36G MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. IX. 



bility of his religious letters, written in his most winning style, 

 became so well known, that abundant scope was afforded for 

 work in this direction. Of these several series remain, affording 

 evidence of his deep earnestness and affectionate solicitude. The 

 simplicity of the plan of salvation, the glorious character of the 

 Saviour, and the privilege of prayer, constitute the prevail- 

 ing themes. Even to irreligious people his letters of this kind 

 were welcome, while similar appeals from others, roused their 

 indignation. 



In 1848 we find him saying, " I long for work in the service 

 of Christ. I have found the means of doing a little good by 

 writing to invalids ; but I may do that and much more. The 

 Medical Missionary Society are to have some lectures to stu- 

 dents of medicine this winter. I am to give one, I believe ; 

 that is so much." " The students say that they don't care about 

 addresses from ministers, but they'll listen to a lecturer on che- 

 mistry, and I hope I shall succeed in speaking a seasonable 

 word to them." 



The title of his lecture, one of a series delivered at the in- 

 stance of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society, was ' The 

 Sacredness of Medicine as a Profession/ and it has been pub- 

 lished with the others. 1 A perusal alone can enable us to 

 follow him, while he points out the moral, benevolent, and 

 Christian character of medicine ; but a few of its closing sen- 

 tences may show its spirit : " I adjure you to remember that 

 the head of our profession is Christ, He left all men an 

 example that they should follow His steps ; but He left it 

 specially to us. It is well that the statues of Hippocrates and 

 Esculapius should stand outside of our College of Physicians, 

 but the living image of our Saviour should be enshrined in our 

 hearts. ... He is not ashamed to call us brethren. May none 

 of us be ashamed to call Him Lord ! May we all confess 

 Him before men, that He may confess us before the angels in 

 heaven !" 



' Of this lecture he writes, in 1850 : "I had the unspeakable 

 satisfaction of learning recently from a most unlooked-for quar- 

 ter, what I almost fear to mention, viz., that that little medical 



i < Lectures on Medical Missions.' 1vol. Sutherland & Knox, Edinburgh. 1851. 



