South Australian Council of Churches
The South Australian Council of Churches was a body of leaders from the evangelical Christian churches of the Australian colony or state of South Australia. 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 council through a list of its presidents and, to a lesser extent, its secretaries, who through being eligible for reelection, provided stability and continuity of service.
History
- 1896 James Viner Smith
- 1898 Robert Smith Casely
- 1900 Dr James Jefferis
- 1901, 1903 Rev. John Garrard Raws
- 1903 A. C. Sutherland
- 1905 William Jeffries
- 1906 Rev. S. Lenton
- 1907 A. N. Marshall
- 1908 George Davidson
- 1909 W. A. Langsford
- 1910 E. Ashby
- 1910 Joseph Coles Kirby
- 1911 M. L. Murphy
- 1912 James E. Thomas, pastor of the Grote Street church; also Victoria, Western Australia.
- 1913 Dr George Davidson
- 1914 T. B. Robson
- 1915 George Hall
- 1917 J. Ernest James
Council was reorganised to have four members each from each of Methodist, Presbyterian. Congregation, Baptist, Churches of Christ, Salvation Army, and Society of Friends; two from each to continue in following year.
- 1918 Donald McNicol
- 1919 John Alfred Seymour
- 1920 T. Gettes White
- 1921 Thomas Hagger left for WA
- 1922 G. Rayner
- 1923 J. A. Seymour; left for Canada
- 1923 Corley Butler
- 1924 T. Vigis
- 1925 E. M. Hall
- 1926 J. R. Wilton
- 1929 A. C. Weber
- 1932 W. Hawke
- 1933 S. Carroll Myers
- 1934 H. R. Taylor He pleaded with airman C. J. Melrose not to make his triumphant return on a Sunday.
- 1936 A. C. Stevens
- 1937 Gordon Rowe
- 1938 James Anderson
- 1941 A. Bungey
- 1945 C. J. Brimlecombe refrained from criticising use of atomic bomb.
- 1946 J. E. Shipway
- 1948 Edward S. Kiek
- 1949 E. H. Woollacott
- 1941 A Bungey
- 1945 L. J. Schmidt
- 1950 Brig. F. L. Inglis
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953 A. Muriel