A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
History
A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
his wishes and desires for thorough usefulness in the cause of God and
humanity. Therefore, in 1855 he left fatherland, and made his home among
strangers. Few men have landed in America under more unfavourable
circumstances. He had no friends to meet him, and very little money in
his pocket when he landed in New York. Shortly after his arrival he
started on a tramp through some of the western and southern states, and
having satisfied his curiosity with regard to those places, he resolved
to see what Canada was like, and visit some friends who had lately
arrived from the old country. With this desire he started, and soon
reached the country of his successes and his triumphs. Here he became
the subject of impressions convincing in their tendency, that it was his
duty to thoroughly consecrate himself to the work of the ministry, and
from that time he resolved to devote himself to the preaching of the
gospel. He was denominationally connected with the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Canada, and received from it his first station in the city of
Hamilton. After having served about a year in this place, he began to
feel the great importance of the “high calling”—wished to be a minister
of power, “rightly dividing the word of truth,” and believed that God’s
work was a grand work calling for good, holy, and educated men. Being
poor, he had not the means at his disposal to enable him to carry out
his aspirations, but a friend kindly aided with money. He then made all
the necessary arrangements, and went to the Boston Theological
Institute, where he remained several years, and completed his course of
literary, classical, and theological studies, graduating from that
institution. On leaving college, he made arrangements to enter the
Methodist church, South, but in consequence of the breaking out of the
southern rebellion he was forced to abandon the idea. He then returned
to Canada, and after having preached at Goderich for a year, he sailed
for Europe, determined to gather up information from the various learned
institutes of the eastern continent, and thereby prepare himself for a
wider sphere of usefulness. In England, after his return there, he
lectured and preached on many occasions, and was a wonder to the friends
who had known him before he went to America. On his return from Europe,
he received a station at Orono, where he preached for two years, and
from this place he moved to Belleville, the seat of Albert University,
where he remained about eight years. At this time the Genesee College
conferred upon him the degree of M.A., and the Ohio Wesleyan University
that of D.D. While stationed at Belleville, Rev. Dr. Wild did double
work, acting as pastor of the Methodist Church and professor of Oriental
languages in the university. At the time he went to Belleville the
university was greatly embarrassed for want of funds, but he undertook
the position of treasurer, and through preaching and lecturing succeeded
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