Published three times per annum
Index to articles in Forum issues 1-40
Return to David Parker's Home Page
(updated 9 Dec 1998)
To order a single copy, send $2.00 Australian dollars for local orders or $3.50 for overseas post to:
Mrs Rosemary Kopittke, 98 Yallambee Rd., Jindalee, 4074 Queensland Australia
Phone (+61 7) 3376 4339
Membership:
Baptist Historical Society of Queensland Membership
Annual subscription (inc. Queensland Baptist Forum)
Individuals $8 Families $12 Organizations $20
(if payment is not made in Australian Currency, order can only be processed if equivalent of an extra $10 Australian for bank charges on foreign cheques is enclosed with order.
President
: Mr Eric Kopittke, 98 Yallambee Rd., Jindalee, 4074 Queensland AustraliaPhone (+61 7) 3376 4339
Secretary: Dr Ken Smith 110 White St, Graceville Q 4075 Phone (+61 7) 3379 6117
Society News and Notes
Announcing next year’s annual BHSQ Event. . .
150th Anniversary
Thanksgiving Service & Dinner
to celebrate the
Establishment of the
United Evangelical Church, Brisbane
from which came the Baptist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches in Queensland
and the
Arrival of Dr John Dunmore Lang's Ships
Fortitude, Chaseley & Lima
1 May 1999
Ann St Presbyterian Church
In 1849 Dr Lang's ships brought to Brisbane over 600 devout evangelical settlers, (especially Baptist, Congregationalists and Presbyterians) who made a highly significant contribution to the religious, social, commercial and political life of Queensland.
Thanksgiving Service 7.30pm
featuring music of the period, presentations and inspirational addresses
on the heritage and legacy of the UEC
preceded by
Dinner 5.30 pm with program & displays
RSVP required for dinner only - 21 April 1999
150th Anniversary of United Evangelical Church
BHSQ Participates in planning
As announced on page 1, the Baptist Historical Society of Queensland is participating in the celebration next year of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the United Evangelical Church. This church was composed of Baptists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, many of them the "industrious and virtuous" migrants brought to Moreton Bay by Dr John Dunmore Lang on his three ships, Fortitude, Chaseley and Lima. This church functioned well under the leadership of the Baptist minister, Rev. Charles Stewart from 1849 to 1854, after which the three separate denominations were formed. The Baptists were the first to organize themselves, constituting the Brisbane Baptist Church (later Wharf St and now City Tabernacle) in August 1855 under the leadership of Rev. Charles Smith and several important laymen such as T.B. Stevens, R.A Kingsford and (later Rev.) W. Moore.
The story of the first Baptist minister in Queensland, Charles Stewart, has now been researched by Dr David Parker in detail and was published by the BHSQ earlier this year. An updated and enlarged edition is now available (cost $12 + $2.20 p+p). Other articles based on this research have appeared in the Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland and the Baptist Quarterly (British BHS).
The story of the Stewart and the UEC will be presented at the 150th anniversary function. In addition, Dr Lang’s ambitious vision for Queensland will also be a feature. The legacy of the UEC and Lang’s migrants, many of whom made outstanding contributions to the religious, social, political and commercial life of the state, will also be presented.
The BHSQ is pleased to join with representatives of the other two denominations in planning this function and looks for strong support from the Baptist constituency. We encourage readers to publicize it and encourage their church and friends to attend.
Other articles in this issue of Forum:
Inside a Mission Treasurer’s House by Dr Neville Kirkwood (see excerpt below)
Baptist Ministers in Qld 1849-1905 Part 2 - David Parker (compiler)
Inside a Mission Treasurer’s House
by Dr Neville Kirkwood
As this article reveals, the author was brought up in a home in Brisbane where Baptist missions were strongly supported. After ministerial training he went on to serve with the Australian Baptist Missionary Society for 17 years in the Indian sub-continent. On his return he took up a counselling and hospital chaplaincy ministry in NSW, gaining a D.Min. degree for research in cross-cultural chaplaincy. He lives in retirement in Queensland. His book on his Asian experience was reviewed in BHSQ Forum July 1997
Sixty years on and it is difficult for younger generations to appreciate the sincere commitment of the Lord’s people to overseas missionary endeavour. The depression years brought God’s people together in such a way that they appreciated difficulty and hardship. The appeal of missions was certainly evangelical. It also combined a Christian love for people who were living under more stressful conditions than they did.
The depression forced missions to reduce budgets and limit staff. The Australian Baptist Foreign Mission Inc. as it was then known was no exception. It struggled for every penny to fulfil its basic program. The States’ quotas were scraped to the bare bones of the financial capabilities of its Baptist constituents. Queensland faced similar strivings to its sister states.
By the late 1930’s, when the worst of the depression was over, Queensland Baptists’ Missions’ budget had risen to 700 pounds ($1400). The basic wage at that time was three and a half pounds ($7.00) per week. The Baptist constituency was largely on the basic wage or "Relief Work" which may be likened to working 3 days per week for unemployment benefits. Church offerings consisted mainly of coins from one penny to two shillings (20 cents). Repayment of one church’s pedal organ was made from weekly donations of one penny to threepence from members such as they could afford.
