Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-08-28
JOHN LEIGHTON WILSON.
An Interesting Volume Interestingly Re-
viewed by an Able Reviewer.

viewed by an Able Reviewer.
For the YorkvIlle Enquirer.
MEMOIRS OF REV. JOHN LEIGHTON WILL
son, D. D., MISSIONARY TO AFRICA,
AND SECRETARY OF FOREIGN MIS-
s1oNs. By Hampden G. DuBose, D.
D., Presbyterian Committee of Pub
lication, Richmond, Va. PIP. 336.
Sl.50.
When, at the opening of the Synod
of South Carolina, in Yorkville in
1890, DR.. DuBose delivered memorial
address on the life and character of
DR.. Leighton Wilson, many who heard
the address felt that the speaker would
render a lasting service to the church
and to the cause of religion by giving
it more permanent form. The vol
ume before US is the outgrowth Of that
address. Though written by busy
missionary, for the most part while
journeying from place to place, with
less than "a hours of home work devo-
ted to it, there is no evidence of any
lack of care in its preparation and
while the author modestly claims only
to be "an editor, not and author" yet
he shows himself here, as elsewhere,
"a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed"
We can all imagine that this work
las labor of love. Intimately ac-
quainted with DR.. Wilson from his
boyhood; powerfully impressed by his
earnest and consecrated spirit; him.
self devoted missionary, and sustain
ing q most intimate relation to him
while secretary; he could write econ
amore," and with full appreciation of
his subject. The book is an interest
ing and inspiring one; how could it
be otherwise with such subject? DR..
Wilson was not brilliant man, but
what was infinitely better, an eminent
ly useful one; and it would be exceed
ingly difficult to find in modern times
one who has done more lasting good
in the world.
For more than IS years he did hero
ic service as a missionary in Africa.
Graduating in the first class that went
out from Columbia seminary, he and
his youthful bride went out as pioneers
to that dark continent, and we may
catch some idea of the hardships con-
nected with such an undertaking when
we call to mind the statement made in
this narrative, that with the exception
of the wife Of missionary who came
to their home from passing vessel and
died there after an illness of three
weeks, Mrs. Wilson did not see the
face of white woman for five years.
Two years after their settlement at
Cape Palnas they had the pleasure Of
welcoming missionary and his wife
who had been sent to share their labors,
but in one short month they had bur-
led both of them; and of those who
joined that mission during the first l6
years Of its existence, one half died
shortly after their arrival.
Although his fellow laborers were
falling by his side, and though he was
himself often stricken with the deadly
fever, yet DR.. Wilson declined fur
lough, on the ground that his return
would endanger the mission, and re-
mained in that deadly climate y
years before returning to his native
land
While the direct fruits of his labors
were by no means small, it was as a
pioneer that he rendered the greatest
service to Africa. He travelled up and
down the coast for $500 miles
explored the adjacent interior, gather
ing vast amount of information as to
the country and it's inhabitants; re-
duced two languages to writing, ,prepar-
ing grammars and leXicons, publishing
number of books and teaching the
people to read; established two sue
cessful missions; was instrumental in