Samuel Martin JOHNSTONE

JOHNSTONE, SAMUEL MARTIN (b. co Kildare, Ireland, 18 September 1879; d. Sydney, NSW, 15 May 1949). Anglican clergyman in Sydney.

Johnstone migrated to Sydney in 1901 where Abp Saumarez Smith made him a deacon in 1902, and priest 1904. After curacies and locum tenancies, he had leave of absence in 1908-9 during which he took a BA at TCD. During these years he established an enviable reputation as a thoughtful and cultured preacher. He returned to Sydney as general secretary of CMA in NSW until 1911 when he became rector of St John's, Parramatta.

Twenty five years at St John's allowed him to install a peal of bells, raise money for the children's ward at Parramatta Hospital and for the Church of England Homes for boys and girls at Carlingford, write the life of Samuel Marsden and the history of The King's School, take his MA degree from Belfast, and become a Fellow of the Scottish Antiquarians in 1934.

Johnstone left Parramatta in 1935 to become archdeacon of Camden and diocesan Registrar. He was to serve as secretary of the Standing Committee of the Provincial and General Synods and to make himself familiar with all the issues on which the archbishop needed to formulate his policy. No-one during those years did more to read numerous documents, engage in special research, or draft material for the archbishop's benefit. He met the world at large with grave reserve and few clergy knew the value of his work as archbishop's confidant and counsellor.

Johnstone was a brilliant organiser and was responsible for the detailed planning of the Broughton Centenary Celebrations in 1936 and the cathedral Centenary Celebration for the laying of the foundation stone in 1937. He was closely involved with the Church of England National Emergency Fund as its first secretary and initiated the Committee for the Promotion of Church of England Diocesan Schools. Eight schools were to be brought under its aegis during his lifetime.

Johnstone was a lonely man with few close friends. He lived for the sake of his work. His chief recreation was in pursuit of literary and historical interests. He wrote an excellent history of the Cathedral and published more than one volume of poetry. His marriage was not happy, but it gave him great pleasure when his only son (J R L Johnstone) was ordained in 1939. He was threatened with blindness in postwar years and died on 15 May 1949. Perhaps he had lost the will to live once he knew that his working life was nearing its end. Abp Mowll was to say of him: 'His wonderful friendship and loyalty have been one of God's good gifts to me'.

M Loane, Mark These Men

SELECT WRITINGS: The Book of St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney (Sydney, 1937); Samuel Marsden, a pioneer of civilization in the South Seas (Sydney, 1932); A History of the Church Missionary Society in Australia and Tasmania (Sydney, 1925)

MARCUS LOANE