of the mountain villagers whose 
skill had formerly turned so much to his benefit, 
and also expressing, as usual, best wishes for his 
future and eternal welfare. But the effort was in 
vain. The memory was short, the heart too cold ; 
the purse weighed down its strings too heavily. 

What a contrast between the two men, both 
over fourscore years of age, and necessarily near 
the end of their course in this world. Who would 
not choose for his own portion the Christian large- 
heartedness of the one, even should comparative 
paucity of earthly goods be its concomitant ? 

Efforts for the spread of the gospel in France, 
of which that in and about the "Village in the 
Mountains" was but a large exemplar, could not be 
hid under a bushel. Christians in England heard 
of Mr. Wilder' s liberality to the various societies 
there. His name, as being a decided friend of true 
evangelical religion, became more and more known 
throughout Europe. Strangers like-minded flocked 
to his house and counting-room. These returning 
home, gave to Christian friends and others also 
fresh letters of introduction to him ; and the day 
of judgment alone will reveal all the good received 
in Paris by many who little expected to find Christ 
in that gay emporium. 

A few lines from a note received by Mr. Wilder 
in Nov., 1822, from a German professor, may serve 
as a single instance. 



114 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

" Deae Sir — The conversation yon honored me 
with last Saturday has made a deep impression on 
my mind, and has corroborated the conviction in 
which I have always been, that our ivories can only 
be manifested by a living faith in the incalculable mer- 
its of our divine Redeemer Jesus Christ." 

" Diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving 
the Lord," we shall see in another chapter how ap- 
propriately descriptive were these few words of the 
character of our departed friend, when for a sea- 
son, like Bunyan's Pilgrim, he was still called to 
dwell in Vanity Fair. 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 115 



IX. 

gi$frftutwg h % uwmifg ^ muh} $hw fa 

To have a correct idea of Mr. "Wilder in his for- 
eign home, it is necessary to go back in imagina- 
tion forty or fifty years to the days of the first Na- 
poleon, and long before Louis Napoleon, following 
his uncle's example, had so much beautified the city 
of Paris. Turn now out of that great thoroughfare 
the Boulevard Poissoniere into the " Rue de Petit 
Carreau," till you come to No. 18, one of the large 
old "hotels" famous in the time of Louis XV. En- 
tering the heavy stone doorway, through which you 
catch a glimpse of extensive gardens and of orange- 
trees in the rear, go up the solid stone stairway till 
you come to the first upper story from the street. 
Then passing through an ante-room and the clerk's 
counting-room, you enter Mr. Wilder's private 
office. There he sits in the round morocco chair 
used by him through life, and before the writing- 
table at which he last sat in the New Jersey home 
from which he was taken to his heavenly rest. 

As seated in that chair and engaged in his daily business 
before that desk, did John Vanderlyn insist upon painting 
the portrait which took the medal at the exhibition of paint- 
ings in Paris, and remains valuable still as a finished work of. 
art, as well as from being a striking likeness of Mr. Wilder 



116 RECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

at that time. Poor Yanderlyn, always improvident, no hand 
of friendship, though often extended to him by Mr. Wilder 
and others, could give him permanent aid. At this particu- 
lar period, much to his credit and much to his disadvantage, 
Vanderlyn was doubly hampered, being obliged by ties of 
gratitude to labor in the support of Aaron Burr, who, almost 
an outlaw after the death of Hamilton, had now for a time 
taken refuge in France. Aaron Burr had seen Vanderlyn 
when a boy in his father's house in Kingston, N. Y., had 
marked his dawning genius, had put him under the instruc- 
tion of Col. Trumbull, and afterwards completed his art-edu- 
cation in the schools of Italy. Now of this kind act Burr 
reaped the benefit. Vanderlyn devoted himself to the ser- 
vice of his old patron, and finally attended his dying-bed on 
Staten Island. He himself, having attained the first rank of 
American painters, died in Kingston about 1852. 

In the clerks' counting-room we see two desks, where the 
pleasant, good-hearted Gougain, and the more reticent Pre- 
vost, attend to the duties of their office. On the wall in the 
smaller room, near Mr. Wilder's desk, is a small painting in 
oil of his friend Baron Hottinguer, by strangers often taken 
for a likeness of himself. This picture was afterwards 
brought by him to this country, and long hung over the 
same library chair in his Bolton home, but was finally given 
back to the Hottinguer family through a grandson visiting 
this country in 1857, accompanied with a letter to the young 
man, in which Mr. Wilder says, "I confess I should experi- 
ence greater reluctance in parting with this highly-appre- 
ciated souvenir, were it not that the endeared features of 
your grandfather are so indelibly imprinted on the tablet of 
my memory, that neither time, distance, nor circumstance can 
ever efface the impression." The letter concludes with the 
plainest and kindest Christian advice to the young French- 
man, and best wishes for his eternal welfare. 

But to return to the Parisian counting-room of 
long ago. There young Professor Jonas King often 
came while pursuing the study of Arabic with the 



PABIS SOCIETIES. 117 

Baron de Sacy the celebrated linguist. Often from 
the more private office did prayer ascend to God, 
as when the same young professor sought divine 
direction as to whether he should " go up to Jeru- 
salem." 

Turning now from the landing to the other side 
of the stone staircase, we find the family apart- 
ments, nine or ten in number, and as is usually the 
French custom, all on the same floor. There was 
the salon with its hangings and furniture of green, 
which was literally often an oasis to many a disci- 
ple, otherwise in a desert land as to religious priv- 
ileges. In this parlor was often heard the voice of 
prayer and praise, accompanying the preaching of 
His blessed gospel, by many a servant of Christ 
from America, England, Switzerland, or France 
itself. 

Here was the birthplace of the Paris Bible and 
Tract and Missionary Societies. Under God, these 
owed their being to the circumstance of the indi- 
rect though powerful influence of Talleyrand, that 
wonderful man, who in some way, right or wrong, 
managed to retain position for himself through 
every succeeding revolution and dynasty. Mr. 
Wilder had, upon his first going abroad in 1804, 
been introduced to him by Dr. Jedidiah Morse as 
" a young gentleman of very fair character, and of 
great integrity, intelligence, and industry in his 
business, and deserving the confidence of all good 
men." Dr. Morse in another letter calls Mr. Wil- 
der "my worthy young friend and parishioner/ ' and 



118 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

says, " lie visits France as an agent for a number of 
respectable merchants in Boston, and expects to 
remain a number of years in that capacity. Under 
these circumstances I thought it proper to make 
you acquainted with his character and merits, that 
he may share the protection and patronage of that 
government of which you are so distinguished and 
influential a member." 

Talleyrand accepted the trust as requested by 
Dr. Morse, told Mr. "Wilder to retain the letters, 
and come and claim protection from him in case of 
any difficulty during his residence in France. This 
gave Mr. Wilder boldness in doing what he knew 
was in itself right. The police always thought it 
expedient to wink at any assemblages under his 
roof, even should they exceed in number of persons 
present that which was strictly allowed by law. 

The Paris Tract Society was formed in 1818, the 
Bible Society in 1819, the Missionary Society in 
1822. 

Of the Paris Bible and Tract Societies there was 
important need. The prejudice then strongly ex- 
isting in France, passing, on account of England's 
late treatment of Napoleon, all usual bounds of he- 
reditary feeling, rendered it, as already intimated, 
almost imperative that Bibles and tracts should 
bear other than the hated imprint, " London." 

With the Paris Bible Society, Bev. Frederic Leo 
was prominently connected. He had first published 
the Boman-catholic version of the New Testament, 
which was the immediate occasion of the formation 



PAKIS SOCIETIES. 119 

of the Society. Though a German by birth, he so 
identified himself with French efforts for French 
evangelization, and was so unwilling to- submit to 
the English dictation of even good men, as to cause 
his friends sometimes much trouble and anxiety 
while defending him from unjust accusation. Mr. 
Drummond, a banker of London, and President 
of the Continental Society, always took Mr. Leo's 
part, as did other English Christians coming to 
Paris, and judging for themselves as to his work 
there. Mr. Wilder had much to do in the way of 
settling these difficulties and others of the kind. 

With the Paris Bible Society were also associ- 
ated the names of Lutteroth, Maron, Soulier, Blum- 
hart, and Steinkoff, the two latter Germans. Owen 
and Pinkerton of the British Bible Society also took 
a deep interest in its work. It were impossible, 
without taking too much space, to retrace the many 
interesting relations of these gentlemen with Mr. 
Wilder, whose house was a constant place of meet- 
ing and consultation with them all. 

There was much opposition in those days by 
many to Bible societies. At one of the early anni- 
versaries in Paris, April 16, 1822, an offer was made 
through Mr. Wilder of a prize for the best essay in 
their favor. This offer, anonymous at the time, 
was made by Mr. Waddington, a friend of the Bible, 
then residing at St. Bemy. 

Mr. Wilder, in his address on this occasion — 
translated for him into French by his friend Baron 
de Stael, son of the celebrated Madame de Stael, in 



120 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

order that in that language the diction should be 
entirely correct — says, 

" Those who may think proper to answer this 
public appeal, will doubtless understand that it will 
be necessary to show in a concise manner the con- 
sistency and harmony of the sacred Scriptures with 
sound philosophy; their influence in elevating the 
intellectual state of man ; their importance in pro- 
moting the temporal interests of society ; their ten- 
dency to ameliorate the civil condition of the human 
race ; their pure and unrivalled morality ; and above 
all, their essential value as the only infallible guide 
to spiritual and eternal happiness, by teaching fallen 
man that he can only be reconciled to God by his 
sovereign grace, through the propitiatory sacrifice 
of Christ his Son. 

„ " It is certain, as a matter of history, that the 
Bible has better secured the respect due to every 
class and rank of society; better ascertained the 
claims and duties of conjugal and filial relations, 
the mutual obligations of governments and people, 
the reciprocal interests- of masters and servants, 
than all other books put together ; while with it 
alone rests the merit of pointing to Jesus, and 
saying, from Genesis to the Eevelation, 'Behold 
the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the 
world.' 

" The time is not far distant when the printing 
and distribution of the sacred Scriptures will not 
be confined to a few individuals formed into socie- 
ties, but whole nations will consider it their first 



PAKIS SOCIETIES. 121 

object and highest privilege thus to promote the 
great and glorious cause of our divine Redeemer." 

In June, 1818, it was 'Mr. Wilder's " sacred and 
delightful duty," to use his own expression, to trans- 
mit to the newly formed Paris Bible Society the 
salutations of the Massachusetts Bible Society, to- 
gether with a donation from it of one hundred 
pounds in aid of Bible work in France, which sum 
he had received from Kev. Mr. Channing, secretary, 
and his friend John Tappan, treasurer of the Mas- 
sachusetts Society. 

In the work of tract distribution, after his first 
introduction to it in London, Mr. "Wilder ever re- 
mained much interested. In France, not only for 
his own journeys, but for those of his friends, he 
would always provide a full supply of the tracts 
published at first through Mr. Hillhouse, and after- 
wards by the Paris Tract Society ; w T hich little books 
appear now, in their outward finish, in comparison 
to those of more modern requirement, rough indeed, 
and brown, but which in themselves were instinct 
with life, and beautiful as are the feet of those bring- 
ing glad tidings. 

The incident related in connection with "the 
Village in the Mountains," of the involuntary dis- 
tribution of Testaments and tracts, was, strange to 
say, not the only one of the kind in Mr. "Wilder's 
experience. A friend, travelling with hirtf on an- 
other occasion, wrote, April 18, 1819, " We met with 
no accident on our journey, except the breaking of 
the box in front of our carriage, which being filled 



122 EECOEDS OE S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

with Testaments and tracts, they were distributed 
through the village of Vaudreuil. The horses hap- 
pened (?) to be very gay this post, and making con- 
siderable noise on the pavements, we were not aware 
of the accident, though multitudes ran after us ; but 
we heard nothing, until the box and its contents 
were distributed through the street in the mud. 
Unfortunately some were injured; otherwise it 
was not to be regretted that an opportunity was 
offered of giving means of instruction to those who 
collected about the carriage. Many were able to 
read, and others said they had children or husbands 
who could; so that it may be considered a provi- 
dential event. Mr. "Wilder addressed the crowd 
from the elevated seat of the carriage to evident 
effect. They seemed surprised that not even the 
uninjured books were taken by him. As it was a 
Roman-catholic region, I trust good will be done by 
this means." 

French tracts furnished by Mr. "Wilder to a 
friend, Mr. Money, were actually received by the 
prior of the monastery of La Trappe, he promising 
to distribute them to the monks. 

With the " Continental Society," whose head- 
quarters were in London, Mr. Wilder became con- 
nected as vice-president. Its work, like that since 
pursued in this country by the "American and For- 
eign Christian Union," was the evangelization of 
Europe. Mr. Wilder's correspondence with the 
Rev. Isaac Saunders, Secretary of the Continental 
Society, as also with its President, Mr. H. Drum- 



PAKIS SOCIETIES. 123 

mond, is very interesting. His advice in detail as 
to the best methods of carrying on the work of the 
Society, seems in many cases to have been followed 
by these gentlemen with many expressions of sin- 
cere respect. 

Of the French society for the promotion of "good 
morals" Mr. Wilder was also a member, though not 
able to affect its course as much as was his desire. 
Many had joined it who, not having felt the power 
of the gospel upon their own hearts, were too much 
disposed to leave Christianity out of the question, 
when aiming to promote morality. Others again, 
thoughtless and imprudent, careless of the. distinc- 
tion between church and state, would push their 
peculiar views until almost compromitting them- 
selves with the government. 

Of the Paris Missionary Society, the Rev. Dr. 
Jonas King, whose marked and kindly countenance 
is now again so welcome in his native land, was the 
first missionary. With regard to his appointment 
as such, Mr. Wilder wrote to Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., 
Secretary of the American Board, 

"Pakis, Dec. 31, 1822. 
" My dear Sir— Having just received a line from 
our worthy brother in the Lord, Professor King, and 
presuming that it will be interesting to you and to 
the respective members of the Committee of your 
Missionary Society to know that he has safely ar- 
rived at Malta, I here inclose it, by which you will 
learn that he was about to embark, with that zeal- 



124 RECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

ous and faithful disciple of Christ, Rev. Pliny Fisk, 
for Alexandria; thence to proceed to Jerusalem, 
'not knowing the things which may befall them 
there; neither counting their lives dear,* if so be 
they can win souls to Christ. 

" I also profit by this occasion to inclose you the 
circular and address of the ' Paris Missionary Soci- 
ety,' which, praised be God, is at length established 
in this city. You will observe that Mr. King has 
gone out as our first missionary ; but this, you must 
know, is only for one year from the first of Septem- 
ber last ; and his expenses are of course paid by 
the Paris Society until the first of next September. 
This was done in order to give your Committee 
time to deliberate and decide on the proposition 
which Mr. King made to them previous to his leav- 
ing Paris, and to which I doubt not they will read- 
ily accede ; particularly as near three hundred dol- 
lars a year will be furnished to your Society by indi- 
viduals in Europe, towards defraying Mr. King's 
expenses during the second and third year of his 
residence in Palestine. 

" The friends of Zion have certainly much rea- 
son to bless God and rejoice, when they consider 
that though, in 1818, not a single society existed in 
this modern Babylon for the object of promoting 
the glorious cause of our divine Redeemer, there 
now exists here, by the blessing of the same benign 
Being, a ' Bible Society,' a ■ Missionary Society,' a 
' Religious Tract Society,' a ' Moral Christian,' or in 
other words, a ' Peace Society,' an ' African Socie- 



PAKIS SOCIETIES. 125 

ty,' and a ' Prison Society/ all in active operation ; 
and the members of the respective committees daily 
manifesting an increased zeal for the accomplish- 
ment of the great and glorious objects they have in 
view. Surely this is none other than the work of 
God, and unto him be rendered all the honor, glory, * 
and praise. 

• " Eecommending all these pious and philan- 
thropic institutions to your prayers, and wishing 
you, above all, spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, 
" I salute you with Christian affection, 

"S. Y. S. WILDER " 

The following records in a letter from Dr. King 
to Mrs. Wilder, written soon after Mr. Wilder's 
death, are inserted with many thanks. They give 
many reminiscences of deep interest regarding the 
early friend who, a few weeks before his death, found 
it a high pleasure and a privilege to see him once 
again in the flesh. 

"New Yokk, March 24, 1865. 
" Dear Mrs. Wilder — .... On examining my 
journal kept in Paris, I find this record, September 
6, 1822: 'In the evening attended a meeting at Mr. 
Wilder's for the organization of the Paris Mission- 
ary Society. Mr. Wilder proposed that the Society 
should grant me some aid, and employ me as their 
first missionary, to go out under their direction for 
the present year. The Eev. Daniel Wilson from 
London, (since Bishop of Calcutta,) after a very 
animated speech, offered to contribute expressly for 



126 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

this object one hundred francs. Another gentle* 
man, Mr. Pope, arose and said he would give fifty. 
Another offered twenty ; several, ten. The Society 
at once voted five hundred francs, and I found 
myself obliged, without the least preparation, to 
arise and address this interesting assembly. There 
' were present twelve or fourteen clergymen, six of 
whom were French Protestant ministers at Paris.' 

"It was at your house, as you will doubtless 
remember, Sunday, the 22d of September, that we 
had that most solemn, affecting, and interesting 
season in celebrating together the Lord's supper, 
administered by the Rev. Dr. Gardiner Spring, a 
few days previous to my leaving for Jerusalem, 
when we all wept, and felt that it was probably the 
last time we should ever meet on a similar occasion 
in this world. It was, I believe, the last. Tour 
husband had previously given me a folio blank vol- 
ume, beautifully bound, in which to keep my jour- 
nal in Palestine, and in which he requested me to 
write first a little sketch of my early life, which I 
did. In that journal I find the following : 

"'It is in compliance with the wishes of this 
friend, who has for ten months past given me a 
most cordial welcome to his house ; who has aided 
me and strengthened me by his counsels, his pray- 
ers, his heavenly conversation ; who, with his inter- 
esting, amiable, and pious companion, visited me, 
and ministered abundantly to all my wants when 
on a bed of sickness, and apparently on the borders 
of the grave; who has been one of the principal 






PAEIS SOCIETIES. 127 

instruments in the hands of God of enabling me to 
enter on the mission abovenientioned, (to Jerusa- 
lem,) that I take my pen to trace a few lines of a 
life all unworthy, and which cannot be interesting 
except to a few particular friends.' 

"The letter of Pliny Fisk, asking me to come 
and join him in his mission in Palestine for three 
years, in consequence of the death of Levi Parsons, 
I received at your house ; and after retiring to your 
boudoir to spread the letter before the Lord, and to 
seek of him direction, I returned to Mr. Wilder in 
his office, who to my surprise addressed me thus : 
' Since it has pleased Providence to throw you in 
my way, and that I have now for so long a time had 
the pleasure of your acquaintance, and since it has 
pleased God to send this letter to you through my 
hands, I offer, if you will go to Jerusalem, one hun- 
dred and fifty dollars a year for three years, after 
which I think it your decided duty to return to 
America.' 

" In consequence of this unexpected offer, I 
wrote letters, at the suggestion of Mr. Wilder, to 
Louis Mertens, Esq., of Brussels; to Thomas Wad- 
dington, Esq., of St. Remy; Claude Cromlin, Esq., 
of Amsterdam; and John Venning, Esq., of St. 
Petersburg in Russia, and received such favorable 
answers, that I decided to go on the mission above- 
mentioned. 

" In my letter to the American Board, written 
August 12, 1822, having mentioned the letter of 
Pliny Fisk to me, I find noted : ' I read this to Mr. 



128 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

Wilder, whose name is known to you all, and whose 
Christian beneficence flows in a thousand channels, 
refreshing the widow and the orphan, the poor and 
the afflicted, and causing many a verdant spot to be 
seen in the midst of this barren desert ;' informing 
the Board of the liberal provision Mr. Wilder and 
others had made for my support. 

"Whenever I think of you and your beloved, 
lamented husband, my mind naturally reverts to 
that hospitable dwelling which you occupied when 
I was in Paris in 1821 and 1822. There I always 
met with a cordial welcome. There I used to meet 
almost every Sunday evening the Rev. Frederic 
Monod, who afterwards became one of the most 
distinguished ministers in France, and whose friend- 
ship continued to the end of his life. 

" The influence Mr. Wilder exerted on many in 
Paris, and on persons of distinction, was, as I had 
every reason to believe, very great, and always for 
good. He was always spoken of in terms of praise 
and commendation. 

" Early in 1822, when I was living in a French 
family, for the purpose of improving myself in the 
French language, there was held at my lodgings, in 
an upper room, jjhe first, as I suppose, Monthly 
Concert for Prayer ever held in France. There were 
only three or four persons present, two of whom 
were Americans, Mr. Wilder and myself. It was at 
a house in what is called the Cite, and near the 
church of Notre Dame where the tocsin was first 
sounded for the massacre of the Protestants on St. 



PAKIS SOCIETIES. ^ 129 

Bartholomew's day; and before the close of the 
year, in consequence of my being sent out as a 
missionary to Palestine, that Monthly Concert was 
extended and kept throughout France, in all the 
Protestant churches, at 7 o'clock p. M., the first 
Monday in every month." 

Dr. King proceeds to state the facts above given 
of Talleyrand's reception by Dr. Morse and others 
in America, and the doctor's introduction of Mr. 
Wilder to Talleyrand, and adds, " Having such 
a powerful friend, Mr. Wilder could fearlessly do 
what a Frenchman would not dare to do, and meet- 
ings could be held at his house, in numbers greater 
than the law allowed, without fear of prosecution; 
and once recognized as a kind of asylum, it contin- 
ued to be so after the exile of Napoleon, and when 
Talleyrand had passed away. What a singular 
chain of events : Talleyrand in Oharlestown and 
Boston, Mr. Wilder in Paris ; the Missionaiy Soci- 
ety formed at his house, and I sent out as a mis- 
sionary to Jerusalem ; and many important events, 
as for instance the conversion and martyrdom of 
Asaad Esh Shidiak, in connection with that mis- 
sion. 

" Mr. Wilder made it a generahrule, in his inter- 
course with men of business, to say some word 
which he thought might be for the good of their 
souls. I remember going out with him on a Sun- 
day to visit in families that were poor and needy, 
to speak to them on the subject of religion, and to 
grant some pecuniary aid when he thought it nec- 

6* 



130 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. > 

essary. People from all parts of Europe came to 
see him ; and while he received them with the great- 
est kindness and cordiality, he showed to all, by his 
conduct and conversation, that he was a firm be- 
liever in the sacred Scriptures, and a hue disciple 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

" And now, dear madam, allow me to express to 
you again, and to your children, my sympathy in 
the bereavement to which you and they have just 
been called. And may the God of all consolation 
comfort your hearts; and may we all be prepared 
to meet the dear friend, whose loss we now mourn, 
in that world where there is no sin and no sorrow, 
and where all tears shall be wiped from our eyes. 

" With kind and affectionate remembrance to all 
your children, I remain, dear madam, your true and 
sympathizing friend, 

" JONAS KING." 

Dr. King's connection with Mr. Wilder has been 
narrated by their friend Dr. Hallock, in the tract, 
" The Only Son," published by the American Tract 
Society, the brief sketch being here strikingly valu- 
able as showing some of Mr. Wilder's peculiar char- 
acteristics. 

Soon after the Rev. Pliny Fisk and Rev. Levi Parsons 
left their mountain homes in Western Massachusetts, near 
the close of 1819, as the first American missionaries to Pales- 
tine, their young friend Jonas King, from the same neigh- 
borhood, was elected professor in Amherst college, and pro- 
ceeded to Paris to pursue the study of Arabic with the cele- 
brated De Sacy. He there became familiar with an American 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 131 

gentleman, then at the head of one of the first commercial 
houses in Paris, to whose care his correspondence was ad- 
dressed. 

In February, 1822, the lamented Parsons died, and Eev. 
Mr. Fisk without delay addressed a letter to Mr. King, re- 
questing that he would meet him at Malta, and in the place 
of Rev. Mr. Parsons, accompany him as a missionary to Pal- 
estine ; and fearing delay by waiting the action of the Amer- 
ican Board of Missions, he in the same enclosure requested 
Mr. King's mercantile friend not only to second his invitation, 
but if possible to raise the sum of $1,500, requisite for his 
support for three years. 

Mr. King, receiving the letter in the merchant's counting- 
room, retired to his private office to read it. Oppressed with 
th^ weight of the proposition it contained, he spent an hour 
in prayer for divine direction ; and hoping to gain further 
light as to the path of duty, sought the merchant's advice. 
He returned to the counting-room, and asked with deep solic- 
itude, < < What shall I do ?" Said his friend, u Go." " But, " 
said he, "what will become of my aged and infirm parents 
in America?" "I will be a son to them in your stead," 
replied his friend. "Then," said Mr. King, "I go up to 
Jerusalem, 'not knowing the things that shall befall me 
there.'" 

"Now," said the merchant, "sit down at this desk, and 
ivrite to my friends Thomas Waddington of St. Remy, 
France, Louis Mertens of Brussels, Claude Cromlin of Am- 
sterdam, and John Venning of St. Petersburg : state to them 
the circumstances, and that you are willing to go ; tell them 
I will give one-fifth of the $1,500, and leave it to their decis- 
sion whether they will join me in filling up the amount." 
By the return of the mails, it appeared that God had put it 
into the hearts of these gentlemen cheerfully to respond to 
the appeaj. by enclosing each $300, making the sum required ; 
and Mr. King lost no time in preparing for his departure. 

A few months previous to this, Mr. King had established 
the Monthly Concert of Prayer in his own hired upper cham- 
ber in Paris, which had been attended with increasing inter- 
est ; a large concourse afsembled in the church of the Ora- 



132 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

toire to listen to his farewell address and join in commending 
him to the God of all grace; he was cheered in a similar 
manner, on his way, by Christian assemblies at Lyons, Nismes, 
Montpelier, and Marseilles, where he embarked for Malta, 
whence he proceeded with Mr. Eisk to Jerusalem ; and he is 
now the well-known, persecuted, but laborious and success- 
ful missionary at Athens. 

His friend the merchant from time to time wrote to the 
solitary parents, enclosing some tokens of regard " from their 
affectionate son :" the next year he returned to America ; 
and early in the spring of 1824 he was at Northampton, about 
twenty-five miles from the parents, meditating a visit to their 
humble abode. He applied to the landlord, who furnished 
him a wagon with his little son for a driver ; and freighted 
with a bag of groceries which extended the whole length of 
the wagon, they set off early in the morning; and after en- 
countering snow-drifts and other obstacles by the way, arrived 
at the cottage about two in the afternoon. 

Leaving the lad with the wagon in the street, the gentle- 
man knocked, saying as he entered, "It is a chill, uncom- 
fortable day, friends ; would you be so kind as to allow a 
stranger to warm himself a little by your fire ?" He was 
welcomed and seated between the aged couple, in whom he 
distinctly recognized the features of their son Jonas, and 
they in turn fixed on him a scrutinizing eye. After a short 
pause, he said deliberately, 

' ' I once had a friend who said to me, ' What shall I do ?' 
Said I, ' Go. ' ' But what, ' said he, * will become of my aged 
and infirm parents in America ?' I replied, ' I will be a son 
to them in your stead.' * Then,' said he, ' I go up to Jerusa- 
lem, * not knowing the things that shall befall me there. ' ' 

Instantly the aged couple sprung to him, exclaiming, 

"This is Mr. W ," and almost overpowered him with 

their tears and caresses. "Let us pray," said the father; 
and they unburdened their hearts at the throne of mercy. 

Scarcely were they again seated, when the mother took 
from the shelf a new quarto Bible, saying she hoped her 
friend would not blame her for paying ten dollars for it out 
of the fifty he had sent her a few months previous. "Our 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 133 

old eyes," she said, " could not well read the small print of 
the other Bible. I told Mr. King I did not believe we could 
make any better use of the money, or should ever be the 
poorer for buying a Bible that we could read ; it is a great 
comfort to us." Their friend expressed his approbation of 
the purchase, admired the Bible, and before he returned it to 
the shelf, slipped into it unperceived a ten-dollar bill ; which 
she afterwards wrote him had been found on the floor when 
they were reading the Bible, and which she recognized as 
from the hand of God, having no knowledge by what means 
the exact amount expended had thus come again into their 
hands. 

After a brief interchange of confidence and affection, she 
said to her esteemed guest, "I presume, sir, you have not 
dined, and must be in need of refreshment. I am very sorry 
we have not a cup of tea to offer you, but we have some nice 
ham and fresh eggs, which I will immediately prepare." 
Her friend remarked, " There is a bag in the wagon, con- 
taining several articles from ' your son ;' perhaps there may 
be tea among them." 

The bag, with no little effort, was transferred from the 
wagon to the cottage floor, and the mother addressed herself 
to the task of taking out its contents. Among packages of 
flour, rice, loaf-sugar, coffee, chocolate, raisins, and other 
articles, each of which she held up with new expressions of 
delight, as received from one she so much loved, she at length 
came to a package of four pounds of hyson tea, when she 
held it out to the father with streaming eyes, saying, "Look 
here, papa, Jonas is the same dear good boy that he always 
was : he knew we were out of tea sometimes : he do n't forget 
his poor father and mother." Then opening a package of 
Turkey figs, "And is this also," said she, "from Jerusalem ? 
Papa, was there ever such a son as Jonas ?" By this time all 
hearts were overflowing. "Let us pray," said the father; 
and the exploring of the treasures was suspended, while they 
again united in thanksgiving to God. 

It was not long before the little company were seated at 
a well-fumished table, refreshed by the gifts of the kind 
"son," mingling their sympathies, and recounting ail the 



134 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

way in which they had been led. While thus conversing, the 
merchant affectionately asked, "Do you never regret the 
sacrifice you have made in giving up your only son to be a 
missionary ?" The aged father replied, 

" ' God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life ;' and shall I withhold my only, son from 
obeying the command of our ascended Saviour, ' Go ye into 
all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ?' " 

All present were deeply affected, a tear standing in the 
eye even of the young driver. They again bowed in prayer : 
both the father and the merchant led in turn, commending 
the little company, the absent son, and a sin-ruined world to 
the God of missions. 

The interview was an hour bright with the beams of the 
Sun of righteousness amid the dark pilgrimage of life, an 
oasis in the desert, a season never to be forgotten by any one 
of the four persons who thus met for the first and the last 
time on earth. 

That young driver, as he afterwards distinctly, stated, here 
first had his mind impressed with the sacredness of the work 
of foreign missions. He gave his heart to Christ ; pursued a 
thorough course of education ; went forth to the heathen, and 
was no other than Henry Lyman, the noble martyr who fell 
by the side of Munson, in 1834, among the bloody Battas of 
Sumatra. 

The aged father, in his will, bequeathed to the merchant, 
for the purchase of a book in token of his love, the sum of 
five dollars, which at his death was paid to the widow for the 
old small-print Bible, which is still possessed as a precious 
memento. The widow has entered into rest ; and the stran- 
ger passing a rural graveyard in South Hawley, where the 
scenery opens in magnificence and beauty, reads on the 
tombstone of the father his reply, just quoted, to the ques- 
tion, whether he ever regretted the gift to missions of his 

ONLY SON. 

The friendship and love between Mr. Wilder 
and Dr. King remained ever undiminished. Deeply 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 135 

interesting was it to witness their last meeting on 
earth; to see the worn yet animated missionary 
coming back, energetic still, from his many "testi- 
fying^ to the Greeks," even as did Paul on Mars' 
hill itself, "of repentance towards God, and faith 
towards our Lord Jesus Christ," to greet the now 
venerable friend who, with beautiful white locks, 
and with the now trembling hand which years be- 
fore had helped speed him on his way, sat waiting 
to receive him. 

But to return to Paris, its societies, and the 
renewed efforts of Protestantism fifty years ago, 
which then had to struggle with various difficulties. 
The drooping spirits of those pastors who still held 
fast to the truth were often strengthened by the 
encouragement given them by Mr. Wilder and other 
Christian friends met with under his roof. Protes- 
tant pastors in distant parts of France would write 
for aid in support of their work to the " American 
unknown to them except by name, but who, they 
understood, took a deep interest in religious mat- 
ters." 

The subject of slavery, the solution of which God 
has now himself wrought out in so wonderful a man- 
ner before our eyes, like an old Bible-deliverance in 
answer to the cries of the oppressed, early attracted 
the -attention of French as well as English Chris- 
tians. Those were the pioneer days of Wilberforce, 
Clarkson, and other champions of freedom. In 
Paris a committee was appointed to do what they 
could, of which Eecusat was secretary. To Mr. 



136 KECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

Wilder often came gentlemen from England, intro- 
duced as taking especial interest in this cause. 
Among the French, perhaps none took a more en- 
lightened and earnest view of it than young Baron 
Auguste de Stael, to whose spiritual interests, judg- 
ing from frequent expressions in his letters, Mr. 
Wilder must have been of signal advantage. A few 
lines from a letter written to Mr. Wilder a few 
months after his return to America, will best show 
Baron de Stael's views of this subject. 

"In this country," France, "religious interest at 
this moment concentrates itself upon the abolition 
of slavery. Can you not take advantage of your 
stay in the United States to promote this good 
work ? Not a day passes but that my very heart 
groans to think of the stain still attached to your 
admirable country. Can it be possible that slavery 
will be introduced into the territory of Illinois ? I 
trust not." 

To such appeals Mr. Wilder would respond in 
like spirit, ever being opposed to slavery and its 
attendant evils, and earnestly desirous that the day 
of glorious freedom for all, the dawn of which he 
was indeed permitted to see, might soon appear. 

To correct a mistake, and also to show Mr. Wil- 
der's strong individuality, even in his methods of 
doing good to friends in the humbler walks of life, 
we give in his own words a correct version of an 
anecdote every now and then appearing in the 
newspapers under the heading, "A Quaker in 
Paris," 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 137 

" Having for several years been accustomed to receive a 
New-year's complimentary visit from some hundreds of the 
different workmen to whom I gave employment more or less 
through the year, and who of course expected in return to 
receive some little remuneration in the shape of from one 
franc to five, I resolved on one of these occasions, after the 
establishment of our Bible society in Paris, to ascertain how 
far, in the estimation of some dozen packers at the custom- 
house, the sacred volume would be appreciated in preference 
to money. I therefore prepared some dozen or more Bibles 
by placing inside of the outward wrapper a gold piece of forty 
francs— $8. 

"On the entrance of these custom-house packers, amid a 
crowd of other workmen who thronged the reception-room, 
after they had wished me a happy New-year, I said to them, 
1 My friends, you have had during the year now past an ardu- 
ous task, packing so many more cases for me than I ever be- 
fore sent through the custom-house in any one year, and I 
wish to show my appreciation of your services by presenting 
you something more valuable than the ordinary five-franc 
piece you have usually received ;' and taking up one of the 
Bibles before me in one hand and a five-franc piece in the 
other, I said to one of the older men standing a little in ad- 
vance of the others, ' Here is the blessed Bible, containing 
the Old and New Testaments ; the former giving a history of 
the creation of the world, and the dealings of God towards 
our first parents and to people under the antediluvian, Abra- 
hamic, and Mosaic dispensations ; and the latter, giving an 
account of the birth, the life, the sacrifices, the death, and 
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator 
between God and man. This blessed book assures us that 
* there is no other name under heaven given among men 
whereby we can be saved, ' but the name of Jesus ; and this 
inspired volume also commands us to ' seek first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness,' assuring us that all other 
things shall be added thereunto. Now, my friends, I offer 
each of you one of these blessed books, or a five-franc piece, 
whichever you may prefer. ' The elder of the number replied 
that he presumed the book was all that I represented it to be, 



138 RECORDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

but as it would not put bread into the mouths of his children, 
1 mafoi, I prefer the five-iranc piece. ' 

"After handing it to him, still holding the Bible in my 
other hand, and taking up another piece of money, I ad- 
dressed the next man : ' Now mind what I say. This Bible 
commands us, I repeat, to seek first the kingdom of God and 
his righteousness; and rest assured, my friends, that all other 
things which are necessary for our present comfort and future 
well-being will be added thereunto. ' * Well, ' said he, ' the 
book may be a very good one, but as I do not know how to 
read, I choose the ready money. ' I accordingly handed him 
the coin. 

"And thus I proceeded, extolling the value of the holy 
Scriptures and the advantages those would derive who had 
faith in my declarations, to say nothing of the unspeakable 
benefits which would accrue to the everlasting happiness of 
those who should find grace to believe in its divine precepts, 
and manifest their faith by a corresponding conduct. But 
from the first to the last of the eleven men, all made choice 
of the five-franc piece. 

"A lad some fourteen or fifteen years of age still remain- 
ed. It was his department to mark the initials and numbers 
on the outside of the cases, and he was the last of the cus- 
tom-house people present. He approached and said that as 
he knew how to read very well, and as he thought it would 
give his mother and his sisters great pleasure to hear him 
read such an interesting book as I had represented this to be, 
for his part he would take the book, which I accordingly had 
the satisfaction of handing him in presence of all the others. 
So eager was the boy to have immediate ocular demonstra- 
tion of the contents of the volume, that he at once took off 
the cover, when out fell to the floor the forty-franc gold piece 
therein deposited. 

"Judge of the consternation, the conflicting emotions 
depicted on the countenances of the others, who saw at once 
the mistake they had made in giving the preference to the 
money rather than the Bible. They asked if all the other 
books there piled on the desk contained the same treasure. 
I answered, Yes, and confirmed it by opening several of the 



PABIS SOCIETIES. 139 

volumes, displaying in each the golden piece in question, 
which caused them, Frenchman-like, to smite their breasts, 
stamp on the floor, and, retiring, to exclaim they would never 
again be guilty of similar folly, but hereafter would yield a lis- 
tening ear to any recommendation that might come from me. 

" Being absent the following New-year at the South of 
France, and leaving the country before another came round, 
I had not an opportunity of testing the sincerity of their 
declarations ; indeed it was an experiment that could not 
fairly bear repetition. 

"The lad called on me several times, and expressed with 
grateful emotions how highly his mother and sisters appre- 
ciated the sacred volume, and as a testimony, wished to pur- 
chase several Testaments, which, however, I had the pleasure 
to furnish him without money and without price, together 
with many religious tracts for gratuitous distribution. Thus 
terminated, so far as my knowledge extends, the New-year 
doings of the ' Quaker in Paris.' " 

But Mr. "Wilder' s walks as a Christian while in 
France, were usually among those dwelling rather 
on the heights of worldly prosperity, where oftener 
than in the valleys the feet are apt to stumble. 
That he was kept "from falling" was very much 
due, under God, to the real, not mere nominal con- 
secration he made of himself and all that was his 
to the service of his Master. To this great end he 
wished to turn every worldly advantage. 

His home was not so much his own, as the place 
where he could use true hospitality towards all men, 
" especially to them who were of the household of 
faith." Before all, high and low, he sought to main- 
tain his Christian walk and conversation. Family 
prayer, commenced at the time of his marriage, was 
never discontinued, let who might be present. 



140 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

It were difficult, perhaps impossible, to give all 
the names of those well known in this land who 
enjoyed this truly Christian rendezvous; statesmen, 
authors, civilians, clergymen and others from abroad, 
mingling with men of like spirit on this neutral 
American ground. 

Here Spurtzeim, for a time Mr. Wilder's fam- 
ily physician, disputed with his compeer Dr. Gall 
about some technicality connected with their new 
science, or taking a furtive survey, under the 
chandelier, of a young American statesman, pro- 
nounced upon him aside, to Mr. "Wilder, the verdict, 
" He has internal ambition and external modesty 
enough to place him on the throne, did circumstan- 
ces favor; nor has his memory sufficient principle 
to remember the steps whereby he reached it.' 
Here came the pale young Summerfield, begging 
to be allowed to rest; saying, "My Father above 
does not require me to work now ; I must take care 
of my health." Oh, rest early attained by him, 
where there is no sickness, nor sighing, nor any 
more pain. Here "Washington Irving, afterwards 
so world-renowned, made himself at home, remem- 
bering in long after years many little incidents con- 
nected with these visits. How strange now to read, 
at the close of a long letter to Mr. Wilder from Mr. 
Drummond on Society business, the postscript writ- 
ten Dec. 2, 1820 : " W 7 e have just got the work of a 
countryman of yours, with which we are delighted «$ 
it is called ' The Sketch-book, by Geoffrey Crayon.' 
It is one of the most beautiful books I ever read." 



PAEIS SOCIETIES. 141 

To Mr. Wilder's home also came Everett, show- 
ing promise of what he afterwards became. Here 
too the ambassador John Armstrong made arrange- 
ments about returning in time of war to this coun- 
try, improving special advantages enjoyed by Mr. 
Wilder. Here Albert Gallatin conversed with Eev. 
Mark Wilks, described as " a man of good sense, 
principles well established, what would be called 
in America an orthodox Christian," and became so 
much interested in him and his work as pastor of 
the Oratoire, as afterwards to send a contribution 
towards his support. 

Here a young Bostonian, afterwards ambassa- 
dor to Stockholm, as Mr. Wilder was about to cross 
the pcean with a young lady of note, to whom the 
young man was much attached, sought to obtain 
Mr. Wilder's promise to speak a good word in his 
favor, nor let him be forgotten — a task, in the sequel, 
made no easier from the fact that this attractive 
young lady received two other offers on board the 
ship from gentlemen, who each sought to retain Mr. 
Wilder on his own side. The first claimant, how- 
ever, in the end secured the prize. 

The American clergy were also well represented 
then as now in Paris. Drs. Matthias Bruen, John 
M. Mason, Gardiner Spring, Edward Bobinson, 
Dwight, Chauncey, Goodrich, Gallaudet, and oth- 
ers, coming from time to time, either preached them- 
selves in Mr. Wilder's parlor, or listened to the 
voice and exchanged greeting with their brethren 
of the English, Scotch, and European churches of 



142 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

every sect and name — such as the simple-hearted, 
conscientious Baptist Noel and his brother Gerard, 
Daniel Wilson, since Bishop of Calcutta, Billings of 
the Bible Society, Mejanel of the Continental Soci- 
ety, sometimes carried away by enthusiasm, but in 
the success of his efforts often belying the fears of 
more prudent friends; Francis Cunningham, Coc- 
querel, Joseph Price, a Friend; Adolphe and Fred- 
eric Monod; or Wolff, the eccentric Jewish mission- 
ary, whose romantic marriage and peculiar course 
so much for a time interested the religious public. 
Around him and his patron the Hon. and Bev. 
Lewis "Way might sometimes a circle gather, the 
latter perhaps telling of his escape, through the pro- 
tection of a strong police force engaged by Mr. Wil- 
der, from a Parisian mob, naturally enraged at the 
sight of him, an Englishman, entering Paris in Na- 
poleon's own green travelling carriage, which he,- 
Mr. Way, had purchased after Waterloo, and used, 
from want of thought, on this occasion. 

Bev. Charles Cook of the Methodist church did 
much good in the South of France during his visit 
there. At Mr. Wilder's house one evening, the Bev. 
Mr. Hawtrey was also present with members of 
other denominations, to hold a religious service. 
Mr. Cook, being aw r are that Mr. Hawtrey was too 
demonstrative, proposed that he, Mr. Hawtrey, 
should do the praying, and he, Mr. Cook, the groan- 
ing, or responses, which, after all, he did not render 
audibly. 

Scotland was sometimes well represented by the 



TAEIS SOCIETIES. 143 

noble brothers Halclane, whose best commission as 
preachers of the gospel was the blessing of the 
Holy Spirit attending their labors. To them, un- 
der God, was due much of the revival of true relig- 
ion in Geneva, awakening the spirit of Gaussen, 
Merle d'Aubign^, Col. Tronchin, and Rev. Caesar 
Malan, who also honored Mr. Wilder with their 
society and friendship, and gladly welcomed him 
sometimes to their Switzer home. Dr. Jonas King 
says that Dr. Gaussen/ speaking of the Haldanes, 
remarked that they spoke French very little, but 
pointed out to him and his fellow-students passage 
after passage of the word of God. Strong testi- 
mony this to the power of the sword of the Spirit 
used simply and directly. 

Dr. Malan and Mr. Wilder ever remained warm- 
ly attached, and many letters of introduction of 
friends, one to the other, passed to and fro on the 
Atlantic. But Mr. Wilder could never quite fall in 
with the views of assurance entertained by his more 
enthusiastic friend, himself usually speaking of his 
hopes for a blessed future with the condition added, 
"if my faith fail not." Of the power and love of 
his blessed Saviour, he had indeed Ml assurance ; 
of the steadfastness of his own heart, except as 
"kept by the mighty power of God," none what- 
ever. But nobly at the meetings in Mr. Wilder's 
parlor would often resound some of Dr. Malan's fine 
hymns, original in their music as well as composi- 
tion, in singing which Mr. Wilder loved to join. 

As sometimes present at these meetings, may 



144 RECORDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

be added the name of Felix Neff, and of many lay- 
men of devout and interesting character; Thomas 
Erskine and Gen. Macauley, Butterworth and Lord 
Calthorpe bringing from England greeting to the 
new societies in Paris, rejoicing with Drummond at 
having received such "glorious documents in French 
as their Beports:" Waddington from St. Bemy, 
Claude Cromlin of Amsterdam, Mertens of Brus- 
sels, at first known by Mr. Wilder through mere 
business channels, afterwards intimately associated 
with him as a friend of Christ ; Venning, the friend oi 
the Bussian Prince Galitzin, coming fresh from hjs 
Bible work among the prisons of St. Petersburg — 
all showing the spirit they were of, ready promptly 
and freely to contribute to the support of young 
Jonas King. These all perhaps compared notes as 
to the progress of the Bedeemer's kingdom ; some- 
times with Mr. Money, long a resident of India, one 
of whose children, "Little Henry," has been car- 
ried by his "Bearer" into many hearts and homes 
all over the world; or with those true noblemen of 
the best French regime, the Due de Broglie, and 
his brother-in-law Baron de Stael, the Marquis de 
Jaucourt, Count Admiral Ver Huell, and others. 

Such were some of the servants of the Lord 
who, in the house of this modern Gaius, found true 
refreshment for both soul and body. 

Bev. Dr. Bobertson of the Episcopal church, 
now in this country, states, " I met one evening at 
Mr. Wilder's, at an informal gathering, seventeen 
persons, belonging to five or six different nations. 



SOCIETIES IN PARIS. 145 

The Bible was read, and two or three prayers offer- 
ed, and thus an hour was pleasantly taken up with 
devotional services." 

An American merchant wrote to Mr. "Wilder 
soon after leaving Paris, " Your house appeared to 
me the only spot where a ray of vital piety was vis- 
ible in that great and otherwise brilliant city. On 
the one side were Catholics, on the other Unitari- 
ans. How you have been preserved from the frowns 
of the one and the sneers of the other, can only be 
| known to Him who has not placed you in this situ- 
1 ation for nothing. You have certainly gained a 
foothold in the midst of quicksands." 

In 1820, Mr. and Mrs. Wilder visited London, 
principally with a view to attend the religious anni- 
versaries held there in May. Here, from many 
friends already spoken of as visiting them in Paris, 
also from Mr. Bayford, the Barings, Mr. Bates 
jj whose early acquaintance with Mr. Wilder in Mr. 
1 1 William Gray's office has been mentioned, Lord 
H Gambier, and others, they received much polite 
h attention. All this intercourse, much of it with 
! earnest Bible Christians, bringing together heart 
with heart, helped forward the good work in France; 
for aiding which so many thought Mr. Wilder to be 
especially qualified by grace, nature, and nationality. 
This intercourse with truly pious people, to- 
gether with the constant ebb and flow of Christian 
society about his own home, could not but have a 
decided reflex influence upon him, who ever made 
it welcome. The simplicity of Christian utterance 

Wilder. h 



14G EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

common to the sincere followers of Christ in Eu- 
rope, where, at that time and in some respects, 
greater difference was made than now between 
the church and the world, visibly affected his own 
spirit. He too more and more adopted the lan- 
guage of Zion as a thing for daily use, not set apart 
for the Sabbath. His light, if not kept trimmed 
and burning, would have been extinguished by the 
damps of worldliness around; not that it can be 
said of him, or of any mere man, that his motives 
were wholly pure, and heart free from all self-grat- 
ulation on account of good accomplished by his 
means. No, he felt his own imperfections; yet, 
thanks be to God for the grace given to his servant 
truly to glorify him amid most difficult circumstan- 
ces. Easier far, as many have found it, is it to 
speak of Christ and his salvation among the poor 
and lowly, than to acknowledge him simply and 
constantly among the rich, the learned, the fashion- 
able, and the great. 

There was much in Mr. Wilder's natural tem- 
perament to make it easier for him than for some 
others to do this; but we can stilland the more 
magnify in him the one great Triune God, his Cre- 
ator, Redeemer, Sanctifier. 



COUET LIFE. 147 



X. 



gmt Vkm n mm &ili§$ut fa M$ fcuswns? )w> 
$ftaH $fawl &*tym( fcwgs, ¥vw< 22 * 20, 

The above promise is not often literally fulfilled ; 
but in the good providence of God, Mr. Wilder, by 
being a near eye-witness of scenes of royal gran- 
deur, was to be prepared to testify in many a hum- 

• ble prayer-meeting in bis own republican land, to 
the vanity and unsubstantiality of it all. 

The time of his residence' abroad was one of 

I great and momentous political changes. The French 

I ship of state, which had been so nearly a total wreck 
at the time of the revolution of 1789, had, at the 

I date of Mr. "Wilder's first arrival in Paris, righted 
itself anew under the master-hand of the great Na- 
poleon, who just then boldly assumed the title of 
emperor. 

Among Mr. Wilder's papers is found quite an 
unpretending note of invitation, which, however, 
introduced him to one of the most brilliant scenes 
of pomp and power the world perhaps has ever wit- 
nessed. Napoleon the emperor, in the height of 
his glory, was to marry a princess of the house of 
Austria. Mr. Wilder was asked to represent the 
United States on the occasion, as the authorized 
ambassador, Hon. John Armstrong, was sick and 
unable to be there. 



148 KECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

Latour Maubrey has already been spoken of as 
Mr. Wilder's teacher in the French language, and 
being afterwards employed as secretary and inter- 
preter by the Emperor Napoleon, who himself un- 
derstood only French and Italian, and often found 
it necessary, especially on the battle-field, to issue 
orders in other languages. Latour Maubrey, from 
being thus in the emperor's immediate personal 
service, rose to a high social position, both political 
and pecuniary. Through him Mr. "Wilder learned 
many interesting facts ; among others, some as to 
Napoleon's second marriage. 

"Notwithstanding Latour Maubrey 's high elevation at 
the court of the Tuileries, he would still frequently dine with 
me in private at my own house, and would often relate to 
me incidents which had occurred in connection with the em- 
peror, which he would not have dared to unfold to a French- 
man, fearing to come in contact with a French spy. By this 
means I became acquainted with many circumstances upon 
which history is silent. For the authenticity of the follow- 
ing I can vouch. 

"A few months after Napoleon had divorced himself from 
Josephine, he proceeded with an army of 275,000 men for 
the conquest of Austria. Upon the approach of this army to 
Vienna, the Emperor Francis fled precipitately with his fam- 
ily from the palace of Schonbrunn to Prague ; and the same 
day Napoleon took up his quarters in that splendid palace, 
and selected for his sleeping apartment that of Maria Louise, 
where for several days he passed most of his time dictating 
letters, while Latour served as his amanuensis. 

" Such was the haste in which Maria Louise, the daugh- 
ter of the Emperor Francis, had been obliged to quit her 
apartment, that she left a beautiful portrait of herself hang- 
ing over the fireplace. ' I observe'd, ' said Latour, ' that the 
emperor, while walking up and down, dictating the aforesaid 



COURT LIFE. 149 

letters to me, would frequently, using his eye-glass, fix his 
eyes on this portrait. Several days thus rolled away, when 
he said to me, 'Go call Berthier the Prince of Neufcha- 
tel.' 

" ' On the entrance of this prince, Napoleon said in his 
quick and abrupt manner, ' Berthier, I appoint you my envoy 
extraordinary, to proceed forthwith to Prague, and ask of the 
Emperor Francis the hand of his daughter Maria Louise for 
me in marriage ; and return here with his reply with as little 
delay as possible. ' 

" ' A few days after,' continued Latour, 'while the empe- 
ror was dictating to me a letter in the great ' Hall of Recep- 
tion' in the same palace, the Prince of Neufchatel entered, 
accompanied by an envoye of the Emperor of Austria, who, 
after being presented to Napoleon with the accustomed cere- 
monies, addressed him as follows : 

"'May it please your majesty, I am authorized by my 
master to express to your majesty the great satisfaction and 
honor which he should derive from an alliance with so distin- 
guished a general and sovereign, whose achievements com- 
mand the admiration of all ; but as the veins of Maria Louise 
contain the blood of emperors and queens through several 
generations from the Hapsburg family to the present day, 
my master the emperor has serious apprehensions that his 
daughter may consider the nobility of the Emperor Napoleon 
as of too recent date to be a suitable match for one in the 
enjoyment of her ancient and distinguished position.' 

