He was licensed to preach by the Church of Scotland and Presbytery of Lauder in 1833 but failed to find a patron, a then essential requirement and one of the main issues in the later establishment of the Free Church. While he awaited a patron he did parochial mission work south of the River Clyde in Glasgow. He also became editor of the Scottish Guardian: a twice weekly evangelical newspaper, in this period.[1]
In 1837 he finally found a patron and was ordained at Carmyllie a village east of Dundee. This post was relatively short-lived as he left the Church of Scotland in the Disruption of 1843 and joined the Free Church. Unfortunately insufficient parishioners left with him and they were unable to establish a new church in the parish. Instead he and those who left worshipped in barns or the fields of sympathetic farmers. However, also losing his manse, he lived six miles away from the parish. In 1845 a church and manse were finally built at Carmyllie. However, Wilson then left the parish in 1848 to serve the Mariners Church in Dundee, a former Secessionist Church. Ownership issues forced the Free Church of Scotland to sell the church in 1850 and establish their own church. This was finished in 1852 and named St Paul's Free Church. It stood on the Nethergate and had a congregation of 440.[2]
Wilson did much mission work and in 1863 was appointed Convenor of the Home Mission Committee for the Free Church, holding the post for ten years. In 1866 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly.[3] From 1888 he stepped down as the full-time minister of St Paul's and was replaced by his assistant, Richard Waterston, replaced in turn by Rev William Patrick during Wilson's life.[4]
For his last 30 years he lived at 18 Afton Place in Dundee.[5]
He married 13 January 1840, Eliza Smith (died 25 February 1860), daughter of Alexander White of Drimmietermont, Forfar, and Helen Farquhar, and had issue —
Helen Farquhar, born 20 August 1841, died 17 February 1890
Agnes Martin, born 4 July 1843 (married Irvine Drimmie)
Andrew James, born 10 April 1845, died at Coconada, Madras, 18 August 1881
Eliza Jane, born 19 June 1847
Ann Isabella, born 19 January 1849 (married William Wilson)
Mary Louisa, born 17 December 1850, died 29 October 1898
Alexander White, born 1 October 1853, died in India 15 July 1875