Charles Alfred White (27 July 1869 – 4 January 1954),[1] commonly referred to as C. A. White, was a Presbyterian minister in New South Wales, Australia. He compiled a definitive history of the Presbyterian Church in Australia to c. 1950.
History
editWhite was born in Warialda near Myall Creek, New South Wales, a son of Alfred James White (died before 1880) and Maria Isabella White, née Alderson. He was educated at Inverell Primary School and Armidale Grammar School, and studied philosophy at Sydney University, gaining his B.A. degree, with honours, in 1895, meanwhile studying Theology under George Grimm, James Cosh, and Dr. John Kinross. He was licensed and ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1896, and inducted to the parish of Windsor 12 December 1896, serving for four years, being "translated" to the parish of Wollongong in 1900; to Stanmore in 1903; and Auburn in 1912.
He was appointed the church's Foreign Missionary secretary in 1916, then minister of Park Church, South Brisbane from 1920 to 1924, when he resigned for personal reasons. He served at the Bowenfels parish from 1925 (which includes the major town of Lithgow) and North Strathfield 1931–1937.
Other responsibilities
edit- White served on numerous church committees: as convenor of the Statistics committee, Welfare of Youth, Evangelistic, Church and Manse Loan Fund, and Foreign Missions committees.
- In 1917 he visited the church's mission at Sholinghur, India.[2]
- He was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland in 1924 after he resigned from Park Church.
- In 1930 he was appointed Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New South Wales.
- He was a delegate to the Council of Churches in New South Wales, and elected its president in 1936.[3]
Retirement and death
editWhite retired in 1937, devoting much of his time to the church hostel in the Haymarket area. He also performed relief duties for the many younger ministers who joined the Australian Army to work as padres in WWII.
In 1945 he was granted leave to complete his history.[4]
White died of a heart attack at his home in Mowbray Road, Chatswood. After a memorial service at St Andrews Church, Chatswood, his remains were ashed at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium.[1]
Publications
edit- White, Charles Alfred (1951) Challenge of the Years — a history of the Presbyterian Church in Australia Angus & Robertson.
The book includes a list of ministers and missionaries over the first 150-odd years of the church in Australia.
Family
editWhite was a brother of Ada Emily White; Clara Ann Margaret White;[5] Emily Elizabeth White[6] and Jessie Maria White[7]
No record of marriage or children has been found.
References
edit- ^ a b "Death of Rev. C. A. White". Lithgow Mercury. New South Wales, Australia. 5 January 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Churches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28, 711. New South Wales, Australia. 11 January 1930. p. 9. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Presbyterian Assembly". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30, 696. New South Wales, Australia. 21 May 1936. p. 10. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ C. A. White. Challenge of the Years. Angus and Robertson. p. 176. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30, 844. New South Wales, Australia. 10 November 1936. p. 9. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". Evening News (Sydney). No. 4222. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1880. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 14, 366. New South Wales, Australia. 12 April 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 19 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
External links
edit- Challenge of the Years a history of the Presbyterian Church in Australia Searchable, free to read.