* ' ' During the delivery of this harangue, the Emperor 
Napoleon continued to pace the apartment with little or no 
apparent emotion. But at its close, he at once, turning to 
the envoye, said, ' Go tell your master the Emperor of Aus- 
tria, that the difference between him and me is this, that my 
nobility commences in me, and that his ends in him. ' ' 

"There was no more question, it seems, as regards the 
ancestry and imperial descent from the Hapsburg family. 
Suffice it to say, that a peace with Austria was soon conclud- 
ed, and the Prince of Swartzenburg, in a month or two, con- 
ducted Maria Louise in triumph to the capital of France, 
where I, as Secretary of Legation pro tern, of the American 



150 RECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

Legation, had the honor to represent the United States at 
the marriage ceremony. " 

The dress required to be worn by Mr. Wilder on that oc- 
casion was, as may be imagined, in true court style, from the 
golden shoe-buckles to the immense cocked hat, now strange 
relics of that august ceremonial. 

It does not fall within the scope of these pages 
to describe the brilliant spectacle, long since in- 
scribed upon the scroll of history, nor scarcely to 
refer to it as but gilding the sad turning-point in 
Napoleon's fortune. Oh sad mistake, in that usu- 
ally far-sighted man — breaking the laws of God to 
promote his own political interests. Vain hope. 
It is the grandson of Josephine, not of Napoleon, 
who now sits upon the throne of Erance ! 

Mr. Wilder thus describes in short-hand some 
of the scenes, both gay and terrible, following Na- 
poleon's wedding. 

"The same day I had the honor of being present at, 
though not of partaking of the royal banquet given at the 
palace of the Tuileries by the emperor to several kings and 
queens ; and again, a week after, at a fete given, according 
to the programme, to the emperor, the court, the foreign 
ambassadors, and their secretaries of legation, by Prince 
Carigan of Russia, followed the week after by a no less brill- 
iant entertainment given by the Austrian ambassador the 
Prince of Swartzenberg, when that disastrous conflagration 
occurred which cost the life of his sister and four other 
princes, and some sixteen others. Between forty and fifty 
were wounded, among whom was the infirm Prince Carigan, 
notwithstanding his diamond epaulettes and splendor, who, 
in consequence of being trodden under foot in the rush of 
the crowd to escape the flames, was confined to his bed for 
three months. In witnessing this scene of commingled flame 
and blood and death, methought with the poet, 



COUKT LIFE. 151 

" • Vain is the help of flesh and blood ; 

Their breath departs, their pomp and power, 
And thoughts all vanish in an hour, 
Nor can they make their promise good.' 

"While on the subject of the above fetes, I ought to state 
that the service of gold on the table, at which were seated 
the emperor, empress, kings, and queens at the banquet first 
named, was presented to the emperor by the city of Paris 
after his conquest of Prussia. It cost 2,000,000 francs. This 
splendid service the emperor took with him to St. Helena ; 
and such was the short allowance of provision granted by .the 
English government under the jailorship of Sir Hudson Lowe, 
that Napoleon was reduced to the absolute necessity of dis- 
posing of this gold service piece by piece, in order to put 
bread into his own mouth and those of his companions." 

Mr. "Wilder was witness not only of Napoleon's 
marriage, but of his triumphs after Austerlitz, the 
rejoicings upon the birth of the King of Rome, and 
many of the other magnificent celebrations, varied 
in cause and character, by which Napoleon so well 
understood how to occupy the excitable French 
populace. 

And to scenes far different Mr. Wilder could 
also testify. In 1815, soon after landing at Havre, 
he wrote home to America : 

"After arranging some commercial transactions 
at Havre, I proceeded to Paris, where I had before 
passed eight years of my life ; but what a contrast! 
'When I left it, all was gayety, luxury, and opu- 
lence ; on my return, all was confusion and con- 
sternation. The great contending armies were then 
in sight of each other in Flanders and on the bor- 
ders of the Rhine, and a tremendous crisis was ap- 



152 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

proaching. Not many days passed before our worst 
fears were realized by the return of Napoleon to his 
capital covered with the blood of the slain. The 
result of the battle was soon made known, and a 
horrible gloom was depicted on the countenance of 
every one. Thirty thousand French left dead on 
the field of battle had put every family in France 
again in mourning. 

. " While the fate of Napoleon was being decided 
in the Chamber of Peers and Representatives, news 
arrived that the allied armies were marching fast 
upon Paris, and great preparations were making for 
a vigorous defence ; in the mean time the remnant 
of the French army was entering Paris, followed by 
hundreds of carriages of all descriptions filled with 
wounded soldiers. Oh, what heartrending scenes ; 
to see wives inquiring in vain for their husbands, 
mothers learning the fate of their sons who had 
perished on the field of battle, and sisters bewail- 
ing the loss of their brothers. 

"Add to this, hundreds of thousands of peasants 
were entering Paris from the adjacent country, hav- 
ing fled from their cottages with their little all, con- 
sisting perhaps of a cow, two or three sheep, a horse 
and cart with a little furniture, and nowhere to lodge 
but in the open street, even with young children. 
Many of these people were without the means of 
procuring sustenance even for one day, and all kinds 
of provisions had risen in price six times their value 
in consequence of the city of Paris preparing for a 
vigorous defence, which of course would occasion a 



COUKT LIFE. 153 

long siege. But all this was only the beginning of 
troubles. The gates of the city were ordered to be 
shut, and no one allowed to pass the barriers; all 
warehouses and shops were shut, all business sus- 
pended, and every one endeavored to secure his 
own from impending danger. In the mean time 
the emperor, having abdicated, had fled to Roch- 
port, with a view of embarking for America, and 
the main body of the remaining French army had 
stationed themselves on the heights in the environs 
of Paris. 

" Things were in this situation when one morn- 
ing, at break of day, the roaring of cannon from the 
neighboring hills announced the arrival of the allied 
armies, and the clouds of smoke we could perceive 
at a distance was a convincing proof that a partial 
engagement had commenced. Our apprehensions 
were soon confirmed by the arrival of hundreds of 
wagons and other carriages loaded with wounded 
soldiers, preceded by eleven hundred Prussians 
which the French had taken as prisoners in the 
engagement. This momentary success on the part 
of the French tended to check for a day or two the 
operations of Lord "Wellington and Blucher. In the 
mean time I, with more curiosity than prudence, 
was induced, with thousands of Parisians, to visit 
the field of battle. But I will forbear to describe 
this scene of carnage and desolation. Suffice it to 
say, that there were upwards of two thousand slain. 
Ah, my heart sickens at the recollection of the hor- 
rors I there beheld. 

7* 



154 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

" On my return I was taken by a party of Impe- 
rial Guards for an Englishman ; but being immedi- 
ately recognized by one of the National Guards as 
an American, I escaped unhurt; and by the persua- 
sion of my banker and some other friends, I re- 
turned home and remained in-doors during that 
and the following day. At length a message arrived 
from Wellington and Blucher that if the barriers 
were not opened in twenty-four hours to the allied 
armies, consisting of four hundred thousand men, 
the bombardment of the city should immediately 
commence, and Paris should be delivered to pillage 
for three days. 

" Judge of my situation, with near two hundred 
thousand francs of goods on hand at the time I re- 
ceived this intelligence, without the possibility of 
sending a single case out of Paris. But while we 
were busily employed in stowing away the most 
valuable goods in cellars, caves, etc., news arrived 
that Paris had capitulated, and of course the gen- 
eral alarm subsided; but I never wish to experience 
such another day. 

" Several days now passed in the evacuation of 
the French imperial troops and the entry into Paris 
of near half a million of the allied army, consisting 
of almost all nations, kindreds, and tongues, headed 
by Wellington and Blucher, and followed by Louis 
XVIII. and suite. 

" At length the Emperor Alexander, the King of 
Prussia, and the Emperor of Austria arrived, pre- 
ceded by Cossacks, and followed by a numerous 



COIJET LIFE. 155 

retinue, consisting of almost all the princes of the 
North. 

" It was at this time that I felt the weight of 
Blucher's contribution, besides having an English 
general and fifteen soldiers stationed at our hotel, 
where they remained until within a few days ; how- 
ever, as I have escaped pillage and kept my head 
on my shoulders during these scenes of confusion, 
devastation, and destruction, I ought not to com- 
plain, but have much reason to rejoice in the good- 
ness of divine Providence for having thus been 
preserved. No one can ever be astonished at the 
French Revolution who witnessed their conduct 
during these rapid changes. On the very Boule- 
vards, where the day before I saw three men cut to 
pieces on the spot for crying, c Vive le Roil' the next 
day two more were killed near the same place for 
crying, l Vive VEmpereur /' In fact, I have seen the 
same persons one day cry, Vive VEmpereur ! the 
next day cry, Vive V Empereur the Second! or the 
young Napoleon, and the third day, Vive le Hoi! 
and all with equal enthusiasm. 

" I shall never pretend to give you half the par- 
ticulars, as it would require volumes. I will, how- 
ever, mention one circumstance which has recently 
taken place, and has caused much joy throughout 
Paris. 

"You must know that since the return of the 
paternal king numerous arrests have taken place of 
generals and other persons who have served Bona- 
parte, among whom was Monsieur Lavalette, whose 



156 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

wife was confined the very day that lie was con- 
demned to death. 

" On hearing the fatal news the next day, she 
left her bed and little babe and flew to the palace, 
and prostrated herself at the feet of the king ; but 
neither her entreaties nor her delicate situation had 
any effect. She fainted, and was taken from his 
presence. She then addressed the allied sovereigns 
to intercede in behalf of her husband, but all in 
vain ; and the day before yesterday was appointed 
for his execution. 

" At five o'clock in the evening previous to the 
fatal day appointed, Madame Lavalette went to the 
prison where her husband was confined, in order to 
take the last and long farewell, when, profiting by 
a momentary absence of the guard and keeper, she 
dressed her husband in her own clothes in exchange 
for his, and by this means has providentially effected 
his escape, to the very great joy of every one except 
his persecutors. But the surprise and despair of 
the prison-keeper on discovering Madame Lavalette 
in place of her husband, is neither to be described 
nor imagined. A general search was made for him 
yesterday throughout Paris, but in vain; and it is 
thought that he is ere this out of the kingdom. 
Madame Lavalette is still detained in prison; but 
she is entitled to too much credit and praise ever 
to receive any injury for having thus extricated an 
innocent husband, and whose fond attachment for 
each other has ever been reciprocal. 

" I have since been to Lyons, where, on the 8th 



COUKT LIFE. 157 

of September, the merchants united and gave me a 
splendid dinner; after which I took a post-chaise 
with a French gentleman for Paris, a journey of 
near three hundred and fifty miles. About nine 
o'clock the same evening we were stopped by a 
highwayman; but on showing our pistols, the fel- 
low made off, and I arrived in safety, without any 
other incidents except being obliged to have my 
passport vis6d perhaps thirty times by the commis- 
saires of the different nations whose troops were 
stationed in all the small cities and villages through 
which we passed. It was in those miserable vil- 
lages that I saw the lamentable effect of war, with 
all its concomitant evils ; where neither age nor sex 
were respected, and the poor inhabitants, with their 
farms devastated and exhausted, were still forced to 
maintain from six to twelve soldiers each, who in- 
sulted them with impunity, whenever not served 
agreeably to their desires. Ah, my heart recoils at 
the recollection of these horrors. 

"Oh happy America! little do you appreciate 
the inestimable privileges you so peculiarly enjoy." 

Yes, in 1815, America, having partially lost the 
fresh impression of her Revolution, and in 1812 hav- 
ing fought with England, in no small part at sea, 
knew little of war and of battle-fields such as dur- 
ing the past four years she has learned to dread 
through sad experience; but which, thanks to an 
overruling God, have borne such a noble harvest 
of surer peace, of universal freedom, worth all the 
expenditure upon them of treasure and of blood. 



158 EEOOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

At the time of the Emperor Napoleon's exile 
to the island of Elba, among other small means 
to which the Bourbon king resorted in order 
to stay up his tottering throne, Mr. Wilder some- 
times related the following as touching his own 
experience. A stringent law was passed, that no 
picture, statue, statuette, figure^ or resemblance of 
" General Bonaparte," as he was called, should be 
suffered to remain in any place, public or private, 
among any residents, native or foreign. Conse- 
quently there was a sudden disappearance of every 
thing of the kind, from the bronze statue on the top 
of the pillar made from cannon taken at Austerlitz, 
which statue Louis Philippe had the good sense 
and discretion to restore, to the mere toy or thim- 
ble-case bearing Napoleon's profile upon its outline. 
Every house was to be visited and examined, to see 
that the order was strictly obeyed, and all offend- 
ing articles were to be seized. 

Mr. "Wilder, owning a particularly fine and cor- 
rect bronze statuette of the emperor, buried it, 
with other things of the kind, in his cellar. His 
turn for inspection by the police came. Not Tal- 
leyrand even could have protected him here. In 
walked into his counting-room the officer, with his 
secretary and other attendants, who said in a pom- 
pous and semi-contemptuous tone, " Have you any 
statue, image, or likeness of any kind, of that man?" 
"Of what man?" said Mr. Wilder. "You know, 
sir, very well who is meant," said the officer impa- 
tiently ; " that man — that usurper." " What man ? 



COUKT LIFE. 159 

what usurper ?" said Mr. Wilder ; " I am a stranger 
here." " Why do you keep me ? You know who I 
mean; that usurper — that Bonaparte, if you will 
have it," said the officer. " Have you any likeness 
or representation of him?" "Certainly I have," 
said Mr. Wilder ; and turning to a clerk, " Gougain, 
bring me a bag of Napoleons." Then pouring them 
out on the desk before him, " Here they are, sir." 
The police official stared. At first he could make 
no answer ; but then said, " That money is not what 
I want. You can keep that." " Go and tell your 
master," said Mr. Wilder, "that the whole specie 
currency of the realm must be called in before he 
can keep from the eyes of the people the features 
of the Emperor Napoleon." " You are right," said 
the officer, now leaving, but continuing aside to his 
comrades, " It is ridiculous, truly, this business we 
are on ; but the stupid Bourbons cannot see it." 
And thus closed the interview, conducted on the 
part of Mr. Wilder in a way so characteristic. 

Deep in the universal French heart was en- 
graved the great Napoleon. No removal or destruc- 
tion of outward mementos could affect his position 
there. He, not only a man of the people, but the 
very embodiment of the best features of Gallic 
character, had burst through the long guarded pre- 
cincts of royalty, and showed himself superior to 
their former occupants. It were indeed impossible 
to reside in France during the days of this great 
man, without sharing in the feelings of affectionate 
admiration and enthusiasm with which he almost 



160 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

magically inspired and fascinated all about lrim. 
But beyond this, from direct knowledge of his 
plans and policy learned from Latour Maubrey, as 
well as from public observation of them shared in 
by others, Mr. Wilder felt sincere respect for Napo- 
leon Bonaparte. He noticed the religious freedom, 
the great improvements, social and political, brought 
about in France by this great ruler; marked the 
successful working of the " Code Napoleon," which, 
more or less modified, has since been adopted by 
every free nation in Europe ; and felt that, on the 
whole, he had been raised up to be a blessing to 
the world. 

These feelings led Mr. Wilder to take a deep 
interest in the final fate of the emperor, and induced 
him, through Latour Maubrey, to offer plans for 
his escape to this country. It will be remembered 
that Mr. Wilder, from the constant shipments he had 
long made here of French goods, possessed peculiar 
facilities for any thing of the kind. He was able 
to control the sailing of ships laden under his direc- 
tion. He proposed that Napoleon, until reaching 
the coast, should disguise himself as the valet for 
whom he, Mr. Wilder, had already a passport. Then, 
on board an American ship, a hogshead or large 
cask would be prepared, in which Napoleon could 
be concealed until beyond the limit of danger. This 
cask was to have a false compartment towards the 
end, to be seen from the deck, from which water was 
constantly to drip. Arrived in America, Mr. Wilder 
further proposed to take the emperor to his own 



COURT LIFE. 161 

country residence in Bolton, Mass., there to remain 
incog, at least six months. 

This scheme Napoleon seriously considered, and 
declared it feasible; but finally declined— to his 
honor, be it said— because he would not desert 
friends who had been faithful to him through pros- 
perity and adversity. He wished Mr. Wilder to 
arrange for their flight also. Mr. Wilder said Na- 
poleon's own safety was all he could, under Provi- 
dence, venture to secure at that time; that but one 
vessel could be cleared without attracting observa- 
tion. Bonaparte refused to leave his followers, and 
other plans for his changing places and passports 
for this country with his brother Joseph also falling 
through, he almost immediately surrendered him- 
self to the officers of the Bellerophon, where his re- 
ception and subsequent treatment are known as a 
dark blot on that page of English history. 

Of Talleyrand, notwithstanding his own personal 
indebtedness to him, Mr. Wilder obtained on the 
whole a sad impression, as appears in a memoran- 
dum made near the close of Mr. Wilder's life : 

" Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento, crowned with 
all the earthly titles and honors which the sover- 
eigns of Europe, his contemporaries, had the power 
to bestow, and wielding for fifty years an influence 
such as no other individual of the present century 
ever attained, and possessing a fortune of thirty 
miUions of francs, or six millions of doUars, was 
led, at his approaching dissolution a few years ago, 
to pen the following declaration, which ought to 



162 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

demonstrate the folly and fallacy of imbibing an 
insatiable desire for accumulating great wealth, and 
aspiring to obtain the fading and unsatisfying hon- 
ors which man bestows upon his fellow-man. 

" A paper was found on his table near his bed, 
on the morning of the day previous to his death, on 
which he had written by the light of the lamp, 

"' Behold eighty -three years passed away! 
What cares, what agitation, what anxieties, what ill- 
will, what sad complications ! and all without other 
result except great fatigue of body and mind, and 
disgust with regard to the past, and a profound 
sentiment of discouragement and despair with re- 
gard to the future.' 

" What an appalling commentary is this decla- 
ration, penned at the closing scene of life by one of 
the most extraordinary and distinguished men of 
the present century.'* 

Eeflecting on the history of Talleyrand and 
Napoleon, Mr. Wilder adds : 

" As far as my observations go, confirmed by an 
experience of eighty-three years, the great propor- 
tion of mankind seem to be actuated by the most 
selfish motives, exhausting the energies of both 
body and mind in the accumulation of wealth, in 
grasping at and wielding visionary power, in illu- 
sory attempts to obtain earthly distinction and 
glory, and in aspiring to the evanescent honors of 
this world. To accomplish this vain achievement, 
what unjustifiable measures have been resorted to, 
what plodding schemes devised, what awakened 



COURT LIFE. 163 

guilty consciences stifled, what energies misdirect- 
ed, what conflicting emotions lulled into a state of 
apathetic oblivion, what obsequiousness displayed, 
what sympathies suppressed, what virtue betrayed, 
and in short, what hopes of future joys jeoparded 
and for ever annihilated ! From the top to the 
bottom of the ladder of renown, what a weary, self- 
ish, rapacious, impatient crowd has ever presented 
itself, with the exception of here and there a noble 
specimen of disinterested benevolence. 

"Among the millions who have yielded to the 
uncompromising 'king of terrors,' how vain has 
been their time-long struggle for distinction after 
death. How few among the number have reached 
the mouldering pages of history, or the brief immor- 
tality of canvas, bronze, or marble ! If great na- 
tions of old lie prone in the dust, with all their 
proud names forgotten, or have left us but a dubi- 
ous hieroglyph on some unmouldered brick or col- 
umn whereby to eke out their thousand years of 
empire or renown, what hope for us single mortals 
trailing out our little destinies ! 

" It is but fifty-five short years ago that I saw 
one, then at the apex of earthly power and human 
glory, returning from his victory at Austerlitz, sur- 
rounded by the followers of his fortune and the 
sharers of his renown, and preceded by Heralds at 
Arms decorated with purple and gold, and exclaim- 
ing, * Immortal honors to the grand Napoleon!' as 
he entered his capital in triumph to receive the 
plaudits of a vast and admiring people ; while hun- 



164 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

dreds of thousands of the enthusiastic citizens of 
the metropolis, were taking the carpets from their 
saloons, and spreading them on the Boulevards, 
accompanied by hundreds of young ladies strewing 
flowers thereon for the conqueror's horse to prance 
over during this evanescent ovation — and now, not 
one, not one who held any distinguished place in 
that memorable transaction lives ! The conqueror 
and his mighty men lie low in the dust, their names 
and heroic deeds already almost forgotten, and they 
gone to the retributions of eternity ! 

"Let us discard all desire for earthly distinc- 
tions or aggrandizement which has for its object 
ostentatious display. Be it our highest and holiest 
aspiration, while in the faithful discharge of every 
incumbent duty, to seek, through the all-powerful 
influences of the Holy Spirit, an interest in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is ' the way, the truth, and 
the life,' and on whose blood and righteousness and 
atoning sacrifice alone we must rely to secure ' an 
inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth 
not away, eternal in the heavens.' May we then, 
amid its effulgent glories, be permitted to partici- 
pate with ' the just made perfect,' with all the tri- 
umphant redeemed throng, in for ever celebrating 
together the praises of redeeming love." 

With Louis Napoleon, "the nephew of his uncle," 
Mr. Wilder had several prolonged interviews during 
his stay in New York in 1833, after the affair at 
Strasburg, when he was banished from France by 
Louis Philippe. 



COUKT LIFE. 165 

Louis Napoleon, at this time, put up at the Washington 
House in Broadway near the City Hall, located where one .of 
Stewart's stores now stands ; near also to Mr. Wilder's then 
residence in Chambers-street. In passing the Washington 
House, Mr. Wilder saw with Louis Napoleon a man against 
whom he thought it a duty to put the young man on his 
guard. It was a man who, by false representations of the 
value of lands in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., had largely 
defrauded the Necker and De Stael families, with whom the 
Due de Broglie was connected by marriage. This will again 
be referred to as a link in another "string of providences" 
which Mr. Wilder delighted in tracing out. Knowing that 
the sharper in question v had two more townships of land, 
covered with hard-hacks and scrub-oaks, with which he had 
so egregiously cheated his friends in Paris, Mr. Wilder took 
the liberty of calling on Napoleon, who received him cor- , 
dially after understanding the especial purport of the visit, 
and with many thanks to Mr. Wilder, said he had really been 
much annoyed by the man in question, but was not prepared 
to make any investment in lands, nor inclined to any move- 
ment until he could hear from his invalid mother, who was 
very ill at the time he was compelled to leave her. In fact, 
if the next news should not prove more favorable, he should 
return to his mother at all hazards, with or without the per- 
mission of Louis Philippe. Mr. Wilder said that the young 
man's filial attachment to his dying mother did much to en- 
hance his estimate of one whom he little supposed would ever 
become emperor of the French. 

When Louis Napoleon learned incidentally from one of 
his attendants that Mr. Wilder was present at the marriage 
of his uncle, he kept him long after the dinner they took 
together, until late in the evening, asking many questions 
regarding that and other events in Paris of which Mr. Wil- 
der had been an eye-witness. He also returned the visit, and 
had several conversations with Mr. Wilder, whose recollec- 
tions of his uncle seemed much to interest him. Mr. Wilder 
said of Louis Napoleon, that during his residence in New 
York, he certainly evinced a greater degree of common-sense 
than the world seemed disposed to accord to him at that time. 



166 EECOEDS OP S. V. S. WILDEE. 

Amid the hazards of crossing the ocean in our 
war of 1812 with England, Mr. "Wilder was the bear- 
er of despatches from France, and witnessed the 
contrast between monarchical display and our re- 
publican institutions. Neither telegraphs nor loco- 
motives, " seeming like torches, running like light- 
nings," as described by the prophet Nahum, had 
then been invented. Tidings for the government, 
upon the then more infrequent arrival of vessels 
from abroad, often met with serious delay. 

The vessel in which Mr. "Wilder came from Eu- 
rope about that time was anxiously expected by 
■ President Madison, and the then acting Secretary 
of "War, James Monroe. Eelays of horses were by 
order provided to bring on the bearer of despatches 
as quickly as possible. Mr. Wilder had the honor 
of that office, and was accredited also as bringing 
to our government the latest confidential advices 
verbally. 

Travelling night and day, he arrived in Wash- 
ington at 11 o'clock p. M., drove directly to the house 
of the Secretary of War, rang thu bell; the door 
was opened by a servant with as little form as in a 
private house. Mr. Monroe appeared immediately, 
and said, "We have been expecting you; we must 
go without further delay to the President." Arrived 
there, they rang the bell. An old J^an came to the 
door with a nightcap on, holding a common candle 
in his hand. It was the President of the United 
States. "Never," said Mr. Wilder, "was I more 
surprised. I had come fresh from a sight of all the 



COUKT LIFE. 167 

form and etiquette that guarded all approach to the 
person of a European sovereign. Here was a ruler, 
wielding more actual power than some of them, 
receiving me with more than Spartan simplicity." 

With Andrew Jackson, while President, Mr. 
Wilder had at least one interview, clearly distinc- 
tive of the peculiar traits of both men, and also of 
importance, as probably the means of preserving 
peace between France and this country. Mr. Wil- 
der ever felt with a grateful heart that this inter- 
view had secured the payment of a large sum due 
to us from France. The circumstances leading to 
it are related in part in Mr. Wilder's own language : 

"To illustrate the controlling power of God in making- 
use of human agency in the accomplishment of his wise de- 
signs, it is necessary that I should go back to the times of the 
French ^Revolution, when that illustrious financier and far- 
famed banker to Louis XVI. , Mr. Necker, was in power. He 
was the father of the celebrated Madame de Stael, and the 
highly favored grandfather of the Baron de Stael, and of his 
sister the Duchess de Broglie, the memory of which pious 
and estimable lady is published in connection with that of 
Madame Bumpff, the daughter of John Jacob Astor. 

"It seems that Mr. Necker, during the revolutionary 
struggle, was desirous of placing some of his ample fortune 
in a foreign country, as a place of safer deposit than Trance 
or Switzerland. At that period Necker had the misfortune 
to be introduced to a man who had just returned from Amer- 
ica, where he had been speculating in wild lands. This un- 
principled man gave such glowing accounts of the quality, 
location, and cheapness of these lands, that Mr. Necker 
became the purchaser of two townships, consisting of near 
fifty thousand acres, at two dollars an acre, besides lands in 
the towns of Clare and Clifton in St. Lawrence county, New 
York; and after a while his daughter, Madame de Stael, 



168 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

relying on the integrity of this man, purchased an additional 
quantity of thirty thousand acres, which, it seems, she and 
her children had been trying to dispose of, in order to save 
them from being eaten up by tax and interest. 

"I had become, from their connection with the Paris 
religious societies, at first in the Moral Christian Society, in 
which Protestants and Catholics united, quite intimate with 
the two brothers, the Baron de Stael and the Due de Broglie. 
On the eve of my departure for America, the latter called, 
being recommended to do so by the Baron Hottingeur. He 
urged me to become his agent in disposing of the aforesaid 
lands. Such were his engagements in affairs of state, that he 
could not give time and attention to this unfortunate invest- 
ment. Our relations had been such that I could not well 
refuse this request, though reluctantly yielding assent to it ; 
but never thinking that the matter would be overruled to 
prevent the occurrence of a disastrous war. I was furnished 
with all the papers and documents necessary, and by employ- 
ing the son-in-law of Mr. Depeau, a descendant of the Count 
de Grasse, who resided in St. Lawrence county, we succeeded 
at length in obtaining the miserable price of twenty cents an 
acre, which was forthwith remitted to the Due de Broglie. 

"Seeing the enormous loss to which the De Stael family 
had been subjected, I made no charges. All my services 
were gratuitous. Letters were received by me from the Due 
de Broglie and his brother-in-law full of grateful acknowledg- 
ments. A small remuneration had been obtained by them, 
and a stop put to further ruinous taxes. 

"In the meantime Gen. Jackson became the President of 
the United States. In his first Message to Congress, he came 
out with a threat against France, if she did not pay the 
twenty-five million francs which she had promised to do at a 
late settlement between the two nations. 

" On the following October I received a confidential letter 
from the secretary of the Due de Broglie, suggested by Bev. 
Dr. Baird, saying that, however great the desire of the duke 
as Prime-minister of France to pay the twenty-five millions, 
yet were he to do it under the aforesaid threat, it would create 
a revolution in France. He therefore requested me to go to 



COURT LIFE. 169 

Washington — and this was backed by an urgent request from 
my venerated friend Baron Hottingeur— and have recourse 
i to all the influence that could be put in requisition to obtain 
if possible an apology from the President, in the ensuing 
message, for the offending threat, or at least a softened ex- 
pression, so as to allow the duke, in accordance with his desire, 
I to pay over the money. 

"Knowing the unyielding character of the man with 
) whom I had to do, I was by no means sanguine of accom- 
:• plishing the difficult task entrusted to my management. En- 
i couraged, however, by the declaration of St. Paul, ' I can do 
> all things through Christ strengthening me, ' I proceeded on 
i my way to Washington. Having previously some acquaint- 
ance with the Presbyterian minister there, I called on him to 
j accompany me to the White House and present me to the 
{President." 

Mr. Wilder found the President at home, and was soon 
\ able to secure a private interview ; when the first remark he 
1 made was, ' ' Sir, you see before you a man who desires no 
i office, no emolument from government." The stiff attitude 
and settled features of the President very visibly relaxed, and 
i with a more easy manner he asked Mr. Wilder to proceed, 
which he did, explaining the whole matter as has been stated. 
I As the word apology was spoken, the President became ex- 
1 cited, rose to his feet, exclaimed, ' ' No, sir, Andrew Jackson 
] never will," bringing his fist down on the table with a heavy 
J blow — "Andrew Jackson never will make an apology for what 
i he has said in his Message." Mr. Wilder began to tremble 
| for the success of his mission, but waiting a moment, re- 
newed his statement of facts, concluding with an appeal to 
j President Jackson's f eelings, made in his own inimitable style 
| and manner. 

" If by one turn of your pen, merely softening an expres- 
1 sion, you, sir, avert from this land and from Prance all the 
j horrors of a bloody conflict, generations yet unborn will bless 
■' your name. Think, sir, of all the widows and the orphans 
such a war would create. Prevent it, and your own approv- 
I ing conscience before God and before men shall be your 
! reward. You, sir, are, in the providence of God, occupying 



170 BECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

a station which, if you should find grace to discharge with 
fidelity its responsible duties, will produce results of vast 
importance to the present, future, and eternal good of our 
fellow-men — results which angels will view with joy and 
admiration. Should you, by the mere softening of an ex- 
pression, be now led in the ways that make for peace, eter- 
nity alone will disclose all the beneficial effects of it amid the 
splendors of celestial glory. That you, sir, may have grace 
to do this, God grant for the Redeemer's sake." 

The President was evidently much affected, and answered, 
" Sir, it shall be as you wish ; the message shall be made sat- 
isfactory. What would you propose ?" 

Prepared for such an emergency, Mr. Wilder took from 
his pocket a paper on which was written a short sentence 
relative to our affairs with France, and handing it to the 
President, said, "Something to this purport, I am sure, 
would enable the Duke de Broglie to pay the money without 
difficulty." Suffice it to say, the suggestion was adopted, the 
sentence virtually inserted in the next message ; France was 
satisfied, and her debt to us soon cancelled. 

But how do all the scenes and interviews that 
have been above depicted pale, both in grandeur 
and importance, in comparison to those to which 
he, who saw so much of the pomp and glory of this 
world, has now been introduced. And to these 
" nobler scenes above" the humblest believer may 
have access. Even now is he one of the sons of 
God, being directed by the great Euler of the uni- 
verse to call him Father. 

Did Christians on earth practically realize their 
true position, raised far above " the estate in which 
they were created," how little would they be dazzled 
by the false glare of mere temporal fame and gran- 
deur. Their thoughts and aspirations, like those of 



COUKT LIFE. 171 

Mr. Wilder, would not be satisfied with aught below 
the skies. We have traced his way among some of 
the great ones of the earth, both in France and in 
this country, and have heard his own report of the 
incomparably greater happiness to be found in the 
strait and narrow path that leads to life eternal. 
Patience then, Christian, though poor and despised, 
or weary of sin and toil. Soon shalt thou stand 
before, the King of kings, not as a guest or witness, 
however honored, but thyself one of the royal 
family, never more to be exiled from his glorious 
court. 



172 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 



XL 

Whvu tkg imvti km U tmv% lwpt{ tlm^ mih 

The time of parting came, of final parting with 
Europe, with its scenes of royal grandeur, its asso- 
ciations with the past, its charities of the present. 
In 1823 Mr. Wilder felt it to be his duty to return 
to his native country. " Various circumstances and 
considerations, among others the unsettled condi- 
tion of affairs in Europe," decided him to do this. 
The following — can it be called a business letter ? — 
was written to one of his partners in New York a 
little before this time : 

"Paris, August 15, 1822. 

" My deae Beothee in oue Loed and Saveoue 
Jesus Cheist — Your much valued favor of June 10th 
has duly reached me, and I rejoice at all the Lord 
is doing among those candidates for eternity who 
dwell in your city. May the good work go on and 
prosper until all, even from the least to the greatest, 
shall, by the all-powerful influence of the Holy 
Spirit, be brought to the foot of the cross, and be 
made willing to know nothing save Jesus Christ and 
him crucified. If the prayers which I have offered 
from day to day, from month to month, and from 
year to year will prevail, our dear friend and 



PAKTING WITH EUKOPE. 173 

his interesting family will ere long be among that 
happy number. A few years, perhaps months, and 
time for him, you, and me will be for ever at an end. 
We shall enter on eternity. And if our association 
in this world only results in having amassed a little 
of its dust, we are certainly to be pitied. Let us be 
fervent in prayer at the throne of grace, that our 
friend and partner may be brought to a saving 
knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and that our 
own faith may be confirmed in this dear Eedeemer ; 
that we may at length be enabled, through his blood 
and righteousness, to participate with the just made 
perfect during the endless ages of eternity. 

" On the 11th of July I replied to your letter of 
the 30th of May, approving of your decision to bring 
our partnership to a close on the first of April next ; 
but I must confess I have some doubts as to the 
indications of Providence with regard to my future 
movements. I certainly wish to pursue the path of 
duty, and by no means to plant myself at home for 
the sake of being what the world calls at my ease. 

" Attached as I am to all the committees of the 
various religious institutions which I have perhaps 
been a feeble instrument under Providence of form- 
ing in this place, I am aware I ought to decide with 
caution how I abandon these infant societies, until 
they shall have become more firmly established; 
but God can work with means or without means, or 
can raise up others more zealous and better quali- 
fied than myself to promote his cause in this part 
of his vineyard. 



174 BECOEDS OF 8. V. S. WILDEE. 

" I only wish to know the indications of Provi- 
dence, and I am then willing to remain, or ready to 
return. I desire to be placed in that situation in 
life where I can best promote the honor and glory 
of God, most advance the glorious cause of Christ, 
and best contribute to the temporal welfare of our 
human race, and the spiritual good of immortal 
souls. 

" I agree with you that, through the goodness 
of our heavenly Benefactor, we have the first estab- 
lishment in our line both in America and here ; and 
I believe I may say, w T e combine more advantages 
than any other house. . . . Some of these it has taken 
twenty years to obtain. 

"S. Y. S. WILDEE." 

When it became known that Mr. Wilder was to 
leave, expressions of regret came pouring in from 
various friends all over Europe. " Who," they said, 
" could take his place ?" Meetings of the various 
societies were held, at which were passed resolu- 
tions testifying respect and affection, also sorrow at 
the prospective loss of this their earliest friend, who 
had sheltered their infancy, and without whom, even 
then, they almost feared to go alone. Medals were 
ordered to be presented to him. Of all the socie- 
ties he was appointed an honorary member, and to 
all of them he remained in fact for years a regular 
contributor, receiving the annual reports of their 
work ever " with many feelings of grateful emotion." 

The following, from an address made by Mr. 






PARTING WITH EUROPE. 175 

Wilder at the last meeting he attended of the Paris 
Missionary Society, may serve as a type of others 
made by him on similar occasions about that time. 

" By thus departing, I sensibly feel that I shall 
be deprived the privilege of personally uniting my 
feeble exertions with those who have become en- 
deared to me by the ties of friendship and affection, 
and with whom I have been accustomed to meet on 
various committees for the promotion of the cause 
of Christ and the welfare of immortal souls. I trust, 
however, I shall always be united with you in heart 
and in my prayers. 

"I praise God for enabling me to witness the 
formation and establishment of this pious institu- 
tion in Paris; and if your Committee are actuated 
by a love to the Saviour, a desire to promote his 
glorious cause, and are not influenced in your labors 
and deliberations by motives of human considera- 
tion, and are faithful in the discharge of your sacred 
and important duties, the eyes of the Christian 
world will be fixed on you with gratitude to God ; 
thousands of prayers will be offered at the throne 
of grace in your behalf; angels will contemplate 
with joy and admiration your labors of love; gen- 
erations yet unborn will elevate songs of praise to 
God our Saviour for the blessings you will have 
been instrumental in procuring to perishing mill- 
ions; and you yourselves, when you are ripe for 
glory, will be admitted, through the blessed media- 
tion and merits of a crucified Eedeemer, to the hap- 
py regions of endless felicity." 



176 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

To the gentlemen of the " Society of Christian 
Morals/' upon receipt of a beautiful medal which 
had been forwarded to him, Mr. Wilder wrote : 

" Though deprived at present of a participation 
in your labors of love, yet be assured, dear col- 
leagues, of my best wishes and most fervent pray- 
ers for your success. Already has the ' Society of 
Christian Morals ' exerted a most benign influence 
in your own metropolis and kingdom. But that 
influence, not confined to your own country, has 
been felt even in this western hemisphere. The 
articles in your publications relative to slavery have 
been read here with no common interest. We rec- 
ognize in them auspicious tokens of African eman- 
cipation. The ' jubilee' of that unhappy country 
is, we trust, not far distant — when her captive sons 
shall shake off the fetters of a cruel bondage, and 
breathe the air of freedom. The influence of the 
blessed gospel is hastening this consummation. 

" There are not wanting in our own country men 
who, appreciating the high national privileges they 
enjoy, look with shame on the foul blot which mars 
this land of freemen. Could it, consistently with 
the safety of our citizens and the well-being of the 
slaves, be at once obliterated, such a note of joy 
would be struck as was never before heard in Amer- 
ica. 

"There is a day coming, and your Society is 
one proof of it, when the commissioned angel shall 
take his flight, and the everlasting gospel be uni- 
versally diffused. The Saviour whom we acknow- 



PAKTING WITH EUROPE. 177 

ledge predicted that, when ' lifted up ' on the cross, 
he would ' draw all men unto him.' Do we not al- 
ready see the breaking twilight of a millennial morn ? 
Are not the evangelical institutions of the present 
day propitious tokens of its coming ? Oh, dear sirs, 
what a privilege do we enjoy in being permitted to 
bear a subordinate part in its advancement ! Talk 
we of honor ? "What honor can be compared with 
that of being associated with the great God in an 
enterprise so elevating, so benevolent, so holy? 
Search we for happiness ? "What pleasure so refined 
as that which accompanies and follows our efforts 
to benefit our fellow-men ? Go on, then, my dear 
colleagues ; diffuse the precepts of the pure gospel 
of Jesus Christ ; for it is ' profitable for the life that 
now is, and for that which is to come.' ' 

In June, 1823, Mr. Wilder and family took a 
final leave of Paris, sailing in the Stephanie, Capt. 
Macy. That era of his life was ended. The waves 
of the Atlantic, though of late years never suffered 
long to repose between the frequent passing of our 
modern steamers, ever after separated him from Eu- 
rope, though never from its memories. These were 
often refreshed by reports made to him by friends 
visiting that continent, or by occasional intercourse 
by person or letter with those there left behind. 

In 1846, a friend and son-in-law wrote to Mr. 
Wilder, " Mr. Monod thinks that it would be ex- 
ceedingly gratifying to you to witness the change 
here, looking back to the time when the little band 
of Christians met at your house, and now witness- 

8* 



178 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

ing their large worshipping assemblies. I attended 
service at the Oratoire last Sabbath, where the 
house was filled with an attentive and highly re- 
spectable looking congregation. In France the 
prospect is brightening. They now number five 
hundred Protestant ministers, one half of whom are 
considered evangelical." 

In 1857, the Rev. Frederic Monod visited this 
country to obtain aid in building a church on the 
Boulevard Sebastopol. Upon his arrival here he 
soon addressed a note to Mr. Wilder, a part of 
which is introduced to sho^v the feelings with which 
he was still regarded by at least one early Paris 
friend. 

" My very dear Christian Friend — Years have 
rolled us on in life since I saw you or have heard 
from you. But never have I forgotten you nor dear 
Mrs. Wilder, and our Christian intercourse in Paris, 
nor our joint labors and prayers at a time when the 
light of the gospel had just begun to dawn in France. 
I have immediately inquired for you, am highly im- 
patient to shake hands with you again, and talk 
over with you a little old and ever-cherished Paris- 
ian times. With kindest remembrance of Mrs. Wil- 
der, believe me, my very dear Christian friend, ever 
yours most affectionately in Christ, 

"FKEDEKIC MONOD." 

And these old times the friends were permitted 
to talk over at Mr. Wilder's home, at that time in 
Elizabeth, N. J. 



PAETING WITH EUKOPE. 179 

In May, 1865, Rev. Vm. 0. Roberts, the young 
pastor whose advent in aid of the beloved Dr. Ma- 
gie Mr. Wilder had hailed with much satisfaction, 
was called to Europe, in part as delegate to some 
of the European societies which have been men- 
tioned. But he carried them no greeting from him 
who in days of yore took such interest in every de- 
tail of their work. The lips were sealed which would 
otherwise have laden him with messages of love 
and encouragement. And are any on those east- 
ern shores now left who will care to hear from the 
young pastor, privileged to witness Mr. Wilder's 
dying experience, that he their early associate and 
friend, at a good old age, had finished his course 
with joy, and had no doubt, through grace, passed 
into that heaven which for years had been so con- 
stantly his theme of rejoicing and meditation, where 
he hoped to meet all who on earth had been "unit- 
ed to him by the ties of nature, friendship, and 
affection," if also at the same time united to Christ 
his Lord by the still closer bonds of true indwelling 
faith and hope and love.* 

* Eev. Mr. Boberts, in a letter from Europe, says, "I was 
invited to breakfast with the Executive Committee of the 
Eeligious Tract Society, London, the day after receiving 
the ' American Messenger, ' containing a brief sketch of Mr. 
"Wilder. I read it as part of my speech on that occasion. 
They were much interested in it, and asked for the paper. 
Dr. Davis, and others who had some knowledge of Mr. Wil- 
der, asked me many questions about his labors and remarka- 
ble death. They seemed to be delighted with my account of 
him. His family should feel that his memory and good name 
are an unspeakable legacy.' 



180 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

" One generation passeth away, another com- 
eth." Let each do its part. There is still work to 
be done in the Master's vineyard. Let all emulate 
the example of the pioneers in benevolent action, 
as one after another they are called to nobler work 
and praise above; nor let the- ground already, by 
God's blessing, reclaimed from sin and Satan, 
through neglect, be finally lost to the Redeemer's 
kingdom. 






BOLTON. 181 



XII. 

rofoaw fy feat ft sjwi Mix G * 2& 

Bolton, beautiful Bolton Hill, in many memo- 
ries, what associations cluster about this Mr. Wil- 
der's pleasant Massachusetts home. Here in fact 
was brought out an Americanized edition of his 
Paris life, modified also as it necessarily was by 
country, instead of city surroundings; but an en- 
larged Christian hospitality was still an essential 
feature of its daily routine. 

During Mr. Wilder's last absence in France of 
six years, he had given free use of this house and 
of all its appurtenances to a Boston mercantile 
Mend who had been unfortunate in business. Upon 
Mr. Wilder's return in 1823, immediately previous 
to which this gentleman and his family vacated the 
premises, he was grieved, even shocked, to find in 
his parlor a book and pamphlets erroneous accord- 
ing to his view of Bible truth, and, as he felt, con- 
sequently mischievous in tendency. Mr. Wilder's 
mind was now greatly enlightened by means of in- 
fluences already specified, and he was sensitive to 
any thing touching the honor of his Redeemer. 
The Socinian book found in his own house was but 
an index of the general falling away among the 
churches in that part of Massachusetts in a direc- 



182 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

tion to which perhaps persons of mental cultivation 
are especially liable. "What they cannot compre- 
hend they set aside. Such a chill had passed over 
that region. Mr. Wilder, coming from the atmos- 
phere of Christian love by which he had been im- 
mediately surrounded in Europe, was struck to the 
heart — not through the heart ; no, that beat strong 
and warm in the hope of doing something, as Prov- 
idence might open the way, to vindicate his Sav- 
iour's cause, showing him forth to all as on the 
throne of the universe, " God over all, blessed for 
ever." 

Before Mr. Wilder had become fully aware of 
the sad extent to which Christ had been taken out 
of Christianity by some professedly Christian lead- 
ers, how "works" were by them substituted for, 
rather than added to "faith," he kept up friendly 
social intercourse with the neighboring clergy, no- 
ticing first omission of truth, rather than promul- 
gation of error. There was among them, as he soon 
observed, a looseness in the universal commenda- 
tion pronounced at funerals, a liberality certainly 
bordering on recklessness, when even a man about 
to be placed in a drunkard's grave, one who had 
long abused his family, was spoken of as — with per- 
haps a few exceptions, to which all mortals are lia- 
ble — a good citizen, a kind husband, father, and 
friend, and who always paid his minister's tax cheer- 
fully. 

Even at a distance Mr. Wilder had managed his 
farm in detail, as written agreements, directions, 



BOLTON. 183 

account-books, and lists of stock and farm imple- 
ments, found among his papers, testify ; and now, 
with the help of his good neighbor and agent Capt. 
Caleb Moore, whose faithful discharge of duty was 
gratefully acknowledged, he busied himself more 
directly with the care of his farm, draining the low- 
lands, building dams, forming an extensive fish- 
pond, and enclosing several acres about it for a 
poultry-yard on so large a scale, that after a time 
flocks of domesticated wild-geese would fly from it 
for miles about the country. 

Fruit-trees and grape-vines from the gardens of 
Versailles had been sent out by Mr. Wilder at va- 
rious intervals, and were now coming into bearing, 
and needed care and pruning. Apple - orchards 
were beginning to furnish from sixty to seventy 
barrels of fruit for winter use. Additions and alter- 
ations were made to the house itself, and ornamen- 
tal trees were planted about it. All this fully occu- 
pied the time of the quondam merchant, who 
thought himself finally retired from business. 

Such changes could not fail to attract attention 
in a country neighborhood nearly half a century 
ago. Reports of strange French furniture and other 
adornments, extending even to Mr. Wilder's having 
a French wife — more excusable this, as the French 
language was then constantly spoken in his fam- 
ily — rapidly spread. Opportunities were desired 
that curiosity might be gratified. 

It was soon whispered that Mr. Wilder had in- 
vited his farm-hands and their families to be pres- 



184 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

ent at family prayers in his library on Sunday after- 
noons. Some of the neighbors asked to be allowed 
to come in also. This opened the door for others 
to do the same, who, though coming at first to grat- 
ify curiosity, continued to attend from a more wor- 
thy motive. These Sabbath afternoon meetings 
grew into a fixed fact. Mr. "Wilder lengthened and 
varied the services, sometimes himself expounding 
the word of God, and again often asking ministerial 
guests to give a short sermon. The leaven of truth 
was thus hid in many a humble heart, which at a 
later day became more fully revealed. Other influ- 
ences were also at work in the neighborhood, pre- 
paring the ground that had long lain fallow for the 
seed of divine truth ere long to be planted there. 

Sombre indeed, in a spiritual point of view, was 
the region, so beautiful in outward aspect, in which 
Mr. Wilder's present home was situated. " In vain 
with lavish kindness the gifts of God were strewn" 
richly about the vicinity. In vain, so far as many 
were concerned, did that remarkable semicircle of 
distant mountain outline to be seen from Bolton 
Hill, embracing as it did the nearer "Wachusett and 
the far-off New Hampshire Monadnock, trace upon 
the evening sky a most graceful idea of the power 
and glory of the Lord Christ, "the Word" of God, 
"by whom all things were made." Happy the day, 
which soon came, when a living church of the Tri- 
une God was set like a mirror, even a burning glass, 
upon that hillside, to send the rays of the alone true 
Light of the world through the length and breadth 



BOLTON. 185 

of that beautiful valley of the Nashua, the reflection 
- of which reached indeed throughout the country all 
f around. 

There are many who remember the Marquis de 
■ Lafayette's visit to the United States in 1824, where 
he was hailed rather by the title of " General," bring- 
f ing him nearer to the American heart, as reminding 
S it of his military and friendly connection with the 
i revered "Washington. 

The most striking event perhaps in Mr. Wilder's 
\ life about this time was his reception under his own 
J roof at Bolton of this distinguished stranger ; to him 
I not a stranger, as he had visited him at his home, 
| La Grange, near Paris. 

In order that the vast crowds collecting from 
I place to place to greet Gen. Lafayette should not be 
disappointed, it was necessary that all the arrange- 
ments respecting his triumphal journey should be 
definite, and promptly carried out. Hon. Josiah 
! Quincy, then Mayor of Boston, wrote to Mr. "Wilder 
August 27, 1824, giving the programme for Massa- 
chusetts, and in reference to Mr. Wilder's part in 
carrying it out, closed by saying, " Mr. W T ilder, you 
have promised, and I hold you responsible for it." 
On the same day Mr. Wilder wrote thus to the 
committee of arrangements in Worcester : 

" Boston, Aug. 27, 1824. 
" Gentlemen — I hasten to enclose to you a copy 
of a letter just addressed to me by the Hon. Josiah 
Quincy, by which you will see that Gen. Lafayette 



186 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

will breakfast at Worcester on Friday morning, the 
3d of September, and that I have pledged myself 
that he shall reach within ten miles of Hartford on 
Friday eye. 

" The general and his suite will be conducted 
from Boston in the city carriage to Concord ; from 
whence I shall have the honor to conduct him to my 
house on Thursday eve; and from thence, on Fri- 
day morning, to Worcester, where, I trust, you will 
make the necessary arrangements for his reception, 
and have carriages and relays of horses prepared to 
conduct him in ample season on Friday to within 
ten miles of Hartford, so that he can make his en- 
try early the next morning into that city. 

" I have communicated this arrangement to Gen. 
Gregory, and there is no doubt but proper measures 
will be taken to form a military escort through our 
county. 

" Eespectfully, I have the honor to be, gentle- 
men, your most obedient, humble servant, 

"S. Y. S. WILDER." 

The above arrangements were well carried out. 
The general arrived at Bolton at the hour expected. 
Mr. Wilder's house and grounds were a realization 
of fairy land. An arch had been thrown over the 
front gate, on which was clearly inscribed, " The 
sword of Jehovah, of Washington, and of Lafayette." 
The whole house was illuminated, a light shining 
from every pane. Lanterns among the evergreens 
and other trees added to the general effect. A 



BOLTON. 187 

supper was in readiness, of which the general, his 
i suite, and other guests partook, after he had passed 
some little time with Mr. Wilder's family. The La- 
fayette Guards, a militia company of the place, tak- 
ing that name for the occasion and retaining it in 
future, encamped all night about the premises. 

"The general and suite retired to rest at half- 
past eleven o'clock; and after an early breakfast, he 
gave audience to a large concourse of citizens, who 
,- were eagerly waiting to take him by the hand. He 
then reviewed his guards and the companies of cav- 
alry who were stationed in front of the house, and 
entered his carriage, preceded by the cavalry, and 
amid the acclamations of the citizens and the salute 
of his guards, and followed by his suite, the com- 
mittee of arrangements, the general officers and 
their staff, and a numerous cavalcade of citizens; 
and thus proceeded on his way through Lancaster, 
Sterling, and West Boylston to Worcester, accom- 
panied by the prayers and benedictions of thou- 
sands, who received him here with joy and admira- 
tion, and who hoped hereafter to hail him with 
delight in the happy regions of endless felicity." 

