Wilson Carlile
Encyclopedia
Wilson Carlile, CH
(1847–1942) was an English evangelist who founded the Church Army
, and was Prebendary
of St Paul's Cathedral
. Called "The Chief", Wilson Carlile has inspired generations of evangelists.
, England
. As a child, music was a great delight to him. Before he was three, his mother found him on tiptoe trying to play the family piano. He figured out some pleasing chords and persuaded his mother to help him learn more. From then on much of his time was spent on music. He was also good at languages. When he was sent to school in France at age fourteen, he quickly learned to speak French. In later life, he was also proficient at German and Italian.
Upon his return from France he joined his grandfather’s business firm and by age eighteen, owing to his grandfather’s failing health, Carlile came to be mostly in control. Thus, at the beginning of the 1870s he found himself a successful young businessman. He was ambitious, having determined he would earn his first 20,000 pounds before he turned twenty-five. By the time of that birthday, he had made well over that amount.
I have seen the crucified and risen Lord as truly as if He had made Himself visible to my bodily sight. That is for me the conclusive evidence of His existence. He touched my heart, and old desires and hopes left it. In their place came the new thought that I might serve Him and His poor and suffering brethren.
Although upon his physical recovery his father took him into his own firm, Carlile’s real interest now lay in religious work. He first joined the Plymouth Brethren
who met at Blackfriars in London and worked among young hooligans in that area. Soon he was confirmed in the Church of England, his father having joined some time before. About this time, in 1875, Dwight L. Moody
held his great rallies in Islington. Wilson offered his help. Ira Sankey, the musical director, recognized the young man’s ability and placed him at the harmonium where he accompanied the singing of the huge crowds who came to hear Moody. Following this mission he went with Moody to Camberwell where he chose and trained the choir for the South London mission. Thus he gained a solid understanding of the techniques of evangelism and the part that music can play. This knowledge would stand him in good stead when he became leader of the Church Army.
and then decided to take Holy Orders. He was accepted by the London School of Divinity and after 18 months passed his examinations, having been ordained a deacon in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Lent of 1880. Following this, he was accepted as a curate at St. Mary Abbots, Kensington. Through his curacy, he wanted to reach people, including the guard at Kensington Palace, who had nothing to do with the church. Ordinary working people regarded the churches as ‘resorts of the well-to-do’ (Charles Booth) and believed they would find no welcome within. Wilson wanted this to change and was determined to break down all barriers.
Since none of his efforts to bring ordinary people into his congregation worked, he decided to hold open-air meetings to attract folk as they passed by. As time went on, he drew others to help him and people began gathering in such large numbers that the police told them to ‘move on’. There were complaints and Carlile was told that his meetings would have to stop, but he was also encouraged to continue them elsewhere in a more appropriate spot.
. Such work had already begun in a few other areas of England. Wilson Carlile wanted to coordinate all their efforts, so that trained evangelists could be sent to any parish where they were needed. It took time for the idea to catch hold, but in 1882 the Church Army
was born. Why ‘Army’? Carlile’s answer was that the evangelists intended to make war against sin and the devil. Also it was a time of wars – the Franco-German war was not long over and the Boer War was soon to come. It was a time of Army consciousness and discipline from above.
As long as Wilson Carlile was the head of Church Army, he remained authoritative and masterful, but always he recognized the higher authority of the Church of England
. No work was carried out in any parish without the approval of the incumbent, nor in any prison or public institution unless the evangelists were invited by the chaplain.
Carlile met resistance in the early years but he persisted in trying to acquaint clerics and public officials in major cities with Church Army’s aims, ideas and methods. In 1885, the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury passed a resolution of approval. With increasing support from a few bishops, the Army gradually gained the respect of the Church. By 1925, the Church Army grew to become the largest home mission society in the Church of England.
Carlile was appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) in the 1926 New Year Honours
.
on September 26.
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
(1847–1942) was an English evangelist who founded the Church Army
Church Army
Church Army is an evangelistic Church of England organisation operating in many parts of the Anglican Communion.-History:Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Revd Wilson Carlile , who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and...
, and was Prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. Called "The Chief", Wilson Carlile has inspired generations of evangelists.
The early years
He was born in 1846, the eldest of a middle-class family of twelve (one of whom was Sir Hildred Carlile) in BrixtonBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a child, music was a great delight to him. Before he was three, his mother found him on tiptoe trying to play the family piano. He figured out some pleasing chords and persuaded his mother to help him learn more. From then on much of his time was spent on music. He was also good at languages. When he was sent to school in France at age fourteen, he quickly learned to speak French. In later life, he was also proficient at German and Italian.
