New South Wales Council of Churches

New South Wales Council of Churches was a body of leaders from the evangelical Christian churches, and for a time the Church of England, of the city of Sydney and the Australian state of New South Wales. It was formed to present a unified front to influence public discourse and government policy, and also served to increase communication and cooperation between rival churches with similar aims and philosophies. This article traces the history of the body through its presidents and other officeholders.

History

First incarnation

Rev. John Walker founded and was secretary of the first Council of the Churches in 1889,[1] apparently called by him to fight relaxation of the laws governing public entertainment on Sunday. Delegates, 32 in all, were appointed by the Sydney churches of the participating denominations: Church of England, Presbyterian, Wesleyan Methodist, Baptist, and Primitive Methodist.[2] The rules provided for no president; a chairman was elected from the delegates at each meeting, held monthly in the YMCA hall. In 1895 Walker resigned, to be replaced by William Allen,[3] who was replaced in 1896 by Rev. Theophilus Parr.

Apart from the secretary, no mention has been found of any other continuing office, although William George Taylor has been mentioned as president of the New South Wales Council of the Churches in 1899.[4] and C. James Tinsley, Baptist preacher, sometime around 1905,[5] but these may refer to a different body:

  • In 1899 the Congregational and Baptist churches founded the "Evangelical Council of New South Wales",[6] with the same aims and similar membership. The Evangelical Council ceased to exist with the eighteenth Christian Conference at the Petersham Town Hall in 1914.[7]
  • An independent Council of Churches was formed in Newcastle in 1897[8]

By 1899 the council was a spent force; one problem as outlined by Professor Rentoul was that the great churches had no more rights than "miserable little sects".[9] Great umbrage was taken, however, at the formation of the rival Evangelical Council.[6]

Second incarnation

In 1924 a new council was formulated by representatives of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Congregational Churches, the Associated Churches of Christ, the Salvation Army, and the Society of Friends,[10] but its institution was held up by Anglican Church red tape.[11]

Dr Carruthers elected secretary.[13] Victor C. Bell followed as secretary[14]
In this year the NSW Council joined with those of other States in hosting evangelist Gipsy Smith in 1926.[15]

Council approved establishment of an AM radio station[20]

In 1936 the Church of England formally withdrew its support for the Council.[22]

Changes following Anglican withdrawal[24]

  • 1938 Frank Bell, of the Salvation Army
  • 1939 Rupert J. Williams, Methodist
  • 1940 C. A. White (2nd term)
  • 1941 C. Bernard Cockett
  • 1942 Dr H. Whitmore Dart
  • 1943 J. H. G. Auld[25]
  • 1944 A. C. McLean (of Churches of Christ)[26]
  • 1945 T. Manning Taylor[27]
  • 1946 S. Arthur Eastman (Presbyterian)[a]

Anglican Church rejoins council[28]

  • 1947 S. A. (A. S.?) Eastman[29]
  • 1948 S. Barton Babbage (Dean of Sydney)[30][31]

Courtenay Thomas secretary[32]

  • 1949 Major Nicholson
  • 1950 H. W. K. Mowll
  • 1951 S. W. McKibbin (McKibbon ?)
  • 1952 Cumming Thom

R. G. Fillingham secretary[33]

  • 1953 Cumming Thom (Presbyterian)[34]
  • 1954 Cumming Thom[35]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Eastman was joint founder of Council of Churches radio station 2CH in Sydney. In 1944, the NSW Council of Churches sub-let the licence to Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) who provided program content for six days per week, with the Council of Churches being responsible for programming on Sundays. In 1994 they sold the licence to John Singleton.

References

  1. ^ "The Council of the Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 17, 078. New South Wales, Australia. 15 December 1892. p. 8. Retrieved 23 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Council of the Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 17, 149. New South Wales, Australia. 8 March 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 25 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Council of the Churches". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). No. 5015. New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 25 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Half a Century of Service". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 25, 643. New South Wales, Australia. 13 March 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 21 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "The Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 761. New South Wales, Australia. 25 December 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 21 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ a b "Baptist Union of New South Wales". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 987. New South Wales, Australia. 20 January 1899. p. 4. Retrieved 26 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia. supported by William Allen
  7. ^ "Christian Conference". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 23, 777. New South Wales, Australia. 25 March 1914. p. 17. Retrieved 26 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Council of the Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 583. New South Wales, Australia. 6 October 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 25 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "The Council of Churches". The Daily Telegraph. No. 6382. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 26 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Editorial Notes". The Methodist. Vol. XXXIII, no. 34. New South Wales, Australia. 23 August 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 28 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Religious". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). No. 13, 926. New South Wales, Australia. 26 July 1924. p. 16. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "A Salute to the Superintendent". The Methodist. Vol. 58, no. 23. New South Wales, Australia. 11 June 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Council of Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 201. New South Wales, Australia. 11 March 1925. p. 17. Retrieved 21 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "N.S.W. Council of Churches". The Methodist. Vol. 38, no. 21. New South Wales, Australia. 25 May 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "News of the Churches". The Northern Star. Vol. 49. New South Wales, Australia. 18 April 1925. p. 11. Retrieved 21 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Young at 82". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). No. 14, 478. New South Wales, Australia. 5 May 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Council of Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 27, 871. New South Wales, Australia. 4 May 1927. p. 9. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Rev. Dr A. J. Waldock". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28, 182. New South Wales, Australia. 2 May 1928. p. 16. Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33, 638. New South Wales, Australia. 15 October 1945. p. 12. Retrieved 10 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "Council of Churches — Wireless Scheme". The Methodist. Vol. 39, no. 11. New South Wales, Australia. 15 March 1930. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "The Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 29, 148. New South Wales, Australia. 6 June 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 10 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Council of Churches to Continue". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Vol. I, no. 40. New South Wales, Australia. 7 May 1936. p. 3. Retrieved 17 August 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ "Churches' Leader Slips In "After Six"". The Sun News-pictorial. No. 4829. Victoria, Australia. 14 March 1938. p. 2. Retrieved 18 March 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "Change in Council of Churches". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. II, no. 55. New South Wales, Australia. 25 May 1937. p. 7. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ^ "Advertising". The Methodist. Vol. 52, no. 33. New South Wales, Australia. 14 August 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. ^ "Attacks "3 greatest evils-intemperance, impurity, gambling"". The Sun (Sydney). No. 2150. New South Wales, Australia. 11 June 1944. p. 8. Retrieved 23 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. ^ "Visitor to Town Has Distinguished Career". Mudgee Guardian and North-western Representative. New South Wales, Australia. 8 September 1949. p. 17. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ^ "Welcome Given Anglicans in Church Council". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 047. New South Wales, Australia. 5 February 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 21 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. ^ "Boxing Called Legalised Assault". Border Morning Mail. Vol. XLIII, no. 22119. New South Wales, Australia. 3 September 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. ^ "Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 475. New South Wales, Australia. 19 June 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 21 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. ^ "CHURCHES". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 642. New South Wales, Australia. 1 January 1949. p. 9. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. ^ "Shows Allowed Xmas Nigt". National Advocate. New South Wales, Australia. 18 December 1948. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ^ "The Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 713. New South Wales, Australia. 7 June 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  34. ^ "Crusade for Christ". The Methodist. Vol. 62, no. 39. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. ^ "Church leaders differ on Service at Show". The Sun (Sydney). No. 13785. New South Wales, Australia. 17 April 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 22 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
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