It seems from a letter of Mr. Wilder, that Gen. 
Lafayette wished to see the newspaper accounts of 
his journey; and the letter also shows how, even to 
great men, Mr. Wilder was ready to speak of their, 
eternal interests. 



188 EECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

"New York, Sept. 25, 1824 
"Monsieur le Maequis~I have endeavored in 
vain to procure in this city a file of Boston papers 
giving a detail of your passage through the county 
of Worcester. It seems these papers have been 
much sought within a few days to send to Europe; 
but I have sent to Boston for three files, and I hope' 
they will reach you previous to your leaving Phila- 
delphia. 

"May your valuable life, sir, long be preserved, 
a precious blessing to yourself, to your children,' 
and to mankind, and at length may you be admit- 
ted, through the atoning sacrifice of a crucified Ee- 
deemer, to that happy country whose law is peace, 
whose King is love, and whose duration is eternity. 

" Bespectfully I have the honor to be yours, 

"S. V. S. WILDEE:" 

Pageants and processions of various kinds are 
now of such frequent occurrence in this country, 
that we cannot perhaps appreciate the excitement 
everywhere felt on the occasion of this progress of 
Lafayette. Mr. Wilder wrote concerning it to his 
friend Baron de Stael, and received the answer sub- 
joined. 

"Boston, August 28, 1824 

" Mon cher Monsieur le Baron— We are all in 
transports of joy and admiration in the United 
States at the sight of the revered and beloved La- 
fayette. I wish you could have accompanied him 



BOLTON. 189 

to witness the reception which he receives from ten 
millions of freemen. I send you a few newspapers, 
which give but a feeble idea of what is passing here, 
and remain, in great haste, 

"Yours sincerely, 

"S. V. S. WILDER" 

"Pakis, Nov. 7, 1824. 
"Most deab Sib— A thousand thanks for the file 
of American papers which you sent me. I read 
them with tears in my eyes, and do n't know a finer 
specimen of modern eloquence than the mayor of 
Boston's speech to our excellent friend Lafayette. 
How disgusting our old world cant appears when 
compared with this simple and graphic expression 
of the feelings of a free people. If Providence allows 
you to get rid of slavery and its attendant evils, you 
will be the first nation in the world. I have seen 
with pleasure that Lafayette has been appointed 
Vice-president of the American Bible Society, and 
am particularly desirous to know whether it be 
merely a testimony of respectful regard, or if 'it 
proceeds from any special interest that he has 
shown for the religious object of the Society. 

" Believe me most faithfully yours, 

"A. STAEL." 

" P. S. May we entertain a hope of your return- 
ing to Paris?" 

It is well known that Gen. Lafayette was much 
pleased with his reception in this country. A no- 



190 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

tice of Mr. Wilder's death in the New York Obser- 
ver says, "His country residence was in Bolton, 
Mass., in 1824, when Lafayette made his celebrated 
visit to this country, and the friend of Washington 
was entertained by him at his own house in a style 
and manner that led the celebrated Frenchman to 
pronounce Mr. Wilder the most accomplished gen- 
tleman he had met in America." 

In 1827, when Dr. Jonas King visited this his 
native land, he brought the following letter from 
Lafayette to Mr. Wilder. 

"La Grange, May 20, 1827. 

"My dear Sir— I am happy in the opportunity 
to offer myself to your kind remembrance, at the 
same time that I have to congratulate you on the 
pleasure you will find in the return of a long absent 
friend. The excellent Mr. King is now with us. 
His first visit in America will be to you, and I wish 
it was in my power to accompany him. The affec- 
tionate welcome I enjoyed at your beautiful seat 
will ever be present to my memory. Be pleased to 
remember me most gratefully, most cordially to Mrs. 
Wilder, to your amiable niece and children, to the 
friends who joined us at your hospitable house. 

" Here I am surrounded by a numerous family, 
living on the recollection of my happy visit through 
the United States, chiefly employed in agricultural 
pursuits, but still harboring the hope that before 
my eyes are closed, they will see the sun of liberty 
light upon this western and southern part of the 



BOLTON. 191 

European continent. Old as I am, there may be 
some presumption in the fond anticipation. On 
this very anniversary day, fifty years are elapsed 
since I was indebted to the gallantry and firmness 
of two thousand officers and men for their timely 
and handsome retreat — so the commander-in-chief 
was pleased to express it — as they happened to be 
surrounded at Barren Hill, Pa., by the whole Brit- 
ish army. But on this side of the Atlantic the 
cause of freedom is hurried on by a powerful auxil- 
iary — I mean the imprudent, encroaching, and in- 
tolerable conduct of the adversaries to religious, 
civil, and political rights, 

" Our excellent friend Mr. King has much to say 
to you respecting Asia, Greece, and this part of Eu- 
rope ; but I know he will hear inquiries and readily 
give answers relative to the colony of La Grange. 
He has been also intimately acquainted with the 
Broglie and Stael family. "We had much conversa- 
tion together. I shall therefore only offer the re- 
spectful regards of my son, my other children and 
grandchildren, and those of 

" Tour affectionate friend, 

"LAFAYETTE." 

While in such intercourse and in scenes such as 
above described, it must be confessed Mr. Wilder 
was in his element, it is still true that, as a citizen 
or politician, he never put himseK forward ; perhaps 
not" enough so. But he always took pains to vote 
at the regular elections, even at much inconven- 



192 EECOKDS OF B. V. S. WILDEK. 

ience. It is now the growing conviction of good 
. Christian men generally, that duty to God implies 
duty to their country and a conscientious interest 
in national affairs. They feel that office should not 
be avoided or declined because a line of disreputable 
incumbents may have rendered such posts undesira- 
ble. But Mr. Wilder ever kept aloof from political 
meetings and excitements, declining a nomination 
offered as Governor of Massachusetts; also as mem- 
ber of Congress. Improvements for public benefit 
always obtained his attention. He often used to 
say he " never desired but one office, and that was 
given him; but that he was turned out of it at the 
end of the year." It was the office of highway sur- 
veyor. He took it during his early stay at Bolton, 
upon condition that the town should expend upon 
the roads as much money as he would do himself. 
During his term, he built a causeway that was 
greatly needed; but although half the cost of it 
was defrayed by himself, the town were afraid to 
trust him further. Unofficially, however, by re- 
course to a simple expedient, he did much to im- 
prove the roads in his neighborhood. It was by 
having the wheels of his heavy farm-wagons made 
about six or seven inches wide. These wheels, in- ■ 
stead of cutting up the spring roads, tended to con- 
solidate and smooth them, besides rendering the 
drawing of heavy loads over soft ground easier for 
the oxen. This plan was not original with Mr. 
Wilder. It was one of the many benefits conferred 
by the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte upon France; 



BOLTON. 193 

one by which he brought about a great change for 
\ the better in its highways. 

The following testimonial from Dr. Waterbury, 
of gratitude for hospitality long before enjoyed, 
may be a fitting close to the above sketch of Mr. 
Wilder's early Bolton life, which comparatively 
quiet life, in 1826, was, in the good providence of 
Go # cl, suddenly interrupted by his removal for 
eighteen months, with his family, to Ware Village, 
situated still further in the heart of Massachusetts. 

"Bkooklyn, May, 1865. 
" My first acquaintance with Mr. Wilder com- 
menced in 1826, shortly after he had established 
himself in his beautiful residence at Bolton. We 
met at Worcester in furtherance of the Bible cause. 
In my youthful zeal I had wor.n myself almost to a 

'shadow, and seeing my physical depression, he laid 
his hand upon my shoulder, and said, 'My young 
friend, you must go home with me, and Mrs. Wilder 

' will nurse you until you gain the requisite strength 
to pursue this good work. My dear sir, you must 
have rest.' Such was his kind address, and I could 
not decline his hospitable invitation. 

" The ride from Worcester to Bolton, as every 
one acquainted with it knows, can hardly be sur- 

i passed in rural beauty, and it being then midsum- 
mer, the deep verdure and balmy air rendered it 
grateful and exhilarating. That pleasant twilight 

j ride I shall never forget. Arrived at the mansion, 

] I was introduced to one of the sweetest home circles 



194 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

I had ever seen. I was provided with a fine saddle 
horse, and explored all the pleasant roads for miles 
around. Christian neighbors were invited to meet 
me, and prayer-meetings were held in the saloon. 
The whole air and atmosphere of that mansion was 
truly Christian. All the churches around had lapsed 
into Unitarianism, so that Mr. "Wilder and family 
were constrained to establish the c worship of Christ 
as God ■ in their own domicil. Here He was hon- 
ored by a Sabbath-day service, to which all the 
neighbors in sympathy were invited. Out of this 
arrangement grew at length the building of a beau- 
tiful chapel in the adjacent grove, and the organiza- 
tion of a little church, over which the Rev. Dr. 
Chickering for some time presided. It was my 
privilege, as a young licentiate, to preach some of 
the first sermons in those parlor gatherings. 

" The friendship thus begun continued, and was 
rendered more vital, if I may so say, by reunions 
at different times, and by concert of action on the 
wider scale of Christian evangelization. We met 
also under scenes of thrilling interest, when the 
Holy Spirit was doing his sublime but silent work 
at Ware and other places, and where Mr. Wilder 
was never more in his element, Urging the impeni- 
tent to seek salvation, and imparting Christian 
counsel to the young convert. 

" Anxious that his eldest daughter should form 
a character for zealous and consistent piety, he 
applied to me to write her on the subject. This I 
attempted ; and finding my advice acceptable and 



BOLTON. 195 

useful, I kept on writing, until quite a little volume 
i was the result; which, at Mr. Wilder's urgent solic- 
itation, was published in 1828, under the title of 
"Advice to a Young Christian," with an admirable 
preface by Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander. 

" These were links in our friendship strengthen- 
ing with the lapse of time, brightening under the 
attrition of adversity — golden links, which death 
itself has no power to dim. Christian souls are 
leagued together for eternity ; and though for the 
* present I shall see his face no more, there will be 
hereafter an identification and recognition which 
shall be the more blissful for the earthly reminis- 
1 cences. 

"J. B. WATEBBUKY." 



\ 



19fi KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 



XIII. 

fow§ jtt%*$, %mt 32 $ 3L 

It was a strange episode in Mr. Wilder's life, 
that of his stay in Ware Factory Village, a total 
change from any surroundings or employment here- 
tofore familiar. Here he found the stir, the gossip, 
the animation, the regularity of a manufacturing 
place, and was among a population so much thrown 
together in their daily employment as to favor the 
rapid spread of evil or of good. Here, on the retiring 
of the principal agent of the company, Mr. Wilder 
was called to combat error in a form new to him, a 
form seductive and plausible to a superficial mind, 
as well as tempting to a heart still clinging to sin 
and to the world. "The fool has said in his heart, 
There is no God ;" may not the same truly be affirm- 
ed of those saying, There is no hell ? 

Into details of business arrangements which oc- 
casioned Mr. Wilder's removal for a time to Ware 
Village, it is not necessary to enter. That it was 
God in his providence who guided his way, is evi- 
dent from the result. 

He had been induced by friends in Boston to 
invest largely in a manufacturing company having 
its works in this village, but with no thought of 
giving personal attention to the matter, except such 



WAKE FACTOKY VILLAGE. 197 

as might be required at stated meetings of the stock- 
holders, where his experience among French manu- 
factories gave his voice much weight. Being however 
soon elected a director in the company, and in Sep- 
tember, 1825, its president, it became his duty occa- 
sionally to visit and inspect its factories, and after- 
wards, as will be seen, to make his home for a sea- 

• son in the pretty, square-built cottage belonging to 
the company, having a piazza all around it, sup- 

• ported on pillars of natural cedar-posts. This Got- 
tage was pleasantly located a little out of the vil- 
lage, not far from the rapid little stream carrying 
the works below, and *\ hich was bordered here and 
there by sheltering groves, destined ere long to 

: become vocal with songs of praise, in place of the 
i Sabbath-breaking revelry which had been wont to 
disgrace them. 

Of his early visits to "Ware Village, and of the 
events connected with his life there, Mr. Wilder 
writes : 

"I soon ascertained that our head-machinist 
and agent were uncompromising Unitarians, and 
that they had placed as overseers in all the depart- 
ments either Unitarians or Universalists ; th#t most 
of the workmen, consisting of about two hundred in 
one machinist establishment, were of the same per- 
suasions; that they attended no church or regular 
preaching, and that on each Sunday some hundred 
or more young men and women were in the habit 
of going on board the company's scows and rowing 
up the large pond of the establishment for a mile 



198 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

or two out of town, and having at a groggery what 
they called a jollification, thus desecrating the holy 
Sabbath. I also found that the old inhabitants, 
who were located from one to two miles around the 
village, and who were mostly orthodox, stood en- 
tirely aloof from associating with the establishment 
in any religious exercises. 

" At a meeting held in Boston of the directors 
and principal stockholders, a large majority of whom 
were Unitarians, the question was who among the 
number would assent to go to Ware to have a su- 
pervision over the establishment until a suitable 
agent could be obtained. Gardner Green, one of 
the most wealthy men then in Boston, the president 
of the company, was in the chair. As I had retired 
from the busy concerns of mercantile life, I was 
at once fixed upon by those assembled to assume 
the responsibility of attending personally to the 
concerns of the establishment. But as I peremp- 
torily declined to comply with their request, Mr. 
John Tappan and Samuel Hubbard, two of the 
orthodox directors present, whispered in the ear of 
the president that, in order to induce me to under- 
take the overseership, he would do well to propose 
that $3,000 towards building a church be subscrib- 
ed, on condition that the good people in the neigh- 
borhood would raise $3,000 in addition, and then to 
invest me with full powers to superintend the erec- 
tion of said house and of settling a pastor. When 
I heard the motion seconded, and saw twenty Uni- 
tarian hands elevated in behalf of carrying the mo- 



WABE FACTOEY VILLAGE. 199 

tion into effect, I did not dare to disregard the 
obvious call of Providence, and at once gave my 
assent. On returning home I told Mrs. Wilder that 
I should leave the next morning for Ware, and 
hoped that she would cheerfully consent to follow 
me with our little family as soon as our establish- 
ment at Bolton could be placed in a situation to be 
left for six months, the cottage at Ware being ready 
furnished waiting our reception. 

" On arriving at Ware, it seems that the news 
had already reached the village of the decisions of 
I the Boston company, and in walking through the 
various workshops and factories on the afternoon 
of my arrival, I think I never beheld so many sor- 
I rowful and wry faces. On the following evening I 
assembled all the old inhabitants of the neighbor- 
hood, who gave me a most cordial reception, made 
known to them the object of my mission, and stated 
to them that I had brought with me $3,000 towards 
! building a meeting-house, on condition that a simi- 
lar sum should be raised among themselves for its 
completion. 

" In addition to this sum, I was authorized to 
select a spot on the company's lands for the loca- 
tion of the house. A subscription paper was imme- 
diately drawn up, and by heading the paper with 
§500 on my own account, I had the satisfaction of 
seeing subscribed that very evening $2,700, and in 
three days the $300 additional was made up. In 
ten days I had my plans for the house drawn out, 
and a contract for building it completed. 



200 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

" There were however two parties, one of which 
wished the house to be located on the hill, and the 
other in the valley nearer the centre of the village. 
Foreseeing that it would require $500 more to com- 
plete the house according to my views, I gave out 
that whichever party would first subscribe the 
requisite $500 in addition to their former subscrip- 
tions, the house should be located in conformity to 
their wishes. The hill party having raised this 
sum, the house was located on the hill. 

"In consequence of the lawyer of the village 
having invited his brother-in-law the Rev. Parsons 
Cooke to preach for a Sabbath or two, I providen- 
tially found this orthodox clergyman at the village 
on my arrival there. 

" The location of the church being decided on, 
at noon on the following day I dismissed all the 
hands, both male and female, consisting of some 
five hundred, and with Mr. Cooke on my right-hand 
we proceeded, with all the employees and some of 
the neighboring inhabitants, to the hill; and after 
addressing the assembled multitude, stating to them 
our object, and Mr. Cooke's offering an appropriate, 
impressive prayer for the blessing of God to de- 
scend and rest upon the contemplated sacred enter- 
prise, we proceeded to stake out the ground and to 
consecrate the spot for the worship of Jehovah, 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

" In less than six months this temple was erect- 
ed and completed, and I trust, by divine grace, has 
proved none other than the house of God, the very 



WAKE FACTOBY VILLAGE. 201 

gate of heaven, to hundreds who now are worship- 
ping in that sacred temple above. 

"The next question was to make choice of a suit- 
able pastor. After hearing the Eev. Parsons Cooke 
for several Sabbaths, the orthodox members of the 
church, being the majority, with great unanimity 
fixed on this clergyman, distinguished for sound- 
ness of doctrine, superior abilities, and eminent 
piety, as their first pastor. 

" But few months had elapsed before there was 
a wonderful display of the power and grace of God 
in that highly favored village, in the conviction 
and conversion of sinners by the faithful, pungent 
preaching and parochial visits of the reverend pas- 
tor and deacons of the church. A glorious revival 
of religion was the result ; and while hundreds were 
anxiously inquiring what they must do to be saved, 
a thrill of sacred joy penetrated the hearts of others, 
who had found peace, comfort, and consolation in 
believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Among these 
were a good majority of the most inveterate oppos- 
ers at the commencement of the work, and who 
afterwards, as far as my knowledge extends, evinced 
the sincerity of their professions by a correspond- 
ing conduct. 

"This glorious revival extended into most of 
the neighboring towns in the years 1826 and 1827, 
and continued, to a greater or less extent, until the 
year 1831; at which time the cheering conviction 
prevailed in those regions that some thousands had 
been brought by the grace of God to a saving know- 

9* 



202 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

ledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. Unto God alone 
be all the honor, all the praise, and all the glory. 
Thus ended my feeble endeavors to promote the 
blessed cause of the Lord Jesus Christ in that 
highly favored village, where I passed eighteen 
months, instead of six months, as first contem- 
plated." 

In constituting the church, as well as in the set- 
tlement of a pastor, peculiar difficulties were to be 
encountered, on account of the persons coming into 
it belonging to such a variety of sects. On this 
occasion an excellent sermon was preached by the 
Rev. Dr. Alfred Ely. The knot in question was cut 
by the simple expedient of requiring every member 
to come in anew upon profession. Mr. Wilder him- 
self was glad to do this, for his name yet stood upon 
the books of a church in Boston which had become 
Unitarian. He said, " The more I saw of Unita- 
rianism, the less I felt that in connection with it I 
belonged to the church of Christ; so that fourteen 
years after first joining the church, on forming a 
new church in "Ware, I joined anew; and four years 
after did the same in Bolton, to avoid distinctions, 
and thus save the feelings of those who had Unita- 
rian certificates." 

" The period finally arrived," he further says, 
" for our return to our former residence at Bolton, 
and to quit for ever the thrilling scenes which it 
was my privilege to witness during by-gone months. 
A disposition, however, seemed to prevail among 
the three hundred converts to visit me at the cot- 



WAKE FACTOKY VILLAGE. 203 

tage, to unite once more in prayer and songs of 
praise, and to receive my farewell. I yielded to 
their solicitation, and on the eve of our departure 
the cottage was thronged, not only with the recent 
converts, but with many yet anxious inquirers and 
many of the older members of the church. Among 
others present was the Rev. Dr. Waterbury, then 
minister at Hatfield, who took an active part in the 
exercises of the evening ; during which it devolved 
on me to occupy for a short period the attention of 
the audience with a farewell address." 

Mr. Wilder spoke, in part, as follows: "Eighteen 
months have rolled away since I became a resident 
among you, and in taking a retrospective view of 
the past, I cannot but exclaim, 'What hath God 
wrought !' Tes, my friends, eighteen months ago 
we were destitute of a church, a pastor, and a tem- 
ple for the worship of God ; and when I reflect that 
we now have an evangelical church established, a 
pious, devoted pastor settled, a house of worship 
erected, and above all, that it has pleased God to 
shed down upon us during the past year a blessed 
shower of divine grace, whereby many precious souls 
have been born into the kingdom of God — I say, 
when I reflect on all these manifold favors, my heart 
is overwhelmed with gratitude at the recollection of 
all these mercies, and unto Jehovah, Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost, be all the praise. 

"To you who have been the highly favored 
subjects of this renewing grace — you whom I have 
beheld bathed in tears and anxiously inquiring what 



204 KECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

you must do to be saved — you who have passed 
from death unto life — you who have found peace, 
comfort, and consolation in believing on the Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ, and who have come for- 
ward and acknowledged him before men — to you I 
bid an affectionate farewell. Oh may you find grace 
to enable you to persevere in well-doing unto the 
end. I shall ever take the most lively interest in 
your well-being, and I do look forward with ecstasy 
to that glorious day when, if our faith fail not, we 
may be permitted to meet where all tears shall be 
wiped from our eyes, and where sorrow and sighing 
and parting are unknown. 

"But if there are any here who are yet out of 
the ark of safety, who have resisted or grieved away 
the Holy Spirit, and who remain careless and un- 
concerned with regard to the things which pertain 
to your peace, to you I bid a sorrowful farewell. Oh 
how often have my prayers ascended in your behalf 
to the throne of grace, that your hearts might be 
pierced with the arrow of conviction, that you might 
be brought to fling down the weapons of your re- 
bellion, and submit to the mild sceptre of Jesus 
Christ while he is yet extending the arms of ever- 
lasting mercy, inviting you to 'flee from the wrath 
to come.' I now invite you, for the last time, to lay 
hold of the salvation which is offered you in the 
gospel. Oh reflect on the sufferings of Him who 
agonized in the sorrowful garden of Gethsemane, 
and poured out his precious blood on Calvary to 
redeem you from the power and just punishment of 



WARE FACTOKY VILLAGE. 205 

sin. May you never have cause to take up the lam- 
entation, ' The harvest is past, the summer is end- 
ed, and we are not saved.' 

" Not a dry eye was to be seen, and nothing was 
to be heard but suppressed sobs, amid which I 
commended tliem to the God of all grace, and bade 
one and all an affectionate farewell; it being one of 
the most trying and touching scenes that I had 
ever experienced." 

Many highly interesting incidents connected 
with the revival in Ware village, each teaching some 
useful lesson, were related by Mr. Wilder, the strik- 
ing character of which is indicated by the two fol- 
lowing, given from his own lips : 

" At the commencement of this revival there was an occur- 
rence so evidently showing the interposition of Providence, 
that its details should not be passed in silence. 

" It was asserted by some leading and influential Unitari- 
ans and Universalists, that unless immediate measures were 
adopted to counteract the baneful influence of the revival, 
the disgrace and ruin of the village would be the inevitable 
consequence. A meeting was therefore called by the most 
inveterate opponents of the revival, with a view to get up a 
dancing-school in the x^ublic singing hall. Forty males and 
females were induced to subscribe on the spot, and a resolu- 
tion was passed to dispatch a messenger at once to engage a 
famous dancing-master at Deerfield to instruct the school, 
which was to be opened as soon as fifty subscribers were ob- 
tained. He came to Ware immediately, and it was fixed that 
said school should open at three o'clock p. m. on the follow- 
ing Friday. 

" In the meantime a young man, a prime mover in this 
enterprise, who on a rainy day accompanied the dancing- 



206 KECOKbS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

master from house to house with a view to complete the 
required number of subscribers, took cold ; a bilious colic 
ensued, and on Wednesday evening he was summoned to 
the retributions of eternity, the dancing-master watching his 
pillow of sickness, and endeavoring to alleviate the agonies 
of death. 

" The funeral of this young man was appointed to take 
place at one o'clock on Friday ; but in consequence of delay 
in the coming of some relatives, the procession did not reach 
the graveyard until near three o'clock ; the attendants struck 
with the melancholy and appalling fact that God had caused 
the mortal remains of the originator of the dancing-school to 
be consigned to the silent grave on the very day and the very 
hour that that school was to have opened. 

"On the same ever memorable evening, the aforesaid 
dancing-master rushed into our prayer-meeting, and flinging 
himself on his knees, exclaimed, 'What shall I do to be 
saved ?' relating the sad and trying scenes he had experienced 
the last three days, saying that he should never more dance, 
and requesting an interest in our prayers. 

" The dancing-school was of course abandoned, and to the 
praise and glory of God be it said, the dancing-master, with 
most of the aforesaid subscribers, were shortly under deep 
conviction and among our most anxious inquirers, and at 
length obtained a glorious and joyful hope of having passed 
from death unto life." 

Another incident occurred relating to a Mr. B- 



of the most prominent Universalist leaders, whose house was 
opposite to the cottage, and near the academy where the 
evening meetings were held. 

"On my way one evening to attend the prayer-meeting, 
I said to a tall, robust, athletic man who was standing in his 

door- way, ' Come, Mr. B , suppose you should accompany 

me to our delightful prayer-meeting, to hear what God's dear 
people have to say on the sacred things which pertain to our 
eternal peace. ' { This, ' said he, ' may be well enough for old 
women and children ; but a man of sense like me knows bet- 
ter. You will therefore excuse me. If there is any heaven, 



WAKE FACTOKY VILLAGE. 207 

we shall all go there. Besides, I belong to a very long-lived 
family ; my great-grandfather having lived to upwards of a 
hundred years, my grandfather to ninety-five and upwards, 
and my father and mother are already above seventy ; if there 
is any necessity of examining into the truth of your asser- 
tions, it is time enough for me to attend to them some thirty 
or forty years hence. ' ' Well, ' said I, ' Mr. B , I see noth- 
ing to be done in your case but to pray for you.' 'Well,' 
said he, 'I want none of your prayers;' and I proceeded 
with a sorrowful heart to the prayer-meeting. 

" On returning to the village, after an absence of about 
three weeks, one of his children came running over to the 
cottage as I was alighting from my carriage, saying that his 
father was very sick, and wished to see me. I hastened over 
to his house, hearing they had sent several times within a 
few days to know if I had arrived. On entering the sick- 
room, which was on the first floor, I beheld B stretched 

upon what proved to be his dying couch ; who exclaimed, his 
face much flushed, indicating a high fever, ' Here I am, and 
I 'm a going to die ; and I want you to pray with me and for 
me.' 

" ' You going to die,' I said tenderly, 'who told me that 
if there was any reality in religion, it was time enoagh for 
you to attend to it thirty or forty years hence ?' 'Ah, sir,' 
said he, ' it was mere braggadocio ; I talked like a fool. The 
fever rages so in my strong system that I must yield to its 

unrelenting grasp. ' ' Well, Mr. B , if you really believe 

that you are going to die, allow me to say for your comfort 
and consolation, that the Lord Jesus Christ has said, 'He 
that believeth shall be saved. ' ' ' Ah, ' said he, ' that is a 
most comfortable doctrine.' 'But,' said I, ' what follows ?' 
'He that believeth not,' said he with a loud voice, 'shall 
be damned. ' Said I, ' Do you believe that to be a fact, Mr. 

B V 'Ah,' he replied, 'let any one be racked, both in 

body and mind, with the agonies which I have experienced 
the last three days on this bed of sickness, and he will know 
there can be a hell. ' And raising his arms from under the 
bedclothes, and clenching his hands, he exclaimed, 'Lord 
Jesus, have mercy upon my poor soul. ' On hearing this, his 



208 EECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

aged mother from B -, who had come to attend him during 

his sickness, approached the bed and thrust his arms under 
the bedclothes, saying, ' Nonsense ; you '11 take cold, my son ;' 
and then turning to me, said the doctor had directed that ho 
should be kept free from excitement and perfectly quiet. I 
observed that I perfectly coincided with them in opinion, 
offering my services if in any way I could be useful in alle- 
viating his sufferings ; and after hearing his declaration as 
a dying man,- that he ' never really believed in the doctrine of 
universal salvation, ' that he ' only hoped it was true, as was the 
case with three quarters or more of the whole sect, ' I retired, 
hearing him exclaim until I reached the middle of the street, 
* Pray for me ; pray for me ; pray for me. ' 

' ' On revisiting this once deluded man the next morning, 
the pressure on the brain had been so intense by the ravages 
of the fever that he had become delirious. At three o'clock 
p. m. his immortal spirit was transferred to the untried real- 
ities of the eternal state." 

" I could relate many other interesting scenes 
during the residence of myself and family in that 
highly-favored village ; but enough has been said 
to illustrate the power of the grace of God in mak- 
ing use of the most feeble instruments in the con- 
viction and conversion of sinners, and for the ac- 
complishment of his wise designs." 

The following valuable testimony to the success 
of Mr. Wilder's efforts in Ware is given, among 
other reminiscences, by Lewis Tappan, Esq. : 

" At Ware were a number of large factory-buildings in full 
operation, under the superintendence of Mr. Wilder, as tem- 
porary agent of the corporation. The directors lived in 
Boston ; and although there were in the direction Gardner 
Green, Esq., Hon. Samuel Hubbard, and John Tappan, Esq., 
a majority were Unitarians. 

" Intelligence had been conveyed to the Board by some 



WAKE FACTOBY VILLAGE. 209 

. of the overseers in the factories who were of the Universalist 
persuasion, at a time when a revival of religion prevailed at 
Ware, that the agent sacrificed the interests of the corpora-- 
tion by allowing many of the hands to attend the religious 
meetings during the regular work-hours. Being about mak- 
ing my annual visit to Ware as treasurer of the corporation, 
to examine the accounts and look after the general interests 
of the concern, I was particularly instructed by the directors 
to inquire into the facts reported, and lay the result before 
the Board on my return. 

" Belonging as I then did to the Unitarian body, I deter- 
mined to make thorough inquiry, and report the precise 
facts. Accordingly, after spending several days at Ware, and 
completing the usual business that called me there, I arranged 
to have the overseers of the different rooms separately at my 
room in the hotel, that I might learn from them the true state 
of things. I went into an examination of the number of hands 
employed in the different rooms that year and the previous 
year, of the quantity of cloth and yarn manufactured in each 
year, and followed up this investigation from evening to even- 
ing. On making up my report for the directors, I found to 
my surprise that the work actually accomplished during that 
year, when religious meetings were so abundant, considerably 
exceeded the quantity produced by the same number of hands 
the year previous. I stated this to the overseers and to the 
agent ; the former being more surprised at the result than I 
had been, while the agent expressed no surprise at all, it be- 
ing about what he had supposed. 

1 ' On receiving my report at Boston, the directors were 
well satisfied, mysterious as the result was, that the agent had 
not been wanting in his duty to the corporation, while he 
promoted the religious interests of the work-people, who had 
made up loss of time by greater diligence and faithfulness. " 

The various exercises connected with the new 
church in Ware Village, more especially the great 
revival of religion following its erection, brought 
together, and to Mr. Wilder's acquaintance, many 



210 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

of the neighboring clergy. Eev. Leonard Woods, 
L>. D., coming during Mr. "Wilder's absence, left for 
him the following note : 

" Wake, May 4, 1826. 
"My dear Sir — Could I and mine have enjoyed your 
company, it would have much increased our pleasure, which 
has still been very great. The Lord bless the people collect- 
ed in this interesting place, and give success to your efforts 
to do them good. And may a blessed day come when the 
fruits of the Spirit shall abound here to the glory of God, 
and the Saviour himself shall dwell here. I long to see you, 
to converse on the precious concerns of Christ's kingdom. 
Oh, sir, bless God that you have a heart to love his name 
and his cause, and that you have the happiness of doing 
something to show your love and your gratitude fo the kind- 
est and best of beings. 

* ' Yours sincerely, 

«L. WOODS." 

Eev. Dr. Mark Tucker, with a heart kindled by 
revival fires in his own congregation at Northamp- 
ton, would sometimes bring his home experience to 
help gather in the harvest at Ware. Eev. Dr. Jo- 
seph Vaill, then of Brimfield, already known to Mr. 
"Wilder in connection with Amherst college, also 
aided in the good work, and thus cemented with 
Mr. Wilder a lasting friendship — lasting, though 
temporarily interrupted by distance, and now, alas, 
by death. 

Mr. Wilder ever retained all his associates in 
this church enterprise in affectionate remembrance. 
Deacon Cummings, Deacon Thwing, Mr. Dimond, 
and others, he could never forget. In September, 
1859, Deacon Cummings wrote a letter to Mr. Wil- 



WAKE FACTORY VILLAGE. 211 

• der, in which, after referring to the thrilling scenes 
through which they had passed together, he speaks 
of Mr. Wilder's coming to reside in Ware Village, 
as "a particular providence in answer to the prayers 

[ of a few evangelical Christians there, who had been 
praying without ceasing, that God in his providence 
would interpose and roll back the tide of error and 
wickedness w T hich seemed to come in like a flood, 
but for which signal answer they were hardly pre- 

p pared." Deacon Cummings goes on to say, " It 
has ever been plain to my mind that God raised 

; you up and prepared you to be the instrument, and 

| blessed your efforts in the cause of Christ in this 
village; nor has the influence of your labor, under 
God, ceased to be felt to this day. You are yet 
remembered by those who were then young, but 
have taken the place of the fathers; and it would 
give- me inconceivable delight could I once more 
look upon your countenance, and grasp your friend- 
ly hand." " 

How many are there who, like Mr. "Wilder, leave 
behind them the imprint of a heart so warm and so 
much in earnest in his Master's business? How 
many who leave such "footprints in the sands of 
time?" Let the young Christian be encouraged to 
follow in such steps. Such footprints are not de- 
structible by the tides of time. Nay, rather, as if 
crystallized into eternal rock, they may yet perhaps 
be seen among the records of eternity. 

The Eev. Dr. Parsons Cooke, the then young pas- 
tor, in 1826, of the new Ware Village church, was 



212 EECOKDS OE S. V. S. WILDEK. 

the distinguished laborer in this revival of the work ; 
of God ; growing, as he did, rapidly in the estirna- j 
tion not only of his own people, but in that of the 
public at large, and becoming such a champion of 
the truth, as often to be called to the very fore-front jj 
of the battle in the conflict with Universalism and 
every form of error. Well might he be surnamed j 
Boanerges. In the comparative quiet of Ware Vil- 
lage he first learned the use of weapons afterwards j 
wielded by him with great power. Systematic be- 
nevolence found in him an able advocate. A calm 
exterior almost concealed the strong, warm heart 
that was practically revealed in his earnest life. 

After Mr. Wilder had left Ware, the church 
there, in 1828, was favored with another revival. 
Mr. Cooke wrote to Mr. Wilder, urging his presence 
with them. In 1856 he wrote to Mr. Wilder of 
their long friendship, long interrupted, never^bro- 
ken up. His letter was in answer to one from Mr. 
Wilder, whose heart ever clung to the friends of 
earlier as well as later days. 

' ' Lynn, Dec. 1, 1856. 
"S. V. S. Wildee, Esq. : 

" My deae Sie — I was much gratified to-day by 
the receipt of a letter, which not only assured me 
that your valuable life is still preserved, but also 
assured me that your personal identity is beyond 
dispute. It was pleasant to me to have the long 
silence broken, for really the former events to which 
you allude, in which Providence strangely brought 



WABE FACTOEY TILLAGE. 213 

us together, and wrought effectually by our joint 
instrumentality, should forbid us to become again 
the strangers that we have been for these many 

years. 

"Last summer I had a pressing invitation to 
return to Ware, and I made the people there a visit. 
That is now, I think, one of the best churches in 
Hampshire county, and one of the most efficient in 
: benevolent objects. It has connected with it many 
9 able and sterling men. There are ten men in the 
.church who have, there or elsewhere, borne the 
office of deacon. It is evident to any one who sur- 
veys the ground at "Ware, that the founders of that 
church have not lived in vain. Pardon the egotism 
i of my letter, and believe me, as ever, 

" Your very affectionate friend, 

"PABSON8 COOKE. " 

They have met again, these tfro early associates 
in building unto the Lord, where no disappointment 
could attend the recognition. They walk together 
again ; but now it is upon " the hill of Zion," in 
that land crowned by no "temple made with hands." 
J There is " no temple therein, for the Lord God Al- 
mighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." 



214 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 



XIV. 

flat all mm $hmU ftwirij tfrq |<%, m» a$ i% 

The Eev. Dr. J. W. Chickering gives tlie follow- 
ing statements, substantially as in the volume writ- 
ten by him several years ago, and known as the 
"Hill-side Church." 

Soon after Mr. Wilder's return from France to 
Bolton, he felt himself called upon to take measures 
to establish there a church for the promulgation of 
the doctrines of the Reformation, and, as he ear- 
nestly believed, of the New Testament, many of 
which were denied, and others modified or ignored 
in most of the pulpits in that vicinity. 

Especially did he lament the absence, in prayer 
and preaching, of the ancient and scriptural forms 
of sound words, with the vital truths they express 
connected with the person and work of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

" To erect a house for the worship of Jehovah, 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and for the preach- 
ing of the pure doctrines of the gospel, the truth as 
it is in Jesus" — this was his favQrite mode of ex- 
pressing what became the leading purpose of his 
heart. The Rev. Dr. Vaill, who was requested to 
deliver the address at the laying of the corner- 



HILL-SIDE CHUECH. 215 

stone, both at Ware and at Bolton, speaks of this 
as "the great idea of Mr. Wilder's life." 

For an undertaking involving so much expense, 
and so much reproach too, in a community where 
he would, in such a movement, be looked upon only 
as a disturber of the public peace, Mr. Wilder was 
peculiarly fitted. He not only had the pecuniary 
means to carry out the enterprise on a liberal scale, 

, but he had mingled enough with men to have his 

;. native courage and self-reliance fully developed. 

Having " stood before kings," and, as he used 

! to say with some humorous emphasis, "before 
mean men," he never hesitated to say or do what 
he thought would honor and please " the Lord he 

, loved." 

Mr. Wilder had been in the habit of going fre- 
quently, on the Sabbath, to a neighboring town, 

■j where the gospel was preached with some degree 
of clearness ; but he felt the impropriety of enjoy- 

i ing such privileges for himself and a part of his 
family, while others were left at home without pub- 
lic worship. This feeling was strengthened by a 

I question one day proposed by a young daughter : 
"Papa, which shall I believe? What I hear at 

B , or what I hear at L ?" 

But perhaps the most directly impelling motive 
to immediate " church erection" remains to be men- 
tioned. 

Among the hospitable customs at the elegant 
mansion at the hill-side, was the weekly entertain- 
ment at dinner of some of the neighboring minis- 



216 EEOOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

ters. On one such occasion, a distinct inquiry ad- 
dressed to Eev. Mr. as to the views lie enter- 
tained concerning the character and work of Christ, 
brought out, for substance, the following answer : 
that He was a derived being, of pure and exalted 
character, by whose example and teachings we 
might be enabled, through virtuous living, to merit 
the favor of God, and happiness hereafter in his 
presence. This was too much both for the con- 
science and the heart of Mr. Wilder, who had 
learned to rest all his hopes on the atoning sacri- 
fice of a divine Redeemer, made a little lower than 
the angels for the suffering of death. 

His last attendance at the church in L oc- 
curred on a communion Sabbath. He felt it an 
imperative though painful duty to retire with his 
family before the celebration of that ordinance, the 
very essence of which, as the supper of the Cross, 
had evaporated from those ministrations in the pro- 
cess of theological change since his fathers had 
worshipped near the same spot. 

This proceeding was noticed, with various emo- 
tions, by different classes of observers, and among 
others by a pious man of the Baptist persuasion, 
who had long sighed for the spiritual privileges 
which his soul loved. 

He soon called on Mr. Wilder, and alluded to 
his course on the preceding Sabbath. They had a 
full and free conference respecting what had long 
lain near both their hearts — the honor of their di- 
vine Saviour, and the duty of providing for them- 



HILL-SIDE CHUKCH. 217 

selves and others the pure ordinances of his gos- 
pel. 

Mr. B remarked in the course of conversa- 
tion that he greatly desired to see a new house of 
worship built, and a church gathered. " How 
much," asked Mr. Wilder, "do you desire it?" 
" Very much indeed," was his reply. " Yes, but I 
am a pounds, shillings, and pence man, and I would 

; still ask how much you desire it •?" "Ah, sir, I un- 
derstand you; but I am a poor man, and can do but 
little." "Well, I will make a proposition: you may 
put down on this paper as many hundreds of dollars 
as you think proper, and I will put down as many 

thousands." "Will you?" exclaimed Mr. B , 

rising and walking the room in great agitation. 
" Yes ; and in addition, I will give you your choice 
of four or six acres out of my farm as a site, any- 
where except in front of my house." Mr. B 

now subscribed three hundred dollars, and had the 
pleasure of seeing eleven times that sum immedi- 
ately on paper. 

The interview ended with a walk into a beauti- 

jfiil grove on Mr. Wilder's extensive domain for the 
purpose of making the proposed selection of a site 

for the new sanctuary. Mr. B led the way into 

the forest, and we may imagine Mr. Wilder's emo- 
tions on finding the place selected to be the very 

jone on which, with a friend, he had long before 
kneeled in prayer, imploring that the way might be 

i opened for such a structure to be reared upon that 

i very spot. 

Wilder. JO 



218 EECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

So vivid were the impressions of that night- 
scene — for, to avoid observation, the place had been 
visited by moonlight — that some of the very words 
of that first prayer, on the spot whence so many 
public devotions afterwards ascended, have been 
preserved : 

" Oh, thou great Jehovah, thou Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost, thou God over all, blessed for ever, di- 
rector and controller of all events : if it be for thine 
honor and glory; if it be for the advancement of 
the glorious cause of the divine and crucified Ke- 
deemer in this world, grant that a house may be 
here erected which shall prove none other than the 
house of God, the very gate of heaven to thousands 
of immortal souls, who through the blood and right- 
eousness, the great atoning sacrifice of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, may hereafter be permitted to worship 
in that celestial temple not made with hands, eter- 
nal in the heavens." 

Thenceforth neither Mr. Wilder nor the Chris- 
tian brother who chose the same location, felt any 
necessity for a pillar of cloud to direct their way in 
that particular. The place for the altar was already 
provided. 

When completed, this was one of the most taste- 
ful and commodious church edifices in New Eng- 
land. A lofty and neatly furnished suit of rooms, 
three in number, occupied the basement. Two of 
these were fitted up as reading-rooms, and kept 
supplied with religious publications designed for 
those who might wish to remain during the inter- 



HILL-SIDE CHURCH. 219 

mission. Seats within hearing of the services in 
the lecture-room, but quite out of sight of the audi- 
ence, were also provided, called by Mr Wilder " Nic- 
odemus seats." An organ, furnaces, and every con- 
: venience and elegance then in use, completed the 
interior arrangements ; while a costly clock, strik- 
" t ing the hours upon a bell of nearly two thousand 
' pounds weight, proclaimed to the startled traveller 
on the lonely hill-side, and to dwellers in the neigh- 
boring villages, that a new sanctuary had risen, as 
' if by magic in a night, on Bolton hill. 

Beautiful for situation was that octagonal struc- 
ture, with all its surroundings. It stood on the edge 
of a large and well-trimmed park, with its paths and 
1 arbors, and commanded a view of distant moun- 
; tains, with a charming valley in the foreground. 
Along those plains, and on the ridges and slopes 
which varied the monotonous level of the river 
intervales, a dozen pleasant villages nestled under 
ancient elms and sycamores. 

The new, unique, and beautiful house was fin- 
| ished and dedicated; each step, as the breaking of 
( the ground, laying tho corner-stone, and the dedi- 
cation, having been " sanctified by the word of God 
and prayer," and conducted upon a liberal scale of 
1 courtesy and hospitality in the invitation and en* 
j tertainment of ministers and others from far and 
| near. " The fatted calf" was never wanting, and a 
kind welcome was always ready on such occasions. 
The thoughtful projector of the enterprise antic- 
ipated what would have otherwise been a pressing 



220 EECOEDS OF B. V. S. WILDEE. 

deficiency, by having a singing-school opened be- 
forehand at his own expense. The necessary books 
were also provided, and other arrangements made 
for the simultaneous opening of a Sabbath-school, 
that indispensable accompaniment and nursery of 
the church. 

So this church, the child of faith and prayer 
and generosity, sprung at once into an existence 
rather mature than infantile. The services of able 
preachers were secured for single Sabbaths or lon- 
ger periods. Among these may be mentioned the 
name of the elder Beecher, then already venerable 
in years and wisdom, and clothed with the eloquence 
of truth and feeling as with a garment; and the 
youthful Christmas, early taken from the churches 
of which, first in Montreal and then in New York, 
he had begun to be a bright and shining light, in 
which many rejoiced, and whose gentle, persuasive, 
though at times bold and overpowering eloquence, 
thrilled many a heart, and by God's blessing, it is 
hoped saved many a soul of those first assemblies 
on Bolton hill ; Dr. John Codman of Dorchester 
also, who had remained firmly anchored to the truth 
while others around had drifted away into a sea of 
error ; Dr. James Milnor of New York, so lovely 
and unsectarian in his views of Christian unity ; 
Professor Edward Hitchcock of Amherst, ever mind- 
ful that science is but the handmaid of revelation ; 
Dr. Palmer of Charleston; Drs. Woods, Stuart, 
and Skinner of Andover ; and many others of the 
best of the land, all came from time to time to aid, 



HILL-SIDE CHUBCH. 221 

with full force and varied powers of heart and mind, 
in waking up the long slumber in that vicinity as to 
religious matters. 

Public attention was aroused. Some " who came 
to scoff remained to pray," and assumed new rela- 
tions to the infant congregation. God crowned the 
undertaking with his gracious as well as his provi- 
dential blessing. The Spirit was not withheld ; and 
when, in April, 1830, Eev. J. W. Chickering was 
ordained as pastor, a church of thirty-six members, 
of whom half were males, had just been organized. 

Almost the first act of the church was the ob- 
servance of a day of fasting and prayer with refer- 
ence to the commencement of the ministry of recon- 
ciliation, under circumstances so peculiar and so 
well fitted to impress all hearts with a sense of 
entire dependence upon God. 

Through two short ministries the church con- 
tinued united and prosperous, quadrupling its origi- 
nal membership, and standing side by side with its 
sister churches in contributing to every good work. 

An important agency in this increase was one of 
those occasions known as four days' meetings. This 
series of meetings was held in August, 1831, and 
largely attended, both by the neighboring popula- 
tion and by ministers from various quarters, it being 
one of the first of an extensive series held about that 
time in New England. Eev. Messrs. Parsons Cooke, 
Henry G. Ludlow, John Todd, with the youthful 
pastor, and other clergymen to the number of twen- 
ty or thirty, either took part in the services at the 



222 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

crowded church and vestry, or held evening meet- 
ings in some ten or twelve different neighborhoods, 
whence scores of awakened persons came in on the 
following days to the central meeting. 

Few who were present at the close will ever for- 
get the sermon by Rev. Parsons Cooke, from the 
text, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, 
Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let 
him come unto me, and drink." And when, on invi- 
tation, some three hundred rose as an expression of 
their desire for prayer and of their purpose to seek 
and serve the Lord, it seemed as if the fountain of 
salvation was not only open, but about to be resort- 
ed to by the entire assembly. 

In preparation for the opening of the church, 
Mr. "Wilder had engaged a well-known chorister in 
an adjacent town to teach a singing-school and 
organize a choir. On occasion of these extra ser- 
vices, he invited this teacher to bring his own choir 
of about twenty-five members "to take charge of the 
music. They came. It was said that all of them, 
excepting one, received a blessing, being hopefully 
brought to Christ during or soon after the meeting. 

Nor were these fruits temporary. The member- 
ship of the infant church was soon more than dou- 
bled. Many joined other evangelical churches in 
the places o£ their residence; in several of which 
there were revivals, evidently connected with the 
quickening thus received by pastors and members. 

Though in the midst of opposition, "the word of 
God grew and multiplied." So did the little church, 



HILL-SIDE CHUKCH. 223 



■ both then and subsequently. Its members, whether 
at that or more ordinary periods in its history, gen- 
erally adorned the doctrines of God our Saviour, 
and have served his cause in various ways in differ- 

- ent lands. 

The prosperity thus graciously given but served, 

by multiplying its members from the different towns, 

to prepare the w r ay for the more speedy growth of 

h several branches from the parent stock. This pro- 

* cess has gone on until there are now some ten or 

- twelve evangelical organizations in the four towns, 
I among which this church at first stood alone as the 

representative of the faith of the fathers. 

The little band of twelve, who alone were found 

1 ready to avow their attachment to the doctrines of 

the Reformation, have now become more than "two 

bands," and their number has been multiplied, it is 

| supposed, a hundred-fold. 

How much of all this is to be traced directly to 
the commencement of the Hill-side enterprise at 
that time, can never be known on earth. Nor is it 
important, since all the glory belongs to God; to 
whom let it be ever given. 

As no village had grown up in that neighbor- 
hood, and nearly all who had worshipped there had 
now such privileges as they desired nearer home, 
and as Mr. Wilder had removed from Bolton, his 
farm having passed into other hands, public wor- 
ship in the Hill-side church was after a time sus- 
pended. 

The long silence within those walls was broken, 



224 EECOEDS OP S. V. S. WILDEE. 

probably for the last time, about the going down of 
the sun on Sabbath afternoon, July 10, 1859. A 
large assembly came together from all directions to 
unite in one more religious service, conducted by 
the first pastor, Key. Dr. Chickering of Portland. 
Should its walls never again echo to the voice of a 
preacher proclaiming salvation through a crucified 
Saviour, there are many hearts in which the echo 
of such sounds already heard there will never cease. 
Every Christian heart must agree with the dec- 
laration of its generous projector, sad but not cast 
down, in the prospect of its being closed, "It was 
paid for when the first soul was converted to Christ 
in it." Among those works still following him, per- 
haps none are producing richer fruits than what he 
was accustomed, with characteristic completeness of 
expression, to designate as "the evangelical Congre- 
gational church of Bolton, Lancaster, Sterling, and 
Stow." 



AMEEICAN TEAOT SOCIETY. 225 



XV. 

Much has already been said of Mr. Wilder's 
early connection with the religions and charitable 
societies of Europe ; and among them was laid the 
foundation of the unwavering interest he ever after- 
wards took in associations of the same kind in this 
country. While never forgetting in theory or in 
practice that factor of " pure religion," " to visit the 
fatherless and widows/' the sick, the afflicted from 
whatever cause, among the rich as well as among 
the poor, he still fully recognized the cumulative 
power of association and division of labor in work 
for Christ, as well as in ordinary branches of indus- 
try. His cooperation with various benevolent soci- 
eties was perhaps the distinctive feature of his 
character as a philanthropist. 

Among Mr. Wilder's papers is found a memo- 
randum of twenty-one different societies and insti- 
tutions of more or less importance, with which he 
was variously connected. To the name of each is 
attached his relation to it, and the time of its annual 
meeting. Such a memorandum was indeed neces- 

10* 



226 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER/ 

sary, or duty might probably have been forgotten. 
The paper is dated 1827. 

While the Bible Society never lost in Mr. Wil- 
der's estimation the noble precedence its work de- 
mands, yet, as in the providence of God the Ameri- 
can Tract Society became more closely a part of his 
life-work, his connection with this Society seems 
naturally to claim our first attention. The facts 
necessary are furnished by his long-known and val- 
ued friend Eev. William A. Hallock, its senior Sec- 
retary, so well qualified to do this by his personal 
knowledge of them from the beginning, as also by 
his honest, heartfelt love for his venerated friend 
and coadjutor. 

Of this Society Mr. Wilder was unanimously 
elected President, at its formation in the city of 
New York, in May, 1825. Such before then had 
been his interest in the New York Religious Tract 
Society, that, as early as 1817, when about to sail 
from New York to France, he called on the late 
Zechariah Lewis, Esq., then Secretary of that Soci- 
ety, inviting attention more particularly to efforts 
for the French and Spanish, handing him fifty dol- 
lars for that object, and giving instructions to his 
agent to give the same annually for five succeeding 
, years. He also took a deep interest with his early 
friend and associate John Tappan, Esq., in the 
Tract Society at Boston, and was active in various 
ways in promoting its prosperity, as his correspond- 
ence with his friend Dr. Hallock, then Assistant 
Secretary of the Society in Boston, abundantly 



AMEKICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 227 

, shows. A singular incident related in that corre- 
spondence, connected with Mr. Wilder's romantic 
visit to the aged parents of Rev. Dr. King, their 
"only son" as above related may, to the eye of 
divine Providence, have had a bearing on future 

i events then wholly unanticipated. 