Upon his return from France he joined his grandfather’s business firm and by age eighteen, owing to his grandfather’s failing health, Carlile came to be mostly in control. Thus, at the beginning of the 1870s he found himself a successful young businessman. He was ambitious, having determined he would earn his first 20,000 pounds before he turned twenty-five. By the time of that birthday, he had made well over that amount.
From depression to rebirth
In 1873, a great depression began and continued with a few breaks until 1896. It brought poverty and distress to working people, but also had immediate and disastrous effects upon the business community. Carlile was among those severely affected by the depression. The prosperity which he had carefully built up suddenly failed. Mental strain led to a physical breakdown and for many weeks he was confined to his bed. All this time he had spent in acquiring material wealth and position, and all for nothing. He began to question the purpose of life. No answer given to him brought him any satisfaction until he happened to read Mackay’s Grace and Truth. Later he would say:I have seen the crucified and risen Lord as truly as if He had made Himself visible to my bodily sight. That is for me the conclusive evidence of His existence. He touched my heart, and old desires and hopes left it. In their place came the new thought that I might serve Him and His poor and suffering brethren.
Although upon his physical recovery his father took him into his own firm, Carlile’s real interest now lay in religious work. He first joined the Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
who met at Blackfriars in London and worked among young hooligans in that area. Soon he was confirmed in the Church of England, his father having joined some time before. About this time, in 1875, Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody , also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts , the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.-Early life:Dwight Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts to a large...
held his great rallies in Islington. Wilson offered his help. Ira Sankey, the musical director, recognized the young man’s ability and placed him at the harmonium where he accompanied the singing of the huge crowds who came to hear Moody. Following this mission he went with Moody to Camberwell where he chose and trained the choir for the South London mission. Thus he gained a solid understanding of the techniques of evangelism and the part that music can play. This knowledge would stand him in good stead when he became leader of the Church Army.
Seminary
He learned more from Dwight Moody than this. He learned the essentials of his new-found faith and became inspired with the ambition of becoming an evangelist. In time he joined the Anglican CommunionAnglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
and then decided to take Holy Orders. He was accepted by the London School of Divinity and after 18 months passed his examinations, having been ordained a deacon in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Lent of 1880. Following this, he was accepted as a curate at St. Mary Abbots, Kensington. Through his curacy, he wanted to reach people, including the guard at Kensington Palace, who had nothing to do with the church. Ordinary working people regarded the churches as ‘resorts of the well-to-do’ (Charles Booth) and believed they would find no welcome within. Wilson wanted this to change and was determined to break down all barriers.
Since none of his efforts to bring ordinary people into his congregation worked, he decided to hold open-air meetings to attract folk as they passed by. As time went on, he drew others to help him and people began gathering in such large numbers that the police told them to ‘move on’. There were complaints and Carlile was told that his meetings would have to stop, but he was also encouraged to continue them elsewhere in a more appropriate spot.
The birth of Church Army
Carlile resigned his curacy in order to devote his time to slum missions. His goal was to use the working person to help fellow workers, but to do so within the structure of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Such work had already begun in a few other areas of England. Wilson Carlile wanted to coordinate all their efforts, so that trained evangelists could be sent to any parish where they were needed. It took time for the idea to catch hold, but in 1882 the Church Army
Church Army
Church Army is an evangelistic Church of England organisation operating in many parts of the Anglican Communion.-History:Church Army was founded in England in 1882 by the Revd Wilson Carlile , who banded together in an orderly army of soldiers, officers, and a few working men and women, whom he and...
was born. Why ‘Army’? Carlile’s answer was that the evangelists intended to make war against sin and the devil. Also it was a time of wars – the Franco-German war was not long over and the Boer War was soon to come. It was a time of Army consciousness and discipline from above.
As long as Wilson Carlile was the head of Church Army, he remained authoritative and masterful, but always he recognized the higher authority of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. No work was carried out in any parish without the approval of the incumbent, nor in any prison or public institution unless the evangelists were invited by the chaplain.
Carlile met resistance in the early years but he persisted in trying to acquaint clerics and public officials in major cities with Church Army’s aims, ideas and methods. In 1885, the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury passed a resolution of approval. With increasing support from a few bishops, the Army gradually gained the respect of the Church. By 1925, the Church Army grew to become the largest home mission society in the Church of England.
Carlile was appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) in the 1926 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
.
Veneration
Carlile is honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)
The veneration of saints in the Episcopal Church is a continuation of an ancient tradition from the early Church which honors important people of the Christian faith. The usage of the term "saint" is similar to Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Those in the Anglo-Catholic tradition may...
on September 26.