David BADGER

BADGER, DAVID (b. Haddington, Scotland, 12 Jan 1827; d. Echuca, Victoria 29 Oct. 1890). Baptist minister. David Badger was the son of William Badger, keeper of the Bell Inn. After apprenticeship and trade as a baker he migrated to Adelaide in 1848. There he came under the influence of the Congregationalist the Rev T Quinton Stow (q.v.) who trained him for the ministry. His ministerial career began at Mount Remarkable, SA, in 1859, whence he received a call to Morphett Vale. While there he became convinced that immersion of believers was the only baptism taught and practised in the New Testament. He was baptised in the Onkaparinga River and began advocating Baptist views. His congregations supported him, transferring with him to the Baptist denomination in 1865.

Badger was married twice: in 1850 to Ann Gibson (1827-1857) and in 1858 to Emily Hamlyn (1839-1928). There were fourteen children, two in the first family and twelve in the second, of whom six died in infancy including the only girl. Most of his surviving sons were active churchmen serving variously as lay preachers, deacons, office bearers and a prison chaplain.

In 1871 Badger was chairman of the Baptist Association and was then appointed denominational evangelist to minister to thinly populated districts of South Australia. His first year was spent at Mount Gambier. With the opening up of new wheat farming areas in the north in the boom years of the 1870s many people were migrating northwards. Starting from Saddleworth he moved among these new settlers establishing churches as he went. With the occasional support of assistants, seven new churches were established 1874-80. He returned to the Adelaide suburb of Goodwood in 1881. He served again as chairman of the Baptist Association in 1884/85 and then moved to Victoria, first to Geelong and then to Echuca where he died suddenly while addressing a meeting at the YWCA.

Donald Badger, David Badger: Preacher, Pioneer, Patriarch (Adelaide, 1985)

DONALD G BADGER