Returning from that visit, Mr. Wilder had pro- 

i ceeded but three miles in the adjoining town of 

- Plainfield before nightfall, when, having taken tea 
at the public-house, he spoke with the landlady as to 

( the spiritual welfare of her numerous children ; and 
; learning that none of the family had hope in Christ, 
l "Is it possible," said he, "living here right under 
this spire pointing up to heaven? How can this 
be ? Who is your minister ?" " Rev. Moses Hal- 
t lock," said she, "a good and faithful man. It isn't 
his fault." U I must go and see him, and ask how 
; this can be," said Mr. Wilder; and a most delight- 
ful Christian interview was held by these servants 
of Christ, who met as utter strangers in their pil- 

- grimage, and expected never to meet again till they 
should see their glorious Redeemer as he is. 

Not long after this Dr. Hallock visited his par- 
^ ents at Plainfield, spending a night with Mr. Wil- 
der on his way; and December 4, 1824, he wrote to 
Mr. Wilder from Andover : 

" The day after receiving your blessing as I left 

I your most hospitable dwelling, I arrived safely.at my 

I father's, and did them the pleasure to present them 

the kind regards of 'the stranger' whom they will 

i never forget. The father of Rev. Jonas King, hear- 



228 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

ing that I had seen you, came over to see me, and 
with the tenderest emotions of love and gratitude, 
inquired for your prosperity, and wished you a 
thousand blessings. 

"I found myself in possession of many rich 
treasures of interesting facts I had received from 
you, especially your distribution of tracts, at the 
hazard of life, in the great Romish celebration of 
Mount Calvary, near Paris, your last visit at 'the 
Village in the Mountains,' and your managing your 
home establishment of six hundred acres without 
the use of ardent spirits. A most excellent aunt of 
mine said she spent half the night in thinking of 
the benevolence which impelled you to such efforts 
in France, the dangers to which you were exposed,* 

* In September, 1822, Mr. and Mrs. Wilder visited 
"Mount Calvary," near Paris, where is held an annual Bo- 
man-catholic celebration of several days, attended by thou- 
sands of pilgrims from various parts of France. On the 
summit is a church, and in front of it three crosses, with 
figures large as life of Christ and the two thieves. Within a 
few days seventeen hundred tracts, chiefly our Lord's Sermon 
on the Mount, and many Testaments were distributed among 
the crowds spread over the mountain, on which were various 
stations for relieving the diseased, prayers for the dead, etc. 
Mr. Wilder had been distributing on the summit, and wend- 
ing his way downwards, had rejoined Mrs. Wilder, when, as 
they were continuing the distribution, suddenly a boy cried 
out in French, "You are lost ! you are lost! There is the 
gendarmje. Hide yourselves. " Mr. Wilder saw the gendarme 
coming down the hill, followed by a crowd in the form of a 
wedge, and crying, "Where is he ? where is he ?" Mr. Wil- 
der at once coolly presented himself in front of the gen- 
darme, saying with his usual dignity, "I presume, sir, I am 



AMEEIOAN TRACT SOCIETY. 229 

and the kind Providence which rescued you and 
made you so useful. The sequel to the Village in the 
Mountains, and the illustration of the benefit of 
Temperance in Farming, as tracts, would be better 
than silver and gold in promoting the interests of 
the Tract Society and the Eedeemer's kingdom, and 
I trust you will not feel at liberty to withhold the 
facts. If best, I am willing the publishing of these 
accounts shall be deferred till the National Society, 
on which we conferred so fully, shall be in active 
operation, if this is the will of Providence, and I 
trust it is. 

" We have had a reply From the Committee of 
the New York Society, and our Committee (at Bos- 
ton) have appointed Tuesday evening, January 11, 
at the Park-street vestry, for a meeting of the Soci- 
ety to act on this important subject. We wish all 
the members of the Society to be present, and espe- 
cially yourself, who have conversed with friends at 
New York, and feel interested in the subject pro- 
posed." 



the man you are seeking." " What, are you the man who is 
distributing these vile books ?" "No vile books at all, sir ; 
I am distributing the history of the birth, life, death, resur- 
rection, and sayings of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ," naming the edition of the New Testament, "and 
allow me, sir, to present you a copy." The gendarme took 
the book and examined it. "Allow me also to present a 
copy to each of your attendants," said Mr. Wilder, which 
was done ; and sundry conversations occurring as to the char- 
acter of the book, the gendarme said, "Well, I will take it 
up to my superiors ;" and thus ended the matter. 



230 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

Mr. "Wilder went down from Bolton and attend- 
ed and took part in this meeting in Boston, when 
the whole subject was referred to the Executive 
Committee for further negotiation. On the 12th of 
March, 1825, Dr. Hallock wrote Mr. Wilder from 
the city of New York : 

" I cannot repress the gratification with which I 
inform you of the proceedings of yesterday in this 
city, knowing as I do the deep interest you have 
taken in the establishment of a Tract Society for 
our country. As the result of negotiations and the 
most careful consideration, a Constitution had been 
agreed on acceptable to all evangelical denomina- 
tions, and last evening, at a large public meeting 
in the City Hotel, it was unanimously adopted, and 
officers, including a Publishing Committee repre- 
senting as many denominations as it has members, 
were unanimously elected, as preliminary to the 
calling of a convention of all the evangelical Tract 
Societies in the country in May, to establish a truly 
national permanent Society. 

"All these measures have been adopted with 
reference to obtaining a house and lot for the Soci- 
ety's accommodation. A careful examination has 
shown that $20,000 will be necessary to give the 
Society every facility, free of rent, and it is the 
unanimous opinion of discreet friends, that we can- 
not proceed to do any thing, not even to lift a ham- 
mer, till this sum is obtained. It is necessary that 
so much be done to give the Christian public assur- 
ance that the Society shall be protected and fos- 



AMEEICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 231 

tered here, and to enable it to publish tracts at so 
cheap a rate and in such quantities as to meet the 
demands of the nation, and as to render it for the 
advantage of all other Tract Societies to depend on 
this for a supply. 

"I am happy to state to you that Mr. Arthur 
Tappan gave $5,000, Moses Allen $3,000, and Will- 
iam W. Chester and Eichard T. Haines $1,000 each, 
and that $2,300 were added last evening, making 
$12,300 ; and we shall go right forward and make a 
struggling effort to obtain the remaining $7,700 as 
soon as possible. Have you, my dear sir, any of 
this shining dust, that you wish to put into this 
building to be used for filling the country and the 
world with religious tracts, each of which, to use 
your own words, ' shall contain gospel enough, if it 
finds its way where a Bible was never seen and a 
preacher's voice never heard, to be the means of 
saving a soul,' long after you and I shall be laid 
under the cold clods of the valley? If so, this is the 
moment when your donation will be most gratefully 
received. The interest now felt by the active friends 
of the Lord Jesus in this city for the accomplish- 
ment of this object is very great, and all the aid 
they receive is regarded with the deepest interest 
and with gratitude to God. 

" My dear sir, I have taken my pen to announce 
to you that, with the cordial approbation of all the 
friends from the various denominations consulted 
previous to the preliminary meeting, and all who 
were there assembled, you are nominated President 



232 KECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

of the National Society to be organized in May, and 
we beg you to signify to us your willingness to serve 
the Society in this capacity, and thus give us the 
results of your experience and wisdom in the tract 
cause in every way which you think can benefit this 
interesting Society. And, my dear sir, let us have 
your prayers and the prayers of the circle of pious 
friends whom you are accustomed to meet. You 
have often agitated the inquiry why you were per- 
mitted to leave France. Perhaps, sir, the millions 
of the redeemed who shall be saved by the instru- 
mentality of this Society, which you have done so 
much to form, and shall do so much to guide and 
foster, when you meet them coming into the man- 
sions of the blessed, will show you one reason at 
least why you were permitted to leave France." 

To this letter Mr. Wilder made the following 
reply : 

" Bolton, March 16, 1825. 

" Eev. and deae Sie — I have duly received your 
much valued favor of the 11th instant, communi- 
cating to me the gratifying intelligence that a Na- 
tional Religious Tract Society has been established 
in New York, and a constitution formed on the most 
enlarged and general principles, which has received 
the unanimous approbation of the different denom- 
inations of evangelical Christians, and which was 
accepted without a dissenting voice. Thus far are 
my prayers answered, my desire accomplished, my 
heart cheered and filled with praise, gratitude, and 



AMEKICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 233 

adoration to God, who in his infinite goodness 
works such wonders in our day by giving existence 
to an association which I trust, by the aid of the 
all-powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, will prove 

' instrumental in bringing thousands of perishing sin- 
ners to the foot of the cross, and will be hailed by 

; future generations as one of the greatest blessings, 
next to that of the Bible and Missionary Societies, 
ever conferred on fallen man. 

" "With this high estimate of the beneficial ten- 
dency and effects of your institution, I cannot but 

1 connect that of the responsibility attached to the 
station which its friends have been pleased to assign 
to me by a unanimous wish that I should become 

: its president. While I duly appreciate this testi- 
mony of respect, and am most sensible of the high 
honor conferred upon me by your Committee in 

I placing me in so distinguished a situation for the 
promotion of such a cause, yet a consciousness of 
my own unworthiness, and a conviction that there 
are many others more able and better qualified 
than myself to fulfil its important duties, would of 

i itself lead me to decline this honor ; but when I con- 
sider how indispensably requisite it is for the inter- 
ests of the institution that its president should be a 
resident of New York city, I cannot consent, even 
for a moment, to be considered as a candidate. 

" Should it ever please the great Director of all 
human events to assign me a residence in that 
highly favored city, I beg leave to assure your Com- 
mittee that I should not only consider it a pleasing 



234 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

duty to occupy any station for which I was quali- 
fied, and to share with you and them in the delight- 
ful labors of this institution, but should esteem it 
my highest privilege to be permitted thus to conse- 
crate my life in testifying my love and gratitude to 
that Saviour who lived, suffered, died, rose again, 
and still intercedes to deliver us from the power 
and just punishment of sin. 

" I can and do most truly rejoice and praise God 
for the bountiful assistance your institution received 
on the evening of its organization by the liberality 
of its friends who were present. Desirous of con- 
tributing my mite to this great and glorious object, 
I herewith enclose you my draft on Nathaniel Rich- 
ards, Esq., for five hundred dollars. 

" With admiration for the happy results which, 
with the blessing of God, I foresee will attend the 
faithful labors and pious efforts of your Committee, 
the most fervent prayers for the increasing success 
of your Society, and a peculiar interest in your per- 
sonal share of its operations, I beg leave to assure 
your Committee of my sentiments of esteem and 
gratitude, and yourself of the high consideration 
and personal attachment wherewith I have the 
honor to be, reverend and dear sir, 
" Yours most truly, 

"S. Y. S. WILDEE." 

On the third of April, Dr. Hallock wrote Mr. 
Wilder that his letter was very cheering to the 
little circle of friends in New York, who for many 



AMEKICAN TRACT SOCIETY. 235 

days had met at nine o'clock P. M. to report the aid 
God had given during the day for this favorite ob- 
ject, and to ask his blessing on their future endeav- 
ors; and that his donation of $500 could never have 
been more seasonable or more gratefully received. 
"Even your reluctance to sustain the office of pres- 
ident but endeared you to us the more, and no one 
suffered his confidence to be chilled for a moment 
by it, as we were sure, when you knew all the facts, 
you would feel that Providence called you to the 
station, and would not withhold your services. We 
do not suffer the idea of your declining to linger a 
moment in our minds; we cannot listen to it; every 
thing conspires to lead you into that office. "We 
know you will not dampen our zeal and discourage 
our efforts so much as to deny us and our country 
your services. 

" We hope you will not fail to be with us on the 
11th of May at the public organization of the na- 
tional Society, and the laying of the corner-stone of 
our building. That will be to us a most interesting 
day, a day most intimately connected, I trust, with 
the glory of our dear Eedeemer and the salvation 
of thousands." Dr. Hallock proceeds to state that 
the $20,000 had been raised ; the ground purchased 
for $16,000, opposite the Park and the City Hall; 
the building planned, parts of it to be rented as a 
sinking-fund ultimately to pay all arrears. "Bright 
however as our prospects now are," he adds, "there 
may be obstacles. We ought to expect them. I 
know not what they may be, but they may be best 



236 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

for us and for the ultimate prosperity of the Soci- 
ety. It is not time yet to have gained the victory; 
we are just setting out in the campaign; it is a war, 
in short, which, must last during life; our rest is 
beyond the grave, and that rest will be glorious. 
It would be a shame to us to pass easily along with 
nothing to encounter, when the great Captain of 
our salvation endured all the agonies of the cross. 
He will doubtless lay the cross in our way, and we 
must carry it, and never lay it down." 

" Bolton, April 6, 1825. 

"Bev. and dear Sir — Tour esteemed favor of 
the 3d instant has duly reached me. I have also 
one from our worthy brother in the Lord, William 
W. Chester, Esq., enclosing the circular of the na- 
tional Tract Society, by which it appears that the 
officers are merely chosen to serve provisoire until 
delegates from the several tract societies in t\e 
United States shall assemble in New York on the 
11th of May to elect the annual officers, and defini- 
tively organize the Society. 

" God forbid that I, by declining the office of 
president until that time, should dampen the zeal, 
discourage the efforts of its friends, and prove an 
icicle to the establishment and progress of that in- 
fant institution. I have therefore resolved, unwor- 
thy and ill-qualified as I am for the performance of 
the responsible duties assigned me, to yield assent 
to the wishes of the friends of Zion, and submit my 
feeble services to their disposition on the highly 



AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. 237 

interesting occasion of laying the corner-stone. 
Commending myself to an interest in their prayers, 
of which I have much need, for I do indeed feel 
that by thus assenting to preside on that important 
day I am called upon in a peculiar manner to take 
up my cross. 

" In love to the Saviour I salute you, 

"S; Y. S. WILDER. 

"P. S. God willing, I will meet you in New York 
the first week in May. In the mean time I should 
esteem it a particular favor if you could visit me 
here, as I consider it very important that measures 
should be taken to engage an elder brother, the 
American Tract Society at Boston, to a union pre- 
vious to the meeting at New York. I leave here 
day after to-morrow for a meeting of trustees to 
organize Amherst College, but by leave of Provi- 
dence shall return here by the 22d instant. As it 
is so important, according to friend Chester's letter, 
that the president of the national institution should 
be from New England, I exceedingly regret you had 
not made choice, in the first place, of the Hon. Sam- 
uel Hubbard — perhaps it is not yet too late.'' 

The convention of delegates from tract societies 
was held May 10, 1825, the Eev. Dr. Milnor- presid- 
ing; the Bev. John Summerfield, who closed his 
brilliant public labors in the formation of this So- 
ciety, being a delegate from the Baltimore Branch. 
The Constitution was agreed on, and the officers 



238 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. 

and the Executive Committee of the National Soci- 
ety nominated with delightful unanimity; and all 
arrangements made for the public meeting to or- 
ganize the Society on the following day, and from 
that meeting to proceed to lay the corner-stone of 
the Society's house; on which occasions Mr. Wilder 
delivered the two following brief addresses, at the 
close of the first of which he struck the key-note to 
which the Publishing Committee have aimed, that 
every book, tract, and handbill bearing the imprint 
of the American Tract Society should be attuned. 

" The object, my Christian friends, which has 
this day brought us together, is the more complete 
organization and establishment of a National Tract 
Society; and whether we look for encouragement 
in such an enterprise to w^hat has already been 
achieved by similar institutions, or to the very fa- 
vorable auspices under which this is beginning its 
existence, or to the effect to be produced by it on 
the eternal interests of thousands and tens of thou- 
sands of our immortal fellow-beings, we have abun- 
dant cause of gratitude to God for the motives 
which should inspirit our efforts, and for the pros- 
pects that should gladden and sustain our labors. 

" Having been permitted, in the providence of 
God, to witness the impressions made upon the 
moral and religious character of man by the exer- 
tions of such societies in various parts of the Euro- 
pean continejit, accomplishing, under the most hum- 
ble form and in the most unobtrusive way, whaf the 
boasted lights of philosophy and the splendid ma- 



AMEEICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 239 

chinery of political institutions could not effect, I 
have had an opportunity of testing the value of 
tracts, in a way calculated to fill me with admira- 
tion and astonishment, at the energy of that Spirit 
of grace and truth which, through such humble 

[instruments, can produce the renovation of minds 
shrouded in the deepest gloom of ignorance and 

j superstition. 

"But I must leave to others, better qualified 

ithan myself to do it, to lay before you more at 
length the good which we hope to accomplish, un- 
der the blessing of God, by the concentrated efforts 
of those Christians of various denominations who 
have united in the formation of this Society, a So- 

i ciety which, permit me to say, affords me this day 
the enjoyment of what I have, amid other similar 

j scenes while at a distance from my beloved coun- 
try, considered as one of the sweetest consolations 
of my life — the privilege of forgetting that Chris- 

I tians can be called by different names, and of hail- 
ing as brethren in Christ Jesus all who bear his 
image on their hearts and devote their lives to his 
service. 

" Indulge me, before I conclude, with one simple 
request. It is that the Publishing Committee would 
ever bear in mind the high responsibility of their 
office, and always feel that, as the eternal destinies 
of souls may hang upon their deliberations and do- 
ings, no tract should ever he issued from the depository 
of this Society which does not contain — should it find its 
way wJiere a Bible was never seen nor the gospel ever 



240 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

heard — enough of divine truth to guide the ignorant 
and the inquiring sinner into the path of eternal life." 
In laying the cornerstone, Mr. "Wilder said, 

"We enjoy this day, my friends, one of the most exalted 
privileges which this age of benevolent exertion affords — the 
privilege of commencing a work which has for its object the 
best, the eternal interests of our fellow-men. We. are not 
indeed assembled to. lay the foundation of some splendid 
edifice, the pride of a city,* or a commonwealth, in which 
statesmen convene to devise and form those political institu- 
tions whose aim reaches not beyond the sphere of our tem- 
poral existence ; nor of some misshapen pile, whose rude ex- 
terior presents a strange contrast to the fascinating embel- 
lishments within that seduce into a forgetfulness of their 
eternal destiny the sons and daughters of gayety and fashion, 
and lead them to waste, in worse than idle amusement, the 
fleeting hours which are allowed them to prepare for what 
awaits them beyond the grave ; nor of those buildings of 
bustle and business, where mammon furnishes his followers 
with the means of adding a little more to those possessions 
from which the hand of death will soon quite remove them ; 
but we are assembled, by the blessing of God, to place here 
the corner-stone of an edifice which claims as its highest 
honor to be auxiliary to that noble one yonder, from which 
emanate, as from a fountain of light and life, the sacred ora- 
cles of truth. For the universal influence of these oracles 
throughout our common country, and to the remotest regions 
of the earth, we trust this edifice will tend to prepare the 
way. 

" The instruments indeed which it proposes to furnish for 
so momentous an object are humble ones, but, in the hand of 
God, they can become mighty for the accomplishment of his 
gracious designs ; and could our eyes now behold the thou- 
sands of immortal souls who, through the atoning sacrifice of 
a crucified Redeemer, owe their robes of triumph and their 

* The Society's house was located within a few rods of the City Hall, the 
theatre, and the house of the American Bible Society. 



AMEEICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 241 

seats of bliss in heaven to the influence of these silent mes- 
sengers of divine truth, and the thousands more of our fel- 
low-men who, from the same source, have derived all their 
hopes of an interest in Jesus Christ, we should see an assem- 
bly of redeemed spirits whose numbers would furnish motives 
the most powerful of which we can conceive, to invigorate our 
faith and animate our efforts in this glorious work — glorious, 
not because we are engaged in it, for we are but the weak in- 
struments through which the Saviour of men condescends to 
perfect his work of redeeming love, }>ut glorious because its 
results are to establish his empire upon the ruins of error 
and sin and wretchedness, and to extend it in the world to 
come with all its scenes of ineffable holiness and happiness 
through the countless ages of eternity. * 

"While we thus place the corner-stone which will serve 
to uphold this edifice, angels, we may believe, contemplate 
with joy and admiration our labors of love. Generations yet 
unborn will raise their songs of praise to the great I AM for 
the blessings which the enterprise of this hour may be in- 
strumental in procuring for perishing millions." 

Mr. Wilder fulfilled the duties of President of 
the American Tract Society with great fidelity for 
seventeen years. He presided at every anniversary 
during that time ; and often, while resident in New 
York and Brooklyn, attended the meetings and 
took part in the deliberations of the Executive 
Committee. On the approach of every anniversary 
he called at Dr. Hallock's office, and they mutually 
led in a season of private and humble prayer that 
God would be present by his Spirit and guide and 
bless the Society in all its labors and interests. 

The opening addresses delivered by him at the 
Society's successive anniversaries show how care- 
fully he watched over and guarded its progress an 

Wilder. 11 



242 EECOBDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

interests, and that much thought and labor were 
expended by him in its behalf. Brief selections 
only can be given. At the first annual meeting he 
said, 

" The recurrence of this anniversary, my Christian friends, 
should excite within our breasts the liveliest emotions of grat- 
itude to Almighty God for the kind care with which his fos- 
tering providence has watched over our humble efforts. 
Twelve months ago we commenced our enterprise, without 
any definite agreement with regard to the particular tracts 
that we should publish, with no pecuniary resources for print- 
ing, and without any convenient accommodations for the 
prosecution of our object ; and now what a different aspect 
of affairs are we permitted to witness. Well may we exclaim, 
' What hath God wrought V One hundred and eighty-five 
evangelical tracts have been sanctioned by our Publishing 
Committee with the most delightful unanimity, and about 
seven hundred thousand copies printed. 

"The building, of which we then laid the corner-stone, 
has, by the blessing of God and through the liberality of the 
friends of Zion in this city, been erected, and under such 
prudent and economical arrangements as not only to afford 
suitable accommodations for the business of the Society, but 
also to yield a considerable sum annually to its resources ; 
and a general spirit of cooperation has been so extensively 
diffused throughout our country, that we have every reason 
to hope that, with a continuance of the same divine blessing, 
our future efforts, thus happily begun, will bear some pro- 
portion to the extent and magnitude of the spiritual wants 
of those whom they are intended to relieve. The measures 
which have been adopted by our Secretary and Executive 
Committee to make known the existence of this Society, to 
excite a permanent interest in its object, to augment the 
number of its members, to increase its revenue by the estab- 
lishment of auxiliaries, to procure correspondents and effec- 
tive agents for sale and distribution, prove that nothing has 
been omitted which zeal could suggest or assiduity accom- 
plish for extending the benefits of the institution. 



AMERICAN TEACT SOCIETY. 243 

"You will see by the Report to be laid before you, that 
siuce the organization of this Society, it has had the satisfac- 
tion of numbering among its coadjutors several of the most 
respectable societies of a similar kind in the United States ; 
and we cannot but indulge the hope that, when the object 
of our association and the principles on which it is to be 
conducted are fully known, and the advantages of such an 
engine of doing good fully appreciated, all local and sec- 

: ; tional feelings will yield to ( the more noble and generous 

I impulse of combining the united resources of the friends of 
Christ throughout our country in one great, undivided effort 

• to bring within his fold all who are yet wandering from him 

( in the ways of transgression and ruin. 

"The Saviour whom we acknowledge predicted that when 

u lifted up on the cross he would draw all men unto him. Do 
we not already see the breaking twilight of that millennial 

i morn ? Are not the evangelical institutions which charac- 
terize the present age propitious tokens of its coming ? And 
what a privilege do we who are here assembled enjoy, in be- 
ing permitted to bear a subordinate part in its advance- 

i ment." 

- 
"But two years have elapsed since the organization and 
establishment of this Society, yet its progress and success 
have surpasse'd what its most zealous advocates had dared to 
anticipate. During the past year especially has the blessing 
of Almighty God seemed to attend its operations. Its friends 
have increased in number, its object has been better under- 
stood and more extensively appreciated, its resources have 
been enlarged, its sphere of usefulness has been widened, 
and the numerous demands made upon it — indeed much 
greater than it could meet — from various parts of our own 
and of other countries, indicate in the most, satisfactory man- 
ner the estimation in which its design is held, and the vast 
extent of good which it may be the means of accomplishing. 
I say all this not to foster vanity or encourage presumption, 
but to inspire confidence, to enliven hope, to quicken exer- 

t tion, and above all, my Christian friends, to excite in oiir 

i breasts the warmest emotions of gratitude to God our Sav- 



2M EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

iour, who condescends to employ us in this delightful service, 
and who crowns our labors, feeble and unworthy as they are, 
with his divine blessing. To him, and to him alone, be all 
the praise. 

" Our labors are but just begun. Every step that we ad- 
vance discovers to us a wider and wider field of operation. 
Our resources, our plans, our efforts must keep pace with 
this discovery; and much as we have reason to rejoice in the 
retrospect, it is to what lies before us that I would rouse the 
attention of every friend of iracts throughout our whole 
country." 

' ' Since the lapse of twelve months, we behold with won- 
der and adoration the wide field which the Lord has opened 
before us for the distribution of tracts among the four mitt- 
ions in the destitute valley of the Mississippi, and we rejoice to 
reflect on the blessed fruit which may spring up in those re- 
gions into everlasting life. 

' ' I congratulate the Society on the increasing evidence of 
every year that the support rendered to this institution and 
to kindred bodies is grounded on an enlightened conviction 
of the duty and the happiness of contributing to the exten- 
sion of the Eedeemer's kingdom throughout the world. 

"What remains but that, girding ourselves afresh to con- 
flict and to toil, we invoke, without ceasing, the especial influ- 
ences of that divine Spirit who alone can make our conflict 
victorious and our toil successful? Let us be encouraged, from 
the past, to persevere for the future. And let us be assured 
that the Holy Spirit will, in answer to the prayer of faith, be 
poured out from on high, the wilderness of the world become 
a fruitful field, and the whole earth see and rejoice in the sal- 
vation of God." 

" That the friends and laborers of monthly tract distribution 
are increasing all over our country is a subject of joy and de« 
vout thanksgiving, and we cannot but indulge the exhilarating 
hope that in the course of the present year these systematic 
efforts will extend and be carried into effect in every city, 
village, and town throughout our Union. In the further 



AMEEIOAN TRACT SOCIETY. 245 

prosecution of the work in which we are engaged, it will be 
important to bear in mind the duty of perseverance, both as 
its regards the augmentation of funds and the full accom- 
plishment of the Society's object. 

"The departure of our worthy colleague, Bev. Dr. Mil- 
nor, the Chairman of our Executive Committee, to represent 
this and kindred societies at the religious anniversaries in 
London and Paris, will be hailed by every friend of Zion as 
a most auspicious event ; and if the prayers of a whole com- 
munity prevail, this devoted ambassador of our Lord Jesus 
Christ will be sustained by the grace of God in the discharge 
of the responsible duties assigned him, and in due time 

f return in safety to his country, his family, and his beloved 
people, in the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of 

I peace." 

" At a time like the present," 1831, "when the rays of sal- 
vation from the Sun of righteousness are striking simultane- 
ously, as it were, on the principal cities and villages of our 
fj Union, and we behold the wondrous display of the power and 
c grace of God in the conviction and conversion of sinners, I 
i should lose sight of an important duty, did I not begin by 
inviting the members of the American Tract Society, and 
every friend of Zion here present, to concur with me in ac- 
] knowledging our renewed obligations to God for the bless- 
: { ings with which he has been pleased to crown the labors of 
our institution. 

"Never, my Christian friends, have I come before you 
I with such a deep sense of obligation and unfeigned gratitude 
I to God as on the present auspicious occasion. When we 
reflect on the blessed effects which have been produced dur- 
| ing the present glorious revivals on the hearts of impenitent 
sinners through the instrumentality of these silent messen- 
gers of divine truth, should not emotions of gratitude to the 
great Giver of success pervade all hearts, and a new and invig- 
orated purpose of future action be implanted in every breast ? 
" Much remains yet to be done for millions of our fellow- 
men, not only in our own beloved country, but in heathen 
lands ; and it is an awful and impressive consideration, that 



246 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

of those millions many are daily hastening to the retributions 
of eternity, ignorant of a Saviour, ignorant of the way of sal- 
vation through his atoning sacrifice, and ignorant of every 
thing which pertains to their peace. 

" Oh, my Christian friends, let me entreat of you, before 
we proceed to the duties assigned us, to unite with me for a 
moment in silent prayer, that the divine influences of the 
Holy Spirit may descend and rest on each individual that is 
to address this meeting, that in all our deliberations and do- 
ings this day a solemnity may prevail such as has never before 
been witnessed on a similar occasion. " 

' ' Allow me just to advert to the place wherein we are as- 
sembled " — 1833, at the Chatham-street Chapel, late Chatham 
Theatre — " a place which has long been under the dominion of 
the prince of darkness, and until a few weeks since was a 
scene of vice and dissipation, and which has seduced into a 
forgetfulness of their eternal destiny thousands of the sons 
and daughters of gayety and fashion, and led them to waste, 
in worse than idle amusements, the fleeting hours allowed 
them to prepare for what awaits them beyond the grave. 
When we contemplate this edifice, now transformed into a 
beautiful temple consecrated to the worship of Jehovah, Fa- 
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, we cannot but exclaim, 'What 
hath God wrought !' In view of this fact, should not emo- 
tions of gratitude to the great Giver of success pervade all 
hearts, and a new and invigorated purpose of future action be 
implanted in every breast ?" 

"We cannot but feel grateful to that Providence whose 
power directs all human events, for allowing us the privilege 
and enjoyment of beholding among our number on this auspi- 
cious occasion," 1834, " the two reverend gentlemen, Eev. An- 
drew Eeed and Eev. James Matheson, who, as delegates from 
the Congregational churches in England, have come, as we 
trust, to invigorate the faith and animate the efforts of Amer- 
ican Christians ; and we indulge the exhilarating hope that 
the visit of these distinguished brethren will not only tend 
to draw still closer those endearing ties of Christian affec- 



AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. 247 

tion which so happily subsist between the two nations, but 
will essentially contribute to the hastening on of that glorious 
day when the triumphs of the cross over superstition, error, 
and infidelity shall extend throughout our globe, and when 
it shall be universally proclaimed, £ The kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his 

Christ'" 

In November, 1830, Mi. "Wilder, exclusive of his » 
other donations, sent to the American Tract Soci- 
ety one hundred dollars, in part of eight hundred 
which was raised for stereotyping and perpetuating 
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. This was at about 
the commencement of the volume enterprise. 

About this time also, writing from Bolton, he 
took great interest in having Dr. Milnor, Chairman 
of the Publishing Committee, furnished with suita- 
ble letters in view of a visit to Europe, and in " form- 
ing a purse of at least one thousand dollars to de- 
fray the doctor's expenses;" to which, through a 
mutual friend, Arthur Tappan, Esq., he desired to 
contribute his share, but which gift was courteously 
declined. 

In 1842 he tendered the following resignation of 
the presidency of the institution. 

"Bolton, April 27, 1842. 
"Rev. James Melnok, D. D., Chairman of the Executive Committee of the 
American Tract Society : 

"Kev. and dear Sle— Composed as the American Tract 
Society is of several denominations of evangelical Chris- 
tians, and having occupied for a longer period than I had 
ever contemplated the responsible station to which the indul- 
gent feelings of its various members have from year to year 
unanimously elected me, I had resolved two years since, from 
a desire to conform to the equitable principle of rotation in 



248 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

office, as well as in accordance with my own wishes and a 
sense of duty, to resign the office I hold as President of your 
Society, in order to afford an opportunity to some one of an- 
other denomination, more able and better qualified than my- 
self to discharge its appropriate duties. 

"But motives of a personal consideration, arising from 
my attachment to the worthy colleagues with whom I have 
had the peculiar privilege of being associated in the tract cause 
for more than one fourth of my unprofitable life, and a desire 
still to contribute my feeble efforts to promote the great and 
glorious objects of our institution in any station which its 
friends might assign me, induced me again to yield an assent 
to a reelection the last two years. 

"Impressed with a conviction that every earthly occur- 
rence cooperates, directly or indirectly, to the accomplishment 
of the wise designs of that gracious Being whose power directs 
and governs all events, I bow with submission to his sover- 
eign will in the revulsion which in his providence has taken 
place in my pecuniary position, and which, as it involves the 
uncertainty of my future residence in your city, clearly indi- 
cates the propriety and expediency of my now resigning the 
office I have so long held as President of the American Tract 
Society. In thus retiring from the duties and responsibilities 
of this distinguished station in your Society, and in taking a 
retrospective view of the progress and signal success which 
has attended its operations thus far, I cannot but exclaim, 
1 What hath God wrought !' 

"Permit me however, on this occasion, to express my 
grateful acknowledgments to those zealous colleagues who 
have so ably, so cheerfully, so unremittingly, and so success- 
fully discharged the arduous duties of their respective depart- 
ments in the transactions of our Society during the seventeen 
years of its existence. This is their just due ; but I do be- 
lieve, and I appeal to you, reverend sir, for the correctness of 
my assertion, that their highest reward is the consoling reflec- 
tion which they may cherish, that with sincerity, though with 
many imperfections, they have been the favored instruments 
in the hands of God of doing something to promote the best, 
the eternal interests of their fellow-men. 



AMERICAN TKACT SOCIETY. 249 

1 ' Such is the mutability of human events, that since the for- 
mation of our Society we have been called, in the providence 
of God, to mourn the loss of several distinguished and de- 
voted friends and patrons of our institution. Some of these 
were united to us by the strongest ties of Christian affection ; 
who manifested a lively interest in the success of our enter- 
prise, who aided us with means, and always cheered us with 
then presence at our anniversaries ; but they 'rest from their 
labors, and their works do follow them.' 

1 'May we all be admonished by these dispensations of 
Providence that in a few short years, not only those who have 
devoted themselves to the benevolent objects of our Society, 
but those for whose more immediate benefit they were under- 
taken, will all be overshadowed by that night in which no 
man can work. This awful consideration appeals most pow- 
! erfully to the feelings and principles, the benevolence and 
piety, of every friend of tracts, to work while the day lasts, 
and thereby contribute more effectually to the extension of 
the Redeemer's kingdom throughout our world. Could our 
) eyes now behold the thousands of immortal souls who, through 
the blood and righteousness of a crucified Redeemer, owe 
their robes of triumph and their seats of bliss in heaven to 
the influence of tracts, and the thousands more of our fellow- 
men who, from the same source, have derived all their hopes 
! of an interest in Jesus Christ, we should see an assembly of 
redeemed spirits whose number would furnish motives the 
most powerful of which we can conceive to invigorate our 
faith and animate our efforts in this glorious work. 

"With these views and feelings, it remains only to offer 
my devout supplications to Almighty God, that he will per- 
fect the work which he has so abundantly prospered ; that 
the zeal which he has inspired may never relax, until the glad 
tidings of salvation by the sanctifying influence of the Holy 
Spirit shall have been communicated to every inhabitant of 
the globe, and the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord, 
as the waters cover the sea. 

"Allow me in conclusion, reverend and dear sir, to assure 
you and my highly respected colleagues of my entire persua- 
sion that, if the same reliance on divine aid, the same delight- 

11* 



250 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

ful unanimity of religious sentiment, and the same harmony 
of action which have thus far characterized all our proceed- 
ings shall continue, by the grace of God, to prevail in your 
future deliberations and doings, an impulse will eventually 
be given to the tract cause which shall continue to exert an 
increasing influence, until its beneficial effects shall be recog- 
nized and appreciated by the latest generations. 

' ' And now, venerable sir, in commending myself to your 
prayers, and the beloved institution with which we have been 
so long connected to the special blessing of God our Saviour, 
I bid you and our dear associates an affectionate farewell. 

' ' With our hopes founded on the promises of the gospel, 
our conduct regulated by its precepts and principles, imbib- 
ing more and more of its benevolent and peaceful spirit, nei- 
ther shrinking from the cross nor becoming weary in well- 
doing, let us look forward to a more perfect society in heaven, 
where a more than earthly union shall be the bond, love the 
inspiring motive, and praise the everlasting theme. Once 
more, highly respected sir, I bid you one and all a final, 
affectionate farewell. 

"S, V. S. WILDER." 

The Society, through its Secretary, replied : 

l 

"New York, May 13, 1842. 

"Respected and deab Sra — I hasten to state that your 
communication, announcing that your connection with the 
American Tract Society as its President must now be closed, 
was duly received and read by- our Executive Committee, and 
that it was by them referred to the Society. 

" c It has been made the duty of the Committee, ' they say in 
their Annual Report, ' to state that the esteemed President 
who, from the foundation of the Society, has so acceptably 
presided over its counsels, and whose cordial friendship to its 
best interests those most familiar with all the transactions of 
the Society best know, has tendered his resignation of the 
presidency in a communication which will be herewith sub- 
mitted. ' 

" Mr. Crosby was called to the chair, and after prayer by 



AMEEICAN TRACT SOCIETY. 251 

Dr. Spring, your communication was read by Dr. Milnor, and 
will be inserted on the engrossed minutes of the meeting and 

' in the Annual Report. At the close of the reading of the let- 
ter, the Society, on motion of Dr. Milnor, unanimously 
" 'Resolved, That the resignation of President "Wilder be 

'- accepted, and that the respectful acknowledgments of this 
Society be presented to him for the zeal and liberality mani- 
fested by him in its original organization, the continued in- 

h terest he has taken in its concerns throughout its successful 

B progress, and especially for the dignity, kindness, and ability 
with which he has fulfilled his official duty as President of 
tie institution. ' 

"We had one of the best and largest meetings we have 
ever been favored with by Him who orders all events ; and 

| at the close, in accordance with your own suggestion, Hon. 
TJieodore Frellnghuysen was unanimously elected President. 
Dr. Alexander of Princeton was also elected a member of the 
Publishing Committee. 

"Such, in reference to yourself, are the mysterious ways 
of Providence, rupturing some of the most tender ties that 
ever vibrated in my heart, and most unexpectedly dissolving 
in form, not in affection, nor in the interest which we know 
you will cherish in this cause till called to the immediate pres- 
ence of Christ, those bonds which I supposed would continue 
probably after I should cease my feeble endeavors, and till 
you should have been called to exchange the toils and trials 
of life for the praises of heaven. 

" May God give w.^ faith enough in eternal realities to make 
us feel that * the Judge of all the earth doeth right, ' and that 
though ' no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, 
but grievous, ' yet all the dealings of his paternal hand ' shall 
work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. ' May he sanctify all these strange events to us all, 
by them purify and prepare us for his kingdom, and at last 
permit us together to cast our crowns at his feet, and rejoice 
with those who have been and shall be won to him by our 
feeble instrumentality, in his presence for ever. 
"Your affectionate brother in Christ, 

«W. A. HALLOCK, Cor. Sec" > 



252 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

This resignation of its presidency did not affect 
Mr. Wilder's untiring interest in the American Tract 
Society. In all its trials, in all the work too so un- 
expectedly brought to it by our soldiers and for the 
freedmen, he sympathized, still attending its anni- 
versaries, and occasionally having seasons of prayer 
in its behalf with its senior Secretary, watching 
thereunto with thanksgiving for its every success. 
In all his " dear colleagues," as he would call them, 
Eev. Oman Eastman, Kev. B. S. Cook, and others 
on various committees, he took more than a mere 
friendly interest; cordially welcoming also to the 
work of the Society the Eev. Dr. Stevenson. 

But its fortieth anniversary came, and " he was 
not there." In a true sense, "he had risen" to 
where, in the light of eternity, the paramount im- 
portance of work such as the American Tract Soci- 
ety seeks to accomplish is alone fully revealed. 

Very touching were the allusions made to Mr. 
Wilder at this meeting by its President, Bishop 
Mcllvaine, and by Dr. Jonas King ; and its Annual 
Beport embodied the following succinct account of 
his life, also widely published in the American Mes- 
senger. 

" The recent departure of the venerated first President of 
the American Tract Society, Sampson Vrymng Stoddard 
Wilder, at the ripe age of almost eighty-five years, suggests 
illustrations of divine providence and grace of no common 
interest. The period of his youth was the darkest in our 
country's religious history, near the close of the last century ; 
and he was surrounded by a dead formality, which at length 
sank into open denial of ' the Lord that bought us ;' his early 



AMEEICAN TBACT SOCIETY. 253 

manhood was also passed amid the gay fascinations of the 
city of Paris ; and yet, at the age of forty-five, on the forma- 
tion of the national Tract Society at New York in 1825, all 
eyes were directed to him as a highly evangelical layman, of 
world-wide sympathies and relations, eminently fitted to pre- 
side over its counsels. 

"He was born near his late residence in Bolton, Mass., 
May 20, 1780. His prayerful maternal grandmother Yryling 
was a Hngnenot of Holland, rich in the orthodox faith ; 
and while a merchant's clerk he was one of a class of young 
men who on Saturday evenings came under the careful evan- 
gelical instructions of the late Bev. Dr. Morse of Charles- 
town. 

"Entering into business in Boston, he was sent out, at 
the age of twenty-three, to purchase goods in Paris, where 
for twenty years he became the successful agent and partner 
of large mercantile houses in Boston and New York, visiting 
this country from time to time as business required, thus 
making sixteen voyages across the Atlantic. Though few 
men have lived who had more fascinating personal attrac- 
tions, a greater flow and geniality of spirit, or keener suscep- 
tibility to the more refined pleasures and enjoyments of life, 
yet he was guided, as by an unseen hand, in a course of tem- 
perance and sobriety in the midst of profusion ; and among 
his dearest friends and associates were many of the most dis- 
tinguished Christians of the age. 

"In 1816, having business in London, he passed one 
evening a small church, and entering it, found himself in a 
missionary meeting with Bev. George Burder, Winter, and 
their compeers, who had started tfte benevolent movements 
of this century, a scene which deeply affected his heart. As 
he occupied a retired seat, the collection-plate did not reach 
him, but he found means to drop into it a £10 note, which 
led these friends to seek his acquaintance and introduce him 
to Christians of London, and among them the officers of the 
British Bible and Tract Societies. Being asked if tracts could 
be circulated in Paris, he at once directed £10 worth to be 
Bent to his address in that city. The enormous box arrived 
at the custom-house, and being seized as contraband, he was 



254 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

summoned by the police to account for the crime, when he 
averred that there was nothing in them political or revolu- 
tionary, and presented a copy to each one present for his 
perusal. He thus found himself somewhat suddenly enlisted 
in the tract, Bible, and missionary work, and became a corre- 
spondent and personal friend of British Christians. 

"Returning to the United States in 1814, and forming a 
happy connection in marriage, he purchased his commodious 
mansion and grounds of six hundred acres in Bolton as a 
permanent abode. But Providence had other designs for 
him. He was again called to Paris on business ; and it is 
remarkable that in 1817, just as the ship was leaving New 
York, he stepped into the office of Zechariah Lewis, Esq., 
then Secretary of the New York Religious Tract Society, and 
gave him an order on his agent for $50 a year for five years, 
to circulate tracts in French and Spanish. From that date 
he resided in Paris with his family for six years, perhaps the 
most eventful period of his life. The choicest evangelical 
influences here flowed in upon him. His hospitable house 
and sumptuous board became the home of eminent Chris- 
tians of Great Britain and other lands, bringing him spiritual 
blessings a thousand-fold in return. He was the medium of 
intercourse between British and American Christians and 
those of the Continent, especially Switzerland, where he him- 
self made a delightful visit to Drs. Malan, Merle d'Aubigne, 
and their associates. 

"Thus, by the providence and grace of God, was Mr. 
Wilder fitted for the presidential chair he was to occupy. 
Having returned in 1823 to his mansion in Bolton, a retired 
and wealthy merchant, he was asked to accept the presidency 
of the American Tract Society ; but declined, as unworthy of 
the station, enclosing $500 towards erecting the Society's 
house. He at last accepted the appointment, presided at the 
Society's organization, and laid the corner-stone of its com- 
modious edifice. 

"His address on taking the chair comprised only four 
brief paragraphs, but they were highly appropriate, and rich 
in their evangelical bearing. The first congratulates those 
assembled on the object before them, ' the establishment of 



AMEEICAN TKACT SOCIETY. 255 

a national Tract Society, fox the eternal interests of thousands 
and tens of thousands of our immortal fellow-beings. ' The 
second referred to the encouragements derived from the 
blessings he had witnessed on such exertions in the old 
world. The third expressed his joy in 'the concentrated 
efforts of Christians of various denominations — one of the 
sweetest consolations of his life — the privilege of forgetting 
that Christians can be called by different names, and of hail- 
ing as brethren in Christ Jesus all who bear his image on 
their hearts, and devote their lives to his service. ' The fourth 
was in these memorable words : 

" 'Indulge me with one simple request. It is that the 
Publishing Committee would ever bear in mind the high 
responsibility of their office ; and always feel that, as the 
eternal destinies of souls may hang on their deliberations and 
doings, no tract should ever be issued from the depository of 
this Society which does not contain, should it find its way 
where the Bible was never seen nor the gospel ever heard, 
enough of divine truth to guide the ignorant and the inquir- 
ing sinner into the path of eternal life. ' 

1 ' Mr. Wilder presided at sixteen successive anniversaries, 
previous to every one of which he called on the Secretary, 
and they held a season of united prayer for the divine guid- 
ance and blessing. He often cheered the meetings of the 
Executive Committee by his presence and counsels, and did 
much to give efficiency to the Society's labors at home and 
abroad. He loved the institution, and was greatly beloved ; 
and though he resigned the presidency in 1842, he was pres- 
ent at every anniversary when he was in or near the city, 
never faltering in his attachment to a work so near his heart. 

"About 1828 Mr. Wilder erected near his residence ' The 
Hill-side Church, for the worship of Jehovah, Father, Son, 
and Holy Ghost, ' the history of which forms an interesting 
volume, and which was his crowning effort for the spiritual 
good of the region rt his nativity. 

"In 1830 he removed to New York, and for many years 
exerted a very prominent influence in the financial world as 
a banker, in connection with the celebrated house of Hottin- 
geurs in Paris, and later with the Bank of the United States. 



256 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

But the day of revulsion came. The National Bank itself 
vanished away. In 1841 he retired to private life ; and not- 
withstanding many remonstrances, resigned not only the 
presidency of the Tract Society, but more than twenty other 
offices he held in various kindred institutions, in which he 
was highly esteemed. 

"In 1852 he moved to Elizabeth, N. J., and enjoyed a 
calm and quiet retreat from business near his esteemed son- 
in-law, B. T. Haines, Esq. , spending his summers at White 
Lake, Sullivan county, N. Y., where at seventy-seven he wrote 
seventy-seven valuable maxims for his grandsons, which have 
just been printed. His health remained firm much beyond 
the age of fourscore ; but a paralytic affection terminated his 
useful life March 3, 1865, at the age of nearly eighty-five. 
His trust solely in the merits of his crucified divine Bedeem- 
er was firm and unwavering ; and all, to his closing hour, was 
in beautiful consistency with his entire consecration to Him 
he had so long delighted to serve. 

1 ' Three highly interesting permanent tracts, drawn chiefly 
from the lips of Mr. Wilder by Bev. Mark Wilks and Drs. 
Edwards and Hallock, perpetuate the history of his success- 
ful and almost romantic labors of love in various spheres of 
action. One of these is ' The Village in the Mountains,' No. 
193, depicting his visits in the interior of France, especially 
among those he employed in silk- weaving and other manufac- 
tures. Another is 'The Only Son,' No. 530, showing his 
connection with Dr. Jonas King while he resided in Paris, 
where they established the Monthly Concert of Prayer before 
Dr. King entered on his mission to Western Asia, and Mr. 
Wilder's kind and romantic visit, on his return to this coun- 
try, to Dr. King's aged parents. The third is ' The Well- 
conducted Farm, ' No. 176, giving the history of Mr. Wilder's 
'introduction of temperance among the laborers on his home- 
stead. These tracts present vivid views of his ceaseless activ- 
ity, buoyancy of spirit, adaptation to th% character and wants 
of all classes of men, kindness, generosity, and genuine good- 
will, which no summary description of the charm and loveli- 
ness of his character can adequately convey. " 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 257 



XVI. 

gturng* aiwwlwg in % mvl *f[ tfci[ %w&, 1 if % 

Theee is a grandeur and simplicity in the Bible 
cause, from its intrinsic worth and the interest in it 
perhaps inseparable from true Christian character, 
which distinguishes it from every other means of 
spreading the gospel. 

Mr. Wilder, as an enlightened citizen, much 
more as a Christian, could not fail to take a part 
in the circulation of the Bible. But his interest in 
it amounted to more than this. To those who knew 
him best did the vein of attachment to it, running 
through his life, constantly appear. In view of any 
unnecessary expenditure, he would say, " Wait till 
all the world is supplied with Bibles." In personal 
distribution of the Scriptures, it has been seen, he 
early took an active part even before the formation 
of the Paris Bible Society. How in that society he- 
was appreciated may be seen in a letter from its 
Secretary, Baron* de Stael, dated Paris, April 20, 
1823, to the American Bible Society. 

" Our excellent friend Mr. Wilder will soon re- 
visit his native shores, and we cannot sufficiently 



258 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

express how deeply his absence will be felt by all 
who witnessed his indefatigable zeal for the promo- 
tion of true Christianity in this country. But if any 
thing can lessen our regret, it is the confidence that 
Mr. Wilder's stay among his countrymen will lead 
to a more and more evangelical union between the 
good men on both sides of the Atlantic, and secure 
to us the continuance of your kindness and benev- 
olence, than which no human reward can be a more 
welcome recompense for our feeble labors. 

"With the highest regard and most fraternal 
attachment, we remain, sir, 

" Your most obedient humble servants. 

"A. STAEL, Secretary." 

In 1821, Mr. Wilder spoke at the anniversary of 
the British and Foreign Bible Society, congratulat- 
ing them " upon the growing successes of their in- 
stitution, an institution he considered the crowning 
glory of the British nation." He was for a time the 
chief channel of communication between the three 
Bible societies of England, America, and France, 
transmitting aid from the two former to their youn- 
ger sister. 

In a letter to Bev. Dr. James Milnor, then For- 
eign Secretary of the American Bible Society, dated 
Paris, Jan. 15, 1821, Mr. Wilder says, " Since our 
first Beport, we have enlisted in our glorious work 
men who, not long since, were fighting the battles 
of their country, and who having, as I trust, put on 
the shield of the Spirit, are now zealously engaged 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 259 

•*- 

in fighting the battles of their Lord and Saviour, 
by becoming active members of our Committee, 
and by personally contributing to the dissemina- 
tion of that sacred volume which contains the rec- 
ords of eternal life." 

Again, March 18, 1822, Mr. Wilder writes to Mr. 
Nitchie of the Bible Society, 

" Be assured, dear sir, that it will always afford 
me peculiar pleasure to assist, by every means and 
in any degree, the sacred relations which unite in 
one bond of Christian brotherhood the friends of 
the Bible Societies of America and France. .Though 
called by Providence to reside in the metropolis of 
France, I am not less in heart a citizen of the Unit- 
ed States ; nor can I contemplate my native coun- 
try as holding the second rank among the nations 
of the world in the glorious cause of the distribu- 
tion of the sacred Scriptures without the liveliest 
emotions of affectionate attachment. That the 
progress of the American Bible Society during the 
past year should have been evident, does not sur- 
prise me ; it is the cause of God in which it is em- 
barked, and there is no doubt but its labors and 
success, with those of similar institutions, will con- 
tinue to increase till the divine promises shall be 
fulfilled, and ' the earth shall be full of the know- 
ledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. 5 

"As it always happens too in similar cases, so 
in this country the leaven works and spreads its 
enlivening influence ; kindred institutions for tracts, 
schools, and other Christian and philanthropic ob- 



260 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

jects are rising up around the Bible Society, and 
we may confidently hope that the thousands of 
prayers offered up in France by the devoted ser- 
vants of Christ of former times, will return in show- 
ers of blessings on this and succeeding genera- 
tions. 

" I salute you in love to our common Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ, and remain, dear sir, 
" Your most obedient, 

"S. V. S. WILDEE." 

In Mr. Wilder's speech before the American 
Bible Society in 1824, he mentioned the following 
facts, in connection with remarks upon the fleeting 
and evanescent nature of all worldly grandeur and 
distinction. 

As an officer in the Paris Bible Society, the duty at one 
time devolved upon him of introducing to a member of the 
British Parliament Count General Rapp, the last survivor of 
the principal officers of Napoleon, and who was then vice- 
president of the society. In performing this task, he re- 
peated the titles by which the count was recognized. Imme- 
diately after the introduction, the count drew him aside, and 
begged of him, if he ever again had occasion to perform the 
like duty, to omit the mention of those empty distinctions, 
and simply to announce him as Vice-president of the Paris 
Bible Society; "for," said he, "of all the titles and honors 
I have borne, none at this moment yields me such high and 
solid satisfaction as that." 

