BIO: Conway Phelps Wing, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ ______________________________________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm ______________________________________________________________________ PART II. HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA. CHAPTER XXXVIII. BOROUGH OF CARLISLE. 401 BOROUGH OF CARLISLE. CONWAY PHELPS WING, D.D., Carlisle, belongs to a family traceable through five preceding generations to a progenitor who came from England in 1632 and settled finally in Sandwich, Mass. He is the son of Enoch and Mary (Oliver) Wing, who went from Conway, Hampshire Co., Mass., to Ohio in 1796, and settled on the right bank of the Muskingum, twelve miles above Marietta. He was born there February 12, 1809, but removed with his father in 1813, to Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y. At a very early age he left home to pursue study preparatory to his collegiate course in the neighboring town of Geneva, at an Episcopal academy, which soon afterward became Hobart College. After two years there he entered the sophomore class in Hamilton College, where he graduated in 1828. Nearly a year after this he entered a theological seminary at Auburn, where he enjoyed the instruction of Dr. James Richards and graduated in 1831. He was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Geneva, February 3, 1831, just before entering his twenty-first year, and commenced preaching at once in Sodus, Wayne Co., N. Y., where he was ordained and installed September 27, 1832. During the extraordinary revivals of religion which prevailed in that region about that period, he was one of its active and successful promoters. In 1836 he removed to Ogden, Monroe Co., N. Y., and in 1838 to the city of Monroe, Mich., where his vigorous health gave way under his protracted labors, and he was obliged to seek its restoration, first by a year's residence in St. Croix, West Indies and then by a more protracted sojourn in the Southern States. For a year and a half he preached in Columbia, Tenn., and vicinity, and finding, on experiment, that he could not safely venture upon a settlement in the North, reluctantly yielded to the solicitations of his new friends in the South, and became pastor of a congregation in Huntsville, Ala. Though he frankly informed that people that he was opposed to slavery and should do all in his power wisely to abolish it they persevered in calling and sustaining him, believing that his prejudices would soon be removed. He continued in his pastorate there with great acceptance and usefulness until April, 1848. He twice represented his presbytery there in the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and earnestly resisted the attempts of a party in that body to withdraw all Christian fellowship from the southern churches. He was the author of a long and elaborate report, adopted by the synod of Tennessee, in October, 1847, in reply to the objections of this party, and maintaining that, while humanity and religion might require that some, under favorable circumstances, should emancipate their slaves, many masters were so situated that such a course would be utterly inexpedient and unjust, and they were bound to retain them, and treat them with kindness and love. After two or three years of experience, however, he found that public opinion would not permit him to act up to his convictions of duty in the enforcement of church discipline, against those who were guilty of immoralities against their slaves, and that he was likely to be involved in complications which would be perilous. Though he urged upon the slaves the apostolic duties of ordinary forbearance and submission, instances sometimes came to his knowledge, in which a different course seemed to him quite justifiable, and where he could not withhold his views. Such expressions of opinion, though tolerated when uttered by native citizens, were not relished by those who were suspected of Northern proclivities. He, therefore, became satisfied that it was his duty to give up his pastoral relation, and although his own congregation expressed their unanimous resolution to sustain him, and offered him extraordinary inducements to continue with them, 402 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: he saw no way of compliance consistent with a good conscience. Just as he had reached this conclusion, a call reached him from the First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, which he immediately accepted. That people had heard him while on a visit north, in 1843, and now, on becoming destitute of a pastor, they invited him to settle among them. He arrived at Carlisle and commenced his ministrations there April 28, 1848, but was not installed until October 15, of the same year. His congregation, though not in ecclesiastical sympathy with the great majority of the Presbyterian Church in this religion, grew in numbers and prosperity during his entire pastorate of more than twenty-eight years. He took a high rank as preacher in the synod of Pennsylvania, was more than once a candidate for the moderator's chair in the general assembly, and has served with acceptance on most of its important committees. He has been a member of eight general assemblies (besides two adjourned meetings), and has declined several invitations to prominent churches. He was especially active in efforts for the reunion of the two great branches of the Presbyterian Church, being a member of the convention of Presbyterians in Philadelphia in 1867, and of the assembly of reunion which met in New York and Pittsburgh in 1867. He was also a member of the joint committee of reconstruction for the organization of the synods and presbyteries of the reunited church. In addition to the ordinary work of a pastor, from the duties of which he has always been scrupulously careful that nothing should divert him, he has generally had in his hands such literary engagements as were consistent with it. He reads with a good degree of facility in seven different languages. In 1849, at the request of the faculty and students of Dickinson College, he supplied for one year the place made vacant by the transfer of William H. Allen, LL. D., to the presidency of Girard College, and in 1856, he, in connection with Prof. Charles E. Blumenthal, published a translation of Hase's History of the Christian Church (D. Appleton & Co., New York, pp. 720), in the composition of which he bore the largest share. For some years he contributed one article annually to the Presbyterian Quarterly Review, among which the most noted were two on "Abelard," two on the "Historical Development of the Doctrine of the Atonement," and one on the "Permanent in Christianity," and one article, in the Methodist Quarterly on "Miracles and the order of Nature." About a dozen sermons and discourses have been published by his people and his friends, as they were preached on special occasions. He was also the writer of two elaborate articles on "Federal Theology," and "Gnostics and Gnosticism," in McClintock & Strong's Encyclopedia, and in 1867 he contributed to Dr. Schaff's American edition of Lang's Commentary on the Bible, a translation with large additions of Kling's Commentary on Second Corinthians. Notwithstanding these engagements, Dr. Wing's health became so completely restored that, during his long pastorate, he lost on account of illness not more than six Sabbaths. In 1869, however, his congregation perceived such tokens of impaired energy, that they allowed him a suspension of labor for six months, during which time they employed an assistant for the performance of his work. On two different occasions after this, as he found his strength giving way, he requested either an entire or partial dissolution of his pastorate, but could not obtain the acquiescence of his people. It was not until July 18, 1875, that, after a laborious service as a commissioner to the general assembly, his congregation consented that he might henceforth take the place of Pastor Emeritus; but after some consultation and experience he repeated his request for a complete dissolution of the pastoral relation. This was finally acquiesced in by the people, October 17, 1875, and was complied with by the presbytery, October 23, 1875, though for some years a partial salary was continued to him. A severe illness in the autumn of that year proved that this action had been taken none too soon; but on his recovery his health began to improve, until, finally, he has been restored nearly to his earlier vigor. His subsequent life has been almost as active as at any other period. On the Sabbath he ordinarily preaches in some of the neighboring congregations, or in his former pulpit. He enters with ardor into most of the theological discussions and practical measures of the day, in which he almost uniformly advocates the side of real progress. He is especially fond of exegetical and historical investigations. He has in manuscript extended comments upon almost the entire Greek Testament, and has become thoroughly familiar with the "History of Cumberland Valley." In 1879 he contributed the principal part of the "History of Cumberland County" (published by J. D. Scott, Philadelphia, quarto, pp. 283), and recently he has published two editions of a historical and genealogical register of the Wing family in America. (Carlisle and New York, 8vo and quarto, pp. 332 and 500.)