"Wren, Christopher, D.D., an English clergy- man, was fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, afterwards chaplain to Charles I, and rector of Knoyle, Wiltshire. He was made dean of Windsor in 1G35, and presented to the rectory of Haseley, Oxfordshire, in 1638. He died at the house of his son-in-law. I\Ir. William Holder, at Blechingdon, in the County of Oxford, in 1638. See Chalmers, Biog. Diet, xxxii, 319.
"Wren, Matthe'W, D.D., an eminent English prel- ate, was born in the parish of St. Peter-cheap, London, Dec. 23, 1585. He was educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and elected fellow of his college, Nov. 9, 1605. He studied divinity, and was admitted to holy orders in 1610. He was appointed chaplain to bishop Andrews, and presented to the rectory of Teversham, Cambridgeshire, in 1615. In 1621 he became chaplain to prince Charles, whom he attended in that office to Spain in 1G23. He became rector of Bingham, Not- tinghamshire, and prebendary of Winchester in 1624. In July, 1G25, he was chosen master of Peterhouse, Cam- bridge, to which he became a great benefactor, building a large part of the college, and securing contributions for a chapel, which was completed in 1632. In July, 1628, he became dean of Windsor and Wolverhampton. He was sworn a judge of the Star-chamber for foreign causes in 1629; installed as prebendary of Westminster in 1634 ; promoted to the bishopric of Hereford the same j-ear ; and translated to the see of Norwich in 1635, where he remained about two years and a half. He succeeded Juxon as dean of his majesty's chapel in 1636, and was translated to the bishopric of Ely in IMay, 1638. In De- cember, 1640, proceedings were begun in Parliament against him, and in July, 1641, he was impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors. The penalty was fixed at imprisonment in the Tower during the pleasure of the Parliament, which lasted eighteen years. When the Restoration drew nigh, he was released, in IMarch, 1G59, and returned to his palace at Ely in 1660. He died at Ely House, London, April 24, 1667. He pub- lished some Sermons and other works of no present in- terest. See Chalmers, Biog. Did. s. v.
"Wright, EdTward "W., D.D., a Presbyterian di- vine, was born at Lancaster, O., in April, 1817. He was educated at jMiami University; studied divinity at the Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary, and finished in the Western Theological Seminary at Allegheny, Pa., in 1838; was licensed and ordained as an evangelist by Logansport Presbytery in October, 1839; became pastor of the Church at Lafayette, Ind., in 1840 ; agent in the West for the Presbyterian Board of liducation in 1845; pastor of the Church in Delphi in 1846, which relation
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continued for a period of twenty years. His labors there 1 were greatly blessed. The Cliurch grew and became a feeder to new churches bej'ond. He was stated clerk of the S3-nod of Northern Indiana from the time of its formation in 1842 until his removal to Allegheny, and also of the Presbytery of Logansport for about the same length of time. It was generally admitted that, "as a presb3-ter, he had no equal in all the synod." At length lie was elected and served as librarian of the Board of Colportage of Pittsburgh and Allegheny synods, and soon afterwards he removed his family to Allegheny. He died Sept. 17, 18G5. Dr. Wright was an instructive preacher: " He did not appeal to the sj'mpathies or the passions, but rather to the reason and the consciences of the people. He took no crude materials into the pul- pit; his sermons always afforded proof of patient and prayerful study, and they were delivered in a solemn and reverential manner." See Wilson, Presb. Hist. Al- manac, 1867, p. 2ld. (J. L. S.)
Wright, John Flavel, D.D., a Methodist Episco- pal minister, was born in North Carolina, July 30, 1795, and passed his early years in the northern part of that state. He was converted in 1813, and soon after began to feel it his duty to become a preacher of the Gospel. He was licensed to exhort in August, 1814, and assisted for some months in the work of a large circuit. He was admitted on trial in the Virginia Conference at Lynch- burg, Feb. 20, 1815, and appointed successively to Han- over, Black Kiver, Guilford, Princess Ann, and Newbern circuits, and Raleigh station. In 1821 he was trans- ferred to the Ohio Conference, and appointed to Leba- non Circuit. He was next appointed to Cincinnati, then to Madison, Ind., and in 1824 to Chillicothe, O., where three hundred and sixty-live were added to the Church, and more than that number converted. In 1827 he was stationed a second time at Cincinnati, and in 1829 became presiding elder of the Lebanon District. In 1832 he was elected book-agent at Cincinnati, and fulfilled the duties of tliat office for twelve years in suc- cession. In 1844 he lacked but a few votes of an elec- tion to the episcopacy. From that time until 18G1 he received various appointments in Ohio. He was chap- lain of the First Kentucky Regiment during the Rebell- ion, and near the close of the war became chaplain to the military hospitals of Cincinnati. He again entered the conference work when the hospitals were closed, and continued in that field until 1877, when he retired. He died Sept. 13, 1879. See Minutes of Cincinnati Confer- ence, 1880, p. 8G.