Mr. Wilder further said that he had so often heard objec- 
tions to giving to so many institutions, that he would take 
the liberty to mention an incident. When residing in the 
city of Paris, as he was one morning engaged in opening his 
letters, a person was shown into his office, who presented a 
subscription paper for some local Bible society; but thinking 



KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 261 

that lie had done his part in the parent institution, he at first 
objected. Being urged however, he put down his name for 
one hundred francs, and proceeded to read his letters, in one 
of which he was informed that a vessel in which he was con- 
cerned, and which was bound to this port, had been lost on 
the Jersey shore. In order to "lay up " some of the "treas- 
ure" yet remaining to him, he immediately doubled his sub- 
scription. 

In a day or two the agent called for the money ; and it so 
happened that Mr. Wilder at the very time was again engaged 
in reading his letters, by one of which he received advices 
from this city that a second ship had arrived safe, and in con- 
sequence of the loss of the former vessel, goods had risen so 
much, that on this second cargo he realized more than double 
the amount he expected. 

In a Bible address Mr. Wilder made this elo- 
quent appeal : 

" If in the course of our mortal pilgrimage we 
should meet any of our fellow-immortals who are 
careless and unconcerned with regard to their eter- 
nal peace, give them a Bible ; the perusal of it will 
create in them a spirit of inquiry. If there be any 
who are building on a false foundation, give them 
a Bible ; it will induce them to dig deep, and not to 
be satisfied until their building rests on the Bock of 
ages. If there be any who are lulled into a state of 
fatal security, give them a Bible. If there be any 
who are wrapped up in their own self-righteousness, 
give them a Bible ; they will there learn that it is 
only through the blood and righteousness of a cru- 
cified Bedeemer that they can hope for salvation. 
If there be any who are secret or open opposers of 
divine truth, give them a Bible, and they will find 



262 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

that it is hard to kick against the pricks. If there 
be any who are perfectly satisfied with themselves 
while in a state of sin and unholiness, give them a 
Bible ; it will show them the necessity of repent- 
ance and regeneration. If there are any whose 
hearts are pierced with the arrow of conviction, 
give them a Bible ; it will teach them that < there is 
none other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby they must be saved/ but the name of Jesus 
Christ. If there be any who are almost persuaded 
to become Christians, give them a Bible ; they will 
there learn that delays are dangerous, and that the 
Son of man cometh in an hour when they think not. 
If there be any who are anxiously inquiring what 
they shall do to be saved, give them a Bible, which 
will point them to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh 
away the sin of the world. 5 If there be any who 
are rejoicing in hope, give them a Bible ; it will 
confirm their faith, strengthen their confidence in 
the promises of God, alleviate their sufferings on 
the bed of sickness, be their comfort and consola- 
tion at the hour of death, and serve as a theme of 
rejoicing during the endless ages of eternity. In 
short, sir, if among the thousands to whom the 
Bible is given, only one weary pilgrim of this earth 
should be refreshed, one sufferer relieved, one weak 
believer strengthened, one thoughtless sinner rous- 
ed, one wanderer led back to the right way, one 
soul saved, who would not gladly cooperate in such 
a work, and cheerfully bestow his mite in its be- 
half? 



KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 263 

" In a few years, perhaps months, weeks, or days, 
we shall be called from all the scenes of usefulness 
and Christian benevolence which characterize and 
adorn the present age, to appear before the judg- 
ment-seat of Christ. Oh let us resolve, with the 
grace of God assisting us, to w r ork while the day 
lasts, and not be weary in well-doing until every 
nation, every family, and every individual of our 
race shall be furnished with that sacred volume, 
which contains the records of eternal life." 

Mr. Wilder was elected a member of the Board 
of Managers of the American Bible Society in May, 
1831, which office he held till May, 1843, when he 
declined a reelection. 

In December, 1827, in reply to a communication 
from four ministers of Worcester county, Mass., 
Eevs. John Nelson, Horatio Bardwell, Josiah Clarke, 
and Loammi I. Hoadley, Mr. Wilder proposed a 
special meeting of the friends of the Bible in that 
county, " with a view that, with the grace of God 
assisting, every destitute family in it should be sup- 
plied with a Bible before the expiration of the ensu- 
ing year." This was among the earlier efforts of 
the kind. 

To his daughters and granddaughters, upon their 
marriage, Mr. Wilder presented each a large Fam- 
ily Bible, with essentially the same inscription on 
the fly-leaf: 

" That the contents of this sacred volume may 
be your guide and comfort in life, your support and 
consolation at the great and eventful hour of death, 



264: EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

and serve yon as a theme of rejoicing dnring the 
endless ages of eternity, is the prayer of your affec- 
tionate father, 

"S. V.'S. WILDEE." 

For the work of Foreign Missions Mr. "Wilder 
cherished a warm attachment, especially as carried 
forward by means of the American Board of Com- 
missioners for Foreign Missions. Of this Board he 
was elected a corporate member at its annual meet- 
ing in September, 1823. 

Before 1823, Mr. "Wilder's known interest in Dr. 
Jonas King's movements, and in the Paris Mission- 
ary Society, had brought him into business rela- 
tions with the friends of missions in this country. 
By request of the Prudential Committee, he had 
made inquiries for them in Paris about the casting 
of type in the Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Armenian, 
and Turkish characters, making such purchases as 
ordered. The letters regarding these commissions 
were written by Jeremiah Evarts, Esq., Secretary; 
with whom Mr. Wilder afterwards became inti- 
mately acquainted, and whose name he murmured 
with dying lips just before their blest reuniting 
above. With Dr. Cornelius also, and his much 
esteemed associates and successors, Drs. Anderson, 
Treat, Armstrong, and G, W. Wood, Mr. Wilder 
ever maintained the most friendly intercourse, ex- 
tending far beyond mere official bounds. 

After his return to this country he was from 
time to time appointed- to attend local missionary 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 2(5o 

meetings, as a delegate from the parent Society — a 
duty sometimes involving more than a week of ser- 
vice. Addresses made by him on some of these 
occasions show how deeply his heart was enlisted in 
the missionary work. At one of these he said, 
"If the sight of this assembly, convened for 
i such a purpose, tends to enkindle sentiments of de- 
l vout wonder and gratitude, what, sir, should be o-ur 
SI reflections when memory reviews the recollection of 
those who have left us here, in all the quiet and 
ease and plenty of our beloved homes, that they 
may toil in distant lands to carry your plans of 
I benevolence into effect, bearing the brunt of the 
conflict, and often sinking and dying under the bur- 
; den and heat of the day? Let us forget the little 
that we have done in the greatness of their labors. 
Let us on all proper occasions do what we can to 
assure them that they are bound to our hearts by 
the strongest ties of Christian esteem and love. 

"And what, sir, are the privations which these 
missionaries experience, the sacrifices they make, 
the toils they endure? They are called upon to 
quit for ever that spot which is so dear to us all, 
which amid all our wanderings we can never forget, 
and which we revisit always to cherish there the 
purest, the tenderest recollections — home. The 
very word brings such a flood of emotions over my 
soul that I cannot find language to describe them. 
Of this home the missionary often takes a final 
farewell, never, never again to meet parents, broth- 
ers, sisters, friends; deprived of this solace — ah, 

Wilder. 12 



266 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

what a sacrifice for a son, for a daughter to make— \ 
deprived of the privilege of consoling the declining 
years of a venerable father and mother, of sustain- 
ing them amid their increasing infirmities, of watch- 
ing the pillow of their sickness, of ministering to 
them in the struggles of death. 

" I have myself witnessed in a foreign land the 
intense agony of feeling which wrung the breast of 
one of our dear missionaries when this subject was 
presented to his mind; and I have seen in this 
country the corresponding yearnings of his aged 
and venerable parents over their beloved son, and 
the calm, the sweet submission too with which they 
surrender him to the service of God our Saviour. I 
found my way through drifts of snow to their lonely 
cottage. I had promised their son, God permitting, 
to see them. I knocked at their door, and on en- 
tering beheld the venerable father, bending beneath 
the weight of years and infirmity, seated by the fire. 
His aged partner was busy in domestic concerns, 
I was welcomed, though a stranger, to the comforts 
of their fireside. After a moment of silence, I ob- 
served that I once had a friend who, on being invit- 
ed to take the place of a deceased missionary in 
Palestine, said to me, 'What shall I do?' Said I, 
'Go.' 'But,' said he, 'what will become of my aged 
and infirm parents ?' I replied that I would per- 
form the duties of a son in his place. i Then,' said 
he, ' I go up to Jerusalem, not knowing the things 
which may befall me there.' On hearing this, they 
immediately recognized me as the friend of their 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 267 

son, and loaded me with their expressions of friend- 
ship and their blessings. We united in prayer, and 
never shall I forget the fervent supplications of the 
father at the throne of grace, nor the devout grati- 
tude that he expressed that God had made him the 
favored father of such a son. But I forbear to 
describe my parting with this father and mother in 
Israel; my feelings will not permit me to do it. The 
love between them and their son was strong as 
death. But such ties must be broken. 

"The missionary leaves his home. He enters 
the bark which is soon to bear him to the scene of 
his future labors. But these labors are for the 
moment all forgotten. His soul is engrossed with 
the scene that is before him. He bids the circle of 
his friends farewell. He joins in the last prayer of 
theirs which he is ever to hear on this side the 
grave. The sweet tones of the missionary hymn 
die upon his ear. He catches the last glimpse of 
the indistinct forms of those whom he long esteemed 
and venerated and loved. They quite fade away. 
The dwellings of his native land are lost behind the 
wave ; the distant hill-tops a little longer remain. 
He lingers and lingers to catch the last sight of 
their blue line above the horizon. They too at 
length are gone, and he stands in a maze of silent 
sorrow, as yet hardly sensible of the overwhelming 
reality, that between him and his country there is 
hereafter to be an almost impassable barrier. Notv 
he has the untried perils of the deep to encoun- 
ter, with perhaps a dear companion tq sustain and 



268 KEOOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

soothe and succor, leaning on him as her only hu- 
man stay amid the trials that await her. But time 
will not permit me to speak of these perils. 

" Follow him to the place of his destination, in 
a land of strangers, ignorant of their language, their 
customs, their manners— every thing to learn, eyery 
thing to encounter. His great work is as it were 
again to be begun. He has now to gain upon the 
affections of the few who may be his friends, and to 
meet the machinations of the many who will prove 
his opposers; and so to demean himself as, if pos- 
sible, to disarm hostility of any grounds of sus- 
picion, and to secure the patronage of these individ- 
uals and, what is more difficult, of the government 
whose protection he seeks. What fortitude, what 
discretion, what zeal, what prudence, what meek- 
ness does such a novel and trying situation demand! 

"Varieties of climate too, and modes of living, 
are not among the least of his difficulties : and has 
he offspring, how must his parental feelings yearn 
over them, when he considers how little time will 
be left him from his missionary duties to devote 
personally to their instruction, and how barren will 
be their advantages and how aggravated their temp- 
tations, compared with the lot of those youth who 
are growing up in his own highly favored land. 

"Another may be destined to a longer, pilgrim- 
age before he finds the final scene of his labors. 
He may have to explore the wilds of the wilderness, 
or traverse the burning sands of the desert, or en- 
counter the frosts of northern regions, exposed to 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 269 

the tomahawk of the Indian, the knife of the Turk, 
or the spear of the Arab. Amid toils like these, the 
missionary often finds his final conflict approach- 
ing, and without any of the last kind offices of 
friendship, alone in a land of strangers, resigns his 
spirit into the hands of that Saviour in whose ser- 
vice he has thus been so arduously and so faithfully 

' engaged. 

" In thus attempting, Mr. President, to describe 

; some of the privations, sacrifices, and toils of the 
missionary, I have not dared to delineate those 
which are peculiar to that sex who, in the ardor of 
their attachment to Jesus Christ, have so heroically 

> gone forth to be the companions of the heralds of 
his cross to heathen lands. Let an abler tongue 
than mine do them justice, or rather, let the moth- 
ers and daughters w T ho hear me — let the fathers 
and brothers do them justice, for I am sure, sir, the 
strength of your emotions on a subject of such deep 
and tender interest would only be diminished by 
my feeble efforts. "Who can but regard the priva- 
tions, sacrifices, and toils of these our missionary 
brethren and sisters with the liveliest sympathy? 
Who can but implore upon them and their labors 
the divine protection and blessing? Who in this 
assembly can be unwilling to make corresponding 
sacrifices and efforts ? 

" Let us all feel that time is short, that life is 
uncertain, that an eternity awaits us, and that the 
primary object of our lives should be to promote, 
according to the means which Providence has placed 



270 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

in our hands, the building up of the Redeemer's 
kingdom upon the earth ; and that in pursuance of 
this great object, we are under the highest obliga- 
tion to make our exertions in some measure com- 
mensurate with those of the missionaries whom we 
have sent to devote themselves, their families, their 
time, their talents, their lives, their all to this great 
and glorious enierprise." 

In another address Mr. Wilder said : 
" Who can but indulge a delightful anticipation 
that the period is not far distant when the child, the 
parent, the citizen, the subject, the magistrate, the 
statesman, and kings and governors of the earth 
will all, all unite in the glorious employment of pro- 
ducing throughout the globe the complete influence 
of that gospel which proclaims ' peace on earth, and 
good will to men.' 

" The friends and several of the members of the 
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis- 
sions appear before you this evening to entreat your 
prayers, enlist your sympathies, and solicit your aid 
in behalf of six hundred millions of our fellow-men 
who are now sitting in the region of the shadow of 
death, ignorant of a Saviour, ignorant of the way of 
salvation through his atoning sacrifice, ignorant of 
every thing which pertains to their eternal peace ; 
and I trust our appeal will not be made in vain, but 
that one and all will liberally and cheerfully respond 
according to the means which a benign Providence 
has placed at their disposition, and thus contribute 
to hasten on that glorious day when the knowledge 



KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 271 

of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover 
the sea ; when every nation and kindred and peo- 
pie and tongue shall bow to the gentle sceptre of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and acknowledge him, as he 
is, God over all, blessed for ever." 

Mr. "Wilder at one time had plans for establish- 
• ing retreats on a large scale for missionaries, and 
for the support and education of their children. 
Indeed this was a favorite scheme with him through 
life, and spoken of by him within a few days of his 
1 death. He felt the strong claims those sent out by 
| the church, at a small compensation, into foreign 
lands, have for support in time of sickness or old 
age. The question, however, as to the advisable- 
ness of the asylums proposed was an open one. 
Many arguments were adduced pro and con. Mr. 
Wilder was never able to carry out his benevolent 
intentions in this direction. God in his providence 
took from him the power, but the subject had been 
of much interest to him in the prospect. Large 
architectural drawings remaining show how far the 
plan had advanced. The buildings, one in Gothic, 
the other in Grecian style, he had wished to have 
erected on his own home farm, devoted by him to 
that purpose. No doubt the Lord accepted the gift 
which the hands were never able to lay upon the 
altar. 

Home missions were not forgotten by him, whose 
experience in foreign lands but bound him the more 
strongly to his own. Dr. Absalom Peters, Secre- 



272 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEB. 

tary of the American Home Missionary Society, 
seemed to turn confidently to Mr. "Wilder for help 
in any emergency. Eev. Dr. Milton Badger, Sec- 
retary, writes, " Mr. "Wilder was a member of the 
Convention that organized the Home Missionary 
Society in May, 1826, and was at that time elected 
one of its directors. In 1837 he was elected one of 
the vice-presidents of the Society, which office he 
held until his death. He was an early patron of 
the institution, deeply interested in the spread of 
that gospel which his life adorned. The executive 
officers of this Society, in common with those of 
many other charitable institutions, sympathize 
deeply with his afflicted family in their bereave- 
ment." 

He was always ready, while he had the power, 
to assist feeble churches wherever situated. Nor 
were his charities in this line confined to his own 
denomination. Moravians, Methodists, Episcopa- 
lians, Baptists, all had a share in his benefactions. 
He loved the kingdom of Christ in all its depart- 
ments. His large experience of practicable fellow- 
ship with Christians of various names seemed to 
raise him above mere denominational distinctions. 
Christian large-heartedness was in him a very prom- 
inent trait. 

From Europe calls for help for feeble churches 
often came to Mr. "Wilder, even after his final return 
to this country. Among the more interesting may 
be mentioned one from Voltaire -Perney, Switzer- 
land, once the abode of the bold, sophistical unbe- 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 273 

liever whose predictions were of the total downfall 
of Christianity within a hundred years. In the let- 
ter appealing for help for the church in Voltaire- 
Ferney, mention is made of a Bible Society recently 
formed there. This soon took for its head-quarters 
the very house once occupied by Voltaire himself, 
dispelling the momentary darkness of his incanta- 
tions by the light of eternal truth. 

This call for help from a church in Switzerland 
brings us to consider Mr. Wilder as connected with 
that society for the promotion of religion in Europe 
which has grown in this country as, in Scripture 
language, " first the blade, then the ear, after that 
the full corn in the ear." The "French Commit- 
tee" of 1831, in 1837 blossomed into the "Foreign 
Evangelical Association ;" and in 1849, embracing 
two other societies, ripened into the " American and 
Foreign Christian Union" thus changing its organi- 
zation and very name, with its three fold increase 
of labor — rather its three hundred-fold, as two or 
three hundred evangelical ministers are now to be 
found in France in place of the two or three of 
thirty years ago. 

W. W. Chester, Esq., long Treasurer of this So- 
ciety, says, " At the first anniversary meeting, May 
8, 1838, S. V. S. Wilder, Chairman of the Executive 
Committee, presided, when a report was submit- 
ted, giving interesting details of its work in France, 
and of the action of Eev. Dr. Hawes, Rev. Samuel 
Green, and Rev. J. C. Brigham, which opened the 

12* 



274 KEOOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

way to Dr. Baird, who, as agent, resided three years 
in Paris." 

Rev. Dr. Robert Baird, Mr. Wilder' s endeared, 
constant friend, so unobtrusive, so quiet in man- 
ner, so persevering in effort, sympathizing deeply, 
through family association, with France and Eu- 
rope, God seemed to have raised him up for a spe- 
cial work few others could have accomplished. In 
this work abroad it was natural that Mr. Wilder 
should take especial interest. "He was very in- 
fluential in starting the project of operating in 
France." 

Evangelical Christians in France and Switzer- 
land do not seem at first to have fully understood 
the plans of their friends in America. They wrote 
to Mr. Wilder, not only as Chairman of the Execu- 
< tive Committee, but as the long-tried friend who 
was personally acquainted with them and their cir- 
cumstances. He replied to them as follows : 

"New York, Feb. 10, 1840. 

"Keverend and highly honored and beloved brethren in 
Jesus Christ : 

"I have received and. read with deep and grate- 
ful interest your communication of the 20th of No- 
vember last. 

" You may well believe that such a communica- 
tion from Christian friends so long known to me, 
and with most of whom it has been my privilege in 
former periods to be associated in so many labors 
of love, would excite within my bosom the most 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 275 

joyful sentiments. Excuse me, ancient colleagues, 
when I say your very names are dear to me, and 
the list of them appended to your communication 
reminded me of that glorious period when, if our 
faith fail not, we shall again unite and be for ever 
among that happy number whose names are writ- 
ten in the Lamb's book of life. 

"Yes, beloved friends, the hours of Christian 
enjoyment with which I have been favored in your 
society will, I trust, be revived and renewed, puri- 
fied, augmented, and perpetuated, when the differ- 
ent continents we now inhabit and the ocean that 
rolls between them shall pass away. 

" I have entered into all your feelings in regard 
to the action of our Committee of the Foreign Evan- 
gelical Society, for I am fully aware of the obstacles 
with which you have to contend in the promulga- 
tion of evangelical truth, and I am persuaded that 
the course we have adopted for the accomplishment 
of the great object we all have in view and so ar- 
dently desire to promote, will, when rightly under- 
stood, be considered a wise course, and be approved 
by yourselves." 

After explaining the views of the American So- 
ciety, Mr. Wilder goes on to say, 

" Tou will perceive by the Eesolutions that the 
operations of our Corresponding Committee at Ge- 
neva are not designed to interfere with your own 
views; but we cherish the hope that the result of 
their deliberations will be such as to enkindle your 
zeal, animate your hopes, invigorate your faith, and 



276 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

stimulate your efforts in this great and glorious 
work. 

" If harmonious action shall prevail, and we can 
each be favored with grace to be humble, prayerful, 
and faithful, an impulse will be given to the cause 
of evangelical truth in France which, through the 
all-powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, shall con- 
tinue to spread throughout this and each succeed- 
ing generation, until its beneficial effects shall be 
recognized and appreciated amid the splendors of 
millennial glory. 

" I take my leave of you, reverend and beloved 
friends, with great Christian affection. Our cause 
is one, our views are one, and our hearts are one. 
The God of peace be with and continue abundantly 
to bless you through time and eternity. 

"S. Y. S. WILDER." 

A pleasant episode in Mr. Wilder's life was a 
visit made by him, with a few friends interested in 
the evangelization of the French, to Canada, in 
August, 1840, on occasion of the consecration of a 
Protestant mission house and chapel at Grande 
Eigne. 

Mr. Wilder, by his genial humor; by his quick- 
ness to find new adventures, or readiness to relate 
those of the past; by trying his French tongue, 
now sometimes forgetful of a word, but never of the 
true Parisian accent, upon the Canadian peasantry; 
or by his apparently simple questioning of priest or 
nun, leading them on to unintentional revelations, 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 277 

added largely to the enjoyment of those favored as 
his companions on this northern trip. 

To the " American Education Society " Mr. Wil- 
der was a cordial contributor. Private assistance 
> was also given by him to pious young men seeking 
preparation for the ministry. 

Among other enterprises for the good of his 
country which Mr. Wilder was able to forward, that 
of the establishment of the Hartford Asylum for the 
Deaf and Dumb, as a first class, pioneer institution, 
must not be forgotten. Although not a Director in 
it until 1820, he had before then become much in- 
terested in its work, through its earnest, enthusias- 
tic advocate, Rev. Thomas H, Gallaudet, D. D., 
who in 1816 brought letters of introduction to him 
in Paris, and whom he in turn introduced to the 
Abb6 Sicard, who welcomed the young American 
to his school, and gave him every facility required. 
Mr. Wilder also, by his influence and advice, greatly 
aided in securing the services of Mr. Laurent Clerc. 
In 1819, more help in that line being needed, Mr. 
Wilder, then still in Paris, received a letter with 
full powers from the Directors of the Asylum, to 
procure for them another teacher from the same 
French institution of the Abb6 Sicard, whose new 
modes of instruction for the deaf and dumb were 
considered much superior to those then in vogue in 
England. 

In Dr. Gallaudet and S. V. S. Wilder, diverse in 
character, alike in feeling, kindred spirits met. The 



278 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

man of science, "his head teeming with various 
projects for the benefit and education of man/' 
found an answering chord of sympathy in the breast 
of the large-hearted practical man of business. In 
love to Christ, in enlarged views of work to be done 
for him, the two coalesced. Their friendship be- 
came most intimate. A correspondence the most 
unrestrained was kept up between them for many 
years ; and when worn by labor, Dr. Gallaudet took 
refuge in Mr. Wilder's hospitable mansion, wher^e 
he was ever welcome. No one reading Dr. Gallau- 
det's letters of kind Christian counsel and encour- 
agement to his friend to take a firm stand on the 
side of Christ, can fail to recognize one of the means 
used by our Lord to keep his servant in the right 
way. 

The Sabbath Committee recently established in 
New York, in connection with their late Secretary, 
the Rev. It. 8. Cook, have indeed done a noble work. 
Thirty years ago, and longer, Christian people in 
this country felt the necessity of bestirring them- 
selves to secure the proper public observance of the 
Lord's day, and much good was then accomplished. 

Mr. Wilder's views with regard to the observ- 
ance of the Sabbath are thus related by Lewis Tap- 
pan, Esq., who was both director and owner in the 
factories concerned, and personally cognizant of the 
facts he has kindly furnished. 

"Mr. Wilder, both at Ware and elsewhere, was a decided 
friend of the observance of the Christian Sabbath. His pre- 



KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 279 

decessor in the agency (in "Ware village) had conformed to 
the prevailing custom of allowing repairs to be made on the 
Lord's day. Mr. Wilder set his face against this profanation, 
and resolved that, while he would aim to promote the inter- 
ests of his employers, he would not neglect, nor suffer those 
under his authority to neglect their paramount obligations 
to God. 

" On one occasion he was sorely tried. The great wheel, 
it was announced to him one Saturday afternoon, had become 
disabled. He sent for the Company's wheelwright, and asked 
him how long it would take to repair it. ' If I can take a 
gang of hands and work them on Sunday,' he said, 'I will 
engage to have the wheel in working order early on Monday 
morning. ' ' Can't you accomplish the work without working 
on the Sabbath?' inquired Mr. "Wilder. The wheelwxight 
answered, ' It is impossible. ' Mr. Wilder sent privately to 
a wheelwright who lived in the neighborhood, and who sym- 
pathized with him in religious matters. The question was 
put to him after he had examined the wheel. He said, 'It is 
a heavy job ; but if you will let me have my own way, I will 
try and see what can be done.' Having full authority, he 
engaged several workmen, and set to work until midnight, 
resuming work just after midnight of the next day. Many 
of these workmen were religious men, who knew the state of 
the case, and they worked with a will, while the ungodly 
employees were chuckling at their anticipated triumph. But 
at eight o'clock on Monday morning, the usual hour for be- 
ginning work, the factory bell was rung as usual, summoning 
all hands to their posts ; and the great wheel, fully repaired, 
began its accustomed revolutions. 

1 ' Such is one of my recollections of the venerable S. V. 
S. Wilder, with whom I have had many hours and days of 
pleasant intercourse, and who, I doubt not, has entered into 
the joy of his Lord. 

" LEWIS TAPPAN." 

In the later work of his friend Eev. E. S. Cook 
in behalf of the Sabbath, as well as in that he ac- 
complished for colportage, and other departments 



280 BECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

of the American Tract Society's labors, Mr. Wilder 
took a deep interest. He had well learned to recog- 
nize Mr. Cook's value as a defender of the right, a 
leader of the church into "the regions beyond," in 
connection with the relations both held for so many 
years to the American Tract Society; and was pre- 
pared to accord him ready sympathy in the specific 
department of great Christian work to which his 
last years and energies were so successfully given. 

To Sabbath-school efforts, Mr. Wilder was not 
indifferent, offering, many years ago, premiums to 
schools recently established; serving in Brooklyn 
with his friend Z. Lewis, Esq., as Visiting Committee 
to schools in Kings county, Long Island; and aiding 
in New York, in connection with Dr. John Proudfit 
and Mr. Grut, in the establishment of a school for 
French children, into which were drawn many from 
Roman-catholic families. 

But it was not until old age that he himself per- 
sonally became a Sabbath-school, or rather, a Bible- 
class teacher. Soon after removing to Elizabeth, 
New Jersey, he was earnestly requested to take 
charge of a class of young men, who might other- 
wise be tempted to leave the Sabbath-school. Of 
Mr. Wilder in this relation, a member of that class 
says, 

"As I look back upon the days when I was a Sabbath- 
school scholar, I love to recall the pleasant hours spent with 
my revered teacher Mr. Wilder. Our class of five young 
men was about to be broken up, when the superintendent 



KELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 281 

said to us he had secured the services of one whom he thought 
we should find both a profitable and pleasant teacher ; an ex- 
pectation which was fully realized. 

"Mr. Wilder's first remark to us, upon assuming his 
position as our teacher, was, that he hoped to be the means 
under God of leading us to 'choose the good part which 
could never be taken from us ;' and as he expected often in 
his closet to seek a blessing upon his work among us, he 
asked that we too would remember him in our supplications 
at the mercy-seat. 

"The hour usually devoted to the lesson was spent in 
conversation upon the course of study to be pursued, and just 
before its close he said, ' Young gentlemen, I am now more 
than threescore years and ten, which to you, as you look for- 
ward, seems a long distance in the future, but when you 
reach it, if you ever do in God's providence, you will look 
back and wonder that the time has gone so rapidly ; but this 
thing I have learned, that there is only one thing worth 
knowing, worth seeking, worth living or worth dying for — to 
know aright and to love the Lord Jesus Christ.' 

"He was always at his place, no matter how unpleasant 
the weather, and so interesting did he make his lessons, that 
seldom was any member of his class absent. It was his cus- 
tom to invite us to take tea with him one Sabbath of the 
month, and the evenings were spent by him in relating to us 
God's special providences to him; and in endeavoring to 
guard us from the peculiar temptations which beset the path 
of young men starting out in life. Before we separated, he 
always offered a fervent prayer, in which he committed us to 
the loving care of our heavenly Father. 

"After Mr. Wilder had had charge of the class about six 
months, he told us he should be obliged to leave Elizabeth- 
town for the summer ; and we all remember the deep interest 
he took in endeavoring to find a teacher for us. At last he 
told us he thought he had succeeded in obtaining one we 
should all like, and asked us to come to his house that even- 
ing. On reaching there, we found the superintendent and 
our new teacher. The evening was spent in devotional exer- 
cises ; and in bidding us ' Good-by,' he presented us each one 



282 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

with a Bible, on the fly-leaf of which he had written, with 
the name of the scholar, the following words : ' That the con- 
tents of this sacred volume may be your guide and comfort 
in life, your support and consolation at the great and event- 
ful hour of death, and serve you as a theme of joy and rejoic- 
ing during the endless ages of eternity, is the prayer of your 
old Bible-class Teacher. ' 

"During the following week he called at our homes, and 
offered an earnest prayer for the spiritual and temporal wel- 
fare of each of his class. I know not what has become of all 
the other members of the class ; but of this I feel sure, they 
often recall with special pleasure the hours passed with our 
6 old Bible-class teacher,' Mr. Wilder." 

It is certain that Mr. "Wilder never forgot these 
young men. Even when memory, during his last 
hours, was thought to be perhaps clouded by the 
shades of death, as one of them, who had become 
related to him by marriage, came to his side, Mr. 
Wilder seemed for a moment to ignore the later 
tie, saying with much feeling, " The Lord bless him. 
I remember, he was most reliable." 

In the founding of Amherst college as a fortress 
for the preservation and defence of orthodox truth, 
Mr. Wilder became early identified, and in supply- 
ing it with proper munitions of war, he was greatly 
instrumental. This was one of the enterprises for 
the benefit of his native state in which Mr. Wilder 
took peculiar interest, making it a point to attend 
the stated meetings of its Board, even at much per- 
sonal inconvenience, and also to promote its inter- 
ests in every way in his power. 

Mr. "Wilder was elected trustee in this institution 



BELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 283 

in April, 1824. In his letter of acceptance, after a 
few words disclaiming his competency to fill the 
place, he went on to say, " Considering, however, 
this institution as among the most important in 
our country for the advancement of the great and 
glorious cause of our dear Redeemer, and not 
ashamed to own and acknowledge Jesus Christ as 
he is before men, I cannot but consider it a priv- 
ilege to be associated with those who, I trust, are 
uninfluenced by motives of human consideration, 
and actuated only by a desire to promote the cause 
of truth, by endeavoring, with the aid of divine 
grace, to qualify some of the rising generation to 
go and proclaim salvation through the blood and 
righteousness of a crucified Redeemer to a perish- 
ing world." 

Rev. Dr. Heman Humphrey, the first President 
of Amherst college, was one of Mr. Wilder's most 
valued friends. In January, 1827, he wrote to Mr. 
Wilder, " If you can so arrange your business as to 
spend a few days in Boston while our petition is 
before the Legislature, it may be of essential ser- 
vice. To this end, however, it will be necessary to 
be there soon. I cannot say that I think our pros- 
pects of success very flattering from this Legisla- 
ture; but I think we are preparing the way for a 
handsome grant shortly. May the Lord turn the # 
hearts of our rulers towards this institution, and 
dispose them to foster all its important plans and 
interests." 

Rev. Dr. Edward Hitchcock, in his "Reminis- 



284 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

cences of Amherst College," among others regarding 
Mr. Wilder, says, 

" "When a committee of the Legislature appeared 
in Amherst, to look into the affairs of the proposed 
Collegiate Institute, and its enemies attempted to 
show that the subscription was good for nothing, 
Mr. Wilder rendered great service by cashing note 
after note which were brought forward as worth- 
less. He was also a liberal subscriber to the funds 
of the college." 

Through the kindness of Professor E. S. Snell, 
a few additional facts have been collected. 

" From the records of the meetings of the Trus- 
tees, I learn that S. V. S. Wilder was generally pres- 
ent, from the time of his appointment in 1824, to 
that of his resignation in 1841. I have also exam- 
ined a manuscript historical sketch of the college 
by Dr. Humphrey. He gives in detail the incident 
before the committee of Representatives. The en- 
emies were trying to show that the subscription list 
of $50,000 was in a large part worthless. A note of 
$100 was brought forward, and the inquiry made, 

' Who is Mr. P of Danvers ; and what is known 

of his responsibility ?' Mr. Wilder said to the chair- 
man, ? Please let me see the note.' Having looked 
at it, he said, ' I will cash it, sir,' and laid down the 
money. Soon another note was objected to, and 
treated in the same way. At length a third; and 
as Mr. Wilder was about to lay down the money, 
the chairman objected, saying, ' We have not come 
here to raise money for Amherst College.' This 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 285 

stopped that sort of operation among the foes of 
the college. This meeting for investigation was 
held in October, 1824. 

"I have talked with Hon. Edward Dickinson, 
our college treasurer. He remembers well that his 
father, Samuel F. Dickinson, Esq., used often to 
ride to Ware to see Mr. Wilder, and to represent 
to him that the college must go down unless some- 
thing was done immediately to relieve its necessi- 
ties ; and that Mr. Wilder in many instances be- 
came responsible for large sums for the relief of the 
institution. He knows too that he was liberal to 
the college in its straits." 

It must have been at some meeting in behalf of 
Amherst College in some emergency that Mr. Wil- 
der said, in closing a short address, " This Christian 
assembly will agree with me in asserting, that it is 
not a multiplicity of words or phrases that will an- 
swer the purpose on the present occasion ; that the 
case is one of life or death ; that pecuniary aid is the 
only means, under Providence, whereby we shall be 
enabled effectually to stop the breach at which the 
enemy are directing their shafts." 

In 1841, when, on account of business reverses, 
Mr. "Wilder felt it right to give up the offices then 
held by him in various societies, he sent in his res- 
ignation as Trustee of Amherst College. The fol- 
lowing from Dr. Humphrey shows with what senti- 
ments this request was granted. 



286 BECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

" Amheest College, August 5, 1841. 
'S. V. S. Welder, Esq.: 

"Deae Sie — It was with extreme regret that the 
trustees of our college received the tender of your 
resignation as a member of the Board ; and I need 
not assure you of the deep sympathy of every mem- 
ber with you in your present circumstances. You 
have been with us e in six troubles, yea, in seven/ 
even from the beginning ; and it was with the great- 
est reluctance that the trustees accepted your resig- 
nation. Whatever your pecuniary ability may be 
hereafter, your presence and your counsel would 
have been equally valuable to us as heretofore ; but 
we would not insist upon what seemed to you inex- 
pedient. I do but express the feelings of the whole 
Board, I am sure, in tendering you my warm ac- 
knowledgments for all you have done to help build 
up and sustain this struggling institution ; and we 
all feel a strong assurance that you will never cease 
to pray for its prosperity. 

" With great sincerity, your obedient servant, 

"H. HUMPHEEY." 

An incident of some interest in connection with 
a proposed partial endowment of Amherst College, 
some years since, is related by Mr. Wilder. 

" Being appointed one of the Trustees of Amherst Col- 
lege, President Humphrey and the Trustees knowing my inti- 
macy with the rich merchant Mr. , and a new college 

being wanted with a chapel, the expense of erecting which 
would amount to some thirty thousand dollars, and after in 
vain endeavoring to obtain a grant from the state Legislature 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 287 

of Massachusetts, I was deputed by the faculty aud trustees 

to wait ou Mr. , and inform him that, on condition that 

he would make a grant to the college of §30,000, 1 was author- 
ized to assure him that Amherst College should assume his 
name, and that in the contemplated new college two rooms 
should be appropriated in one of the best halls of said build- 
ing, and being completely furnished, should be set apart for 
the exclusive accommodation of one of his descendants, who 
was to be furnished with board, fuel, lights, tuition, and 
clothing from year to year gratuitously to the end of time. 
Thus authorized, I went to Boston ; and as it happened, in 

the providence of God, I met Mr. on the exchange, and 

was invited by him, with Peter C. Brooks, to dinner the same 
day. After dinner, when Mr. Brooks had left, finding my- 
self alone with Mr. , I unfolded to him the object of my 

mission, and expatiated on the advantages which, in this 
changing world, his descendants might derive from this pre- 
cautionary investment, whether they should ever become ben- 
eficiaries or not. 

" ' Your descendants, sir/ said I, 'hundreds of years after 
you shall be sleeping in the dust, will have the proud satis- 
faction of casting from time to time their eyes on an institu- 
tion bearing the endeared name of their munificent ancestor ; 
and it may perhaps exert a salutary influence on their char- 
acter and conduct through each succeeding generation. ' 

" 'Ah,' said Mr. , 'a little vanity in all this, Mr. Wil- 
der ; and I believe that my property must take its legitimate 
course, conscious that I shall leave property sufficient to pre- 
vent my descendants, for at least two or three succeeding 
generations, from being under the necessity of having re- 
course to beneficiary aid to obtain an education. ' 

"I replied, 'I hoped his calculations and predictions 
might prove correct ; but that such had been, so far as my 
experience extended, the unforeseen mutations of this sublu- 
nary world, that without distrusting the goodness of a benign 
Providence, I considered a prudent foresight in providing 
against future contingencies as regards the welfare of those 
whom we have been instrumental in introducing into this 
wilderness world as not only commendable, but highly jadi- 



288 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

cious ; and I hoped that he might find grace to take this im- 
portant matter under wise consideration. That in pleading 
the cause of Amherst College I felt that I was pleading in a 
more powerful degree the present, future, and eternal inter- 
ests of his yet unborn posterity. ' Said he, ' Mr. Wilder, my 
mind is fully made up. It needs no further consideration. 
My property must take its legitimate course.' 'This, sir/ I 
replied, ' being your final decision, I bid you a final farewell.' 

"Thus ended my last interview with Mr. , to whose 

property I had been instrumental, during my commercial 
relationship with him, of adding upwards of $100,000. 

"Years rolled on. Only seven of them had elapsed after 
the tomb had closed on the mortal remains of that man whose 
mountain, in his own estimation, seemed to stand so strong 
at my last interview, when two gentlemen entered my office 
in Wall-street, and addressing me, said, ' Sir, we believe you 
are a Trustee of Amherst College, and we have called to solicit 
your aid and to enlist your influence in admitting as a bene- 
ficiary to that institution a grandson of your late friend Mr. 
of Boston. ' Judge of my amazement, and of the con- 
flicting emotions which agitated me on hearing this announce- 
ment. I requested the gentlemen to repeat their declaration, 
in order that I might give credence to the hearing of my ears. 

"They then stated that the young man in question was 
the son of , who had by his extravagance and irregular- 
ities spent all the ample patrimony left him by his wealthy 
father ; that his mother had died of a broken heart, leaving 
eleven or twelve children, among whom was the young man 
for whose benefit they now sought my patronage, and whose 
miserable father was a mere wreck. 

"I was reluctantly compelled to state to said gentlemen, 
that none were admitted to Amherst College as beneficiaries 
on the income of $50,000, except pious young men preparing 
for the gospel ministry ; and as this young man had not this 
in view, my intervention and influence in his behalf could be 
of no avail. 

" On these gentlemen retiring from my office, I was left 
with a sorrowful heart reflecting on the mutability of all 
earthly calculations, yet consoled with the cheering thought 



'KELIGIOUS societies. 289 

that the wise designs of God will, through all, be accom- 
plished. 

" Little did my venerable friend or myself, at the time of 
our last interview, foresee that, ere ten short years should have 
elapsed, my own personal influence would be solicited to ob- 
tain the admission of one of his grandsons into that very in- 
stitution whose interests I was then advocating, by endeav- 
oring, though in vain, to induce this man of wealth to aid in 
its endowment, and at the same time secure to one of his de- 
scendants a collegiate education down to the end of time." 

In educational matters Mr. "Wilder was ever 
ready to lend a helping hand, taking active interest 
in the establishment of a school of high grade in 
his native town, under the care of a pioneer in that 
line, Mr. J. G. Carter. To him also would Mr. Jo- 
siah Holbrook often come for sympathy and aid 
when discouraged by constant rebuff from those 
who did not appreciate his ideas as to methods of 
instruction, which were indeed far ahead of his day, 
although now extensively in vogue. 

To Williams College, as acknowledged in a let- 
ter from its president, Eev. Dr. Edward D. Griffin, 
Mr. Wilder made at least one liberal donation, and 
his advice w r as solicited by Dr. Griffin regarding 
the best modes of promoting the interests of that 
institution. He also aided colleges in other parts 
of the country. 

He served as. trustee of Groton Academy, in 
which capacity he became acquainted with Eev. 
Dr. John Todd, a champion for the truth, who, 
among other labors, does not forget, by means of 
"truth made simple," to obey our Saviour's com- 
mand, " Feed my lambs." 

Wilder. 13 



290 RECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 

The advantages offered to some Greek refugee 
boys, and other religious aspects of the " Mount 
Pleasant School" at Amherst, under the care of 
Messrs. Colton and Fellows, and in which his friend 
Mr. Thayer was also interested, greatly enlisted 
Mr. "Wilder in its favor. There for a time he sent 
his own bright, black-haired protege, a young ref- 
ugee from the island of Scio. Mr. Wilder had call- 
ed at the missionary rooms in Boston as some 
Greek boys unexpectedly arrived there. When he 
first saw them, the little strangers were sitting for- 
lorn about the missionary office-room, unable to 
speak English, or to converse except with each 
other. The secretaries asked, " Mr. Wilder, what 
shall we do with them?" He answered, "I will 
take charge of one. The Lord will provide friends 
for the others also ;" and so indeed it proved. 
Suitable homes were soon procured for all. Dr. 
Alexander George Paspati of Constantinople, where 
he is a well-known and distinguished physician, 
must well remember his American home of so many 
years ago. 

With the Mount Pleasant school are also asso- 
ciated the names of the Italian Cardella and of the 
Eev. John Cassimir Eostan, who had both taken 
refuge in this country from persecution abroad on 
account of evangelical sentiments, looking here to 
Mr. Wilder as their chief earthly dependence. Mr. 
Eostan, Mr. Wilder had known in Paris, when be- 
friended there by Dr. Adolphe Monod and Eev. 
Lewis Way. He was " a man of extensive science, 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 291 

a rare Christian, as well as an uncommon scholar," 
but lacked some necessary qualifications as a teach- 
er and for every-day life. 

Mr. Wilder was ever ready to lend a helping 
hand to those requiring it, especially to those who 
he believed were " of the household of faith." In 
visits of friendly sympathy to such he often felt 
himself richly repaid, as also in using his country 
home almost as a convalescent hospital for disabled 
ministers. And how much did he feel his spirit re- 
freshed when able to give an hour in the sick-room 
of such men as Harlan Page and the Re v.. Samuel 
Green. 

In visits of consolation and charity Mr. "Wilder 
indeed abounded, mingling prayer and supplication 
with the gifts ever left behind when needed. In a 
letter acknowledging some remembrance of the 
kind, the writer says, " Please accept of my most 
heartfelt gratitude for your kind present; and what 
makes it more valuable is your accustomed unos- 
tentatious manner of bestowing your favors." 

It were vain to attempt a full account of Mr. 
Wilder as a philanthropist. It was his life, his 
profession, to do good. By private charity he en- 
deavored to supplement what could not come before 
the public eye. It is impossible to enumerate his 
benefactions in detail. 

Mr. Wilder's interest in the sailor, and Seamen s 
Friend Society, was shown, among other ways, by a 
plan proposed by him, by which a quarter of the 
proceeds of a certain enterprise was to be devoted 



292 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

towards the support of a mariner's church. He also 
contributed towards the funds of the Prison Disci- 
pline Society. In 1824 he was elected " member of 
the Bunker Hill Monument Association," Edward 
Everett being its secretary. In 1826 he was duly 
appointed "justice of the peace" for Worcester 
county, under Governor Levi Lincoln, and in the 
same year was elected vice-president of the " New 
England Society for the Promotion of Manufactures 
and the Mechanic Arts." 

About the years 1825 to 1830, while living in 
Massachusetts, he often visited his friends Daniel 
Waldo, Esq. and his three aged maiden sisters, in 
their elegant mansion in Worcester. Their very 
appearance, manners, and style of living, were spec- 
imens of the magnificent antique. These ladies, 
wishing to apportion their wealth in a way to do 
good after they were gone, consulted Mr. Wilder 
as to the best way of doing this. No commission 
could have been more to his taste. He proposed to 
them the founding of a "Waldo Retreat" for ladies 
in reduced circumstances, to be built and endowed 
by his friends on a large scale, and to be maintained 
in part by payments to be made on the principle 
adopted by life insurance companies, securing a 
home at the age of sixty. 

The idea of thus providing for those less favor- 
ably situated than themselves pleased these worthy 
ladies. They asked Mr. Wilder to have the neces- 
sary plans and drawings made out, intending to 



EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 293 

adopt them, when the sudden death of their brother, 
and soon that of the sisters successively, put a stop 
to the whole matter. 

Mr. "Wilder, however, never quite gave up the 
plan, thinking such an establishment most desira- . 
ble in this growing country, where change of for- 
tune is of such frequent occurrence. Even during 
the last months of his life he sent the drawings of 
the proposed building, and papers connected with 
it, to New York, to gentlemen who he thought 
might be glad to carry them into execution. He 
spoke of this "retreat" within a fortnight of his 
death, hoping still that something of the kind 
would be founded before long, "by which some now 
well-known name might ever be held in grateful 
remembrance." 

That a man like Mr. "Wilder, with hand and 
heart so ready to every good work, should, in his 
latter years, have his means most seriously cur- 
tailed, was indeed a mystery. But " the Lord tak- 
eth knowledge of his servants." That he might 
attain more completeness of Christian character, 
perhaps his religion needed to be tested when de- 
prived of the power of outward manifestation in its 
long accustomed charitable channels. Thanks be 
to God, through grace, " though for a season in 
heaviness, the trial of his faith was found unto 
praise and honor and glory." 

It had often been Mr. Wilder's duty, as may 
have been inferred, and as many will remember, to 
preside on various occasions at public meetings of 



294 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

societies with which he was connected. Here his 
dignity of person and courtly manners, together 
with his knowledge of proper forms to be main- 
tained, gave him peculiar advantage. 

It is interesting however to note the last time 
Mr. Wilder took charge of any large meeting. An 
orphan asylum had recently been established in the 
place of his residence. At its first anniversary in 
1859, he was asked to preside, and many present 
can recall his appearance on that occasion, his ven- 
erable form surmounting the small group of or- 
phans, whom, with their many friends, he greeted 
with a few words of congratulation and hope. A 
fitting termination this to a long apprenticeship in 
similar duty. Here seemed to meet of human life 
the outer verges as to age, character, and position. 
As in a dissolving view we seem to see S. V. S. "Wil- 
der, from such a scene as this readily transferred to 
a higher platform, leaving behind an example more 
valuable to the young, as a practical exhibition of 
Christian beneficence, than are even the " Seventy- 
seven Maxims," drawn up by him at the age of sev- 
enty-seven, directly for their benefit. May his man- 
tle rest upon many successors, and soon, by the 
blessing of God, shall be ushered in the full tide of 
millennial glory. 



TEMPEKANCE. 295 



XVII. 

g<> U f U all U % gtorij 4 fyA, 1 Ut{< 10; 31, 

The Bev. Dr. Chickering has had the kindness 
to prepare the following sketch of Mr. Wilder in 
relation to temperance. 

Mr. Wilder's health and personal appearance at 
the age of fourscore, was both an illustration and 
an argument for temperance. His freshness of com- 
plexion, the erectness of his frame, the vigor of his 
utterance, and the firmness of his step, all told of 
good habits engrafted on a good constitution, bring- 
ing forth such fruit in old age — a sound mind in a 
sound body. 

A gentleman of extensive observation, soon after 
his return from a tour in the Pacific ocean, remark- 
ed, " I have been in Europe, Asia, and Africa, be- 
sides my native country, but never anywhere have 
I seen so fine looking a man, on the whole, as Mr. 
.Wilder." 

In early years he had been preserved from the 
temptations and snares into which many fall; and 
as he entered on mercantile life, he managed to keep 
free from that excess, both of appetite and indul- 
gence, which too often followed the social customs 
to which he was introduced. Not only was he tem- 
perate in drink, but in food ; usually rising from the 



296 BECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

table, as he said, "with a disposition to go another 
slice." 

And when, in the early stages of the temperance 
reform, he found it necessary, on the ground of that 
high Christian expediency which often involves the 
most inevitable duty, to abandon the then common 
habits of using and offering wine at the table, it 
was no hardship to consign the mild and pure con- 
. tents of his wine cellar to the use of the sick and 
infirm. • 

But "this bold, brave man" was not long satis- 
fied with a silent example. He very early entered 
into the aggressive war against the giant sin in- 
temperance, under the wise and zealous leadership 
of such men as Dr. Lyman Beecher and Dr. Justin 
Edwards. The latter was his amanuensis and help- 
er in the publication of the well-known tract, " The 
Well-conducted Fakm." 

This was a veritable history of the temperance 
principles introduced on his own farm of six hun- 
dred acres in Bolton, and was one of the earliest 
experiments to test the practicability of farming on 
strict temperance principles. The experiment was 
eminently successful. The men who, when first re- 
quested to dispense with the usual daily portion of 
ardent spirits, were offended, and threatened to 
leave the farm, were among the first in testifying 
to the improvement resulting from the new plan. 

Mr. Wilder's offers were so liberal, that no work- 
man could suspect a sordid motive; the laborers 
being promised nourishing food and drink in any 



TEMPEEANCE. 297 

abundance which they wished, and twelve dollars 
additional wages at the close of the year. He said 
he would have his farm grow up to weeds, rather 
than be cultivated by means of a practice so per- 
nicious to body and soul as that of taking ardent 
spirits. 

The experiment of temperance farming succeeded 
admirably ; and was followed, the next year, by the 
additional stipulation, that no workman should in 
any way procure or use those poisons. All the 
laborers on his farm agreed to the proposed terms ; 
and " were afterwards remarkably uniform in their 
temper and deportment ; still, and peaceable. Their 
employer found them every day alike, and could 
always trust them. What he expected to have done, 
he found icas done, and in the best manner. His 
men had never made so few mistakes, nor had so 
few disputes among themselves ; they never injured 
so few tools, found so little fault with their manner 
of living, or were, on the whole, so pleasant to one 
another, and to their employer." 

Many thanks he received, from one and another 
among them, for putting them in the way of such 
improved health, and increased savings, and multi- 
plied comforts in their families: 

" At the close of the year, one of them came to Mr. Wil- 
der, and with tears in his eyes, said, 'Sir, I thought you 
were very hard, in keeping us from drinking rum. I had 
always been accustomed to it, and I thought that I could not 
do without it. And for the first three months,' said he, 'it 
was hard, very hard. I had such a caving in here, ' putting 
his hands up to his side, ' I had such a desperate caving in 

13* 



298 BECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

here, that I thought I should die. But, as you gave us good 
wages, and good pay, and the rest resolved to stand it with- 
out rum, I thought I would. And now,' said he, 'I am 
well and happy. I work with ease, sleep sweetly, and when 
I get up in the morning, instead of having, as I used to, 
my mouth and throat so full of cobwebs as to be spitting 
cotton wool all the time, my mouth and throat are clear as a 
whistle, I feel active, have a good appetite, and can eat any 
thing. 

