Difference between revisions of "Shannon Methodist Church"

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An official program printed for the Jubilee of the Shannon Methodist Church held on July 15th 1923 includes the following information:

"If it be true that we live in deeds, not years, then the men who pioneered the mallee lands of Dublin (known as the 30 mile scrub) must surely deserve honour. Fifty years ago these fertile plains, now the envy of the agriculturist, securely fenced and subdivided, dotted here and there with comfortable homesteads, many of which have electric light and all modern conveniences, were covered with dense mallee scrub. The adventure proved the acid test of character, and of some it must be said "weighed in the balance and found wanting" but some endured to the winning of success.

Of the enduring few there were some who, while keen on the conquering of the mallee and the growing of wheat, believed that "man shall not live on bread alone" and believed in the communion of saints - saints who countered for something on the business end of a grub axe in the biting cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer, who could make bread and sew in a pine and pug one-roomed hut and wear a smile seven days a week.

But the temple of God made by hands was not as yet built, there was no lofty spire bidding man to look upward to higher things, no sweet music to charm him from the rough conditions of his daily enviroment, but there was something within him that compelled , like Israel's sweet singer to cry: "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee o God."

Men with hearts big enough to face a mallee allotment are not likely to want something very much for long. We expect them to act, "Act in the living present, heart within and God overhead', and these men acted with the result - Shannon Church.

The real church - a body of men and women who seek to follow their Lord was "born again" (not built) some time previous to building operations starting, and Divine services were held in the homes of disciples.

The homes of Messrs Baker and G.N.Johnson were ever open for the assembling together of saints (and possibly a sprinkling of sinners) with the late Rev. S. Gray being the minister. The growing cause soon demanded a home of its own, and the Rev. S. Gray and Mr. N.Lindsay set forth to spy out the land, and after many inspections decided on the present site.

The ground was donated by the Messrs Wright Bros., but the present trust has quite recently purchased at a nominal figure from Mr Rowe, the fine V-shaped block in front of the church.

Plans and specifications of the original building were prepared by the Rev. J.S.Wayland. The stone work was carried out by Mr. Jonathon Porter, the wood work by Mr. Joseph Smith, and Mr. Uffindale made the furniture.

Messrs G.N.Johnson., N.Lindsay, J.Davis, Stephen Davis, J.T. Sutton, R.Cooper and C.Carslake were on the first trust. The present trust is composed as follows: Messrs G.N. and A.H.Johnson, N.W.Rowe, E.Johnson, H.G.Clark, H.F.Johnson, E.Young, C.W.Burnard and F.Pritchard..

Opening services were arranged for July 17, 1873. The building (although incomplete) was dedicated to the glory of God, and then on the completion of the work, these Israelites (in whom there couldn't possibly be any guile) did it all over again. The opening services were conducted by the Reverends J.S.Wayland and S.J.Nicholls and proved wonderfully successful.

What a record. This is the year of the jubillee - fifty years of the unfailing goodness of God!

Who but the Divine Statist can tabulate the results?

A mere human could possibly detail the number of services held, the names on the church roll, the sums of money raised and spent. What are these compared with the number of hearts comforted, or to the wayward feet who have been lovingly directed in the paths of peace, to that holy joy that filled the spirits of the men and women made jubilant by a conscious linking up with him who set the joy bells ringing in every soul trusting in him?

Yes the year of jubilee has come, and some who were in the church when it was first formed are here today.

Surely that beautiful poetry of the psalmist, "Lord Thou has been our dwelliong place in all generations; before the mountains were brought forth, or even Thou had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God", must be living in their thought. Some have passed on to their reward, but of us who remain, what shall be said?

Is it our resolve to "carry on" in the name of the King, in his almightiness and gentleness, believing that the things unseen are the things that count?"

Sources

• Shannon Methodist Church Jubilee Souvenir 1873 - 1923
• information from records at the Mallala Museum

Shannon Church 1898

Shannon Church

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