Walter Joseph BEASLEY

BEASLEY, WALTER JOSEPH (b. Melbourne Vic, 23 April 1889; d. Melbourne, 9 June 1976). Businessman, author, founder of The Australian Institute of Archaeology, FRGS.

Walter Beasley was raised in a Christian home, becoming a Sunday school teacher in his later teens. He was deeply influenced by biblical studies at Angas College, SA, in 1911-2. From thereon the Bible, both its message and its authenticity, became his major interest.

After being disqualified for missionary service with CIM, on health grounds, he returned to Melbourne in 1912. Missions however, remained an important interest for the rest of his life. The only position he could obtain in Melbourne was with a small transport company, Thomas H Young Pty Ltd, where he had worket1 prior to his training at Angas College. Whilst thus employed he reached out to people with the gospel, especially by leading Bible studies, typified in his book What Think Ye of Christ? A lifelong interest in the ANCM was one result of such studies.

Ultimately he took over the business and developed it into a successful transport and customs company, Young's Transport Agency. This enabled him to support missions and other Christian activities, whilst the company assisted missionaries with customs and overseas travel.

Beasley's strong emphasis on the Bible's trustworthiness now became more dominant. He warmly supported those standing for the evangelical position on scripture against liberal and evolutionary teachings. Both the editor of New Life, Eric J Daley (q.v.), and the editor of Evangelical Action (the journal of the Bible Union of Australia), the Rev W R McEwen (q.v.), were given encouragement and practical assistance in the production of their papers. Beasley also wrote articles for both papers, including items on creation and, his later interest, the contribution of archaeology as he understood it to biblical history and prophecy.

During an overseas trip in the 1930s, which included a tour of Palestine, he was inspired by Professor J Carstang's excavations at Jericho especially the collapsed city walls the excavator attributed to Joshua's day. Consequently he supported the dig financially, receiving artefacts from the site, and wrote on the subject. This led him into the field of biblical archaeology, including both the collection of excavated artefacts—now the basis of the excellent collection of the Australian Institute of Archaeology housed in its museum, Ancient Times House, in Melbourne—and the organisation of displays and lectures demonstrating the accuracy and authenticity of the Bible records.

This dominating interest led Beasley to found the Australian Institute of Archaeology in 1946, of which he was first (and life) president, with John A Thompson the inaugural director. In 1952 Youngs Transport Agency was made over to the Institute as a non-profit sharing company to provide for its future operations. At Beasley's request a percentage of the Institute’s income has been allocated to the support of missions.

Links were established with other Near Eastern research bodies, including the American Schools of Oriental Research of which the Institute became a corporate member. From 1946 funds were donated to Sydney University to support the lecturer in (and later inaugural professor of) archaeology, James Stewart, and his digs in Cyprus. Later a three year grant to the University of Melbourne enabled the establishment of a lectureship in archaeology in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies.

Beasley's main writings show clearly his strong advocacy of a conservative biblical position and include: What Think Ye of Christ? (1928, Melbourne, 1968); Jericho's Judgement (with J B E Carstang) (London, 1938); Creation's Amazing Architect (London, 1955); The Amazing Story of Sodom (Bombay, 1957)

GORDON G GARNER