" ' Formerly, when I worked hard, I was at night tired, 
and could not sleep. When I got up in the morning, I was 
so sore and stiff, so filled up in my throat, and my appetite 
was so gone, that I could do nothing till I had taken a glass 
of rum and molasses. I then stood it till breakfast. But 
my breakfast did not relish, and what I took did not seem to 
nourish me. Soon after I got to work I was so hollow and so 
tired, that I felt desperate ugly till 11 o'clock. Then I took a 
new vamper. And by the strength of that I got on till din- 
ner. Then I must have a little more to give me an appetite. 
At three o'clock in the afternoon I must have recourse to the 
hair of the same dog, to keep up my sinking spirits. And 
thus I got along till night. Then I must have a little to 
sharpen appetite for supper. And after supper I could not 
sleep till I had taken another nightcap, 

" 'Thus I continued year after year, undermining a con- 
stitution which was naturally robust, and growing worse and 
worse until I came under your wise and excellent regula- 
tions ; and now / am cured. I can do more labor than when 
I took spirits, without half the fatigue. If a man would 
give me the same wages that you do, and a dollar a day in 
addition, to return to the practice of drinking rum, I would 
laugh at him. ' * 

"Nor," continues this graphic delineator of the well-con- 
ducted farm and its laborers, ' ' were the benefits confined to 
them and their employer. Some of his neighbors, witnessing 
the complete success of his system, have themselves adopted 
it. When Mr. Wilder went into that part of the country, 
many of the farmers in his neighborhood were in debt. 
Their farms were mortgaged, some for $300, some for $500, 



TEMPEKANCE. 299 

and some for $1,000, or more. They complained much of 
hard times, especially for farmers. 

"Mr. Wilder told them that so long as theycontinued to 
drink rum, they must expect hard times ; for it was no profit, 
but a great expense, and in more ways than they imagined. 
They came to him to borrow money to save their farms from 
attachment. But he told them, No. It will do men who 
continue to drink rum no good to have money. Nay, it will 
be to them an evil. The sooner their property is gone, and 
they have nothing with which to buy rum, the better. For 
then they will do less mischief than if they have money, and 
continue to drink rum. 

" 'If you will leave off the use of spirits,' said he, 'and 
not take a drop for three months, I will lend you money, and 
you may keep it by paying the interest, as long as you con- 
tinue to take no ardent spirits. But when I learn that you 
begin to take it, I shall call for the money. ' Some went away 
in disgust. Others said, 'As Mr. Wilder can do without rum, 
why cannot we ? and if we can, it will be a great saving of 
expense.' They made the experiment, and found that they 
could, without the least inconvenience, do without it. 

"After a few months, they made known to Mr. Wilder the 
result, and he helped them to as much money as they needed. 
They continued to do without spirits, and they had none 
used by men in their employ. Their business began to pros- 
per, and their prospects to brighten. Their debts are now 
paid, and their farms free from all incumbrance. The times 
with them have altered, and they are now thriving, respecta- 
ble, and useful members of the community. 

" Others who a few years ago were in no worse a condition 
than they, but who continued the practice of drinking spir- 
its, have lost their farms, lost their reputation, lost their 
health, and eventually their lives, and there is reason to 
fear, their souls. By the temperate but habitual use of spir- 
its, they formed an intemperate appetite. This at first was 
occasionally, and then habitually indulged; and they were 
ruined for both worlds. The evil may extend to their chil- 
dren, and children's children. 

"But those who have entirely relinquished the use of 



300 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

spirits until the desire for it is removed, have experienced 
a wonderful transformation in their feelings, their conduct, 
and their prospects. And the change is visible not only in 
them, but their families, and all their concerns. Their win- 
dows are not broken out as before, nor their gates and gar- 
m den fences falling down. The wife does not scold as she 
once did, because she is well provided for, is treated kindly, 
and has encouragement to labor. The children are not now 
in rags,, but are comfortably and decently clad ; they are 
obedient, respectful, and mannerly, and appear to be grow- 
ing up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. In 
short, they appear almost like a new race of beings. And if 
they should never again adopt the practice of taking ardent 
spirits, there is vastly more reason than before, to hope that 
they will be led by the word and Spirit of God to such a 
course of conduct as will greatly increase their happiness and 
usefulness on earth, and be the means of preparing them, 
through grace, for the everlasting joys of heaven. 

"The men are more serious in their deportment, spend 
more of their leisure time in useful reading, much oftener 
peruse the Scriptures and attend public worship, and are 
more attentive to all the means of grace. In a word, they 
are more likely to become useful and happy in this life, and 
to be prepared for lasting blessedness in the life to come." 

This probability became, in the case of many 
there employed, from year to year, a happy cer- 
tainty. The connection between temperance and 
religion was beautifully exemplified in the new meas- 
ure of power possessed by the truth over persons 
not disturbed, even slightly, in their mental opera- 
tions, by the artificial stimulus of intoxicating 
drinks, however sparingly used. Kough men, com- 
ing within the quiet, temperate, Sabbath keeping 
atmosphere of that farm, became thoughtful, re- 
strained, and in many cases, humble and devout. 



TEMPEKANCE. 301 

Do we not need at the present day, not only a 
new religious impulse, but a more close alliance 
between the temperance cause and those religious 
motives and influences to which it has owed, and 
from which it must ever expect, its brightest tri- 
umphs ? 

The proprietor of that farm once expressed his 
grateful satisfaction that for more than thirty years 
no workman or neighbor, or fellow-man of his, had 
acquired or strengthened, through his agency, an 
appetite which has cast down so many strong men, 
and wounded and laid low the honor of many an 
ancient family. 

This last result of strong drink was sadly illus- 
trated in the case of the son of an old European 
friend of Mr. "Wilder, as described in the following 
graphic letter, the Rev. father's reply to which, 
alluding to Mr. "Wilder's then recent bereavement 
of his only son, began thus : " So you see, my dear 
old friend, that it may be better to weep over a son 
in infancy, than to groan over him in manhood." 

" Bolton, State of Massachusetts, August 15, 1833. 

"My ol.d and dear Friend — God forbid that I should 
plant one additional thopn in, I fear, your already too often 
wounded and agonized breast ; but I am under the necessity 
of relating to you an event which has caused my heart to 
bleed, as it will yours on receipt of this. 

"Since my departure from Paris, I have never been in- 
formed of any particulars relating to the progress in life of 
your dear children, but from the circumstance of their hav- 
ing been blessed with the best of fathers as well as mothers, 
I had fondly hoped they were all pursuing a virtuous and 
successful course. • 



302 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

" While surrounding our tea-table last evening with a 
number of friends, among whom was a highly respectable 
lady and her son and two daughters from London, my ser- 
vant informed me that a ragged sailor-boy wished to speak 
with me at the gate. I immediately left the table, it being 
between sundown and dark, and on approaching the piazza I 
beheld an object in the shape of a human being in a state of 
almost complete destitution, having on an old cap, the re- 
mains of a dirty checked shirt and duck pantaloons, bare- 
legged, and nearly barefoot. Said he trembling, with a fal- 
tering voice, ' Mr. Wilder, I wish to speak with you aside. ' 

" 'Well, sir,' I replied, 'say on.' 

" 'I am the son, sir, of , of Paris ; my name, sir, 

is .' 

"'What,' said I, 'you pretend to be the son of my old 
friend whose name you assume ? impossible, ' I exclaimed. 

" 'It is,' said he, 'but too true,' bursting into a flood of 
tears. 

" 'What proof can you give me/ said I, 'that you are the 
son of that excellent and distinguished man ; and what mis- 
fortune has brought you to the position in which I now be- 
hold you ?' 

" 'My history,' said he, 'is a long, sad, and painful one; 
but I once travelled with my father, Mrs. Wilder, and your- 
self from Dover to Paris, on your return from England in 
1819 ; and do you remember, sir, that on your leaving Paris 
for America, you presented a piano to my sister, which she 
stills retains as a choice relic. ' 

"By this time a number of the inmates of our house had 
collected on the piazza, and on my asking the young sailor 
to walk in to an adjoining room and take some refreshment, 
he declined, saying that he was not worthy to come under my 
roof, but as he had walked from Boston, 30 miles, that day, 
and was somewhat fatigued, he should feel much obliged by 
being permitted to lodge in my stable. 

' ' I replied to him, that if he was really the son of my old 

and much valued friend , I should insist on his coming 

in, and taking some refreshment. 

"At length he reluctantly assented ; and on entering the 



TEMPEKANCE. 303 

saloon he soon recognized Mrs. Wilder among a dozen ladies, 
observing, at the same time, that she was not so slender as 
when in Paris ; and then turning to me and observing my 
gray hairs, he said, 'I have been the occasion of bringing 
my good father's gray hairs almost to the grave ;' and again 
burst into a flood of tears. 

"I could no longer remain in unbelief as to his being 
your son ; and whatever might be his history, for your and 
his good mother's sake, Mrs. Wilder and myself could no 
longer resist extending to him the hand of affection. 

" Having become somewhat composed, he gave us in 
bref an account of his shipwreck, and an outline of his sub- 
r ^quent wretched life and sufferings, and imputed all his 
misery to having disregarded the advice, and abused for ' 
years the confidence of the best of fathers ; stating that his 
only wish now was to pass the remainder of his days in some 
copper-mine, or on some desolate island, or in the western 
wilds of America, where his father and family should never 
again hear from him. 

"I recommended him to dismiss such ideas, take some 
nourishment, and retire to rest, with which he readily com- 
plied ; and on conducting him to his chamber, I was delight- 
ed to hear him ask for a Bible. 

"On the following morning, Mrs. Wilder ordered the ser- 
vants to have him scrubbed in soapsuds from head to foot ; 
and at the bottom of one of my French trunks she found a 
new Parisian suit of clothes which were much too small for 
me, and which just suited him ; and thus equipped, he ap- 
peared in the saloon, to the great delight of the ladies, and 
attended prayers, on which occasion, I read the fifteenth 
chapter of St. Luke, during which a solemnity prevailed 
such as I have seldom been permitted to witness. 

"When the family exercises were concluded, he retired 
with me into my library, and there evinced great remorse of 
conscience, expressed much sorrow for his past folly and 
misconduct, and really appeared very penitent ; but said he, 
1 1 cannot, like the prodigal, go to my father, and say, ' Fa- 
ther, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am 
no more worthy to be called thy son ;' for,' said he, 'I have too 



304 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

often abused my good father by false promises, and he now 
requires of me actions, and not words ; and I am determined 
never to appear before him until I have evinced the sincerity 
of my professions by a corresponding conduct. 

" 'The fact is/ said he, 'that thus far I have not been 
able to resist temptation ; and this has been my ruin. Smok- 
ing, intoxicating liquors, and gambling have been my beset- 
ting sins. But,' said he, 'if you can procure me a berth on 
board an American man-of-war, I think I can make my way 
in the world.' 

" 'If you cannot resist temptation,' said I, 'that is the 
last situation you should seek, as it is of all others the most 
dangerous to a young man even of correct habits. ' 

"I have invited him to make himself at home under our 
roof for the present. I wish to ascertain what vocation he is 
best qualified to pursue, and to watch his inclinations. It 
so happens that I am the President of three Temperance So- 
cieties, and as we drink generally nothing but pure cold 
water, your son is not in much danger of indulging in strong 
drink while with us. 

"It is proper that you should know the worst of the case, 
though it pains me to add, that he was somewhat under the 
influence of liquor when he reached my dwelling; but he 
assures me he had drunk more that day than for three months 
before. 

"18th. I had written thus far, when I was interrupted 
by the arrival of company. 

"I am happy to say your son appears already quite an 
altered man, and he continues to charm the ladies by his 
gentlemanly deportment, his elegant language, his eloquent 
conversation, and universal information, demonstrating a fin- 
ished education, combined with first-rate talents. 

" I cannot yet determine what steps are best to be taken 
with regard to this wayward youth. If he were pious, I 
could, I think, secure him a place as associate professor in 
a college of which I am one of the trustees, and where he 
might have an opportunity of establishing a character, and 
thereby pave the way to his entering on the duties of his 
profession as surgeon ; but he has, he says, no pretensions 



TEMPEKANCE. 305 

to piety. He seems inclined to go on board a whale-ship to 
the South seas — this would complete his ruin at once. He 
says, however, he is willing to do any thing but return to 
Europe. 

4 'Please to assure his excellent mother, and be yourself 
assured, of every effort on the part of Mrs. Wilder and my- 
self to reclaim this interesting young man, and to afford him 
one opportunity more, by the grace of God assisting, of com- 
mencing a virtuous and respectable course, and thereby ena- 
ble him to contribute to render your declining years as happy 
as he has, according to his own account, rendered them mis- 
erable in years that are past. 

" Kef erring you to the inclosed document, which he has 
just handed me, I remain, 

" Truly your sympathizing friend, 

"S. v. s. WILDER." 

Considering Mr. "Wilder's. social position, it is 
not strange, even aside from his energy and ability 
in urging whatever he thought right and true, that 
he should have had a wide influence in the temper- 
ance cause, and have been regarded as one of its 
champions. 

As early as 1827, he was invited by Eev. Dr. 
"Woods to address an assembly at the Hanover 
church, Boston. In Charleston, S. C, at a later 
date, he was called to preside and speak at a tem- 
perance meeting. In all the early as well as later 
periods of the struggle against this vice, his exam- 
ple and influence, his voice and purse were often 
looked to, and not in vain. 

In a private way, even as early as 1817, and as 
long as he lived, we find him befriending the fallen, 
and by pecuniary aid, offered on condition of absti- 
nence, encouraging the tempted. 



306 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

His Seventy-seven Counsels to his Grandsons, 
written at the age of 77, include cautions respect- 
ing this prolific source of ruin to young men and 
sorrow to their friends. 

During one of his summers at "White Lake, he 
took pains to learn and record the history, for half 
a century, of two families in that vicinity : the one 
temperate and prosperous; the other, through in- 
dulgence in a the pipe and jug," now extinct. 

This introduces another phase of his temperance 
history and efforts. Mr. "Wilder was the sworn en- 
emy of narcotic as well as alcoholic indulgence. He 
lost no opportunity, especially in the last years of 
his life, of cautioning his young friends against the 
various tobacco abominations which pollute so many 
public and private places, and even the pure air; 
and help, in so many instances, to form other per- 
nicious appetites. 

"New Yobk, September 16, 1834. 
" John Tappan, Esq., Boston : 

"My deab Sir — Finding myself, a little over a month 
since, in the stage from Providence to Worcester, with a per- 
son who had still in appearance the remains of a gentleman, 
and remarking that at every public-house he drank brandy, 
or some other liquid fire, as often as our stage horses drank 
pure water, I at length asked him if he found the liquor en 
that route so remarkable for its superior quality as to induce 
him to have such frequent recourse to it, and if he really 
thought it did him any good. 

" ' As to its quality, sir,' said he, C I am not aware that it 
is better than what I find in other sections of our country, 
but I am sure what little- 1 drink does me good, and my 
health is excellent — that is to say, with some few exceptions. 
On rising in the morning, for example, it is true I feel some- 



TEMPEEANCE. 307 

what ugly and depressed, but a good glass of sling sets me to 
<rights, and by occasionally taking a glass through the day, I 
feel in good spirits until bed-time ; and if, as it sometimes 
happens, I have little or no appetite for my meals, a moder- 
ate glass of brandy and water will generally create an appe- 
tite, and enable me to relish my food, though I am some- 
times troubled with indigestion, but I never make a practice 
of drinking to my injury. ' 

" 'Well, sir,' said I, ' I have the satisfaction to assure you 
that my health is excellent also, without experiencing any of 
the ills of which you complain, having confined myself prin- 
cipally to pure water for several years past, and for the last 
thirty years I am not aware of having drank half a pint of 
ardent spirits. ' 

" On saying this, I had the misfortune, or as it has even- 
tuated, I may say the good fortune, of taking a pinch of 
snuff. 

"'Pray, sir,' said the gentleman, 'do you think that 
snuff, of which, to say the least, you seem to take a pinch as 
often as I take grog, does you any good ?' 

"'Sir/ I replied, 'I exceedingly regret the necessity 
which obliges me to have recourse to this vile practice, but 
in consequence of feeble eyes, my physician recommended 
snuff as the best remedy, and in accordance with his pre- 
scription, I have been compelled to take it for several years. ' 

"'Well, sir/ said the gentleman, 'your case is precisely 
mine. I have a feeble stomach, and I have long been com- 
pelled to take an occasional drop of spirits for its relief and 
restoration. ' 

" 'Is it possible,' said I to myself, 'that my taking snuff 
should serve as a pretext for drunkards to ruin perhaps both 
soul and body ?' and I silently resolved that, eyes or no eyes, 
by the grace of God assisting, I would desist from taking a 
pinch of snuff for one month; and if, at the expiration of, 
that period, my eyes suffered no inconvenience, I would for 
ever renounce the pernicious practice. 

"In order to enable me the better to test the strength of 
my resolution to resist temptation, I merely transferred my 
box from my waistcoat to my pantaloons pocket, where it 



308 KECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

has remained for one month, without my having taken a 
single pinch of the poisonous drug ; and my eyes, praised be 
God, having suffered thus*far no inconvenience, I herewith 
have the pleasure and satisfaction of sending you my snuff- 
box, which please to receive as a trophy of a victory gained, 
the grace of God assisting, by one who was once an inveterate 
snuff-taker, but who now considers himself emancipated from 
this sinful and disgusting habit, * and who recommends to 
all other snuff-takers, or chewers, or smokers of tobacco, to 
go and do likewise. 

"S. V. S. W." 

Thus did our departed friend, in this and other 
things, show his faith by his works ; adding virtue, 
temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and char- 
ity to that firm attachment to doctrinal truth which, 
when supposed to be dissociated from these graces, 
leads to the suspicion and reproach of hypocrisy. 

He thus also proved that godliness is profitable 
unto all things. Few men could say as he, at the 
age of eighty, that he had "no aches or pains," not 
knowing even headache or toothache in his own 
experience. 

* This victory was gained for life, and this snuff-box in the hands 
of temperance speakers has done good service. 



LATER MERCANTILE LIFE. 309 



XVIII. 

I Imw fofto hm to fy uH$d? w& I fcmrur ft<mr 
to afrntwt t qwv%wlmi[ %%& w aft f fci»gs I m ia> 
$fmtod faift to fy tyttt awil to ty-fawgrg, faffc to 
tiwtttjl a»# to $uf <w umL VUh 4 * 1& 



In the spring of 1830, Mr. Wilder removed with 
his family from Bolton to Brooklyn. Inducements 
had been offered him to engage in business in New 
York. The education of his children rendered the 
change of residence desirable; and Brooklyn, Mr. 
"Wilder thought, offered peculiar advantages in that 
respect. Here, in the immediate neighborhood of 
his esteemed friend Zechariah Lewis, Esq., he spent 
more than two years. This city, not then one " of 
churches," was at that time so limited in accom- 
modations of the kind, that it was with difficulty 
Mr. Wilder could find room for his family in its 
then only Presbyterian church, Dr. Carroll being 
the pastor. 

The time of Mr. Wilder's residence in Brooklyn 
was varied by a few months' stay in Charleston, S. 
C, for the benefit of Mrs. Wilder's health, soon hap- 
pily restored. That place was then seen in its hap- 
piest aspects, there being there, as in many places 
elsewhere in 1831 and 1832, a revival of religion in 
its churches. In the society of Gen. Van Rensselaer 



310 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

and of members of his family, also there in pursuit 
of health, and in the prevalent hospitality, Mr. and 
Mrs. Wilder found much to render their visit to the 
South agreeable. 

Into Mr. Wilder's temporary home in Brooklyn 
came perhaps the deepest sorrow of his life. His 
son, his only son, was there taken from him, he 
who, he fondly hoped, would transmit his name and 
usefulness to future generations. S. V. S. Wilder, 
Jr., died in Brooklyn, Feb. 20th, 1832, at the age of 
three years and eight months. 

From Brooklyn, Mr. "Wilder moved to New York, 
living first in Chambers-street, afterwards in Wash- 
ington-place, and in Broadway, passing the summer 
months however at Bolton, and remaining there 
altogether for the three or four years succeeding 
1841. 

In Chambers-street, where now few landmarks 
of the past have been preserved, his house adjoined 
that of his friend and partner Mr. Nathaniel Rich- 
ards, with whom he soon became more closely con- 
nected through the marriage of their children. 

Gustavus Upson Richards, who now became so 
nearly related to Mr. Wilder, was indeed a lovely 
specimen of a young Christian merchant, not losing 
refinement of feeling and manners in the earnest, 
constant devotion to his Master's service, for which 
he was remarkable. Religion, permeating his whole 
character, seemed rather to raise him to a higher 
sphere than that ordinarily occupied. At a very 
early age he was elected elder in the Mercer-street 



LATER MERCANTILE LIFE. 311 

church, then under the pastoral care of Rev. Dr. 
Thomas H. Skinner, who fully appreciated the quali- 
ties, so unusual for his years, of his young associate 
in the church session. Such a spirit, when called 
from earth, it seemed easy to follow, as but trans- 
ferred to a place still nearer to the eternal throne. 

But Mr. Wilder's home in Chambers-street, like 
that in Brooklyn, was at one time darkened by the 
shadow of death. A gentle little daughter of eigh- 
teen months died there from the effects of whooping- 
cough. This, as well as other previous bereave- 
ments, Mr. Wilder received as from the hand of his 
heavenly Father; and dear also to his heart was 
the Christian sympathy of those he loved, that es- 
pecially of his friend and associate in the American 
Tract Society, Rev. Dr. Hallock, whose only son, 
and again, whose beloved infant daughter, were, by 
strange coincidence, also taken away about the 
same time that Mr. Wilder was called to part suc- 
cessively with his two children. 

Before Mr. Wilder's removal to Washington- 
place, then almost at the outer limits of New-York, 
he attended the Murray-street church ; but he then 
joined the congregation soon located in Mercer- 
street. In the spiritual and excellent sermons of 
his pastor, Dr. Skinner, in the evening and also fre- 
quent morning meetings for prayer which were soon 
instituted, Mr. Wilder took never-failing delight. 
Vigorous in health, scarcely passed the prime of his 
manhood, his clays given to business and benevo- 
lence, his evenings to religious services, to an occa- 



312 KECOBDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

sional lecture or to informal social visiting among 
his friends, with every leisure moment devoted to a 
course of useful reading, the lines still fell to Mr. 
Wilder in pleasant places. Among the friends now 
in his immediate vicinity, Hon. Benjamin R Butler 
and Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen — both showing 
what a Christian may be even in political life — Mr. 
Samuel Ward, Dr. J. G. Coggswell, and others, well 
deserve more than a casual mention. 

Nor did business nor benevolence, nor church 
services and friendly intercourse, nor reading, so 
fully occupy Mr. Wilder, that he could not give 
patient attention to other matters. .The son of his 
old friend Dr. Morse, Mr. Samuel F. B. Morse, in 
1835, asked him to examine his then lately invented 
electric telegraph, and now has the kindness to give 
the following account of Mr. Wilder's interest in it 
while yet almost an untried experiment. 

"New York, April 24, 1865. 

' ' There were two periods of experiments, or rather exhi- 
bitions, of particular note, one commencing in the year 1835, 
during which period many distinguished persons were pres- 
ent : James Eennimore Cooper, Kear-admiral Shubrick, and 
others. The telegraph, in this early stage of its existence, 
was shown in operation to various persons : to Daniel Hunt- 
ington, Esq., now President of the National Academy of 
Design ; to Osbert Loomis, Esq. , and others my pupils in 
painting, in the years 1835, 1836 ; but in 1837 there was a 
more public exhibition of it in the University, at which were 
present several hundred persons. Mr. "Wilder was among the 
earliest visitors, took a deep interest in the invention, and 
always expressed himself sanguinely, believing in its ultimate 
success. 

"I well remember his relating to me an incident in his 



LATEE MEKCANTILE LIFE. 313 

life which occurred in Paris, and which had ever since affect- 
ed his feelings and conduct towards the proposers of new in- 
ventions. He was at a dinner-party at the American minis- 
ter's — Mr. Livingston, I think, was then minister — at which 
were present many distinguished men of various countries, 
and Robert Fulton was among the guests. During the din- 
ner and in the evening the proposals of Mr. Fulton to intro- 
duce the steam-boat were discussed in the various groups. 
A few, the American minister among the rest, were sanguine 
of the eventual success of the novel enterprise ; but the great 
majority of the company scouted the idea of its practicabil- 
ity. Mr. Fulton, however, was in no wise disconcerted at 
this opposition, but bore it patiently, and the indifference of 
others with equal reserve. 

"Mr. Wilder said that he then sympathized with Fulton, 
and had often cited the incident against the sceptical in new 
discoveries to reprove their opposition ; and when Fulton's 
success was acknowledged in after times, it became a rule 
with Mr. "Wilder never to consider the proposal of a new in- 
vention as absurd, however at first blush it may wear that 
appearance. He related this incident to me as an encourage- 
ment to perseverance, at a time when the telegraphic inven- 
tion was encountering very much the same sort of obstacles 
from the opposition of incredulity and self-complacent igno- 
rance. 

"Mr. Wilder was a warm and valued friend, and I have 
from my childhood always entertained the highest respect 
and affection for him, for his friendly disposition, and espe- 
cially for his consistent Christian character. 

"SAMUEL F. B. MORSE." 



At the time of the exhibition of the magnetic 
telegraph, in 1837, there was at first some difficulty 
in the arrangement of the wire or in the working 
of the battery. Many of those present became im- 
patient. One after another a number went away, 
till perhaps a dozen or twenty alone remained to 

Wilder. 14 



314: EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

be the honored witnesses of the great invention. 
Among these few was S. V. S. Wilder. Although 
not himself a scientific man, yet he had great confi- 
dence in the general principles involved, in the hon- 
esty and skill of his friend Mr. Morse, and in his 
knowledge of the mysterious agent whom he sought 
to tame as a swift messenger, and in doing which 
he so thoroughly succeeded. 

Mr. Wilder often spoke of all the improvements 
so rapidly made during the last thirty or more years, 
in modes of travel both by land and sea, as- being 
but fulfilments of prophecy, when " valleys should 
be exalted and hills made low" to "prepare the 
way of the Lord," that "knowledge of him might 
be increased." 

To Mr. Wilder's ardent temperament was con- 
joined a strong pertinacity of purpose ; perhaps an 
unusual type of character. In matters of little mo- 
ment, it must be confessed this sometimes degener- 
ated into a somewhat inconvenient mood. In build- 
ing, gardening, in various arrangements for business 
or pleasure, the best way was to him the only way. 
He wished to have things done "just right, not 
about right." This sometimes led him into unnec- 
essary expenditures of time and money. 

In pecuniary speculations Mr. Wilder did not 
often enter. At one time however, with a few other 
friends of usually careful judgment, he was brought 
into some gold-mining enterprise in Virginia. Lands 
there had been taken by these gentlemen for debt. 
An agent reported them as of almost untold value, 



LATEK MEKCANTILE LIFE. 315 

verifying the statement by specimens of very rich 
gold ore, brought, however, from some other mines. 
The company formed, far from wishing to deceive 
others, were themselves deceived. From the fur- 
nace of temptation to save themselves at the ex- 
pense of others, Mr. Wilder and his old partners 
also, Messrs. Richards and Taylor, proved them- 
selves to be the true gold alone evolved. They re- 
fused to sell stock while it yet stood at a high fig- 
ure, lest others should through them be losers. In 
at least two cases Mr. Wilder, after the assessments 
began to be heavy, took up shares of this gold- 
stock, giving his own check ^n the spot to persons 
having no real claim upon him. " This," said one, 
"Mr. Wilder, is doing as you would be done by." 
The other exclaimed, "Wilder, you are a gentle- 
man." 

Until 1841, Mr. Wilder, on the whole, was much 
prospered in his business affairs. In New York he 
was engaged as a banker, and in the shipment of 
cotton, rice, and other produce, in connection with 
his old friends the Messrs. Hottinguer. His oifice 
was of "course in or about Wall-street. Before the 
time of the great fire in 1835, it was in Exchange- 
place. How distinctly is that locality remembered 
now "by fair Zurich's waters," by one of its most 
distinguished citizens. Between Mr. Wilder and 
Mr. John Stocker, a nephew of Baron Hottinguer, 
and long Mr. Wilder' s confidential clerk, a strong 
reciprocal attachment was here formed, which well 
stood the test of time and distance. Upon the re- 



316 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDER. " 

ceipt of a photograph, large size, of Mr. "Wilder in 
1860, Mr. Stocker expressed himself as follows : 
" Let Hie tell you, dear old friend, that all my fam- 
ily and relations expressed great delight to have 
had at last the opportunity to see the features of 
that respected man of whom they have so much 
heard. This beautifully executed portrait shows 
me still the same beloved features as I have held 
them in my mind's eye these twenty years past. 
The only alteration I have found out is the beard, 
which quite surprised me." 

But the "years of plenty" during which Mr. 
Stocker had thus leaded to know and revere Mr. 
Wilder passed away. In 1841 the tide of success, 
so long in the ascendant as regards Mr. Wilder's 
mercantile life, in the good providence of God began 
to ebb. Into details it is not necessary here to 
enter. Frauds at the South in the sorting and 
packing of cotton not according to the samples 
given, its fall in the foreign market, the temporary 
depreciation in real estate, upon which it was for 
a time almost impossible to realize, the failure of 
the United States Bank in whose concerns Mr. 
Wilder had become involved, with other causes, 
combined to bring about this unforeseen revulsion. 
It concerns us more to observe the cheerful sub- 
mission with which, after the first stunning blow, 
he accepted his trying reverse of fortune. Let us 
first, however, note the following testimony from 
John Tappan, Esq., to Mr. Wilder's character as 
a merchant : 



LATEE MEECANTILE LIFE. 317 

"In all my large mercantile operations with him, 
we never differed, having perfect confidence in each 
other ; and I am sure mine was well reposed, for a 
more conscientious person I have never found. 

" He was a true friend to those who had aided 
him, as I was often aware by his loaning or giving 
to persons sums to which I thought they had no 
claim. He was from our first acquaintance a fast 
friend, of which he gave evidence in his arrange- 
ments with his immediate partners, Richards, Tay- 
lor, and Upson. ' 

"In looking back upon the whole of my acquaint- 
ance with him, I see nothing on his part but a high 
sense of honor in his every act. In the seductions 
of Nicholas Biddle, at the time the latter controlled 
unbounded wealth, I date his ruin ; but almost any 
man might have been involved in the same way, as 
there appeared no hazard in being linked com- 
mercially with one who controlled the Bank of the 
United States, and who probably, but for the hos- 
tility of President Jackson to the bank, would have 
been, as he was universally believed to be, a man 
of wealth. In the misfortune of Mr. "Wilder, the 
utmost that enmity or envy could charge him with 
was,* and has ever been, in my opinion, a want of 
judgment in putting trust in so large a schemer as 
Mr. Biddle was proved after his failure to have 
been. Had Mr. Wilder held fast to his unalterable 
friend Mr, Hottinguer, his sad failure could not have 
taken place. None lamented it more than myself. 

"JOHN TAPPAN." 



318 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK/ 

"We can almost see why it pleased his heavenly 
Father thus to afflict Mr. Wilder. Had his course 
in life as a business man been one of uninterrupted 
prosperity, a striking example of cheerful Christian 
resignation would have been lost; yes, Christian 
resignation as opposed to the stoical, almost stolid 
indifference with which some men affect to meet 
what they call the decrees of fate ; or again, to the 
despair by which others allow themselves to be over- 
whelmed. Mr. "Wilder writes to his family at the 
time of the sad crisis in his business affairs : 

" In taking up my pen to address you under the 
sudden and sad reverse of fortune which has over- 
taken me, I am led to inquire of myself if it is 
imagination, or if there is reality in what I have to 
communicate. 

"The intelligence by the steamer just arrived 
from Europe is most gloomy and appalling, so far 
as relates to my operations. 

"I desire to bow with submission to the divine 
will, and so far as I am individually concerned, I 
could, I think, by the grace of God assisting, sup- 
port the unexpected reverse, if I can demonstrate 
to the world that I have been actuated by that 
integrity of intention and high sense of honor ^lich 
I have always endeavored should characterize all 
my actions. 

" May we find grace to be supported under this 
truly afflicting dispensation of Providence. May 
we humbly acquiesce in his just decrees, and ex- 
claim with pious David, c Bless the Lord, my 



LATEE MEECANTILE LIFE. 319 

soul, and forget not all his benefits/ which he has 
so liberally heretofore bestowed. 

"My great aim and object will be to pay every 
demand in full; and then, if an humble retreat 
remain to us, may our diminished influence still be 
exerted in promoting that blessed cause of our 
divine Redeemer which I fear we too much neglect- 
ed in the days of our prosperity." 

Mr. Wilder's expressions of regret concerning 
his family in this connection are of too tender inter- 
est to bring before the public in any guise. Let the 
reader imagine all that is most unselfish and most 
affectionate in this respect, and which, in times of 
joy as well as sorrow, must in these pages be among 
the "lines left out." 

Mr. Wilder's example was indeed a legacy 
more truly valuable than houses and lands could 
be. His was a practical illustration that "man 
does not live by bread alone;" that "a man's life 
consisteth not in the abundance which he possess- 
eth." At the outset of his financial difficulties, 
with a humility for which he had not always ob- 
tained credit, he acknowledged himself to his cor- 
respondents as having been mistaken in judgment, 
and in various calculations as to business matters, 
and although ready at times, like Jacob, to exclaim, 
"All these things are against me;" "I have no 
friends, only acquaintances," this mistake also was 
soon confessed. All friends worthy the name 
proved true. The darkness attending Mr. "Wilder's 
financial losses but brought out more clearly many 



320 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

"stars of light/' true "sons of consolation," faithful 
also in counsel, as let the two subjoined letters 
testify : 

" July 12, 1841. 

" My deab Friend — I have met you this time under very 
peculiar circumstances. The Lord has laid his hand heavily 
upon you. It is, I trust, to teach you some new lessons of 
heavenly wisdom. Be a submissive, patient, a docile learner. 
Pray for grace to be so. Let the world sink very low in your 
estimation. Let Christ be all in all to you. Consecrate your- 
self and yours anew and entirely to his service. Carry out 
your noble purpose of sacrificing every thing, if necessary, 
to fulfil the stern demands of right. Look forward to bright- 
er and happier days than you have ever yet seen, and to emi- 
nent usefulness in the cause of the Eedeemer. The Lord 
bless you and yours. 

"Yours in the bonds of Christian affection and an unal- 
terable friendship, 

"T. H. GALLAUDET." 

"New Yoke, July 13, 1842. 
"My deae and very respected Friend — We all noticed 
the vacancy occasioned by your absence at our May anniver- 
saries, where you had long occupied a prominent and honor- 
able position ; and your letter to the Tract Society anniver- 
sary, containing your resignation as its presiding officer, was 
heard by a large assembly with no ordinary emotions. You 
assigned as one reason for retiring from that station, the 
revulsion which had taken place in your temporal concerns. 
In this occurrence we cordially sympathize, and I am fully 
persuaded that it is the rod of a Father, that it is adminis- 
tered in love, and that it is designed for and will issue in 
your spiritual profit. Because we are vines, the great Hus- 
bandman is careful to prune, that our fruit may be improved 
both in quality and quantity ; because we are gold, he throws 
us into the fire, not to consume, but that we may come forth 
more pure ; because we are children, he corrects, but the rod 
which he applies is broken from the ' tree of life ;' and in 



LATER MERCANTILE LIFE. 321 

this light I trust you are enabled to contemplate the present 
dispensation. 

"I believe, my dear friend, that in taking a retrospective 
view, you have the consolation that your life has been spent 
in promoting the interests of your Master and of your gener- 
ation, and I believe that you will meet many in the everlast- 
ing kingdom who were brought there through your instru- 
mentality. The precious seed which you have been long and 
liberally scattering in this country and other countries, cher- 
ished by the rain of the divine Spirit, will spring up, yielding 
a rich harvest in the salvation of many ; and surely this con- 
sideration may support you under the sudden reverse of cir- 
cumstances. If you and I have our own souls for a prey, we 
owe a debt to free, sovereign, unmerited, abounding grace, 
which eternity will be short enough to pay ; and are we not 
doubly honored if a sovereign God employs us as instru- 
ments for promoting the salvation of others ? May not these 
reflections reconcile us to every vicissitude of life ? May they 
not constrain us with David in the hour of his adversity to 
resolve, ' I will bless the Lord at all times : his praise shall be 
continually in my mouth ;' ' I will sing of mercy and of judg- 
ment;' believing that when he smiles it is in mercy, and 
when he smites it is in mercy. Why should the heir, while 
in his minority, be moved by occasional privations, when he 
expects soon to be in the full possession of the inheritance ; 
or the pilgrim be alarmed at the gathering storm, when his 
Father's house is in view, and he has the prospect of shortly 
reaching it ? 

"I often recollect with pleasure the memorable hours 
which we have spent in the sanctuary of your domicil, min- 
gling our hearts and voices in devotional exercises, and also 
deliberating in our benevolent societies on the interests of the. 
Redeemer's kingdom ; and I look forward with joyful antici- 
pation to that period when, through the riches of reigning 
grace, our fellowship will become still more intimate and 
enduring and uninterrupted. Then every ' crook in our lot, ' 
seen in the light of immortality, will appear straight, and 
every mystery of his providence and grace be unfolded to our 
full satisfaction. That this may be the attainment of you 

14* 



322 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

and yours, with me and mine, when the days of our mourning 
shall be ended, is the prayer of your friend in the common 
Saviour, and obliged servant, 

"ALEXANDEK PKOUDFIT." 

Dr. Proudfit adverts to Mr. Wilder's having re- 
signed the presidency of the American Tract Soci- 
ety. From his inability now to contribute to the 
funds of various societies, and other considera- 
tions, and in order to open the way for other men 
whose general influence for good might be greater 
than his, Mr. Wilder, " notwithstanding many re- 
monstrances," gave up the many places of trust and 
honor he had held as trustee, executor, or as officer 
in the Tract and other societies. His motives in 
taking this course were above suspicion ; but the 
course itself may have implied too much importance 
as attached to the mere actual possession of wealth 
as a qualification for office-bearing in these asso- 
ciations. 

It may also be noticed that Dr. Gallaudet in his 
letter refers to Mr. Wilder's noble purpose to " sac- 
rifice every thing, if necessary, to fulfil the sternest 
demands of right." By at once putting his prop- 
erty into the hands of assignees, for the benefit of 
his creditors, Mr. Wilder sought to secure their 
interests in a manner fair and equitable to each 
and all. 

At one time, hearing of some dissatisfaction 
respecting this course, which with the best inten- 
tions he had pursued, he earnestly requested sev- 
eral gentlemen of high standing to investigate and 



LATEK MEKOANTILE LIFE. 323 

report upon his affairs. He knew of no hidden 
matters that could not bear the light ; but it was 
difficult to secure tlie time and attention of men 
who, from position and character, were alone qual- 
ified to judge in such a case. 

And through, scenes of more than ordinary trial, 
as connected with loss of property, Mr. "Wilder 
was also called to pass; as lie would sometimes 
afterwards write, "I know wliat it is to tread in the 
courts of kings, and in the courts of a prison," It 
fell out in this wise: Mr. Wilder's pft)minence in 
the early efforts of the temperance cause has been 
shown. This led to some ill-will towards him on 
the part of some whose body and soul destroying 
"craft" bad through his means been endangered. 
Some of these men having come indirectly into pos- 
session of a southern draft on Mr. "Wilder for $1,500, 
took advantage of some technicalities in the laws of 
Massachusetts regarding debtors, and forthwith had 
him " cast into prison." 

At the first intimation that this might be done, 
Mr. Wilder wrote, "Rather than do an act of injus- 
tice to lenient creditors by paying, even if it were 
in my power, a coercive creditor, I am wilhng 'to 
go both unto prison and to death;' nor will I as- 
sent, for the sake of avoiding a prison, to take the 
required oath that 'I am not in possession, nor 
have under my control, nor do I possess to the value 
of twenty dollars,' when the very glasses to which I 
must have recourse to sign the oath are worth more 
money. Conscious of the purity of my motives and 



324 EECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

of the integrity of my intentions, I shall treacUthe 
courts of a prison with as little cost to my personal 
feelings as I have heretofore trod the courts of em- 
perors and kings." 

This was indeed a dark hour ; but from the scene 
of sorrow and imprisonment what strange, unex- 
pected sounds are these we hear. Songs of praises 
to our God ! the voice of prayer and thanksgiving ! 
Mr. Wilder had scarcely " lighted/' as did Bunyan, 
"upon a certain place where was a den," when he 
interested those about him in a prayer-meeting. 
This was attended daily with increasing good re- 
sults ; and in various labors for the souls of others, 
Mr. "Wilder at times almost forgot his imprison- 
ment. He writes : 

" Woecester Jail, August 15, 1842. 

"Dearest Amie — Yesterday was the most solemn and 
interesting Sabbath I have yet been permitted to witness in 
this place. My text in the morning was the fourth chapter 
of Ephesians, thirtieth verse; and by particular request I 
had engaged, the week before, to give my views in the after- 
noon on Millerism, which had taken deep root in this town. 
I selected for my text the thirteenth chapter of St. Mark, 
tenth to thirty-second and thirty-third verses. At an early 
hour the apartment began to fill, and finally the crowd was 
so great as not to find room to put another bench, and many 
could not be admitted that had come. 

' ' I really began to wish for our good minister, or some 
one more able and better qualified than myself to occupy the 
attention of the many intelligent looking gentlemen and 
ladies present, and in vain did I endeavor to put the harness 
on to ' the learned blacksmith, ' or some one of the half dozen 
deacons who were present, but 'no,' was the reply. My 
gray hairs, I presume, rather than any other qualification, 
led the good deacons to decline so responsible a station, and 



LATER MERCANTILE LIFE. 325 

I had to yield to the necessity of the case ; and after occupy- 
ing the attention of this intelligent auditory for more than 
an hour, I was followed by the learned blacksmith and Dea- 
con "Washburn, who riveted the attention of the auditory for 
"half an hour longer ; after which, the vilest of the vile and 
the hardest of the hard, whom a few days since a word from 
that dear Amie had, by the powerful influence of the Holy 
Spirit, struck under conviction, rose and acknowledged him- 
self a vile sinner and justly deserving the eternal wrath of 
God, and desired that a special prayer might be offered in 
his behalf. 

" After the prayer was offered, one of the young women, 
an inmate of the establishment, rose and expressed a hope in 
the Lord Jesus Christ, having for a month past found this 
divine Saviour to be precious to her soul. She was followed 
by another convict, who said he felt more than he was able 
to express, but commended himself to our prayers. 

"As several had, since a few days, expressed a wish to 
have family prayers every evening, I then put the question, 
and requested those to rise who were in favor of daily prayers 
to ascend from their cells, and what was my surprise and de- 
light to see them all arise, except one drunkard who came in 
the day before, and from whose pores the alcohol was still 
oozing out. 

"Thus is established a family altar, and the regular month- 
ly concert of prayer, with two services on the Sabbath, where 
a few weeks since, nothing but oaths, light talk, and worldly 
songs were heard ; and without pretending to say that we 
have a general revival of religion, it must be admitted that 
we have been refreshed by a few mercy drops, but not, not 
unto the dear deacons, not unto my poor self, but unto God 
alone be all the praise, all the honor, all the glory. 

"In order to accommodate from one hundred and fifty to 
two hundred persons of a Sabbath, Mr. Matthews has pro- 
posed to the commissioner to take down at his own expense 
the walls between the entry and three west chambers; so 
that if my life holds out a few months longer, my audience 
will be so increased as to require an able pastor, rather than 
a miserable, inefficient layman like myself. 



326 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

"Within these closed doors, Mr. Wilder himself 
first learned the beautiful melody attached to the 

hymn, 

"When I can read my title clear, 
To mansions in the skies,' ' 
with its inspiriting refrain, 

"Oh, that will be joyful, 
To meet to part no more 
On Canaan's happy shore ; 

And there to sit 

At Jesus' feet, 
And meet to part no more." 

This hymn, thus sung, ever after remained a spe- 
cial favorite; and was among the last heard and 
almost joined in by him in the hour of death. 
Strange reminiscence this of prison life. 

"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the 
darkness." Did not our God remember this his 
word unto his servant ? 

Mr. Wilder' s friends far and near, as might be 
expected — Mr. John Tappan, Mr. Hottinguer, and 
others — exerted themselves promptly for his imme- 
diate release ; the former offering a large gratuity, 
$500, irrespective of the debt, which friends stood 
ready to cancel, in order to secure his freedom 
without delay. But an unexpected obstacle pre- 
sented itself: Mr. Wilder was determined, against 
all the entreaties of his friends, to let the law take 
its course. 

The reasons he opposed to repeated remonstran- 
ces and solicitations were in a measure valid, though 
tinged perhaps, in some degree, with the romance 



LATEK MEECANTILE LIFE. 327 

pertaining to his character. He was willing to yield 
himself " a sacrifice, if it would lead to the abolition 
of a 'Goth and Vandal' law respecting debtors;" 
he wished that all " his creditors should be treated 
alike, and share alike," and feared lest "ruthless 
men should secure undue advantage" over those 
"more lenient." He said to his friends again, "You 
surely will not be so unwise as to treat with these 
men while holding me in confinement, and thereby 
virtually offer a premium to other creditors to go 
and do likewise." And will it not be forgiven if, 
like Paul and Silas, feeling that he had been un- 
justly imprisoned, he would not be " thrust out priv- 
ily;" but rather that those who had thus treated 
him "should come themselves and fetch him out?" 

Yet while refusing relief for himself, Mr. Wilder 
eagerly sought it in behalf of others whose misfor- 
tune it was to be in like case with himself ; and in 
bringing release to some and spiritual improvement 
to others, he no doubt considered himself more than 
compensated for this deep descent into the valley of 
humility. 

Freedom came before long in the way for which 
Mr. Wilder had w r aited, and the only one quite sat- 
isfactory. At the request of his rum-dealing cred- 
itors, he was released at the end of several weeks, 
but not until his complexion had begun to pale and 
his health somewhat to suffer. His incarcerators 
made many apologies, saying they had labored un- 
der wrong impressions. Mr. Wilder freely forgave 
them, as well as the young lawyer, whom he termed 



328 BECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

"inexperienced," who had recommended to his cli- 
ents their unjustifiable proceedings. 

It was ever a source of gratification to Mr. "Wil- 
der that his home estate in Massachusetts passed 
into the hands of a gentleman of enlarged views 
and estimable character, who carried out his views 
regarding it so far as possible. 

Time rolled on without essential improvement 
in Mr. Wilder' s business prospects. In 1$45 he 
removed his residence from Bolton to New York. 
Here he lived for a short time in Fourth-street, and 
afterwards in Amity-place. The years 1850-51 he 
spent in Greenwich, Conn., where, during the sum- 
mer months, he had the society of his son-in-law 
J. B. Sheffield, Esq., and family. In 1852 he went 
to Elizabeth, N. J., where also he was in the neigh- 
borhood of relatives and friends. 

From 1854 onwards, Mr. Wilder passed nearly 
half the year — the warm season — at White Lake in 
Sullivan county, N. Y.; and thus, without much 
excitement or variety, the quiet years moved on. 
Supported on the one side by a consciousness of 
high integrity, and on the other by sincere reliance 
on the love and wisdom of the God of providence, 
he watched the progress of events, at times strange- 
ly hopeful that, especially from some Southern prop- 
erty, enough might be realized to meet every liabil- 
ity. But so it seemed not good in the eyes of his 
heavenly Father. Patience was to have its perfect 
work. From letters written by Mr. Wilder in 1854 
and 1860 we give the following : 



LATEE MEECANTILE LIFE. 329 

" We must be as willing to acquiesce in tlie just 
decrees of Providence, as we are ready to rejoice in 
his blessings, knowing that he ruleth in the army of 
heaven, and doeth his good pleasure among the 
sons of men." 

"Really we must acknowledge that, notwith- 
standing our descent into the valley of humility, 
yet the lines have fallen to us in pleasant places : 
and we doubt not that the sacred records of eter- 
nity will unfold to our acquiescent view that all 
things are ordered in mercy respecting us." 

Who can doubt this, and that even 

"Now as, through grace, his journey through, 
Of life he takes a bird's-eye view 

From near the throne of God, 
Mountains of ill all disappear, 
Eaised but to guard with love sincere 

The path unknowing trod ?" 



330 KECOEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

XIX. 

Was it not because of its singular appropriate- 
ness to his own case, that the one hundred and third 
Psalm was with Mr. Wilder such a favorite portion 
of Scripture ? In it David seemed most satisfacto- 
rily to express the feelings of gratitude and praise 
ever through gratfe springing up as a well of water 
from Mr. Wilder's own heart. Of him it might 
truly be said, 

"His life, of strange, 
Continuous change, 
For years did give him widest range 
On land and o'er the sea ; 
# Experience 

That Providence 
Had been his guide and sure defence, 
His heart's song seemed to be." 

Wonderful deliverances from danger were among 
the marked events of his career. We have learned 
of that wild sea-storm which "fixed his choice" to 
make a public profession of religion. He writes 
also of icebergs barely escaped, of detentions among 
the fogs near •Newfoundland, dangerous still even 
in these days of improved steam navigation; be- 
ing long becalmed, with short allowance of water, 
upon a glassy sea near Portugal. And what life, 



SPECIAL PKOVIDENCES. 331 

even that of a stranger, was safe during the waves 
and tumults of more than one French revolution, 
of whose scenes Mr. Wilder was eye-witness? 

To robbers also he was more than once exposed. 
On one occasion the diligence or stage-coach hav- 
ing met with some accident, Mr. "Wilder was obliged 
to walk to the next town or village. This was in 
some remote district of France. Not knowing the 
road, he inquired respecting it of two apparently 
decent and respectable laboring men passing near. 
They offered to put him in the right way, but on 
the contrary were taking him off some by-path into 
a wood, saying this was by far the nearest course ; 
when, sent by Providence as Mr. Wilder always felt, 
a Paris friend, one whom he was surprised to see in 
such a place, met him just in time. - " How now, Mr. 
Wilder ; which way ?" Mr. Wilder gave the name 
of the place where he wished to go. "You are 
wrong, my friend, quite wrong; my relatives live 
there ; follow me." And said this gentleman, when 
he had the opportunity, ""Do you know, Mr. Wil- 
der, you were in great danger? Those men are 
complete outlaws." 

Among other special providences which Mr. 
Wilder felt had often guarded his way, the follow- 
ing is given in his own words. 

"About the year 1807, during the period that the English 
were blockading all the ports of France, an "American vessel 
was loading at Bordeaux, which had obtained a special li- 
cense to proceed from thence to America. Being in Paris at 
the time, and wishing to proceed to America on important 



332 RECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

business, I wrote to Bordeaux to ascertain if I could be ac- 
commodated with a berth as passenger, and wishing to be 
informed on what day, wind and weather permitting, the 
vessel would put to sea. Having received the required an- 
swer, I started forthwith with a view to embark on the day 
fixed for sailing, hoping to reach Bordeaux two or three days 
in advance. But in consequence of deep ruts and bad roads, 
I was eight days on the route, yet still in time to reach the 
vessel on the day fixed for putting to sea, had not an axle- 
tree of the diligence broke seven miles before reaching the 
city, which detained us upwards of six hours. 

"Judge of my disappointment, on arriving the same day 
at four o'clock p. m. , on being told by the consignee of the 
vessel that the captain, having waited several hours and not 
hearing from me, and wind and tide being favorable, had 
left the river one hour before my arrival. Judge, I repeat, 
of my disappointment, after having passed eight days and 
nights on the road, without much sleep or rest, to find the 
vessel sailed, and no other in port with permission to leave 
for America without the risk of violating the blockade. 

"Nothing remained for me but to return, through mud 
and mire, four hundred miles, to Paris, really considering 
myself the most unfortunate of men. 

"Man proposes, and God disposes ; and how inscrutable 
are his ways, and how willing should we be, at all times and 
under all circumstances, to -acquiesce in his just decrees. 
The vessel in question was never heard from, nor the cap- 
tain, officers, or any of the crew." 

Mr. "Wilder met with a similar experience by 
land. On a certain journey in England, when par- 
ticularly anxious to make some special connection, 
a man passing just before him into the office, se- 
cured the very last seat of the only stage going for- 
ward that day. Mr. Wilder was greatly tried. He 
was obliged to wait another day. Arriving the third 
day at the next post-town, what should he and his 



SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. 333 

fellow-travellers meet but a long funeral procession 
following nine coffins in a row. The coach which 
Mr. Wilder had been so anxious to take was over- 
turned down some embankment, and nine passen- 
gers, among them the man occupying the seat Mr. 
"Wilder had wished to have, lost their lives. 

In this country also Mr. Wilder met with deliv- 
erances from special danger. He was thrown from 
a coach in the Green Mountains, near Somerset, 
Vt., where he was interested in some iron mines, 
and for some time after suffered in his head from 
the concussion. Again, in old age, at White Lake, 
in some way he fell backward from an open wagon, 
yet he was "borne up" from serious injury. 

