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George Vicesimus Wigram (March 29, 1805 - February 1, 1879) was an English biblical scholar and theologian. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective

Contents

Early Life

He was the 20th child (hence his middle name) of Sir Robert Wigram, a famous and wealthy merchant, and the 14th child of Lady Eleanor Wigram, Robert's 2nd wife (an aunt to Charles Stewart Parnell). Charles Stewart Parnell ( 27 June 1846 &ndash 6 October 1891) was an Irish Protestant landowner nationalist His family were all capable and several of his siblings became illustrious in their own field. His brother James became a Vice-Chancellor and another brother Joseph became Bishop of Rochester. See also List of bishops of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese As a young man George Wigram obtained a commission in the army. One of his postings was to Bruxelles. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is He spent one evening exploring the Waterloo battlefield and it was here he had a religious experience that changed his life. He wrote of it thus, "Suddenly there came to my soul a something I had never known before. It was as if some One Infinite and Almighty, knowing everything, full of the deepest, tenderest interest in myself, though utterly and entirely abhorring everything in, and connected with me, made known to me that He pitied and loved myself". This led to him resigning his army commission and in 1826, he entered Queens College, Oxford with the intention of becoming a Anglican clergyman. Queens College, located in Flushing, Queens, New York City, is one of the senior Colleges of the City University of New York.

Christian Career

At Oxford he met John Nelson Darby, Anthony Norris Groves, Benjamin Wills Newton, James L. John Nelson Darby, (18 November 1800 - 29 April 1882 was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. Biography Early life Groves was born in Newton Valance, Hampshire, England Benjamin Wills Newton, ( 12 December 1807 - 26 June 1899) was an evangelist and author of Christian books Harris and Samuel Prideaux Tregelles. Samuel Prideaux Tregelles ( January 30, 1813 - April 24, 1875) was an English biblical scholar and theologian. Dissatisfied with the established church, Wigram and his friends left the Anglican church and helped establish non-denominational assemblies which became known as the Plymouth Brethren. He had considered joining A. N. Groves and his mission to Baghdad in June 1829, but changed his mind just prior to the faith mission set off. After leaving Oxford University, Wigram, using his family wealth, in 1831 bought church premises in Plymouth and there established a Brethren assembly. During the 1830's Wigram also financed the establishment of assemblies in London.

Wigram had a keen interest in the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible, which was of great interest to the emerging Brethren Assemblies. In 1839, after years of work and financial investment, he published 'The Englishman’s Greek and English Concordance to the New Testament' followed in 1843 by 'The Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance to the Old Testament'. He also edited the influential Brethren periodical "Present Testimony and Original Christian Witness" for many years (from 1849 to his death with posthumous issues running to 1881). This periodical superseded the Brethren’s first magazine, "The Christian Witness". Besides his literary work his oral ministry was marked by an attractive freshness. A contemporary remarked that his “very face became radiant as he spoke”. Many of his addresses have been preserved and published in the two volumes: "Memorials of the Ministry of G. V. Wigram" and "Gleanings from the Teaching of G. V. Wigram". These were collected by the erstwhile Lewisham Road Baptist Church Minister, Edward Dennett, 1831-1914. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination.

With Wigram's help Darby became the most influential personality within the Brethren movement. Wigram is often referred to as being Darby's lieutenant as he firmly supported Darby during moments of crises. In 1845 he supported Darby in successfully defending the doctrinal errors that arose in the Brethren assembly in Plymouth under Benjamin Wills Newton. In 1848 he supported Darby in a dispute with George Muller in relation to the Plymouth errors. George Fredrick Müller (German Georg Friedrich Müller) ( September 27, 1805 &ndash March 10, 1898) a Christian Once more in 1866 he helped Darby fend off accusations of heresy in regards to the sufferings of Christ, supposedly similar to Netwon’s two decades earlier.

Married Life

Mr. Wigram married Miss Fanny Bligh in 1831. She was daughter of Thomas Bligh and had known her as a girl in Ireland) she died in 1834. His second marriage was to Catharine, the only daughter of William Parnell of Avondale. Their London home was 3 Howley Place, Harrow Road, London W. In 1867 Wigram visited Canada. His wife Catherine, joined him there two months later, but she, became ill and died after a short illness in Canada. The family physician was Limerick born Dr Thomas Mackern. Wigram was 62 years old. Four years later his daughter Fanny Theodosia, child of his first wife, died.

Travels

G. V. W. , as he is still known by the Brethren, travelled in the UK preaching and teaching in large Brethren assemblies. He was in Switzerland winter 1853 and again visiting friends in Vaud Canton in 1858. In later life he went to he went abroad to minister the many overseas assemblies of the Brethren. He was in Boston, USA, and Canada in 1867. Writing in November 1871, from Demerara, British Guiana, he said, "I came out in my old age, none save Himself with me", Jamaica 1872. Demerara in South America was one of the original British colonies that were joined into the colony of British Guiana, now Guyana. British Guiana was the name of the British Colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana. This led to further travel, visiting New Zealand in 1875 and Australia in 1877.

Besides travel he maintained a wide correspondence with labourers in emerging Brethren assemblies. Among these were Louis Favez of Mauritius. Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République [1]

Hymnology

Mr. Wigram contributed to the hymnology of the Brethren assemblies in a number of ways. He edited the anthology Hymns for the Poor of the Flock (1838). This collection contained hymns by Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, William Cowper, Thomas Kelly and others; and an appendix was added, chiefly to include a number of hymns by Sir Edward Denny that had just been written. Isaac Watts ( July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) is recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody" as he was the first prolific and Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. William Cowper (pronounced " Cooper " ˈkuːpɚ (26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800was an English Poet and Hymnodist. The four earliest of John Nelson Darby's were also inserted. John Nelson Darby, (18 November 1800 - 29 April 1882 was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. 18 years later (1856) Wigram compiled A Few Hymns and some Spiritual Songs for the [[Little Flock]], to replace the previous collection. This hymnbook was revised by Mr. Darby in 1881, Kelly in 1894 and again by T. H. Reynolds in 1903.

Wigram also wrote a number of hymns and these include the following

Death

He died 1879 at the age of 74 and was buried with his daughter in Paddington Cemetery by the side of Sir Edward Denny. It has been said that the large concourse of people there, sang a hymn in deference to his wish expressed in his lifetime, so that all might understand that he owed all to the sovereign mercy of God. The hymn sung was: "Nothing but mercy'll do for me, Nothing but mercy — full and free, Of sinners chief — what but the blood Could calm my soul, before my God"

References


Footnotes

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