WILSON, Hugh Charles, Rev, M.A. (1885-1948)
Assembly memorial minute, 1949
Hugh Wilson was born on the 2nd March, 1885, in Antrim, Ireland. The local school provided an early education, and thereafter he attended the Magee College, Londonderry, until 1907, later obtaining degrees in Dublin, at Trinity College. For some years, in business within the city of Belfast, he devoted leisure time to Christian work within the congregation of which he was a member. During an intense spiritual revival he was moved to consecrate his entire gifts and life to the Master’s service. Thereon he returned to Magee College, Londonderry, to prepare for the ministry within that College of Divinity. He received ordination on the 28th June, 1911, and was inducted into the pastoral charge of Kells Church, his only charge in Ireland. It has been said that he was in the traditional apostolic line of those who, since the days of Columba and his companions, have gone forth from the Irish Church to regions beyond to share spiritual treasures with other peoples.
In 1921 he responded to the “Colonial” Mission Board, who in conjunction with Australian ministers then visiting the homeland, were appealing for volunteers for overseas services. Mr. Wilson thus came to Australia to take up work at Woolongong, where he was inducted on the 5th January, 1922. In 1926 he was settled in the Queensland charge of Manby; and in 1929 of Townsville. In 1933, he came to Victoria and was inducted into Ararat on the 8th March. Here he suffered a severe tragedy in the untimely death of his twelve-year-old son. He demitted this charge after eighteen months.
In 1934 he accepted a call to Sandringham, being inducted on the 3rd October. Six years later he returned to N.S.W. to be settled at Parkes on the 7th October, 1940. It was while he was interimmoderator of a vacancy at Broken Hill that the Church of N.S.W. invited him to accept a call thither. He was inducted into that charge in 1942. A second time, however, he was translated to Victoria, at Lorne on the 28th August, 1944. His final charge was Bulla in 1948.
Throughout a ministry of nine pastoral charges in Australia, Mr. Wilson maintained the work of an evangelist, each sermon having the authentic Gospel call. His pastorates were not long, but to each successive charge he brought the impact of a dynamic personality and supercharged zeal, together with a vitality and live interest. “We live in deeds, not years” — as least Hugh Wilson did. Into the brief span of his ministries he concentrated more energy and effort than many another could contribute in a life time. Memories of his genial and kindly services will endure in many hearts and homes, “in inverse proportion to the calendar measurements of his pastorates. ”
Fellow members of Assembly and Presbytery will remember him as genial Irishman. His was the fruitful ministry of one of God’s gifted servants, one who possessed a genius for friendship; a forceful preacher delighting to declare the evangel and grace of His Master; a wise administrator who consolidated the work in more than one parish; a zealous student of characteristic concentration ensuring that his equipment be thorough and labouring to be approved; a workman who needed not to be ashamed.
The Presbytery of Melbourne West was most happy to induct him on the 1st April into the charge of Bulla, in anticipation of a fruitful ministry. However, two months later, after a brief illness in hospital, he was called to higher service, on the 3rd June, 1948, at the age of 63.
To Mrs. Wilson and her family the Assembly tenders deepest sympathy.
Gender
- Male