The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-10-19
From the Presbyterian Of the West
The Late Rev. John Wright.


with his life and labors.
The Rev. John Wright was born in
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in
February, l777, and died at the residence
of his son, the Rev. E. W. Wright, in Del
lphi, Indiana, on the 3lst ult. During the Il
early part of his life, the county where he
lived was thronged with Indians, who
thirsted for the blood Of their oppressors,
and his earliest recollections of the house
of God, were associated with the trusty ri
fles which were carried on the shoulders
of the worshippers, and stacked in an .ac-
cessible place during the hours of worship.
His father was engaged in mercantile pur-
suits, and in fulfilling contracts to supply |
the army with provisions. 1t frequently |
fell to his lot, when but youth, to accom-
pany caravan with pack-horses, for hun |
dreds of miles throug h the wilderness, and
on one or two occasions they ioated down
the Ohio in barks laden with PROVISIONS
In scenes of adventure and peril, such as
these, he acquired a fondness for frontier
life, and it was to him a school Of disci
pline, in which the providence of God
! qualified him for the toilsome and self-de-
, nying life of missionary in the new set
Elements, for enduring hardships as sell
> dier of Jesus Christ, and for eminent sue
cess in his service. He commenced his
: literary course at the Academy at Cannons-
: burg, and graduated at Dickinson College,
then under the Presidency of the venerable
: DR.. Nesbit. He studied theology with
: the Rev. DR.. Power, who was an uncle Of
S This, and the Rev. David Smith, men whose
e praise is still in all the churches of that re-
Q gion. He was licensed to preach by the
! Presbytery of Redstone, about the year
n 1900, so near as we have been able to as
r certain. Being in feeble health, he enga-
J. ged for two or three years in missionary
g labors, visiting destitute settlements in his
:. route through Virginia. North and South
e Carolina, and returning through regions
"a consisting Of Tennessee, Kentucky and
e Ohio. About this time he made a trip
Il across the ocean, visiting Liverpool and
d London, and spent one Sabbath under the
J. mins'rations of the Rev. John Newton, al
Ie that time nearly eighty years of age, but
l. still active in the ministry.
st Whilst engaged in his missionary labors
g he became acquainted with little band o
y Presbyterans who had settled upon the
IN banks of the Hockhocking and Rushcreek
III in the wilderness of Ohio; and, after visit
ing them several times, finally settled
it among them in 1904. The town of Ian
r. caster was then in infancy, consisting of q
ly few log cabins. Here he continued preach
je ing the gospel with great constancy and
l. faithfulness to the $ame flock for thirty-twc
r. years. His labors, particularly for some
n years, were by no means confined to hi,
of own congregations, but were scattered
to over wide extent of country, visiting
lg destitute settlements, and organising chur
I'd ches among them. Many of the churches
~ II that part of the Synod of Ohio were or.
IL CARRIED through his instrumentalty. Ii
RS the year 1886, much to the regret of O
= people who were devotedly attached to him,
D. and of the whole community, who univer.
er sally loved and honored him, he was indu
ced to retire from the active duties of the
st ministry, and seek in the society of hi.
y children that repose which his increasing
- infmities demanded. So completely had
I'd he gained the esteem and confidence of the
O. entire community, that all classes throng
r ed his residence on the morning of his de
- parture, ndmany accompanied himSevera
us miles upon his journey, as a token of the
Id kind regard. Ono of the city papers, who's,
SO editor was not religious man, in Ions
O. article on the subject, remarked that
Id greater calamity could not have befallel
nd the place, than the removal of one to whom
IS everybody involuntarily looked as mode
a of christian excellence, and as a father ant
DIS a friend.
e. During the last eighteen years Fathe
all Wright had resided in Logansport, Indi
n ana, honored and beloved by all who knew
Id him. The Presbytery of Logansport ha
to just been organized at the time of his re
re moval, and for severel years he was abb
N to preach to its destitutions almost ever
an Sabbath. He was never idle as long as h
all was able to work. His counsels and ad
id vice were almost invaluable to rexperien
lis ced members during the severe and pro
n. tracted difficulties attending the division
b. in 1889; and his name will ever be as
IT. sociated with the history of our Presbyter
it. rs one of its earliest and most faithful mem
ou bers; he was indeed father among us, an
lis was always present in our meetings, unit
ly entirely disabled by infrmity.
r. At the time of his death he was on Wis
n, il to his son, Rev. L. w. Wright, in De
II, phi; and on one Of those excessively he
in Sabbaths in July was overcome by the in
IN tense heat on returning from church, ant
MS though he lived several weeks, he neve
rs recovered his exhausted energies. No di.
II, case assailed him rs the messenger to brin
him 10 heaven. No burning fever racke
or his enfeebled frame. No aching pains fiji
io cd him with anguish. 1t was a gener,
y, failing of the powers of nature. The GO
den bowl sf life was drained ofits content,
He ceased to live, because his mission o
earth was ended Having outlived hi
generation, and the prospect of greater use
fulness, he had no desire bui to depart an
be with Christ And when death came h
ry calmly committed himselfto God, and fe
he asleep in Jesus without struggle, sweet
~, " as an infant seeks repose upon its moth
"S er's breast. "Let me die the death of tn
" righteous, and lot my last end be like his.
The following brief description of hir
from tho Lounn es,n.T ,.