Lee Wilson
Lee Wilson believed in the Exclusive Brethren. He was convinced that they were the only right position and if there were any faults, it was not the Exclusive Brethren that was wrong. Any faults belonged to certain people within the system rather than the system itself.
Lee came from a privileged Detroit USA Exclusive Brethren family. His father, Rick Wilson, was the grandson of James Taylor Jnr and was a protégé of the Neche pig farmer, James Symington. Under Symington’s leadership between 1970 and 1987, Rick Wilson prospered and was even slated as a possible world leader contender. Lee was his oldest son.
Like many young men, Lee decided to go his own way and left the Exclusive Brethren fellowship while in his late teens. He fell in love and fathered two boys who were his pride and joy.
His relationship with their mother eventually fell apart and subsequently Lee successfully applied for and was granted custody of his two boys. In 2003 Lee met and married a woman who also had 2 children from a previous relationship.
It is not clear what Lee was looking for or hoping to achieve, but he received a letter in late May / early June 2006 from James ‘Jim’ Joyce, his maternal Grandfather.(*)
A few days later, on the night of June 9th, 2006 Lee Wilson took his own life. He was 27 years old.
The content of the letter that Lee received from James Joyce is unknown. Lee’s subsequent suicide was, however, completely unexpected.
A family friend suggests that Lee felt he was trapped between his marriage and the stark requirements of Exclusive Brethren doctrine regarding Separation. It is conjectured that Lee believed he could at least ensure his sons were brought up in the Brethren, even if he was unable to return.
“Lee hung himself. He would have been about 27 years of age.”
“One likely reason is that then his parents, Rick and Dolly Wilson, would take the two boys (never formally adopted by his new wife) and raise them in the brethren. If Lee couldn’t make it back to the “only right place”, at least his boys would be raised there.”
After his death, Lee’s widow felt that she could not take care of 4 children by herself, and allowed Lee’s parents to take the 2 young boys. They were aged about 5 yrs and 7 yrs. They were baptized by their grandparents and as a result, became immediately established as members of the Exclusive Brethren.
If this had been Lee’s plan, he accomplished it by sacrificing his own life. It is unthinkable that Lee would remove himself from existence if there had been any hope that he could take his sons into the place that he still felt was the “right position”. It therefore follows that the letter from James Joyce somehow removed all hope from Lee that he could accompany his sons back into the Exclusive Brethren.
This strange and sad tale of a father’s love and possible sacrifice might end with a modicum of understanding from those who understand the power of brainwashing and the inherent belief of the Exclusive Brethren that they are the ‘only right Christian position today’. What father would not want the best he could provide for his children?
For the sake of attempting a broader level of understanding, however, we must dig a little deeper. As in all cases where Exclusive Brethren political intrigue is involved, there is more if you pull back the right layers.
Many have asked how Exclusive Brethren world leadership is established. How do they gain power? The Exclusive Brethren website declares:
“This unbroken line of divinely accredited universal leadership has been bitterly attacked because the leaders have been marked by purity, unselfishness, and refusal to compromise the principles that govern the basis of Christian fellowship and the house of God.”
- The Exclusive Brethren website
This “unbroken line” has certainly been maintained, but since James Taylor Jnr in 1960, the “divine” component of this claim has been, shall we suggest - ‘assisted’ - by varying levels of political intrigue and careful planning. After all, this is truly a position of power and quite extraordinary wealth.
The following notes are gleaned from various sources and jointly they describe another perspective to the gaining of position and, in the case of Lee Wilson, a possible motive for not granting him re-entry to the Exclusive Brethren. We offer these insights not as an indictment, but as an attempt to understand WHY?
“It was quite apparent toward the end of John S. Hales’ life that certain contenders for the position of ‘universal leader’ were being pitted against each other.”
“Someone was clearing the decks of possible opposition.”
“North America was a mess for a number of years, with Jim Deseyn (now out) thinking Rick Wilson was wrong, and Rick Wilson telling me that Jim Deseyn was wrong. Lloyd Paskewitz was another player. They all had their own followers.”
“Bruce Hales would pick different contenders to take 3 day meetings. Each side would see if their man was selected and root accordingly. For example, Jim Deseyn took meetings in Barbados around 1999 or 2000. Rick Wilson sat across from him and barely said a word the whole weekend.”
“Everybody was on the edge of their chairs at Leicester meeting time, to see if their candidate was selected to give an address.”
“In Detroit, everyone was sure that Rick Wilson would be the next elect vessel. JHS had said one time that the Taylors had a dynasty - J, J, J, J and a Wilson. That was taken by some to mean - JT Sr, JT Jr., JHS, JSH, and then Rick Wilson (grandson of JT Jr.).”
“When JSH died, all the possible successors had been thrown out - Jim Deseyn, Lloyd Paskewitz, John Paynter, Laurie Marsh, Bob Thorncroft etc. “
“The only contender for the next elect vessel left was David Bill of New Zealand and, for reasons unknown, he threw his support behind Bruce Hales, the son of John S Hales.”
When creating a dynasty, it follows that one should not assist the resurrection of another?
And so ends the sad story of Lee Wilson. We shall remember him as the loving father he was. He wanted the best for his sons and, in the only way he knew, he tried to do just that.
Rest in peace Lee Wilson.
Very sad to hear of the death of lee wilson,i meet him once at some three day meetings in australia somewhere but i dont remember where.Him and his father came to a australia back in the late 1990’s sometime.He was in his late teens at the time and i remember being told he had left the church not long after he went home to america.I left the church in may 99 aged 23.He was a really nice guy that i got on with well and if my memory is correct i’am sure a group of rebelious guys with him and me included ran off during a break between meetings to a pub or club or something similar.My mother’s maiden name is wilson she grew up in orange nsw australia.I could be wrong but i dont think he is any blood relation.