PASTOR GEORGE WISE
Founder of the Protestant Reformers' Memorial Church Liverpool, England.
"Protestant Stalwart"
	To many of an older generation the name of Pastor George Wise was a name to be conjured with, Numerous are the stories which are told of this man, of his great love for the children, of his many sacrifices for the poor, of his integrity and Christian outlook; his ability to preach and lecture, his determination to witness for the defense of Protestant Truth and his courage in the face of opposition in standing for the defense of civil and religious liberty. He lies buried in Anfield Cemetery, the inscription on his tomb stone-"He fought a good fight, he kept the faith"-describes his character perfectly.
Early Life
Born in Bermondsey, London, on November 4, 1855, he received his early training at the Star Corner National School connected with St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey. At the age of 16 he was converted under the preaching of Rev. William Olney, and in the year 1873 was baptised by Dr James Haddon Spurgeon, becoming an earnest member and worker at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. After reading Bishop Ryle's ( First Bishop of Liverpool) tract "what do we owe to the Reformation" and studying the Book of Common Prayer, he was led into the Anglican Church, being confirmed a member of the Church of England by Dr Thorold, Bishop of Rochester. Mr Wise later became sadly troubled with sceptical doubts, but on attending a course of Christian Evidence lectures his faith was restored and he had but one resolve- the refutation of infidelity and the establishing of the Truth as it is in Jesus Christ. Joining the staff of the Christian Evidence Society, he addressed huge meetings and took part in public debates in London and though out the country on behalf of the society. It was while lecturing for the Christian Evidence Society that he came to Liverpool in 1888 when he formed the local committee of clergy and church people for the purpose of supervising and supporting the work of the society, During 1895 and 1896 Mr. Wise visited America and British Columbia were he lectured on Christian Evidence subjects at Brooklyn, New York and in Chicago, where he addressed the students of the Moody Bible Institute
Visits Liverpool
In February 1897 Mr. Wise delivered a course of lectures in the Association Hall, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, on the "Romish Controversy" he was led to do this because of an attack by a local Roman Catholic priest on a pamphlet entitled "The claims of Rome", issued by a Mr. Samuel Smith, and from that moment was drawn into the Romish controversy. He became concerned at the ritualistic movement taking place within the Anglican Church and in 1898 he made a protest at the Church of St. Thomas in Warwick Street, Liverpool, As a result of this subsequent publicity the Christian Evidence Society withdrew its support and the clergy of the different denominations who had engaged him to lecture on Christian Evidence in their churches ceased to do so. A lesser man would have wavered and compromised, nor so Mr. Wise , He accepted the challenge, setting his face to the task of exposing the false teaching and errors of Romanism . Mr. Wise, now alone, took to a large room over two shops in Potter Street and made this place the center of Protestant Activity. Here he founded the British Protestant Union whose motto was "For God, for Truth and for Freedom" Branches of the Union were opened throughout the city and the work of the great Protestant crusade went on apace, enhancing the popularity of Mr. Wise with the masses to such extent that when he decided to contest the School Board Election in 1902 he polled no less than 107,063 votes winning a fantastic victory.
Mr. John Kensit
The Protestant Truth Society, Founded by Mr. John Kensit to combat ritualism in the Church of England, assisted in the work of the Protestant Crusade in Liverpool, and his Wycliffe Preachers held meetings throughout the city. Meetings held in front of the St. George's Hall, Islington Square and elsewhere, were the scene of Romanist aggression, but instead of proceeding against those who attempted to break up the meetings the police proceeded against the Protestant speakers. As a result, Mr. John A Kensit, the son of the founder of the Protestant Truth Society, was arrested and refusing to be bound over to "keep the peace" which meant, of course, not holding Protestant open air meetings, he was sent to prison for three months. The city was stunned to its depths, and meetings and great gatherings addressed by Mr. Wise were attended by thousands of people who were drawn to him by his great oratorical powers. Mr. John Kensit came to Liverpool in an endeavor to obtain his son's release from prison, and on September 25 1902, was himself the victim of a dastardly attack which took place in Birkenhead following a meeting he had addressed in that town. Tremendous public sympathy was aroused because of this outrage, and a a result, the Home Secretary ordered the release of Mr. John Kensit from prison, but not before his farther had died from injuries he had received.
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