Not special providences alone, but that constant 
guidance he had ever received through life, was 
with Mr. Wilder a frequent theme of gratitude. He 
would say, " What a string of providences, against 
my will and wish, and without any merit of my 
own, have, through the goodness of the Lord, guid- 
ed me all the way through this world of mutability." 

When urged to write some account of his life, 
he would say, " I could convey but an imperfect 
idea of the reminiscences and events which shaped 
my earthly career." 

In .reply to some solicitation of the kind, he 
wrote, " I feel a reluctance in responding to your 
reiterated wishes, from the consideration that there 
is nothing in my unprofitable life that would justify 
* having recourse to the personal pronoun to the ex- 
tent which I should feel compelled to do in order to 



334: EECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

exhibit a bird's-eye view of my earthly career, and 
at tlie same time render unto the God of all grace 
the praises and thanksgivings justly due to this my 
earthly and heavenly Benefactor for all his mercies 
conferred upon me from my birth to the present 
moment of my existence. In the mean time, allow 
me to exclaim, 

" 'When all thy mercies, Oh my God, 
My rising soul surveys, 
Transported with the view, I 'm lost 
In wonder, love, and praise/ 

1 In each event of life, how clear 
Thy ruling hand I see ; 
Each blessing to my soul most dear, 
Because conferred by thee.' " 

Yes, these well-know words seemed to Mr. "Wil- 
der ever a sufficient answer, when he was urged to 
prepare a more complete account of his course than 
the narratives he sometimes consented to give re- 
garding some particular incident or event. 

May the present incomplete records, gathered 
so imperfectly from various written sources and 
from the memory of friends, answer in a measure 
the same purpose as those Mr. "Wilder 'might him- 
self have prepared. May the effect of them har- 
monize with and carry out the great desire of his 
heart, that sinners may be converted to that Sav- 
iour who to him proved so faithful and- so true, that 
Christians may be inspirited with fresh faith and 
hope, and that in all and through all God alone 
may be glorified. 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 3<Si 



XX. 

The power of speaking a word for Christ ; how 
is the loving heart, the tact, the courage in which 
such a faculty consists, to be desired and sought 
after. Mr. Wilder' s was a bright example in this 
respect. Seldom withdrawing from social inter- 
course, winning the hearts of all by kindness and 
friendly sympathy, tempering his dignity of manner 
by flashes of occasional humor in his conversation 
in a way peculiarly his own, he gained a noble van- 
tage-ground from which to sound a note of warning 
or of invitation. Such was his bearing and deport- 
ment, that it seemed but natural to hear him speak 
of God and things divine. 

Mr. Wilder said truly, as has been noted, that 
from the time he "stepped into the broad aisle to 
confess Christ before men, he was never ashamed 
to own His cause; nor did he again know what it 
was to fear the face of man." 

Mr. Lewis Tappan gives his early impressions of 
him: "Mr. Wilder was firm as a rock in his evan- 
gelical sentiments. I remember seeing him, during 
one of his visits to the United States while he re- 
sided in Paris, in my brother John's pew at Dr. 
Channing's, pointing out to him very significantly 



336 BECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

a verse omitted in the reading by Dr. Channing, 
which, seemed to make Christ coequal with the 
Father. He appeared to have more decision and 
boldness, and more sensitiveness to error, than his 
religions friends in this country manifested at the 
time. It was quite natural, for he had associated 
in Europe with ministers of decided evangelical 
character, while many of his friends in this country 
were at the same time under the ministrations of 
men who were either in the dark on the subject of 
evangelical religion, or were endeavoring to hide 
the light from their parishioners. Although I did 
not at the time sympathize with Mr. "Wilder in 
religious matters, I respected his fearlessness in 
avowing sentiments he believed to be true." 

This fearlessness appears in some of his letters 
to various individuals. To a friend and neighbor 
he wrote, March, 1825, 

" My deab Captain — I regret that my letter of yesterday 
should have caused you a moment's uneasiness, or that you 
should have given yourself the trouble even to reply to it. 
You know that we are commanded to love our neighbor as 
we love ourselves. You, my dear sir, have ever proved your- 
self to be my neighbor in every sense of the word ; and it is 
that love I bear to you, that affection I cherish, and that 
friendship I profess which induced me to hand you the vol- 
ume of sermons and my letter of yesterday. We are com- 
manded to do to others as we would that others should do to 
us. Were either of us to see a friend or neighbor blindfold- 
ed going off a precipice, would it not be our duty to take him 
by the arm, and warn him of his danger ? If so, and we see 
him by our views, spiritually blinded, going into the ditch of 
destruction, ought our Christian charity to extend so far as 



SPEAKING FOR CHRIST. 337 

to yield assent to his views, and thereby facilitate his prog_ 
ress ; or ought this love and duty to constrain us to warn him 
of his danger, even at the risk of being considered by him 
uncharitable ? 

"My good friend, a few years, perhaps months or days, 
and time for you and me will be for ever at an end, and eter- 
nity will have commenced. We must be faithful in a spirit- 
ual, as we have been in a temporal point of view to each other. 
We have been seeking happiness in this life. We undoubt- 
edly desire it in the life which is to come. Your approving 
of and advocating the principles contained in the volume of 

sermons written by the Rev. Dr. B , which you sent me 

yesterday, excites my alarm for your future and eternal wel- 
fare ; and I cannot think that our friend and spiritual guide, 
the Rev. Mr. A ■, has ever perused all the sermons con- 
tained in that volume, or he never would have presented it 
to the ' Social Library ' for distribution among his people. 

"With all the Christian charity possible, I must confess 
that I consider the perusal of several of the sermons con- 
tained in that volume to have a more dangerous tendency, as 
respects the salvation of immortal souls, than the works of 
the late infamous Tom Paine ; and would it be prudent or 

judicious for our good friend Mr. A to offer a candid 

opinion, I would most willingly submit the correctness of my 
assertion to his decision. 

"As you have, my dear sir, kindly stated to me your 
religious belief, and what constitutes your hope for a heav- 
enly inheritance, and as we are commanded to be ' ready 
always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason 
of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear,' allow me, 
in obedience to this command, to state that my hope for 
future salvation is by a true and living faith in the blessed 
merits and mediation, the blood and righteousness, and the 
atoning sacrifice of a divine and crucified Redeemer, and an 
endeavor, by the aid of the all-powerful influences of the 
Holy Spirit, to manifest this faith by a corresponding con- 
duct. 

" Whatever may be the difference in our views with regard 
to the road which conducts the immortal soul from earth to 

Wilder. 15 



338 KECOBDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEK. 

heaven, I can, my dear sir, and do most cordially reciprocate 
all your kind expressions in my behalf, praying that we may 
both rind grace to lead us in the paths of truth, and at length 
enable us to reach in peace the happy mansions of endless 
rest. 

" Truly I am, my dear sir, your obedient, humble servant, 

"S. Y. S. WILDER." 

It would be difficult to separate Mr. Wilder's 
letters into the two classes of secular and religious, 
thoughts of God and heaven were so interwoven 
with his every action. Business letters would close 
as for illustration : 

" We have a glorious revival. Pray for us. As 
the vessel sails in a few minutes, there is not time 
for further remark. Truly, 

"S. V. S. WILDER" 

Another example of this is implied in a rejoinder, 
in a postscript to a letter from a business friend : 

" P. S. Allow me to request that you will not, in 
letters of business, allude to the prayers of my de- 
ceased mother." 

"In season, out of season;" is not this the com- 
mand? Even incongruity of time or place, by 
attracting more attention to a word spoken for 
Jesus, may be overruled for good. That mother's 
prayers have long since been answered. Her son 
became a distinguished advocate of evangelical 
truth. A long letter, specifying his reasons for 
change of sentiment, was published, and several 
thousand copies of it circulated. 

"While in Ware, Mr. Wilder commenced in his 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 339 

family a custom borrowed from the Northampton 
paternal home of his friend John Tappan, Esq.; 
that of haying each person at table repeat a text of 
Scripture at breakfast, directly after the blessing 
was asked. It was astonishing to see to what per- 
plexity even some learned theologians were reduced 
when thus suddenly called upon for their portion. 
Verses too were often quite misquoted. This habit 
of repeating texts was maintained by Mr. Wilder, 
with more or less regularity, for a number of years, 
and on the whole with good effect. Mr. "Wilder 
usually made his selections appropriate to the pass- 
ing occasion, though frequently falling back on his 
oft-repeated favorite texts: "Bless the Lord, O my 
soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name." 
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his 
benefits." 

Mr. Wilder's modes of giving were sometimes 
peculiar. It was not easy for him to restrain his 
propensity to study human nature in various cir- 
cumstances. 

A good Moravian minister coming to him one 
day for help for a church, Mr. Wilder told him to 
go first to a distinguished German millionaire of 
the place, with whom Mr. Wilder was well acquaint- 
ed, and then return. The minister came back to 
Mr. Wilder with a ten dollar donation from the rich 
man. Mr. Wilder immediately subscribed the same. 
"Now go back," said he, " to Mr. — — ; say to him 
he has been the cause of your losing thirty dollars. 
I had intended to give you fifty dollars, but cannot 



340 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

think, being in comparatively moderate circumstan- 
ces, of putting my name under his for a larger sum 
than he can afford to give." It is not certain that 
the Moravian minister carried the message; it is 
more so, that Mr. Wilder did not finally allow the 
church to lose the subscription from himself he at 
first proposed to make. 

Sometimes declining himself to give to an object, 
on the plea perhaps of numerous calls, or of having 
of late contributed to the same cause, while the 
applicant faintly smiled in acquiescence, it pleased 
Mr. "Wilder to see the sudden change to a genuine 
expression of satisfaction as he added, " but my little 
daughter there," or "that boy who has the misfor- 
tune to bear my name, has something for you." 
That boy, that only son, what dreams of usefulness 
and happiness, of schemes of benevolence to be 
carried out by him in after years, in which work 
during his short life on earth his father so much 
delighted to have him seem to take part, by giving 
extra donations to various objects in his name — 
how did these all perish in his early grave. Nor 
was the dear child's benevolence merely by proxy. 
His little heart was full of love. In his last sick- 
ness his thoughts were upon building houses fur 
some poor families recently burned out in the neigh- 
borhood. Surely there is a place, a life above, 
where such budding lives, seemingly incomplete on 
earth, blossom into noblest perfection of being. 

At the time of the revival in Charleston, S. 0., a 
young lady was first introduced to Mr. Wilder in 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 341 

her ball-dress, while her mother and sisters were 
preparing to attend an evening meeting, being 
deeply interested in the revival. It struck him 
sadly that she should show such levity, and he re- 
quested her, when led upon the floor to take her 
part in the dance, to reflect seriously upon her 
course, and to remember how soon the gay scene 
would be changed to mourning, to death, and to the 
grave. It seems his words were not forgotten ; she 
did not enjoy the company, and to his surprise and 
joy, she was observed, an evening or two afterwards, 
among those who were seeking an interest in the 
Saviour. She came to Mr. Wilder, thanked him for 
his faithfulness, and is believed subsequently to 
have honored her profession. 

Mr. Wilder's ideas as to the amusements of 
dancing, card-playing, the opera, and the theatre, 
were what is called old-fashioned. Were they nec- 
essarily incorrect ? Let Christians beware, in these 
latter days, lest the fear of making needless restric- 
tions, or of by opposition giving factitious impor- 
tance to these recreations, or even lest latent world- 
liness should lead them to trifle with the instinct of 
wrong with which the Lord has long hedged about 
his church in relation to these amusements. 

A nephew says, "About the time that uncle had 
those early meetings in his library in Bolton, at 
which I was often present, there was going to be a 
ball, which I intended to attend. I went to tell 
uncle of it, merely to see what he would say. 'Well/ 
said he, 'there must be a great deal of pleasure to 



342 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

an immortal being in just hopping from one foot to 
another ;' saying this in such a way as, in my state 
of mind, just becoming interested in divine things, 
was just suited to impress me. I went to the ball, 
danced a few times, but was so miserable I soon 
left, and have never danced again." 

As a match-picture to that of Mr. "Wilder and 
the young lady in Charleston, was an anecdote he 
often related of his friend Dr. Nettleton and a young 
lady in New Jersey. It was in this distinguished 
evangelist's palmy days, when fully engaged in revi- 
val scenes with such remarkable success : 

Dr. Nettleton had come from the evening service in some 
country town to his home for the night. The good lady of 
the house, rather an elderly person, after bustling about to 
provide her guest with refreshments, said directly before her 
daughter, a young lady of seventeen or eighteen, who was in 
the room, "Dr. Nettleton, I do wish you would talk to Caro- 
line. She do n't care nothing about going to meeting, nor 
about the salvation of her soul. I Ve talked and talked, and 
got our minister to talk, but it do n't seem to do no good. I 
wish you would talk to her, Dr. Nettleton." Saying which, 
and more, she soon went out of the room. 

Dr. Nettleton continued quietly taking his repast, when 
he turned round to the young girl and said, "Now just tell 
me, Miss Caroline, don't they .bother you amazingly about 
this thing ?" She, taken by surprise at an address so unex- 
pected, answered at once, "Yes, sir, they do; they keep talk- 
ing to me all the time, till I am just sick of it. If they would 
let me alone, I dare say I should do a great deal better." 
"So I thought," said Dr. Nettleton. "Let's see, how old 
are you?" "Eighteen, sir." " Good health ?" "Yes, sir." 
"The fact is," said Dr. Nettleton, " religion is a good thing 
in itself ; but the idea of all the time troubling a young crea- 
ture like you with it ; and you 're in good health, you say, 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 343 

Religion is a good thing. It will hardly do to die without it. 
I wonder how long it would do for you to wait ?" " That 'a 
just what I 've been thinking myself," said Miss Caroline. 

"Well/' said Dr. Nettleton, " suppose you say till you are 
fifty ? No, that wont do ; I attended a funeral the other day 
of a lady fifteen years younger than that. Thirty? How 
will that do ?" "I am not sure it would do to wait quite 
so long," said Miss Caroline. " No, I do not think so either ; 
something might happen. See now, twenty-five ? or even 
twenty, if we could only be sure you would live so long. A 
year from now ; how would that do ?" " I do n't know, sir." 
"Neither do I. The fact is, my dear young lady, the more 
I think of it, and of how young people, as well apparently as 
you are, do sometimes die suddenly, the more I am afraid to 
have you put it off a moment longer. Besides, the Bible 
says, ' Now is the accepted time. ' It is really the only time 
we can be sure of, and when we can expect the blessing of 
God's Holy Spirit ; for we cannot convert ourselves ; it is 
God's work. We must take his time. What shall we do ? 
Had we not better kneel right down here, and ask God for 
mercy through his Son Jesus Christ ?" 

The blessing of the Holy Spirit accompanied these words. 
The young lady, perfectly overcome by her feelings, kneeled 
on the spot. Within a day or two she by grace came out re- 
joicing in hope, finding that she had far from lost all enjoy- 
ment even in this life. 

On one occasion, when stopping at a country tavern, Mr. 
Wilder inquired about the minister of the place. The land- 
lord, who it seems was also deacon in the church, answered 
that their minister had recently deceased. ' ' An excellent man 
he was, sir ; lived among us forty years and more ; has mar- 
ried and buried us all ; an excellent, good man. " ' e And how 
about his family ?" said Mr. Wilder. " Oh, he leaves a wid- 
der and six children ; nice woman she is : not over-pert ; nice 
woman though." "And is she left comfortably off?" said 
Mr. Wilder. " Why, as to that," said the deacon, " I do not 
like to say. It does not do to praise yourself ; but as you are 
a stranger, sir, I will say that we have done the thing hand - 



344 KECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

some by her. There 's Mr. , he took one of the boys that 

•was big enough to help him on the farm. The widder, she 's 
gone to her sister's in the next town." " But what did you 
do for her ?" said Mr. Wilder, " Well, sir, I will tell you ;" 
and as if apologizing for some extravagance, he continued, 
"You see he was such an excellent, good man — so, on the 
whole, we concluded to continue his salary for three months 
after his death." "Well, really," said Mr. Wilder, "lam 
astonished at your treatment of this worthy family." 

Where do any American citizens get such contracted no- 
tions as were revealed in this blinded self-complacency ? 

Mr. Wilder, in common with other Christians, 
took an interest in the rising fortunes of the colored 
race, and would relate the following experience he 
had in Georgia in 1832, as proof of their native 
capacity and originality in the way of public speak- 
ing, which, if properly educated, would give them 
much power in preaching the gospel. 

" Having responded to the kind invitation of a 
distinguished Southern planter to visit his estates, 
located about twelve miles from Savannah, I was 
invited by my host on the Sabbath morning to 
address a few words of exhortation to his people, 
numbering some four hundred and eighty, who were 
then assembled, waiting our arrival. On reaching 
the place of worship, we found the pulpit occupied 
by one of his colored people, an elderly man, who 
suspended his address upon our entrance; but I 
requested our host to beckon to him to proceed. 
On resuming his discourse, he observed : 

" ' Veil, my Christian friends, I was a going to 
say, as most of you keep hens and chickens, you all 
know that so long as de little chick keeps near its 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 345 

mother it finds something to eat ; but when he think 
he know better, and strays away from its mother, 
as is often de case, it not only finds nothing to eat, 
but de hawk do come and pick him up. And just so 
it is with us, my dear friends. So long as we keep 
near de foot of de cross of our blessed Lord Jesus 
Christ, so long we do find spiritual nourishment for 
our souls ; but when we think we know better, and 
, we stray away, we not only find no spiritual food, 
but Satan do come and pick us up.' 

" The speaker continued in a strain of natural 
eloquence well suited to the comprehension of his 
audience, and far better calculated to impress their 
minds with the sacred truths of the gospel than any 
elaborate discourse by a merely erudite preacher. 
For myself, I was so truly surprised, delighted, and 
edified, that it was with extreme reluctance I as- 
sented to follow, even in a few words, a discourse 
so truly admirable, fearing to detract from the good 
effect already so evidently produced." 

Many no doubt remember something of the sad 
imposture of Matthias, about thirty years ago, one 
of the "false Christs" which our Saviour foretold 
would arise in the latter days. Through his mach- 
inations a number of really good people, by not 
clinging closely to the word of God as a rock of 
defence against all error, drifted away to the de- 
struction of character, of property, a-nd, in at least 
one case, of life itself. 

Mr. E P , a sincere and estimable man, 

then well known, was among the number thus car- 

15* 



346 BECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

ried away by this impostor ; and again and again 
he urged Mr. "Wilder to come to his house and 
judge for himself of Matthias and his pretensions. 
Mr. "Wilder finally consented to go, grieved at heart 

that a man of Mr. P 5 s apparently good, plain 

common-sense and humble piety should be left to 
fall into such delusion, but hoping to do him good. 

On Mr. Wilder's arrival, no one was in the par- 
lor but Mr. P , who went up to ask Matthias to 

come down. Some little stir was then heard over- 
head. A figure descended the stairs, passed into 
the back room, w T hich was fitted up, as to furniture, 
somewhat like a small chapel. It appeared in the 
open space under the folding-door arrayed in a 
semi-oriental style, intended to be impressive. 

Mr. Wilder made no motion to advance. Mat- 
thias drew nearer, and held out his hand. Mr. 
Wilder, rather drawing his own hand back, ad- 
dressed him, 

" Sir, if you are He you pretend to be, I am not 
worthy to shake hands with you ; and if you are 
not, you are not worthy to shake hands with 
me." 

Mr. Wilder was disgusted with the appearance 
and manners and wickedness of the man, and soon 
withdrew. 

"In season, out of season," Mr. Wilder seems to 
have been ready to speak a word in his Master's 
honor. In the steam-boat, the car, the omnibus, 
the country stage-coach, he was wont to make such 
remarks as these : 



SPEAKING FOE CHKIST. 347 

" We are all on our way travelling through this 
wilderness world ; shall we meet at last in heaven?" 

" There are but two ways in this life : one right, 
the other wrong. Let us see to it that we take the 
first, or we are lost for time and for eternity." 

"Here we are on our way from time to eternity," 
was his inscription in a way-side album. 

As time passed on, bringing venerable old age, 
it was considered by him a new talent to be used in 
his Redeemer's service, enabling him to make re- 
marks and give personal advice to young people 
such as they might have been less ready to receive 
but for what the Scriptures call " a crown, of glory" 
in that beautiful "hoary head." 

A devoted admirer of beauty, while pleasing the 
young by his compliments, he would give suddenly, 
now and then, a home thrust not easily forgotten, 
with his quick sense of the ludicrous touching off 
the follies of fashion and fashionable life. 

How often was he called upon for a story, a 
request generally pleasantly complied with. Nor 
needed he for this purpose to draw from cisterns of 
fiction. The wells of truth in his own observation 
and experience were more than sufficient for this 
purpose. Some of these narrations have been most 
imperfectly rendered in these pages ; but the look, 
the tone, the whole effect of Mr. "Wilder's manner of 
relating them, are not here, as from gay tints he 
passed to graver shades, yet all harmoniously under 
the toning of presiding religious principle. 

Few have been more beloved and revered than 



348 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

he; few have left in their day and generation a 
more permanent general impress for good. 

A neighbor coming in to look at him while sleep- 
ing life away in his last sickness, said, " Dear Mr. 
Wilder, I never met him but he had something good 
to say. The last time I saw him was at the d6pot. 
After some inquiry about my health, he observed, 

6 "Well, Mrs. , we shall never be quite right until 

we get to heaven.' " Truly said, truly felt, and now 
no doubt truly and for ever realized. 



LETTEE WRITING. 349 



XXL 

fjmiq flow fpmi f m& tfcg fpttwtf} fpwi f ^<rmk<[ 

Mb. Wildeb's correspondence through Lis mer- 
cantile life was necessarily a large one. Habits 
thus acquired were not easily discontinued, and 
during his latter years, letter writing became to 
him a pleasant employment and recreation. 

A valued friend writes, "Mr. Wilder seemed to 
belong to the Elizabethan rather than the present 
prosaic age." From early years his style in writing 
was highly typical of his character: ornate, yet to 
the point; redundant, yet terse and direct if occa- 
sion required; and seldom repetitious, each addi- 
tional word being there with a purpose, defining or 
amplifying the leading idea. Seldom did his power 
of consecutive thought show itself more than when, 
on account of failing physical power, he "was 
obliged," as he would say, " to have recourse to the 
obliging disposition of an amiable amanuensis;" 
for he was able to dictate long and involved para- 
graphs without repetition; and seldom losing the 
grammatical connection. In letters written by him- 
self in advanced years, his penmanship appears 
clear and beautiful almost as ever. 

Mr. Wilder never destroyed a letter or manu- 
script. By this means, many facts have been gath- 



350 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

ered relating to his history, otherwise irretrievably 
lost. 

Music was a delight to him, and none but that 
of superior execution could satisfy him. "When thus 
superior, either vocal or instrumental, he became 
enthusiastic, as many who found him a most appre- 
ciative auditor even in old age, will well remember. 

But the songs of Zion were those that best sat- 
isfied his heart. In a few favorite old melodies he 
was himself able to join, seemingly at times almost 
" called away from flesh and sense," in the upward 
aspirations of " Amsterdam," or the joyful hallelu- 
jahs of "The voice of free grace." "In psalms 
and hymns and spiritual songs" alone, did he find 
the true sublimity suiting his grand and simple 
tastes. 

"With his warm heart, Mr. Wilder never forgot a 
friend ; even remembering with interest those whose 
only claim was a local one, that of being neighbors, 
those especially of his native place. Neither " his 
own friend," nor "his father's friend" were forsak- 
en. His kindness to the old gentleman, Mr. Flagg, 
has been noticed. For another contemporary of 
his father, he in 1858 "resolved to offer up daily a 
special prayer for a month, that the remainder of 
his life might be that of devotion to God." And 
for those more nearly related, often did he pray 
that their hearts might be " early imbued with the 
riches of divine grace." 

The names of many of the friends he most loved 
have received a passing mention in these pages; 



LETTEE WKITING. 351 

but the shortest record of S. V. S. Wilder would be 
incomplete did it not refer particularly to his almost 
life-long friendship with John Tappan, Esq. of Bos- 
ton, who in prosperity and adversity was a friend 
indeed. An active correspondence was kept up 
between them. So dependent was Mr. Wilder upon 
this kind of intercourse with this friend, that in one 
of the letters last dictated by himself, he said, that 
when no new letters from Mr. Tappan came at the 
time expected, "he was obliged to read over some 
of the old ones." The mutual love and esteem be- 
tween Mr. Wilder and his long-known and constant 
friend Dr. Hallock, was uninterrupted from the 
time of their first acquaintance in the work of the 
American Tract Society; and to him especially it 
is due that these records have been collected. And 
Dr. Ohickering, the once dear young pastor, the 
faithful correspondent, the reliable friend in death 
itself. Such kindness cannot be forgotten. Guy 
Eichards, Esq., also was to Mr. Wilder as a broth- 
er. To him were Mr. Wilder' s last words on earth 
addressed, "All is well, all is well." What could 
we wish for more ? Such men were among those 
who, Mr. Wilder would say, " sufficed to reconcile 
one to human nature." 



352 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 



XXII. 

fm U pui{ M n^ I um &<{ > mi wm U ka«; 
Um will I tavv% p»j I Uvi{ «w% mi I wilt 
faa^ w« I twBI tm& mi mitt Mint{ p», lu, 

A w short months ago, in the city of Eliza- 
beth, New Jersey, were three venerated men, Mr. 
Wilder, his beloved pastor Dr. Magie, and Eev. 
Mr. Kittle, much endeared to each other, living in 
one neighborhood, and to be seen almost daily 
passing to the town and back upon one of its prin- 
cipal avenues. 

They are all gone. The walk once so familiar 
to them, and which in their absence seems to have 
lost a feature of such suggestive interest, now knows 
them no more. "Lovely and pleasant in their 
lives," in death "they were not divided." 

Eev. Mr. Kittle, or as he loved to be called, in 
memory of his pastorates in the Eeformed Dutch 
church, Dominie Kittle, was the first called above. 
His striking countenance, erect figure, and youthful 
energy cannot easily be forgotten. Eetired from 
active parochial care, he made his home in Eliza- 
beth, where, as he would sometimes pleasantly re- 
port himself at meetings of Classis, he was engaged 
"in laboring among destitute Presbyterians." It 



ELIZABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 353 

was his delight to attend the neighborhood prayer- 
meetings, and he did much to render them useful and 
interesting. None can forget his earnest utterance 
on his favorite topic of God's double gift to the 
Christian of grace and glory : " Grace is the bud of 
glory, glory the full perfection of grace." This 
perfection he has himself received. 

Eev. Dr. Magee, well named David " the belov- 
ed," the pastor with whom Mr. Wilder was so iden- 
tified, what can be said of him with heart blinded 
with recent grief in view of his comparatively early 
departure hence? Few people, few places have 
met with such a loss as when he, the revered pas- 
tor, the sympathizing friend, the reliable counsel- 
lor, the type of all that is excellent in man, passed 
away from earth. 

Young men, young ministers, older ministers 
too, may learn much from the life and character of 
Dr. Magie. His was ever an upward course, men- 
tally, intellectually, spiritually. His character and 
reputation well bore the severe test of a seventy 
years residence in his native place. There, although 
" in his own country," he year by year received in- 
creasing "honor." Marks of deeper study, closer 
thought, in addition to ever prayerful meditation, 
together with a more animated delivery, were plain- 
ly evident in his latter ministrations. Passages in 
some sermons never, alas, preached by him to his 
people, but read to them by his appreciative friend 
Rev. D. H. Pierson, seemed indeed as if written by 
a spirit already disjoined from earth, and taking a 



354 BECOKDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

comprehensive and unbiased, yet loving view of its 
expanding, eternal interests. 

Dr. Magie's glowing patriotism seemed to arouse 
his mental and moral power. No man did more 
than he by every possible influence to sustain the 
government in its years of peril. His trust in God 
that he would secure the right, was a never-failing 
fountain of consolation to himself and others. No 
scenes connected with the ministry in our country's 
Revolutionary struggle, can have been more striking 
than some during the late war in which Dr. Magie 
was a prominent figure, as, on occasion of raising 
the flag he loved over the First Presbyterian church 
of Elizabeth, he stood on a platform beneath its 
shadow and that of the ancient trees surrounding, 
his white locks blown by the breeze, while with 
strains of patriotism, sincere as eloquent, he inspir- 
ited the hearts of the assemblage of citizens below. 

Mr. Wilder's large experience of mankind recog- 
nized the noble qualities by nature which, in Dr. 
Magie, had grown up in Christ Jesus, into such 
rich symmetrical development; and Dr. Magie fully 
appreciated the excellence and peculiar characteris- 
tics of his older friend. 

During Mr. Wilder's last sickness, Dr. Magie 
was too feeble himself to visit him. When Mr. 
Wilder was told of Dr. Magie's inability even to 
cross the street to see him, he replied only, "I shall 
meet him in heaven." 

Dr. Magie survived his venerated neighbor but 
a little more than two months. He died on the 



ELIZABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 355 

morning of May 10th, 1865, the fortieth anniversary 
of the American Tract Society — a Society which 
they both so much loved, and the interests of which 
they had both served so acceptably j Dr. Magie hav- 
ing been a member and Chairman of its Publishing 
Committee for many years. 

Never was the loss of a pastor or of a citizen 
more deeply felt. The heavily draped pulpit and 
church but faintly expressed the universal mourn- 
ing felt in and around the city of Elizabeth. Yet 
was the gloom relieved. The words, " Thy will be 
done," "Remember the words which I spake unto 
you while I was yet with you," gleamed amid the 
darkness. Beautiful white flowers, freshly renewed 
for months by loving hands, about the pulpit, fitly 
typified his fragrant memory; and were pure em- 
blems too of hoped for resurrection and eternal 
life : the whole effect closely in unison with the in- 
spired words, " Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." 

In a letter to Mr. "Wilder, Dr. Magie once wrote, 
" It is pleasant to me to think of the many of my 
beloved people safe in the world of glory." Shall 
not those he left behind be comforted "by the con- 
solation wherewith he was comforted ?" 

Mr. "Wilder also much enjoyed his frequent so- 
cial intercourse with one so genial and intelligent 
as Eev. Dr. Nicholas Murray. One of the last acts 
of Dr. Murray's life, so suddenly closed on earth 
February 4, 1861, was to call on Mr. Wilder, intro- 
ducing Pasteur Fische of Paris. 

Mr. Wilder lived nearly thirteen years in Eliza- 



356 EECQEDS OF S. Y. S. WILDEE. 

beth. Quiet years were these, varied but by an 
annual migration for the summer months to White 
Lake, in Sullivan county, New York, or by short 
visits of a few days or hours to the city of New 
York, closely adjacent. 

Though for a long time it might be said of him, 
"his natural force was not abated," and at the age 
of eighty, his eye, before somewhat dim, had its 
natural sight restored to it ; and although he " had 
been exempt," as he would say, "from most of the 
ills that usually befall our fellow-men," yet time 
began to wear upon his frame. By degrees his 
strength became weakened in the way. His hair, so 
early gray that his appearance had been long more 
venerable than his years would warrant, now be- 
came bleached to more than silvery whiteness; 
while yet his complexion remained fresh and fair, 
almost as in former years. His activity long con- 
tinued a subject of remark, as well as his intelligent 
interest in every passing event. It was a period of 
decline ; nay, rather of gradual rising above the busy 
haunts of younger men, to the heavenly heights 
upon which his feet now stand. 

The yearly visits of Mr. "Wilder to the mountain 
region about White Lake were no doubt of great 
advantage to his health; and it were difficult to 
describe how much they were enjoyed by him, and 
what a source of pleasure his presence there was 
to others also occupying the White Lake Mansion 
House. Mr. Wilder, even in old age, enjoyed 
every thing with so much zest, that the feeling was 



ELILABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 357 

contagious. Here, as he would say, " retired from 
the world and its entangling charms, its corroding 
cares and busy interests," he did much to make 
White Lake the place of health-giving recreation it 
in many cases proved to be. In all the excursions 
and amusements of the young people, he long took 
an animated interest. Religion in him enforced 
respect truly genuine, yet was it seen to be devoid 
of gloom. Indeed the whole spirit of the White 
Lake Mansion House, while Mr. Wilder was there, 
proved that a truly religious atmosphere was not 
incompatible with suitable bodily and mental relax- 
ation. 

But White Lake life to Mr. Wilder was not one 
of mere enjoyment, social or religious. Here too 
there was work to be done for his Redeemer. In 
the immediate, and even more remote neighborhood 
of the lake, he became a self-appointed yet gladly 
recognized colporteur of the American Tract Soci- 
ety ; a truly republican change of office this, from 
that of being its first president. In a letter to a 
friend who had heard of Mr. Wilder's efforts in this 
line, he wrote, " This vocation I appreciated more 
than any other station I have occupied. With a 
carpet-bag of books and tracts, I visited, with my 
young and zealous colleague, upwards of a hundred 
families, offering prayers in their behalf, and dis- 
posing, by gift and sale, of large quantities of my 
store on hand ; but whether I was instrumental in 
advancing the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ in that 
region, the records of eternity alone will unfold." 



358 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

"When at "White Lake, that excellent lady Mrs. 
Codwise introduced the custom of Sabbath evening 
recitations of Scripture and of sacred poetry. The 
idea struck Mr. Wilder favorably. Although about 
eighty years of age, he immediately applied himself 
to commit every week a hymn to memory, which he 
would repeat at the appointed time with evident 
enjoyment to himself, and to the wonder and grati- 
fication of others. With the very exercise his mem- 
ory became strengthened even at this advanced age. 
A list of sixty or more psalms and hymns thus 
learned by him was found among his manuscripts. 

A friend closely identified with White Lake life, 
writes, 

" Mr. Wilder's whole religious bearing was so 
sincere and truthful, that no one thought of hesi- 
tating in responding to his overt acts in the parlor, 
at the table, or elsewhere ; and all that he did was 
done with so much dignity and seriousness, that 
every one felt constrained to yield to his wishes. 
He from the first commenced, and ever after con- 
tinued, morning and evening prayers ; also asking 
God's blessing upon every meal. Whenever a min- 
ister was present, he resigned to him the services. 
Never did a clergyman of any denomination nor a 
colporteur appear at the Mansion House, but he 
was at once treated with marked respect. Mr. Wil- 
der always began the Sunday evening recitations, 
reciting some hymn with his usual precision and 
firmness, which seemed to mean, i I am not afraid 
of the face of clay, nor ashamed of the name of 



ELIZABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 359 

Christ.' His urbanity was of tlie old school, cour- 
teous and attentive. For many years his dignified 
deportment, tempered by humor genuine and quiet, 
had a most happy influence at the Mansion House. 
He seemed ever to be growing in faith and devotion 
to his Master. On the Sabbath he always carried 
with him a bundle of tracts, which he felt bound to 
distribute at the church door. These were always 
kindly received, on account probably of his patri- 
archal appearance and the importance he seemed 
to put upon them." W. W. C. 

In his last summer residence at White Lake, 
occurred an informal but happy celebration of Mr. 
TVilder's "golden wedding," which the few there 
present can never forget. In the cheerful parlor, 
decorated in autumn splendor by loving hearts and 
hands, were hung wreaths appropriately made, the 
one of white perennial flowers encircling the figures 
of fifty years ago, 1814 ; the other of brilliantly va- 
ried leaves, dark crimson and scarlet, not many of 
them " yellow and sere," around the present termi- 
nus, 1864, under w T hich a peerless bride and ven- 
erated bridegroom were crowned anew by loving 
children, amid songs and congratulations, mingled 
also with "thanksgiving and prayer." 

In the fall of the year of this golden wedding- 
celebration, Mr. Wilder calmly took a final leave of 
White Lake, thus breaking another link that bound 
him to this earth, for it was a spot greatly endeared 
to him, not only by habit and by its numerous na- 
tive charms, but as a place where he had enjoyed 



360 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

so much pleasant intercourse with valued Christian 
friends, and where emphatically, "in blessing oth- 
ers, he had himself been blest." 

We have now but to consider Mr. "Wilder as a 
resident of Elizabeth. In the church and neighbor- 
hood prayer-meetings he took delighted interest. 
His prayers on these occasions became increasingly 
timely and appropriate, being no mere formula of 
words, but often relating to the passage of Scripture 
or the hymn which was read immediately preced- 
ing. The remarks he would sometimes make, usu- 
ally touching upon some actual experience of God's 
goodness to himself or others, were always listened 
to with marked respect. There was a sincerity and 
heartiness about Mr. "Wilder, an evident belief on 
his own part of what he said, that did much to se- 
cure attention and carry conviction to the hearts of 
others. 

Precious seasons were these when at times such 
aged Christians as Mr. Wilder, Dr. Kittle, Dr. Ma- 
gie, and sometimes Elder Elihu Price, would meet 
together to tell of the love of Christ which they had 
found unfailing, and to pray for a blessing upon 
themselves and others. Words of counsel and en- 
couragement from lips such as these, endorsed by 
long experience, and lives, through grace, so free 
from guile, fell with double power upon both old 
and young. 

At these meetings was also often present Rev. 
Dr. John Gosman, a highly valued friend of Mr. 
Wilder, who on one occasion made this succinct 



ELIZABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 361 

remark : " The original constitution under which 
our nature was placed uttered the stern injunction, 
Do and live. That constitution of grace under which 
we are placed on our receiving the Saviour reverses 
the order, and its language is, Live and do." 

It is pleasant to remember that Mr. Wilder 
never subsided into the vacuity sometimes attend- 
ant upon old age ; failing strength and somewhat 
increasing deafness being the chief reminders to 
himself and others of his many years. 

In 1864, Mr. Wilder met with a severe trial in 
the death of a dear daughter, a sister's child who 
had been to him as his own since her early child- 
hood. Her very name, Sarah Stoddard, that of his 
"honored mother," especially endeared her to him; 
while her lovely character, by nature a$d by grace, 
riveted more strongly still the affection between 
herself and her adopted father. In 1843 she had 
been united in marriage to Joseph B. Sheffield, Esq., 
and at the time of her death resided at Saugerties 
upon the Hudson. In answer to a letter of advice 
from her dear father in 1859, she wrote : 

"My deae Papa — Your truly good letter I re- 
ceived a few days ago. I can assure you I shall 
always highly appreciate it and the motives of the 
thoughtful, kind parent which dictated it. Truly 
the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. 
Pray, dear papa, even more fervently, that none of 
your children may ever neglect to recognize the 
hand of our kind heavenly Father alike in the cher- 

Wildor. 16 



362 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

ished gifts and delightful appointments of life, and 
in every tiling that may seem adverse. 

" "With many who have lived much longer., I too 
can testify that real happiness consists not in the 
good things one may possess, however attractive to 
the outward eye. As I glance over life's pathway 
thus far trodden, prominent above all the blessings 
of the way looms up that mercy which in my youth 
brought me salvation, a free gift, purchased by the 
sacrifice of our blessed Eedeemer. Like the beau- 
tiful mountains of our view when the sun makes 
them to shine in his glory, so this greatest of my 
blessings : it fixes my thankful gaze, and draws 
forth my gratitude to God for those who gave me a 
Christian education. She who two years ago went 
to her rest and reward, she, my dear sainted moth- 
er, laid the foundation of that education with most 
assiduous care and prayerfulness, and you, my sec- 
ond parents, faithfully built thereon. How blest a 
child have I been. Freely have I received; freely 
may I give to God my love, my life, my all. 

" One blessing is not yet mine. You can well 
understand how I crave the precious boon, the sal- 
vation of my dear children. May they be led by the 
Holy Spirit to the Lamb of God, which taketh away 
the sin of the world. 

" Your affectionate and thankful daughter, 
"SABAH SHEFFIELD." 

Mr. Wilder was able to visit this dear daughter 
at her home in the fall of 1863. She died, after 



ELIZABETH AND WHITE LAKE. 363 

long illness, in the following February ; and while 
he mourned the separation, it was with the hope, 
soon realized, of a speedy reunion with her above. 

The last four years of Mr. "Wilder's life were 
shadowed also by the dark days of the struggle for 
the nation's life. His loyalty was unquestioned. 
He wished our government to be sustained fully. 
He often said he " was ready, at eighty years old, 
himself to shoulder the musket in its defence if 
necessary." And if at times " direful forebodings" 
prevailed over brighter thoughts, were they not ex- 
cusable in one so aged, overwhelmed almost by the 
new developments in our country's affairs ? But in 
the darkest times he would always console himself 
by saying, "Well, the Lord reigns; that is suffi- 
cient." 



364 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 



XXIII. 

When a man has been known as a follower of 
Christ, and in public and private has spoken of the 
love of Jesus as a sure support in every trial, able 
to sustain the believer even in " the eventful hour 
of death," it is no vain curiosity which leads one to 
inquire, Did he, when himself called to die, find it 
"even so as he had said?" Most truly can those 
privileged to witness the scenes attending the trans- 
fer of Mr. Wilder from earth to heaven add their 
testimony to the faithfulness of the Triune God in 
whom he had so long placed active confidence. 

His health through the winter of 1864-5 had 
been sensibly failing, although the decline was most 
gradual, One effort after another had to be given 
up ; the visit to New York, the ride, the social call, 
above all, the visit to the house of God. Disease of 
a mild type was making inroads on that wonderful 
frame which had so well resisted the attacks of 
time. Mr. Wilder himself became conscious of be- 
ing feeble, and often spoke of the end as drawing 
near. Gently was the tabernacle being taken down ; 



LAST DAYS. 365 

by no" rush of tempest or storm, but by the hand of 
God, one pin after another was taken out of its 
place, until, on the morning of the twenty-third of 
February, suddenly, without especial warning, save 
by a turn of difficulty of breathing three days before, 
Mr. Wilder was finally, by a stroke of paralysis, quite 
stricken down. Rather -let us say, "He seemed at 
once raised," so writes one of his family, " to a sphere 
just beyond our reach. From this state, so bound 
as to his bodily faculties, it was feared at first that 
he would not rally so as to be able to communicate 
again with those around him. The brain was evi- 
dently oppressed, and he seemed bewildered by the 
strange helplessness to which he was reduced ; but, 
thanks be to God, his powers were soon in a meas- 
ure restored ; his mouth unstopped ; and from that 
time onward for several days he was able to speak 
many touching and most appropriate words of part- 
ing, mingled with blessing and almost triumphant 
notes of praise." 

Who that for days saw that venerable figure, 
surmounted by a countenance and head so noble, 
as it was " strengthened up " by pillows, could fail 
to be reminded of a similar scene of long ago, the 
dying couch of the patriarch Jacob ? especially as 
one member of his family after another was brought 
to him for a parting blessing, while messages of 
advice and love were left by him for absent rela- 
tives and friends. Nor did the similarity cease 
when, this work being done, he could bear up no 
longer, but "gathered up his feet into the bed," 



366 KECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

like a tired child quietly breathing away his life as 
on his Saviour's breast. 

Had Mr. "Wilder never emerged from the state 
of apparently semi-consciousness into which the 
paralysis _had brought him, no one could doubt of 
his acceptance with God through the merits of his 
Redeemer. But the Lord kindly answered the 
prayer he had so often offered for himself and oth- 
ers, that their " death may exhibit the triumphs of 
divine grace." No close could have been more fit- 
ting than was his to the whole current of his life. 
He was himself to the last. 

Listen to a few of his many utterances by which, 
when once his tongue was loosed, he was enabled 
to glorify God, doing good unto the end. 

"I trust in Jesus. Blessed Jesus ! Oh, I love him." 

"My blessing to all of you; but the blessing of 
the Lord Jesus Christ is more than all." 

To his son-in-law, "All is well. I am well in 
Christ Jesus." 

" Blessed Jesus, cleanse me from sin. The blood 
of Jesus cleanses from sin. Blessed consideration. 
It is all my hope, Lord Jesus. It is cheering." 

He repeated the twenty-third Psalm alternately 
with his new pastor, Rev. Mr. Roberts, and then 
said to him, " "When you preach to the great con- 
gregation, remember the Lord Jesus, the doctrine 
of redemption, the name of Jesus, whereby we can 
be saved. Is not that precious?" 

" To meet those in heaven whom we know, Oh 
it will be delightful." 



LAST DAYS. 367 

These expressions did not immediately follow 
one another. Mr. "Wilder was often quiet for a 
time, and would then break out anew, repeating 
perhaps some favorite hymn, sometimes at length, 
and with no hesitation or mistake. Among these 
were the following : 

"I '11 praise my Maker with my breath." 

"Jesus, I love thy charming name." 

"Jesus can make a dying bed." 

"When all thy mercies, O my God, 
My rising soul surveys, 
Transported with the view, I 'm lost 
In wonder, love, and praise." 

Hymns were also sung to him by trembling 
hearts and voices, in which he attempted to join, 
seeming to wish to aid the song with his own rejoic- 
ing spirit. 

Again, Mr. Wilder would say, "It would be dark 
if the Lord Jesus had not died for sinners." 

For an absent granddaughter and her husband 
he left the message : 

" ■ So may they live as truly one ; 

And when their work on earth is done, 
Eise hand in hand to heaven, and share 
The joys of love for ever there. ' 

" May they meet me in heaven." 

When asked by his physician, "How do you 
feel, Mr. Wilder?" his answer was, " Great peace." 

Mr. Wilder would also repeat the Lord's prayer 
and the hymns above mentioned, sometimes ejacu- 
lating, 



368 BECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

" My Jesus and my trust." 

" Help me, my Lord Jesus." 

" Yes, thou art precious to my soul." 

" How delightful to go to heayen ; to be for ever 
in heayen: how delightful; how delightful!" 

Again, he left messages to Mr. John Tappan, 
Mr. Guy Richards, Mr. David Hoadley, and other 
friends. 

Among Mr. Wilder's last sayings were, 

" Oh for rest evermore. All is well, all is peace. 
Happy, happy ! Amen." 

" Glory, honor, praises everlasting. Praise the 
Lord. O praise him ; praise the Lord. Praise him 
in everlasting strains! Farewell." 

Life lingered on until just after midnight on 
Friday morning, March 3, 1865, when, to use Mr. 
Wilder's own frequent expression, his " soul, eman- 
cipated from its frail tabernacle, was permitted to 
soar away and be for ever at rest." 

He died as he would have wished, in the bosom 
of his family, constantly attended, among other 
friends, by six or seven grandsons, the loving, effi- 
cient kindness of some of whom not quite his own, 
can never be forgotten. 

The funeral services, held on Monday, March 
6th, in the Second Presbyterian church, of which 
Mr. Wilder was a member, were conducted by Eev. 
Mr. Eoberts, Eev. Dr. Chickering of Boston, Eev. 
Dr. Hutton of New York, and Eev. Messrs. H. Eead, 
S. A. Clark, E. Aikman, and Alfred Chester, and 
largely attended. Friends gathered from far and 



LAST DAYS. 369 

near. Every mark of affectionate respect was 
paid. 

Mr. Wilder' s mortal remains await the resurrec- 
tion in the beautiful "Evergreen Cemetery," in the 
northern suburbs of Elizabeth ; and near them now 
repose those of his friend and pastor, Dr. Magie. 

A few years ago, in writing to a friend on the 
death of a daughter, Mr. Wilder uttered words he 
might even now speak, were messages permitted 
from the world above : 

" The grave over which your tears fall holds but 
the broken casket of the jewel, which now shines 
with heavenly radiance amid the angels of God, 
amid the myriads of the redeemed who encircle 
his throne, in the presence of Christ, for ever. 

"May Christ alone be your rod and staff, and 
you be clothed in his perfect righteousness while 
completing the days of your earthly pilgrimage, 
until called to pass through the valley of the shadow 
of death, to be reunited to the loved and now de- 
parted of earth. Then no shadow shall darken 
our souls or obscure our vision; farewells shall be 
sounds unknown; all tears shall be wiped away: 
our glorified spirits will be free from all tendencies 
and inducements to that which is evil. 

" Oh glorious hour, Oh blest abode ; 
We shall be near and like our God, 
And flesh and sense no more control 

' The sacred pleasures of the soul." 

He still speaks in the words written not long 
before his death : 

16* 



370 EECOBDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

" My dear children, allow me to say that i my 
heart's desire and prayer to God is/ that all your 
domestic relations and comforts may be sweetened 
by a participation of God's grace ; that all your 
prospects' may reach forward to another and bright- 
er world; that all your hopes may extend beyond 
the grave; that you may be guarded against the 
scepticisms, evils, and dangers of this ensnaring 
world ; that above all and over all your reliance for 
salvation may be founded alone, by a true and living 
faith, in the blood and righteousness and atoning 
sacrifice of an almighty crucified Redeemer, doing 
works meet for repentance, manifesting your faith 
by a holy life and conversation, and adhering to 
the great and essential truths of the gospel at all 
times and under all circumstances. 

" In short, may your lives be that of devotion 
to God, your death exhibit the triumphs of faith in 
Christ Jesus, and your eternity be spent with the 
just made perfect, amid the effulgent glories of 
heaven, in for ever celebrating the praises of re- 
deeming love. 

" Please say to my dear grandchildren, that their 
old grandpere entreats of them to seek first the 
kingdom of God and his righteousness, being im- 
pressed with the conviction that, by his grace, all 
other things which are essential to their present 
and eternal welfare shall be added thereunto. 

" I will say, in conclusion, that I have seen all 
that this world calls great and glorious. I have 
seen human nature in its most attractive features 



LAST DAYS. 371 

and in its lowest degradation. I know what it is 
to tread the courts of emperors, kings, and princes. 
I know what it is to tread the courts of a prison as 
well as of a palace. I know what it is ' to abound,' 
and what it is Ho be abased,' and I have come, ivith 
the aid of divine grace, to this solemn, impressive con- 
viction, that there is but one thing in this transitory 
world worth knowing, worth seeking, worth living for, 
or worth dying for, and that is, to know aright Sim 
who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and to rely 
only and solely on his blood and righteousness for sal- 
vation. 

" That this may be the happy portion of us all, 
is the prayer of your friend, 

"S. V. S. WILDER. " 



APPENDIX. 



SEVENTY-SEVEN MAXIMS, 

ADDKESSED BY 

S. V. S. WILDER TO HIS GRANDSONS. 



White Lake, N. Y., May 20, 1857. 
My deah Gbandsons — Haying this day, through the good- 
ness and mercy of a benign Providence, attained the age of 
seventy-seven years; and being admonished that, according 
to the common course of nature, my earthly career must soon 
terminate, while yours has only as it were commenced, and 
you must soon enter upon the busy concerns of life ; I sub- 
mit for your consideration and adoption the following rules 
and maxims, the truth and practical knowledge of which I 
have acquired from the sacred Bible, and by dear-bought 
experience ; and which I hope each of you may be enabled 
by divine grace to adhere to and be governed by during 
your pilgrimage in this changing world. 

1. Know then, that if you obey the command, "Seek first 
the kingdom of God and his righteousness, " all things that 
are essential to your present good shall be added unto you ; 
and that by a true and living faith, exemplified by a holy life 
and conversation, in the blood and righteousness and atoning 
sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is "the 
way, the truth, and the life," you can eventually secure an 
"inheritance" which is "incorruptible, undefiled, and that 
fadeth not away, eternal in the heavens." 

2. Aim to "do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk 



374 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

humbly with thy God," and "acknowledge him in all thy 



3. In all your enterprises let wisdom and prudence lay 
the foundation ; and energy, combined with perseverance in 
the< execution, will, with the divine blessing, produce bene- 
ficial results. 

4. In all your earthly undertakings never have recourse 
to nor rely on the patronage of the great, the powerful, or 
the wealthy; but rely on your own resources judiciously 
arranged, and on your untiring efforts vigorously made, and 
unremittingly continued; looking to God for his blessing 
thereon. 

5. Instead of attempting to lead Providence, be always 
ready to be led by Providence ; and never feel vexed or dis- 
appointed at any untoward event, wherein you have not to 
accuse yourself of neglect of duty. 

6. Never undertake to build without first counting the 
cost, and having the ready means to complete. He that bor- 
rows to build, builds to sell. Whatever you buy or sell, let 
or hire, make a clean bargain and never trust to "We sha'n't 
disagree about trifles." 

7. Never contract a debt without having the ability, or a 
fair prospect of liquidating it at maturity; and honorably 
fulfil all your pecuniary engagements. 

8. Never attempt to overreach or take advantage of the 
necessities of the needy, or avail yourself of the ignorance of 
the uninformed to advance your own interests ; but do to 
others as you would have them do to you. 

9. Let integrity, fidelity, and punctuality characterize all 
your dealings with your fellow-men ; never grind the face 
of the poor, nor do an act of injustice to the widow or the 
fatherless. 

