John Alexander Dowie [1847-1907]

When God was pouring out His Spirit in the UK, John Alexander Dowie was born in Scotland. His father was a tailor, his mother illiterate.  In 1860, he travelled to his uncle in Australia, who set him to work as a shoe salesman.  He found Christ as his Saviour through Henry Wright. Later he returned to Scotland to study for the ministry. Upon the completion of his studies, he returned to Australia, where he assumed the pastorate of a church in South Australia, in April 1872.  Read more >>>>

Philip B Duncan [1899 – 1990]

“My father Frederick lived for the Gospel – my father was a simple preacher and a remarkable soul winner for Christ and my mother an adorable person with a sweet voice to sing the old-time Gospel hymns of appeal. Impressions were strong.

At five years of age the revival meetings were the breath that permeated every fibre of my being and a sense of God was in all my formative reality and understanding. Some years later, a strange prophecy had  gone forth in our service, “In the place of cobwebs and bats would be heard the voice of the bride and the bridegroom.”  We talked about the message but had no inkling of its meaning.  Later, we did and ….

In 1914, during World War One, W.J. Enticknap Snr, a fervent Methodist from Macknade, near Ingham, North Queensland, visited Melbourne with a delegation of sugar farmers. Enticknap Snr. had been a gold-miner on the Croydon goldfields in far North Queensland where he was the manager of the Golden Gate mine, and wore two six-shooters in his belt.  What happened as a result of his visit to Melbourne birthed a river of influence that reached thousands with Good News …

Euphemia and Karl Kraemer

In 1923, missionary Ernest and Effie Kramer and his family from Good News Hall were visiting Deep Well, south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.  Travelling in their wagon, pulled by two camels with two goats tethered behind it, they were heading to Alice Springs where they intended to settle. They travelled around 13-14 kilometres each day.  Advertising his real reason for coming north was the enigmatic sign on both sides of the caravan, “Behold! I come quickly!”  It testified to his faith and not their travelling time! Church services were held in a bough shed which Pastor Kramer built as a house of worship for aborigines to attend. Read More >>>

Alec T Davidson [1912 – 1987]

His ministry included visiting assemblies, conducting training courses, business meetings, visiting New Guinea, attending State Conferences, Executive meetings, camps and visiting Commonwealth Bible College. Known to many as ‘A. T.,’ he endeared himself to the pastors and leaders of the Fellowship as he moved around the country, encouraging and uplifting the ministers and their wives. He had a unique and exhorting ministry which did much to help those feeling the burden of the work of God.   He and his wife proved themselves to be real friends to all who got to know them personally.

Almost 100 years ago, in 1922 evangelist Smith-Wigglesworth from the United Kingdom visited Adelaide for meetings. After his meetings concluded, a group of between 100-150 regularly began to meet in Leavitt Hall in Wakefield Street, North Adelaide.  From this initial group, eventually two congregations emerged – Franklin Street and Compton Street. – now Influencers and LifePoint

 

Gypsy Smith [1860 –1947]

Rodney “Gypsy” Smith MBE was a British evangelist who conducted evangelistic campaigns in the United States and Great Britain for over 70 years. He said, “I didn’t go through your colleges and seminaries. They wouldn’t have me… but I have been to the feet of Jesus where the only true scholarship is learned.” Read More >>>

 

Henry E Wiggins

[1906—1993]

In the early 1980s, Henry Wiggins wrote in the Australia Evangel, “There comes a time for the traveller of many years to ease up a little; then starts the fascinating period of reminiscing! What a kaleidoscope of almost forgotten pictures pour through the mind!  Forgotten, momentarily, are the names of people and places, and even Scriptures so well known, in the present, but with amazing clarity and accuracy come the memories of bygone years and even childhood.”

 

Go Forward

In life, there are “watershed moments” when new and important decisions are made which radically affect the future. Such was the occasion at the 1977 Commonwealth Conference of the Assemblies of God in Australia. The Australian Evangel announced almost prophetically – “Melbourne will be Different!” Held in the Dallas Brooks Hall this proved to be true.