In those days a Mission treasurer’s home was at times exciting, inspiring, suspenseful and at other times frustrating and disappointing.
The Chairman of the Queensland Foreign Mission Committee in the early thirties was Rev. Percy Lanyon who had served with the New Zealand Baptist Mission in East Bengal. In 1932 he pressed Harold Roy (Skip) Kirkwood to undertake the treasurership of the Committee following the sudden death of Mr Praegar of the City Tabernacle. A couple of years earlier, "Skip" Kirkwood had been thrust into the position of secretary of the struggling new Home Mission cause of Gordon Park by his former Pastor Rev. H. Hewison who was Superintendent of the Home Mission Committee. The previous year he had become Chairman of the Baptist Young Men’s Union and also Camp Marshall of the Currumbin Camp. The Camps were under his leadership until the outbreak of World War 11. "Skip" was on the Baptist Union Council for nigh on 40 years, for many years on the Union Executive, the Federal Board of the Mission for over 20 years as well as serving on the College Committee and the Australian Federal Baptist Home Mission State Committee.
"Skip" took on the Mission treasurer’s role when the depression was biting hardest. The role of Missionary deputation, mission literature and 8mm. films shot by the Rev. Lorraine Barber and the Rev. A.E. Smith a Queenslander serving in East Bengal were vital elements to raising funds.
Baptist Ministers in Queensland, 1849-1905
Part 2: Hansen – Price
Compiled by David Parker
(BAQ = Baptist Association of Queensland)
Hansen, Jens Peter
From Kankakee Church, Illinois, USA
Baptist Union Theological Seminary Chicago 1887-90
Ord. Scandinavian churches, Illinois USA
arrived Queensland, Oct 1891
Upper Freestone Creek 1891-97 - then remained in district after closure of church as layman and farmer; with son became member of Warwick Baptist Church
Higlett, William
b. 16 Aug 1857 London
m. 18 Apr 1883 Alice Emptage, b. Woolwich Kent 30 Oct 1857, d. 9 May 1908
married Lily Caroline Low 6 Oct 1909, b. 7 Mar 1880; d. 7 June 1843
d. 9 June 1944 Sydney
converted 1875 in Moody and Sankey Mission
worked in YMCA mission halls
Spurgeon's College 1879-82
Student pastor Cheam Surrey
arrived Queensland, July 1882
1882-1890 Toowoomba Central
Oct 1890 - Feb 1910 Albion (as assistant to J. Kingsford of Jireh until formation of Albion church on 9 Nov 1892)
1902 Nundah (hon.)
1910-14 Grafton NSW
1915-29 Haberfield NSW
President, BAQ 1885-86
Secretary, BAQ 1890-02
Secretary, Qld Baptist Home Mission 4 yrs
Secretary, Qld Baptist Foreign Mission 2 yrs
Assistant Editor Qld Baptist 1895-1900 (editor 1900)
Editor, Qld Baptist Jubilee Volume 1905
Secretary BU of NSW 1916-37
Hinton, Josiah Taylor
d. Feb or Mar 1916
son of Rev J.H. Hinton, London
moved to Ipswich from Bathurst St Baptist Church, May 1859
trained by Rev. B.G. Wilson and ordained by him at Maryborough, Oct 1861
April 1860 - Sept 1864 Maryborough
Sept 1864 - July 1865 Rockhampton
Ministry in NSW: Bathurst 1866-69; Orange 69-
Ministry in NZ
President Baptist Union of NSW, 1874
Hodgson, F.
1888 Nundah
Hodgson, James
Mar 1890-July 1891 Nundah (supply)
Hogg, J.W.
Mt Morgan May 1905-
Hooker, Ebenezer
b. Longwick, Bucks. 2 Aug 1827
d. ca Aug 1911
baptised Tiverton
m. 15 or 16 Apr 1851 Margaret Jane McCook, b. 26 May 1922 Londonderry; d. 10 Jan 1896; arrived NSW 1840
arrived Australia 19 Mar 1850 with Rev Dr J.D. Lang on Clifton as student for the ministry with 21 others
Parramatta 3 months (helped form church )
Bush mission work in Victoria
Business Geelong - preached for Methodists
Business Ballarat - preached for Methodists until Baptist church formed in his house 1858 - first baptism (Yuille St church 1857
arrived in Queensland May 1863 - preached for Rev. B.G. Wilson; linked with Wharf St from 1880
helped form Edward St church and lay pastor for its 2 yrs of life (1864-66)
1866-1871 South Brisbane Presbyterian Church (supply)
helped form Petrie Terrace Baptist Church (services 1867, formed 1870)
helped form Vulture St South Brisbane Baptist Church; lay preacher from formation 1872-4, and 1879-80
ca 1875 Creek St Presbyterian Church (supply)
1877 St Stephens Presbyterian Church Ipswich (supply)
1878-79 Wharf St (supply)
President, BAQ, 1883-84
© Copyright David Parker Dec 1998