10. Never purchase that which you do not want, and never 
want that which you have not the spare money to pay for. 
Owe no man any thing save love and good-will. Never put 
off until to-morrow that which you can accomplish to-day. 

11. Never swerve from the truth, even to save your neck 
from the gallows. 



APPENDIX. 375 

12. Among all the ships on board of which you may em- 
bark, be the most cautious in selecting, and the most partic- 
ular in forming a copartnership. 

13. Be familiar with none, intimate with few, confiding 
to one, but courteous, candid, and condescending to all. 

14 Think twice before you speak once, and tell not all 
you think, nor taste all you desire, nor say all that you know, 
nor give credence to all you hear. 

15. If you cannot speak well of another, be silent. Never 
speak evil, however much one may have injured you. 

16. Never avenge a wrong done to yourself ; but pray 
that the transgressor may repent, and be forgiven by your 
Father in heaven. 

17. If you wish to profit by your intercourse with oldei 
men, be the listener rather than the leader in conversation. 

18. Begard your word as sacred and as binding as your 
bond. Be careful how or what you promise, but fulfil prom- 
ises with nice exactness. 

19. Beware of epicurean propensities, and bear in mind 
that food which pampers the palate and the stomach is sel- 
dom nutricious or salutary. 

20. Let total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors be 
written on the tablet of your heart ; and remember that while 
the inebriate drinks rum, rum drinks him, God disregards 
him, angels despise him, men deride him, and the devil de- 
stroys him. 

21. Kespect yourself if you wish others to respect you. 
Strive to gain your own approbation, and you will eventu- 
ally have the approbation of all those whose good opinion is 
worth possessing. 

22. Keep from your minds all indelicate ideas. As you 
are the natural protectors, be also the stern advocates and 
defenders, not the destroyers of virtue and innocence. 

23. Do nothing that will not, with a clear conscience, 
bear a retrospective, self-approving view. We are happy 
just in proportion as we are virtuous, and keep a conscience 
void of offence towards God and towards men. 

24. To secure the good opinion of others, avoid arrogance 



376 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

and ostentation : entertain a humble opinion of yourselves, 
and remember, 

" That best of characters will always please, 
Which joins good sense with innocence and ease.* 

25. An act by which you make one friend and one enemy 
is a losing game : revenge is a much stronger principle than 
gratitude. 

26. Bear in mind, while basking in the sunshine of pros- 
perity, that you cannot prove who are your foul-weather 
friends, until the storms of adversity shall detach and scatter 
your fair-weather acquaintances. The man who fawns upon 
you in prosperity will surely trample on you in adversity. 

27. Our pretended friends flatter us, our real friends tell 
us the truth ; but it is in vain to look among men for more 
than man. 

28. Under a bland and smiling face is often concealed the 
unrelenting poison of revenge, envy, deceit, duplicity, de- 
traction, and hypocrisy. 

29. Troubles are like hornets, the less ado you make 
about them the better ; your outcry will only bring put the 
whole swarm. 

30. In the day of your embarrassment or adversity, never 
apply for aid or relief to one who is conscious that in justice 
and equity he owes you a debt, and from whom you have no 
legal document to prove it ; neither apply to one whom, in 
the days of your prosperity, you have laid under obligation, 
by having rendered him repeated and essential services. In 
the hour of need and distress rather apply to a stranger, or 
to one from whom you have already been the recipient of 
favors. 

31. Adversity does not take from us our true friends ; it 
only disperses those who pretended to be so. 

32. Never strike hands, or in other words, never lend your 
signature on any consideration, nor under any circumstances — 
not even to your grandfather ; but if you are free from debt, 
and have money on hand, give it freely to alleviate the sor- 
rows of the distressed ; or lend it to oblige a friend, taking 



APPENDIX. 377 

ample security therefor ; or rather, in preference, give it at 
once out and out. 

I once had money and a friend ; 
I lent my money to that friend ; 
I lost my money and my friend. 

If you are satisfied to profit by this theoretic testimony 
without having recourse to a practical knowledge of the fore- 
going facts, it may be worth to you collectively what it has 
cost me to ascertain the sad reality by experience. 

33. Poverty has the advantage of being disencumbered of 
sycophants, who cluster around the rich and powerful, watch- 
ing for an opportunity, like the vulture and hyena, to satiate 
themselves by feeding on the fat carcass. 

34. Kemember, we are what we are by the grace of God, 
and that "everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, 
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." 

35. Never be too much elated in prosperity, nor too much 
dejected in adversity. Learn to "know thyself," as the best 
means to acquire a knowledge of others. 

36. He that attempts to sit on two stools is in danger of 
being let down between them ; and he that sits upon the fence 
is often puzzled to know which side to descend. 

37. Disdain a base and despicable action in yourself, more 
than you would despise the wretch who commits it. 

38. Emergency, that evokes latent energy, contributes, 
more frequently than natural talents, academic acquirements, 
or classical taste, to make a man what he is. The more busi- 
ness a man has the more he is able to accomplish, for he 
learns to economize time. 

39. Those who are placed in humble circumstances, and 
occupy a subordinate station, know not what character they 
would assume, or by what motives they would be actuated, 
nor by what principles they would be governed, if exalted to 
wealth and power. 

40. Treat every man as if you believed him to be honest ; 
but deal with him cautiously until he proves himself to be 
entitled to your confidence. 



378 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 



j are 



41. We seldom find people ungrateful, so long as we 
in a condition to serve them. 

42. Every one looking downwards, becomes impressed 
with his own greatness ; but looking upwards, feels his own 
littleness and nothingness. 

43. Three questions to be put to ourselves before speak- 
ing evil of any man or woman : first, Is it true ? second, Is it 
kind ? third, Is it necessary ? 

44. Utter no word that will wound the feelings of those 
who are in humble circumstances, and never speak of natural 
defects in the company of the deformed. He who speaks 
upon those subjects which he is aware will tend to make an- 
other uneasy in company, is ill-bred ; and he who puts a bad 
construction on a good act reveals his own wickedness at 
heart. 

45. A miser gets rich by seeming poor ; an extravagant 
man gets poor by seeming rich ; but a punctual man is rarely 
a poor man, and never a man of doubtful credit. 

46. A well-regulated life will never know a vacuum suffi- 
cient to require a large share of amusement to be sought 
abroad to fill it. The true secret of happiness is to learn to 
delight in the performance of duty. 

47. Our fortune depends on external causes ; but our 
happiness, with the blessing of God, on ourselves and inti- 
mate associates. 

48. All people find fault with their memory, few with 
their judgment ; but he who thinks too much of himself, is 
liable to be forgotten by the rest of the world. 

49. True religion will show its influence in every part of 
our conduct ; it is like the sap of a living tree, which pene- 
trates the most distant boughs. 

50. We are strong when our conduct has been regulated 
by the golden rules of truth and honesty. 

51. Beason deliberates before it judges, but anger passes 
sentence without deliberation. When pride leads the van, 
beggary brings up the rear. 

52. Uniformity of temper is an important trait of character. 
A man ought to let circumspection characterize all his actions. 



APPENDIX. 379 

53. No one ever did, or ever will, or ever can love or es- 
teem an arrogant, self -conceited, dissolute fretter, fault-find- 
er, and habitual scolder : he employs his first years to make 
his last miserable. 

54. Speak with calmness and deliberation on all occa- 
sions, especially in circumstances which tend to irritate. 

55. A false friend and a shadow attend us only when the 
sun shines ; and money, or the expectation of it by inherit- 
ance, has ruined more men than the want of it ever did. 

56. The success of individuals in life is greatly owing to 
their learning early to depend on their own resources : let 
your discourse with others be short on matters of busi- 
ness. 

57. Few men repent of having kept silence ; but many 
that they have not done so. 

58. God looks down upon them with an eye of favor, who 
look up to him with an eye of faith. 

59. The highest offices are like tops of high rocks, seldom 
reached except by eagles and reptiles. Beware of the dan- 
gers of public life ; they have ruined many. 

60. Nothing is humbler than ambition, when it is about 
to climb. The true way of enriching ourselves is by cutting 
off our wants. The master's eye will do more work than both 
his hands. 

61. True wisdom consists no less in ability to give good 
counsel, than in a disposition to receive and practise it when 
given. If your means suit not your ends, pursue those ends 
which suit your means. 

62. There never was a hypocrite so disguised, but he had 
some mark or other to be known by ; and a friend, like a mir- 
ror, will best discover to you your own defects ; but he is the 
best scholar who has learned to have the fewest. 

63. It is wisdom to bear silently with evils we cannot rem- 
edy, but folly to clamor against them. Let a man do his best, 
and the world may do its worst. Misforjunes are not to be 
fled from or avoided, but overcome. 

64. Breaking your faith may gain you riches, but never 
will get you honor. Do injury to no one ; for by so doing, 



380 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

you but teach others to injure you. Never carry a sword in 
your tongue to injure the reputation of any man. 

65. He who keeps not his promises, will never keep a 
friend. Pleasure may lean on illusion, but happiness must 
repose on truth. Eeligion should be the garment worn next 
to the heart : too many only make a cloak of it. 

66. Men often mistake the love of their own opinion for 
the love of truth. 

67. Every thing that tends to emancipate us from exter- 
nal restraint, without adding to our own power of self-gov- 
ernment, is mischievous. 

68. Men dote on this world as if it was never to have an 
end, and neglect preparing for the next as if it were never to 
have a beginning. 

69. Blessed be any power which brings the immortal soul 
to the foot of the cross, conscious of its ignorance, its errors, 
and its sins. 

70. Never condemn your neighbor unheard, however 
many the accusations which may be preferred against him ; 
every story has two ways of being told. There are no faults 
truly fatal but those we neither acknowledge nor repair. 

71. As a wise and obedient child maketh a happy father, 
so a wise father maketh a happy child. As among wise men 
he is the wisest who thinks he knows the least ; so among 
fools he is the greatest who thinks he knows the most. 

72. Wherever you go, or whatever you do, endeavor to 
carry with you a sense of God's presence, his holiness, and 
his love : it will preserve you from a thousand snares. 

73. In your benefactious regulate your donations accord- 
ing to your ability and the importance of the object ; not by 
what others have subscribed. Let your personal and family 
expenses be small, and your donations to religious and be- 
nevolent objects as large as is compatible with your income. 

74. Consider the prompt and cheerful payment of your 
ministerial and pew tax as among your first duties. 

75. Esteem it a peculiar privilege to become well-quali- 
fied Sabbath-school teachers ; but in assuming that delightful 
employment, bear in mind the responsibility of your station, 



APPENDIX. 381 

and reflect that on the able and faithful discharge of your 
duty may depend, by the grace of God, the salvation of im- 
mortal souls. 

76. Honor and obey your parents, and vie with each other 
in contributing, by your assiduity, filial respect, and dutiful 
behavior, to render their declining years serene and happy ; 
and as you are the natural guardians of your more delicate 
and confiding sisters, be their stern advocates and protectors, 
and let courtesy, brotherly kindness, and affability character- 
ize all your relations and social intercourse with them. 

77. Let the Bible be your text-book for every thing relat- 
ing to the life that now is, as well as that which is to come. 

"Let not the morrow your vain thoughts employ, 
But think this day the last you will enjoy." 

And may this solemn consideration influence and regulate all 
your deliberations, sayings, decisions, and actions, both for 
time and for eternity. 

Thus, my dear grandsons, you have in theory as many 
rules and maxims as I am years of age, by which to establish, 
regulate, and guide your future course ; and I enjoin on each 
of you, as you mature in years, to take a copy of this docu- 
ment and peruse it at least once a year. And now, commend- 
ing each of you to the God of all grace, my heart's desire and 
prayer to Him is, that you may find grace to profit by the 
foregoing rules and maxims ; that all your hopes may extend 
beyond the grave, and reach forward to another and brighter 
world ; that your lives may be lives of devotion to God, your 
death exhibit the triumphs of faith in Jesus, and your eter- 
nity be spent in celebrating the praises of redeeming love. 
With these views, prayers, and aspirations, I remain your 
affectionate grandfather, 

S. V. S. WILDEE, aged 77. 



382 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEB. 



THE DEATH OP WASHINGTON. 

Chaklestown, Jan. 1, 1800. 
Dear Mother* — Among the various occurrences in the 
commencement of the new-born year, there is no event so 
distressing as the death of our beloved and illustrious chief, 
General George Washington, who departed this life Dec. 
14, 1799. 

Peace to his soul ! the fatal hour is past, 
And silence o'er him has her mantle cast; 
His deeds, his virtues are enrolled by fame ; 
Nor shall oblivion ever shroud his name. 
Then let fraternal love attune the lyre, 
And snatch a ray of Genius' sacred fire, 
While the sad strain, in soft and solemn lays, 
Dwells on his merit, and records his praise. 
Let the full chord to yon blue arch arise, 
Our Washington 's translated to the skies. 

In consequence of the afflicting intelligence, divine ser- 
vices were performed in this town on Tuesday, 31st Dec, 
1799. The town never exhibited a more solemn and interest- 
ing appearance. Notice having been given to the inhabitants 
of the neighboring towns, the concourse of people was almost 
innumerable; the stores and shops were shut at one p. m., 
and all business suspended. The bell was muffled, and tolled 
at intervals from nine in the morning until the service com- 
menced. The meeting-house was greatly crowded, and still a 
large proportion of the people could not get within the doors. 

The services were solemn, appropriate, and impressive. 
A very eloquent and pathetic sermon was delivered by the 
Eev. Dr. Morse to a most attentive, devout, and mourning 

* The ancestry of Sarah Stoddard, Mr. Wilder's mother, is traced 
to the knight William Stoddard, from Normandy, cousin of William 
the Conqueror, and who entered England with him A. D. 1066. His 
descendant Anthony Stoddard emigrated from London and settled in 
Boston in 1639, among whose descendants were Eev. Solomon Stod- 
dard of Northampton, President Edwards, Major-general W. T. Sher- 
man, and Eev. David Tappan Stoddard, missionary to the Nestorians. 



APPENDIX. 383 

audience. The music was solemn and sublime, and the 
whole scene exhibited in the strongest of all possible colors 
the deep affliction of the people at a loss utterly irreparable. 
The floods of tears— for 't was angelic to weep over the tomb 
of virtue — and the badges of mourning which were univer- 
sally worn, the church and hall hung in black, and a proces- 
sion of many hundred persons, composed of men of all classes, 
and the solemn grief pictured on every countenance made an 
impression which many years will not efface. 

I presume the sentiments and feelings which inspired the 
persons present pervade the country throughout. However 
divided into parties on political subjects, with respect to the 
character of this great man I trust there is but one opinion 
in the United States. As he lived beloved and admired, he 
has died truly lamented, and his memory will be honored as 
long as wisdom, virtue, and piety shall be esteemed among 
men. 

Vain is the wish and fruitless the attempt to do justice to 
the merits of the illustrious Washington. He was as a hero, 
invincible ; as^a general, unrivalled ; as a writer, incompara- 
ble ; as a statesman, unequalled ; and as a man, inimitable. 
He may with justice be pronounced the most unexceptionable, 
the most finished, the most godlike human character that 
ever acted a part on the theatre of the world. 

While matchless virtue shall be revered ; while transcen- 
dent talents shall command respect ; while the most brilliant 
and beneficial achievements in war, and labors no less ardu- 
ous and important in peace, shall deserve applause ; and 
while the love of liberty remains inherent in the human 
heart, the name of Washington shall stand enrolled among 
the greatest benefactors of mankind; his memory shall be 
cherished by every grateful succeeding generation, and the 
amaranthine garknd of fame which lately adorned his brow 
shall blossom and flourish with increasing fragrance, vigor, 
and beauty, till time and nature shall be no more. The tear- 
ful eye and throbbing breast of every American discovers the 
general misfortune of our country. America mourns the 
most illustrious character that ever graced humanity. The 



384: RECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

love of Washington is interwoven with the ligaments of each 
heart, and with our lives alone can we resign his image. 

How happy he who sinks to rest 

By all regretted, loved, and blest. 

For him the afflicted melts in woe ; 

For him the widow's tears shall flow ; 

For him the orphan's prayer shall rise, 

And waft his spirit to the skies. 

To deck his grave shall virtue bring 

The earliest tribute of the spring ; 

And friendship, weeping, shall repair 

To plant her mournful cypress there ; 

While in our hearts we '11 raise a tomb, 

'Bound which immortal wreaths shall bloom. 

And may we all consider that we must shortly follow our 
deceased benefactor ; and may his unequalled example and 
equanimity be inculcated and practised by his successors, and 
his inestimable virtues be transmitted to posterity. That we 
may all at last participate with him in the realms of eternal 
felicity is the sincere wish of your son, 

S. Y. S. WILDEB. 



FKOM A LETTEK TO ONE OF HIS SISTEKS, 1.801. 

Eemember that as nothing in this life is to be secured 
without labor, so the weighty and invaluable treasures of 
erudition are only to be acquired by exertions vigorously 
made and unremittingly continued. 



CLOSE OF AN ESSAY SUBMITTED TO 
DE. MORSE ABOUT 1802. 

What a multitude of great men— [speaking of the Koman 
empire] — of every kind does it not present to our view; what 
powerful, what glorious kings; what great captains; what 
famous conquerors; what wise magistrates; what learned 
philosophers, and what admirable legislators, who are all 
now, alas, sunk into oblivion. 

Such and so withering are our earthly jcys, 
Which time or sickness speedily destroys. 






APPENDIX. 385 

While all things are in motion and fluctuate upon earth ; 
while states and empires pass away with incredible rapidity, 
and the human race, vainly employed in the external view of 
these things, are also drawn in by the same torrent, imper- 
ceptibly there passes in secret an order and disposition of 
things, unknown and invisible, which, however, determines 
our destiny to all eternity. 

The power of Jesus Christ, the founder of this empire, 
is without bounds, measure, or end. Nothing is done with- 
out his order or permission ; every thing is disposed by his 
wisdom and power ; every thing cooperates, directly or indi- 
rectly, for the accomplishment of his designs ; and God grant 
that we may all have our share in that blessed kingdom, 
whose law is truth, whose King is love, and whose duration 
is eternity. 



DEALING WITH A PASSING VAGARY. 

Mr. Wilder was once invited to take dinner in Paris with 
some well-meaning people who claimed peculiar sanctity in 
imitating the habits of the primitive Christians. The dinner 
was not an extravagant one, but by no means simple. Two 
kinds of soup, two of meat, two of wine, two of vegetables, 
followed by dessert and coffee. Mr. Wilder partook of but 
one dish, and took no wine, coffee, or dessert, at which much 
surprise was expressed. When offered any thing, he said if 
they could prove that the first Christians ate it, he would 
also partake ; otherwise he could not consent ; and if they 
could prove that the first Christians ate so much as to oblige 
them to take coffee as a digester, he would do the same. The 
community of goods, he said, should also be strictly adhered 
to ; but this they did not practise. Mr. Wilder emptied his 
pockets of all the money he had about him, but no one else 
did the same. He was not again invited. 



17 



386 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 



STORY OF REV. FREDERIC LEO. 

Mr. Wilder used to give some interesting details of the 
private history of Mr. Leo, Secretary of the Paris Bible Soci- 
ety, in their simple truth rivalling the tales of mere romance. 

In early life, Mr. Leo and a young lady, the daughter of 
a German baron near Frankfort, became mutually attached ; 
but her father objected to the match, not considering him 
sufficiently his daughter's equal in birth. She would marry 
no other, nor would he. 

Years rolled away. The baron died, leaving all his prop- 
erty to this his only child, with the proviso that she was not 
to marry Frederic Leo. 

She continued both faithful and obedient, allowing her 
lover, after her father's death, no greater privilege than be- 
fore, that of seeing her at her window once a year for a short 
hour, he coming from Paris annually for that express purpose. 

Years still rolled on. Often w T ould Mr. Leo descant to Mr. 
and Mrs. Wilder of the charms of his beloved ; and hearing 
one day that they were about to visit that part of Germany, 
he. obtained their promise to call upon and see his friend. 

Arrived at Frankfort, they took an early opportunity to 
do so. It was at a pretty residence, not far out of the city. 
They asked for the lady, sending up of course a card show- 
ing by whom they were introduced to her. She was so much 
overcome at the idea of seeing any one who had come from 
her Mr. Leo, as to be unable to see them for three hours. 
They waited patiently, anxious to see the lovely lady so often 
described to them. 

At length slow steps were heard, and what could it be ? 
Yes, unmistakably the dull thump of a crutch coming down 
the stairway. An old lady enters — old, actually infirm. It 
was she — the dream of Leo's heart ; and as it seems, in his 
eyes still young and beautiful. Oh happy blindness of true 
love ! And her heart was still warm and fresh as when, 
long ago, she and her lover had first exchanged their vows 
of constancy. 



APPENDIX. 387 

Not long after Mr. and Mrs. Wilder's visit, the lady died, 
leaving all her fortune to Mr. Leo ; who still, however, re- 
tained his place as Secretary of the Bible Society. 

The above story has perhaps too prosaic a termination. 
Mr. Leo met in Paris another young lady, a recent convert 
from Eomanism, who he declared was the perfect image of 
his lost love. This young lady he married ; and thus ends 
the history. 



NARRATIVE OF REV. LEWIS WAY. 

The story of the manner in which the Eev. Lewis Way, an 
English gentleman of great wealth, received his property, is 
strange, and was often told by Mr. Wilder. Eev. Dr. King, 
who spent several days with Mr. Way on mount Lebanon in 
1823, and heard the story from his own mouth, gives it as 
follows : 

A wealthy gentleman by the name of John Way, but no 
relation of the Mr. Way above-mentioned, having no chil- 
dren, was looking about to find some one of his name whom 
he might make his heir. 

One day walking in the streets of London, he observed 
his own name over the door of a shoemaker's shop, and so 
went in, and said, "I perceive your name is Way. That is 
my name ;" and after a little conversation, he asked the shoe- 
maker if he would not like to go and take a little ale or por- 
ter with him. The shoemaker accepted the invitation, and 
they went together to a place near by where the proposed 
beverage was sold. A bottle of it was called for and brought, 
but there was no corkscrew with which to open it. "Oh," 
said the shoemaker, "I have one in my pocket.' ' The gen- 
tleman, hearing this, said within himself, " If I make this 
man my heir, a man who carries a corkscrew in his pocket, 
he will soon spend what I give him ;" and he determined to 
seek some other man bearing his name, to whom he might 
bequeath his property. 



388 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

Sometime after, lie saw the name of Lewis Way, who waa 
then a young lawyer, and in very moderate circumstances, 
made his acquaintance, and invited him to dine with him ; 
and finally proposed to him to marry a certain young lady of 
his acquaintance. The young lawyer refused, saying that he 
did not fancy her, and could not gratify his friend by form- 
ing such a connection. 

Seeing that the young lawyer had a mind of his own, and 
possessed very respectable talents, he determined to make 
him his heir ; and after a while he sent him documents in 
which he made over to him one hundred thousand pounds 
sterling, stating that at his death he might expect as much 
more, that is, another one hundred thousand pounds. On 
receiving these documents, to him so unexpected, he said he 
almost lost his mind, and shut himself up for about a week, 
feeling that he did not know what to do with such an im- 
mense sum of money. But reflecting on this strange event, 
he concluded that it was of God, and determined to use it 
for his glory. 

He afterwards studied divinity, and became known as the 
Rev. Lewis Way, took an interest in the Jews, paid a debt of 
the London Jews' Society of sixteen thousand pounds ster- 
ling, and went out as a missionary of that society to Syria, 
with the full expectation of visiting the Holy City, Jerusa- 
lem. Illness, however, prevented the accomplishment of 
what he had earnestly desired. He took up his residence for 
a little time on mount Lebanon, and then returned to Eu- 
rope 



PREACHING IN LANCASTER GRAVEYARD. 

The events here narrated were regarded as so striking an 
illustration of divine providence, that Mr. Wilder, a few years 
ago, dictated a narrative of them. 

A Baptist clergyman, being moved with deep interest in 
the spiritual welfare of the precious immortal souls of the 
people of Lancaster, came to that town, and after visiting 



APPENDIX. 389 

several families of his own persuasion, and not finding one 
who dared to open their dwelling for a prayer -meeting, 
resolved that he would go to the graveyard, with a view to 
preach "the truth as it is in Jesus" to any one who desired 
to be edified thereby. He accordingly gave notice that he 
should hold a meeting at the graveyard on the "Old Com- 
mon " on the following Tuesday at three o'clock p. m. 

On that day and hour some dozen or more assembled for 
the pious purpose of really being profited by the services of 
this well-intentioned preacher ; but there came upwards of a 
hundred others whose intentions were to disturb the meet- 
ing. Among these unprincipled persons was a man of some 
prominence in the town, who sat on horseback in the road, 
and cried out to the preacher in the midst of the sermon, 
asking when he "made his escape from state's prison." 
During the exercises, another man of considerable property 

and some influence, Mr. S , cried out to the preacher 

when engaged in prayer, and standing, it seems, beside the 
grave of this man's first wife and leaning his hand on her 
head-stone, ' ' Do n't make such a noise, or you '11 wake up 
my wife." In the singing of a hymn which followed, this 
same man exclaimed, "We want some grog to wet our whis- 
tles ;" and suiting the action to the word, he left the grave- 
yard for the tavern near by, and brought two pailsful of 
strong toddy, with several small mugs, and passed them gra- 
tuitously round among the crowd, who soon became so up- 
roarious that the minister was led to express to them the im- 
propriety of such conduct, and to adjourn the meeting until 
the following Tuesday at the same place, and precisely at the 
same hour as before, three o'clock p. m. 

During these occurrences I was absent in New York ; but 
on my return on Saturday, this preacher called on me, and with 
a good deal of emotion stated to me the foregoing facts. He 
added that he had understood from several quarters that they 
were preparing rotten eggs and other offensive missiles with 
which to pelt him at the contemplated meeting. He said he 
had called the day before on the clergyman of the place, and 
stated to him that, f eeling compassion for the deplorable con- 



390 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

dition of the dear people of his charge, he had come in tho 
cheering hope of doing something for their spiritual benefit, 
and now requested him, as their minister, to give him a line 
which might tend to soften any asperity of feeling or action 
that might manifest itself at the proposed meeting ; but the 
clergyman, on hearing this, arose, and taking him by the 
collar, led him to the door, and pushed him out of the house. 
"Now, sir," said he to me, "I have come to you as a Chris- 
tian magistrate," being justice of the peace, "to know if I 
can count on you for protection on Tuesday next ?" 

I replied that I much regretted he had chosen such an 
inappropriate spot for his intended religious exercises, but 
seeing that he had made the appointment, he might count 
on me to be there. 

The man at whose grave the preacher stood had married 
a second wife from a neighboring town ; but such had been 
his intemperate habits, and his ill-treatment of her and of his 
children by his first wife, that neither wife nor children had 
been able for weeks to reside in the same house with him, 
which was one of the most commodious in the place. The 
wife had returned to her parents. 

On the following Monday, what was my surprise on see- 
ing a man drive up at full speed to my dwelling, exclaiming, 
" S has just hung himself ! You, sir, and five other citi- 
zens are requested to come down and hold an inquest." This 
appalling service it was my melancholy duty to perform. The 
funeral was fixed for the next day at one o'clock ; but in con- 
sequence of delay in the coming of his wife and children, 
what was my astonishment, on reaching the graveyard at 
three o'clock as I had promised, in order to protect the 

preacher, to see the funeral procession, with Dr. ■ at its 

head, just entering ; and what was my wonder on beholding 
the body of the wretched suicide lowered into the silent 
grave on the very spot where the minister stood the week 
before by the grave of his former wife, when this blasphe- 
mous man cried out, "Don't make such a noise, or you'll 
wake up my wife." The clock was heard striking the very 
hour fixed for the contemplated meeting, three o'clock, which 



APPENDIX. 391 

meeting of course did not take place, and the good minister 
returned home the same day. God had spoken more loudly 
than man could do. 



THE HATTERS' SUNDAY VISIT AT THE BOL- 
TON MANSION. 

Neighboring families had been requested to attend the 
Sabbath evening worship in the library of Mr. Wilder's man- 
sion : the Spirit of God was there ; and so many assembled 
from Sabbath to Sabbath, that deadly opposition was awak- 
ened among the enemies of evangelical truth. Not far dis- 
tant was a large hat manufacturing establishment, and on 
one Sabbath evening several of the bold, hardy men resolved 
to present themselves and break up the meeting. 

As the usual attendants were assembled, and Mr. Wilder 
was about to begin worship, five rough-looking men entered 
and stood in a row near the door. " Mrs. Wilder, please set 
some chairs for those gentlemen," said Mr. Wilder cour- 
teously. "No, we had rather stand," replied one of them ; 
but the chairs were brought and set beside them. 

Opening the services, Mr. Wilder said, "When I look 
around me, and behold so many immortal beings here met for 
the worship of the living and true God, on whom we depend for 
life,, and all that is dear to us for time and eternity ; and when 
I reflect that probably in less than fifty short years our bod- 
ies will all be five feet under ground, and our souls gone up 
to give their everlasting account, I feel oppressed with the 
responsibility devolving upon me ; and much do I wish there 
was some faithful minister of Christ here to lead in these 
delightful services. I beg you, my friends, to pray that the 
Holy Spirit may be present with us, and that every soul here 
may be savingly blessed." 

At this the five visitors took their seats, and the services 
went on. A sweet solemnity and the stillness of death per- 
vaded the little meeting. Mr. Wilder's heart was deeply 
stirred, and as he was expounding a passage of Scripture and 



392 EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

uttering appropriate appeals to all present, he saw the cuff 
of the sleeve wiping tears from the hard faces of the stran- 
gers. The happy meeting was continued to its close, when 
the fi.Ye men lingered, and one of them spoke to Mr. Wilder: 
4 'We did not understand this meeting at all. We had a 
mind to break it up. But if this is what you do here, we 
like it, and we want to come again next Sunday evening if 
there is no objection. " " Certainly there is no objection, my 
dear friends," said Mr. Wilder ; "we shall all be glad to see 
you." "Then we will come," was the reply; and come they 
did, and there several from the hatters' establishment hope- 
fully fourid Christ. 



A MECHANIC IN WARE VILLAGE 

Two incidents which occurred at Ware Factory Village 
are given in Mr. Wilder's own words. 

As a demonstration of the little reliance that is to be 
placed on apparently death-bed declarations, I will allude to 

the circumstances of a Mr. C , who was a house-painter 

employing a number of hands, and who, on being invited 
several times by me to attend the evening prayer-meetings, 
which took place almost every evening during the revival, 
admitted that religion was a good thing, that he highly ap- 
proved of these meetings, and of the distribution of tracts 
and personal visits from house to house, but that when it 
came evening, he was really so wearied with the day's labor, 
that he felt more disposed to retire to rest than to unite with 
the people of God in these desirable exercises. Thus he went 
on from week to week following his vocation. 

One day as I was sitting in my office, one of his men 

rushed in, exclaiming that Mr. C was dying, and that 

both he and his wife wanted me to come up immediately to 
his house. On reaching the door, his young wife exclaimed 
in agony that her husband was dying, was dying, was dying. 
Entering the room, I saw the suffering man stretched on the 
bed and writhing in intense agony. 



APPENDIX. 393 

" Who would ever have thought I should come to this?" 
said he ; "and I have sent for you, sir, to pray for me and 
with me." " Have you any special favor to ask ?" I inquired. 
"Yes indeed, sir, that it may please God to spare my life and 
restore me to health again, that I may have one opportunity 
more of attending those dear prayer-meetings, and of conse- 
crating more of my time and talents to the service of the Lord 
Jesus Christ." The feeble prayers that were offered on that 
solemn occasion were answered, and the supplicant in a short 
time was restored to usual health. 

I fondly hoped from evening to evening to see Mr. 

C among the devoted ones who were generally present at 

our meetings ; but that satisfaction was not mine. On meet- 
ing him one day, I said I was happy to see him well enough 
to be out days pursuing his vocation ; "but I suppose," said 
I, "you do not venture out evenings, as I have not enjoyed 
the delightful privilege of seeing you fulfiUing your aspira- 
tions so fervently expressed a few weeks ago, when to all hu- 
man view you were about closing this earthly scene, and you 
considered yourself as standing on the borders of the grave. " 
Said he, "Sir, I tell you what it is, if you were obliged to 
stand on the rounds of the ladder all day long as I do, you 
would feel more disposition to retire to rest than to attend 
prayer-meetings. " I could not but admonish him of the dan- 
ger of his position. 

A few weeks after, he had a second similar attack while 
I was absent ; but our devoted pastor attended him, whose 
prayers for his recovery were again heard and answered, with 
the same pledges and promises as before ; but alas, the same 
apathy and non-performance of Christian duties was the 
result. 

In a few months he removed to a neighboring town, 
where, I understood, a third and last attack occurred, and he 
was launched, with but a few moments' warning, into the 
unfathomed ocean of eternity. 



17 



394 RECORDS OF S. V. S, WILDER. 

STORY OF A YOUNG LADY IN WARE 
VILLAGE. 

Towards the close of the revival, the village of Ware was 
divided into districts, and a deacon and a layman, sometimes 
accompanied by the untiring pastor, were appointed to visit 
every house, with a view to ascertain the spiritual state of 
each individual. Two years after, when I had returned with 
my family to our former residence at Bolton, I was passing 
through Ware village, when, on alighting from my carriage 
at the hotel, I was accosted by a little girl, whose mother, 
she said, had heard of my expected passage through the vil- 
lage, and was desirous of seeing me at her house. There I 
was met by the mother, exclaiming, ' ' You have come to a 
very sorrowful, and at the same time a very joyful house. 

My dear daughter A. P is very feeble ; but her life has 

been wonderfully prolonged, in the good providence of God, 
until this hour. She has for weeks past expressed a great 
desire to see you before she exchanges this world for an- 
other." 

On entering the room, her pale, delicate face lighted up 
with a smile as she said she had long desired to see me, in 
order to convey to me a message of the last importance in her 
estimation. 

" You may or may not recollect, sir, that during the glo- 
rious revival in our village, my father's house was located in 
the district assigned to you and one of the deacons for visita- 
tion. You may or may not recollect that you were also 
accompanied on your first visit by Rev. Mark Tucker ; that 
you were so coldly received by our family as not even to be 
asked to sit down; and that I, a rosy-cheeked girl at the 
time, attempted to make my escape up-stairs, when your eye 
caught me, and stepping forward, you handed me half a 
dozen religious tracts, saying that you had prayed over them 
that they might prove instrumental in bringing every pre- 
cious immortal soul under our roof to a saving knowledge of 
the truth as it is in Jesus ; and each of you, after exhorting 
us to ' flee from the wrath to come, ' and lay hold of that sal- 



APPENDIX. 395 

vation which is offered in the gospel, left us. ' Good rid- 
dance,' said- 1 after your departure, 'and I hope, from the 
cool reception those obtruders have met with, they will be 
satisfied to let us alone in future. ' I then proceeded to fling 
the tracts into the fire, among which I afterwards discov- 
ered was the Dairyman's Daughter. 'Don't burn them,' 
said my mother, ' but fling them on the shelf ; they '11 do to 
light candles with. ' 

" The next week, who should visit us again but yourself 
and the same deacon. ' Now, ' said I to the family as you 
were approaching the house, 'this is too bad. I do wish 
those overzealous men would be less officious, mind their 
own business, and let us alone ;' but nothing daunted, in 
you came, and if any thing, were treated more uncivilly than 
before ; and after questioning us as to our progress in the 
divine life, you again retired, without being asked to pray 
with us, or even to take a chair, but leaving some seven or 
eight more tracts, which, with the former ones, were imme- 
diately placed on the shelf without perusal. 

"From this second cold reception I hoped that a com- 
plete quietus had been placed on all future visits ; but to my 
horror, I beheld, the following week, our devoted pastor and 
yourself again approaching our dwelling. ' This,' I exclaim- 
ed, ' is insupportable, ' and I flew to the door and took refuge 
in my chamber, leaving the rest of the family to get along 
with you the best they could ; and after much exhortation, 
and your XDroposing prayer, to which my father and mother 
reluctantly consented, you again left us. 

" On coming down stairs and hearing the purport of your 
conversation, I exclaimed, 'I really believe those mistaken 
men do not take us for Christians, when it is known by 
every one that we attend meeting every Sabbath-day, partic- 
ularly when the weather is pleasant ;' and approaching the 
table on which you had placed half a dozen tracts, I with a 
brush of the hand at once swept them off upon the floor, but 
in falling one flew open, and my eye at once caught its title, 
* Sinner directed to the Saviour. ' I picked it up. Curiosity, 
rather than feeling that I was a sinner, led me to a perusal 



396 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDEK. 

of its contents, and this led by and by to a perusal of all the 
others, which had been previously laid upon the shelf. 

"I have not strength," said she, "to go into all the 
details which followed. Suffice it to say that I was shortly 
after, I trust, by the power of the Holy Spirit, brought under 
deep conviction ; and at length not only I, but all the older 
members of the family, obtained hope and peace in believing 
in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and we have been ena- 
bled by divine grace to manifest our faith by uniting our- 
selves with the church. 

" Now what I wanted to say to you in particular was this, 
that had you and the kind Christian friends who accompa- 
nied you been discouraged by the cool reception you met 
with on your first and second visits, I should probably now 
have been on the brink of despair ; but, praised be God, 
there are no thorns under my pillow, for it has been verified 
to me that 

" c Jesus can make a dying bed 
Feel soft as downy pillows are.' 

Never be discouraged in making visits to the unregenerate 
and the ungodly, however unkind, forbidding, and cold your 
reception may be ; but go again, go again — " 

Here her voice faltered, and she fainted. She revived, 
however, in a few minutes, when she had just strength enough 
to request I would lead in a short prayer, in which I com- 
mended her departing spirit to the God who gave it; and on 
rising from my knees by her bedside, I bade her and the 
dear relatives by whom we were surrounded a final affection- 
ate farewell, and resumed my journey with a heart overflow- 
ing with gratitude to God our Saviour for his manifold mer- 
cies to this dear family. 



TO A YOUNG PREACHER OF ERROR. 

"Ware, November 27, 1826. 
"My deab Sir — I consider it a duty I owe to you, to de- 
clare, as I do with much pleasure, that I have never heard you 



APPENDIX. 397 

spoken of but in the highest terms, as possessing every moral 
virtue, with an unexceptionable character. What I did say- 
had respect to your religious sentiments ; for a man may sus- 
tain a good moral character, and by that means be the more 
successful propagator of the most dangerous and ruinous error. 

1 ' I did say that which might be considered a disapproval 
of your views of religious truth ; and I owe it to your own 
soul and to the cause of that Eedeemer which I consider the 
propagation of your sentiments calculated to subvert, now to 
express myself more distinctly ; and in doing this, I do say 
that I deem the system of doctrines which you have embraced 
directly hostile to the true spirit and meaning of the Bible, 
and infinitely dangerous to immortal souls, and that in preach- 
ing them, you bear a responsibility which I would not sustain 
for worlds. 

" Before I close, permit me to conjure you to pause and 
reflect on this responsibility, and on what authority you have 
to publish such tenets, in view of that day when you and I 
must 'stand before the judgment-seat of Christ,' and 'every 
man's work shall be tried so as by fire.' " 

It is interesting to know that in after years the sentiments 
of this young man became truly evangelical. 



TO A DISTINGUISHED MERCHANT IN 
GERMANY. 

"Now comes a subject for which I am much less quali- 
fied, ' entomology. ' I confess I never took an interest in bee- 
tles and butterflies, though I profess to be a friend to know- 
ledge and science. If you will talk to me about European 
manufactures, or cargoes of cotton, rice, sugars, coffee, teas, 
indigo, ashes, bills of lading, etc. , I can understand and ap- 
preciate all you say. If however I should, par hazard, find 
any real warm amateur of the science of entomology, I will 
propose your correspondence. 

" " I had already learned, through our young friend M , 

that you were living in what might be called an earthly para_ 



398 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

dise ; and I am much gratified to learn that you have a young 
clergyman under your roof who you say 'is an able naturalist,' 
and who is much engaged in arranging your large collections 
in natural history ; this is well. 

"But I hope, for your own sake and that of your dear 
wife and children, and for the sake of the precious immortal 
souls at your delightful residence, that this good clergyman 
is still more engaged in endeavoring, through the all-power- 
ful influences of the Holy Spirit, to bring each of you to a 
saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, that you may 
thereby be prepared, one and all, on quitting your earthly 
paradise, to enter the paradise of God, there to celebrate to- 
gether for ever the praises of redeeming love." 



ON HEARING JENNY LIND. 

"Great as Jenny Lind is in ordinary music, her richest 
power and subhmest pathos are called forth in the touching 
strains of sacred music, which led me to exclaim with the 
queen of Sheba, ' The half was not told me. ' 

" With what gushing tenderness of emotion and sublime 
purity of expression were the heavenly strains of the song, 
' Come unto me, all ye that labor,' rendered, touchingly un- 
folding the ineffable compassion and grace of the sentiment. 

"And in that magnificent piece, 'I know that my Re- 
deemer liveth,' how triumphantly did the firm, clear, rap- 
turous tones of her sweet voice portray the majesty and lustre 
of faith's subhmest achievements. 

" The immense audience instinctively bowed beneath the 
irresistible impulse, and streaming eyes and stifled sobs on 
all sides attested the artistic triumph of the queen of song. 
The sacred harmony of these angelic strains still vibrates on 
my throbbing heart, and leads me to ask, if mortals are per- 
mitted to listen to such angelic strains here below, what will 
be the thrill of sacred joy experienced by those who may be 
permitted hereafter to join the more than seraphic ' song of 
Moses and the Lamb ' around the throne of God's glory ?" 



APPENDIX. 399 

AN AMERICAN'S VISIT TO THE KING 01 
SWEDEN. 

A New Englander had brought letters of introduction 
to Mr. Wilder at Paris, and obtained a letter from him for 
Stockholm, saying, among other motives for going, that he 
wished to see the king there. Mr. Wilder told him he would 
not probably be able to do so, except as the king might be 
riding out ; but the gentleman said he intended to do more 
than that. 

Arrived at Stockholm, he called on our ambassador there ; 
said he had but a day or two to spare, but wished to see the 
king. The ambassador replied, "That is impossible; there 
is no reception just now." But the persevering son of New 
England said he had come on purpose, and must do it. 

The next day he went to the palace, passed in with oth- 
ers, and when stopped, as he was several times, by some offi- 
cial, just answered in English, which they did not under- 
stand, "I want to see the king." They allowed him to go 
on, supposing him attached to some foreign embassy, until 
he came to one of them who understood English, and who, 
after the gentleman told him he "was an American, could 
not wait for a regular reception, but wanted to see the king," 
went to the king, and said there was an eccentric stranger in 
the ante-room, who insisted upon seeing his majesty. Let 
him come in, said the good-natured monarch. The gentle- 
man, upon his return to Paris, described the interview as 
follows : 

"I went into the room where the king was. Thought he 
held out his hand to me in a very awkward manner, having 
the back of it upwards "—etiquette called for a kiss upon it, 
but our republican did not know that — "however, I took 
hold and shook it, and said, ' How do you do, Mr. King ; and 
how 's your wife and family ? I have come all the way from 
America, and thought I would call and see you. ' The king 
was very polite, asked how long I intended to stay in Swe- 
den, and also some questions about America. Then he made 



400 RECORDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

a little bow. I bowed too ; and soon the king bowed again. 
I did not know at first that he meant by that to say good-by ; 
but pretty soon I came away. Our minister could not be- 
lieve at first that I had really seen the king j but the next 
day, as I was standing with him under a tree as the royal 
carriage drove by, the king saw me, and made a very low 
bow, and that satisfied our ambassador that my story was 
true." 



AN INCIDENT AT SEA. 

Once when crossing the ocean homeward with a gentle- 
man who became so despairingly sea-sick as to wish for 
death and profess that it was certainly close at hand, Mr. 
Wilder, after encouraging his friend in every possible way, 
but with vain effect, said to him, "Well, sir, then I must see 
the captain immediately, and inquire how much lead he has 
on hand." "Lead !" said the sick man ; "why do you care 
to know?" "Do you not understand?" said Mr. Wilder; 
"you see we are still far from land. It is well to make all 
necessary arrangements in season. Several pounds of lead 
at your feet, if the captain has it to spare, will best answer 
the desired purpose; and we should have to hasten the 
burial. " 

The sick man suddenly recovered. Rising up, he ordered 
a good beefsteak for dinner, and on that voyage was no more 
troubled with sea-sickness. 



WHITE LAKE SUMMER RECREATIONS. 

In the leisure of his summer retreat, Mr. Wilder fre- 
quently amused himself and others with sketches from his 
pen. 

"There seems to be concentrated in this rural retreat 
those who combine that circumspect deportment, that suav- 
ity of manners, that reciprocity of courtesy, that similarity 
of sentiment, that delicacy of expression, that refinement of 



APPENDIX. 401 

taste, that familiarity of intercourse always restrained within 
the severest limits of propriety, which is the result of high 
intellectual culture, and which in its development throws a 
charm over all the amenities of life. 

"Could all elsewhere have participated with us in the 
thrilling religious exercises of last evening, which still vi- 
brate with sacred emotion upon each heart present, methinks 
one and all would have exclaimed, ' 

" ' How sweet a Sabbath thus to spend, 
In hope of one that ne'er shall end.' 

"Did we all but possess and cherish in our hearts those 
heavenly treasures which were last evening unfolded to our 
enraptured view, well might we exclaim with the poet, 

" ' From every earthly pleasure, 

From every transient joy, 
From every mortal treasure 

That soon will fade and die ; 
No longer these desiring, 

Upward our wishes tend, 
To nobler bliss aspiring, 

And joys that never end.' " 



MONOLOGUE ON FLOWEKS AND WINTER. 

How much like the joys of earth are these fading flowers. 
They come, they linger a while in surpassing splendor to glad- 
den our hearts, and then they pass away for ever. 

The flower fadeth, but it fadeth to reappear again. Our 
now departed joys, if founded on the Rock of ages, will re- 
appear in heaven. 

The dreary winter will pass, and the sweet voice of sylvan 
songsters and the hum of insects will be called from their sleep 
of death, and awakened to renewed freshness and beauty. 

So all those who have yielded to the stroke of the uncom- 
promising king of terrors will rise again, if possessing a clear 
title to a heavenly inheritance, to glow in unceasing splendor 
before the throne of God. May we be among the chosen 
plants transferred from the garden of His grace here below, 
to bloom in perennial beauty in his paradise above. 



402 EECOKDS OF S. V. S. WILDER. 

A YOUNG LADY. 

In the blooming sixteenth, year of her age, her personal 
appearance was all that a connoisseur of female beauty could 
desire to attract the eye, and captivate and hold in thrall the 
affections. 

Of the middle size, her person was formed with such ex- 
act symmetry, that it might have served as a model for a stat- 
uary ; while in her complexion the colors of the rose were so 
delicately blended with the hues of the modest lily, that I was 
almost tempted to exclaim, 

"Delighted Nature looks, but looks in vain, 
Among her sex to find her like again." 

There is a pleasing eloquence that lurks in every look and 
lineament, which is ever ready to spring forth and give silent 
though powerful expression to affection, sympathy, and all 
the hidden emotions. Of this eloquence this young lady had 
received a liberal portion, so that a physiognomist might 
have discovered in the intelligent benignity of her looks, the 
purity of her intentions springing from a heart filled with 
love to every fellow-creature. 

But the beauties of her mind and the piety of her heart 
were not less fascinating than the graces of her person ; for 
under the direction of her excellent, intelligent, and well- 
disciplined mother, she had acquired an education far beyond 
the generality of young ladies of that day ; while her mod- 
esty, courtesy, sweetness of temper, and benevolence of dis- 
position threw a pleasing softness over her expressive eye 
and fine features, which almost approached to languor, and 
which was seldom changed to a more lively expression except 
for the purpose of dispelling the sadness, promoting the hap- 
piness, and enlivening those companions with whom she most 
frequently associated. 

Could such a lovely being be seen and not admired ? 
Could she be admired even by the most fastidious, without 
his thoughts being refined and purified, and his heart ac- 
knowledging the most sincere affection ; and, in short, who 
could regard her but as possessing all the charms and virtues 



APPENDIX. 403 

which adorn and elevate the female character ? [She was the 
bride of 1814, and of the "golden wedding" of 1864.] 



AN OCTOBER FAREWELL. 

WRITTEN BY MR. WILDER ON OCCASION OF THE DEPARTURE FROM 
WHITE LAKE OF MR. AND MRS. W. W. CHESTER AND OTHERS. 

" October 8, 1857. 
"Adieu to White Lake, our dear summer home, 
To the rocks and the woods and the flowers past bloom, 
To the valleys and hills and wild 'Lion's den,' 
To 'Redan' and 'Malakoff,' and lone, sheltered glen. 
No more will the echoes awake to the voice 
Of music and laughter when young hearts rejoice ; 
For wildly I hear the autumn winds moan 
A requiem sad, that summer is gone. 
Yet beauty still lingers, and weaves her bright spell 
Over forest and grove, over landscape and dell ; 
And decked in their mantle of crimson and green, 
The trees in their glorious beauty are seen : 
Their yellow leaves falling, seem sadly to say, 
Adieu to the loved ones who leave us to-day. 

"Adieu to the voices of friendship so dear; 
Adieu to warm hearts, and sympathy's tear ; 
To the jest and the laugh, and the gay repartee ; 
To the gambols of childhood in frolicsome glee : 
Adieu to the gifted ; no more on the ear 
Fall the eloquent words which thrill one to hear ; 
To the ' Verduous Yista ' and ' Lady Lake's ' prow, 
And all the bright visions which gleam on me now. 
No more will resound, 'All aboard ; 'tis fair weather,' 
Nor, 'Come, ladies, keep time, and row all together.' 
Adieu to the sunshine, the birds and the breeze 
Now singing and whistling through the dark hemlock treea. 
Adieu to the lake, where white sails are glancing ; 
Where sunlight upon the blue water is dancing ; 



404: EECOEDS OF S. V. S. WILDEE. 

Where on its dark bosom the gray mist is sleeping, 
Or stars, in deep silence, their vigils are keeping. 
Adieu to the landscape, the clouds, and the sky, 
Whose shadows reflected in pure waters lie. 
Adieu to White Lake, the home of my heart ; 
One look at the mansion, as sadly we part. 

"S.Y. S.W." 



To the lovely Mrs. Chester, whose presence had been one 
of the chief attractions of the Mansion House, Mr. Wilder, 
soon after her death, paid the following tribute : 

" Seldom have we known a lady who was so universally 
respected and beloved by all who enjoyed her acquaintance. 
The beautiful traits of character which she possessed in an 
eminent degree, and which commanded the admiration of all 
who knew her, are rarely combined in the same person. To 
a cultivated intellect were added a sympathizing heart, kindly 
social courtesies, refined and elegant tastes. Disinterested, 
expansive benevolence was entwined about every fibre of her 
soul, and characterized all her doings. But more especially 
will her memory be cherished for the genuine and benignant 
fruits of personal piety. Like her divine Master, she devoted 
her life to doing good. Jesus was her trust ; his promises 
her consolation in the hour of trial ; his grace her support in 
the last conflict." 



HUMAN LIFE. 



Our feeble bark, while gliding down the river of time, 
may not escape the adverse currents, whirlpools, and sunken 
rocks which lie in its passage; but with the Lord Jesus Christ 
at the helm, it will be conducted in peace and safety to the 
celestial ocean of eternity, where we shall be permitted to cel- 
ebrate for ever the praises of redeeming love. 

s. v. s. WILDEE. 



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CHALMER'S ASTRONOMICAL DISCOURSES. 

A work of inimitable eloquence and beauty, as captivating to 
the heart as to the understanding? "263 pp. 12mo. 

VOLUME ON INFIDELITY. 

Comprising the standard treatises of Jenynson the Internal 
Evidence, Leslie's Method with Deists, Lord Lyttelton's Conver- 
sion of Paul, Bishop Watson's reply to Gibbon and Paine, and 
West on the Eesurrection. 576 pp. 18mo. 

Also, three of the above in separate form : namely, 

WATSON'S REPLY TO PAINE. 

Two hundred and twenty-two pages 18mo. 

LYTTELTON'S CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. 

One hundred and twelve pages 18mo. 

JENYNS ON THE INTERNAL EVIDENCE. 

One hundred pages 18mo. 

Bootrc>* m&x on the wvwb authority 6> the nm vmmmr. 

An able evangelical treatise, adapted at once to convince and 
move the heart of the reader. 252 pp. 18mo. 




















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