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Wilkins, David, D.D.

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Wilkins, John, D.D.

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a learned English divine, was born in 1685. He was appointed keeper of the archiepiscopal library at Lambeth in 1715; spent the next three years in drawing up a catalogue of that collection; became rector of Mongham, Parva, Kent, in 1716, and of Great Chart and Hadleigh in, 1719; was constituted chaplain to the archbishop and collated to the rectories of Monks-Ely and Bocking; was appointed joint commissary of Bocking; became prebendary of Canterbury in 1720; was collated to the archdeaconry of Suffolk in May, 1724; and died Sept. 6, 1745. His principal publications are, Novulsmz Testamentum Egyptiacum, vulgo Copticum, etc. (1716): — Leges Anglo-Saxonicae Eccitsiasticae et Civiles, etc. (1721): — Quinque Libri Moysis Prophetae in Lingua Egyptiaca, etc. (1731):and Concilia Magnae Britannice et Hibernice (1736-37). See. Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v. Wilkins, Isaac, D.D., a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born at Withywood, in the island of Jamaica, Dec. 17, 1742. His father, Martin Wilkins, became a judge in Jamaica, and was an. eminent lawyer. Isaac was an only son, and when about six years of age was brought to New York city to obtain better educational facilities than the West Indies afforded. In 1760 he graduated at Columbia College. What he saved from his father's estate in Jamaica, enabled him to purchase Castle Hill Neck, in Westchester County. After his graduation he resided for some time upon this farm, and occupied himself in cultivating it. In 1772 he was sent to the Colonial Legislature, and until April 18, 1775, he was an active member of that body, ready in debate and holiest in the service of his country. He was the reputed author of several political pamphlets which were obnoxious to the Whigs, and eventually it was necessary for him to leave America: and published, before sailing for England, an address to his countrymen, in which he endeavored to vindicate himself as a lover of his country. He remained in England about a year, in which time it is asserted that he endeavored to accommodate the dispute between Great Britain and the colonies. Having returned to his family at Castle Hill, which had been laid waste, he was compelled to retreat with them to Long Island. At Newtown and Flatbush he made his residence until peace was declared. His farm had not been confiscated; so he sold it in 1784, took his family to Shelburne, N. S., purchased property there, and again became a farmer. Soon after he was a member of the Assembly in that province. In 1798 he returned to New York and prepared for the ministry, and took charge of St. Peter's Church at Westchester, of which, as soon as he was ordained deacon, he became rector. On Jan. 14, 1801, he was ordained priest. The British government, in consideration of his services during the Revolution, bestowed upon him an annuity of £120 for life, and for thirty-one years he was rector of St. Peter's. He died in Westchester, N. Y., Feb. 5, 1830. His sermons were concise and forcible; his delivery was natural and effective. As a rule, his discourses were short and impressive. A number of poetic effusions of some merit are extant of which he was the author. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 5, 462.