Gwilym James MORGANS

MORGANS, GWILYM JAMES (b. Llanelly, Wales, 12 Dec 1904, d. Mt Pocono, Pa, USA, 1 July 1988). Baptist minister, revivalist, Protestant activist.

Born the son of a chemical works plumber Gwilym Morgans became a steel worker and successful amateur boxer. He was influenced by the Welsh revivals, especially through his mother's family (Evans). After his conversion he gave up boxing and used his promising preaching gifts in his local area. He trained for the ministry at Myrrdin College and by private study, being ordained on 18 January 1930 at Bethania Baptist Church, Aberdare.

Taking leave from his church at Aberdare, he travelled to Brisbane, Qld, where his brother had been living for almost a decade. Arriving 7 Dec 1937, he supplied the pulpit of the Baptist Church at Albion for a trial period of six months. Becoming pastor on a permanent basis soon after, he led the church throughout almost the entire period of the war, during which time it prospered. The mid-week meeting was well supported and it became a thriving centre of evangelism, resulting in a 50% increase in membership. Seeing the need of training new converts, 'Morgie' (as he was affectionately known) was an active supporter of Christian Endeavour and conducted regular Bible study classes for his young people.

Early in 1943, he enlarged these classes and placed them on a systematic basis using a number of other teachers besides himself, thus establishing the 'Bible Institute of Queensland'. After his departure from the church in 1944, the Institute became fully interdenominational under the Rev J Egenon Jacob (from nearby Lutwyche Methodist Church) and a Board composed of a wide cross-section of Brisbane's evangelical leadership. Classes moved to the city and then to a residential site at Toowong as the Queensland Bible Institute (known since 1984 as Bible College of Queensland).

Morgans also became widely known nationally as a popular evangelist and as a vociferous advocate of Protestant principles, conducting rallies and public debates, and publishing books, magazines and pamphlets exposing what he saw as the vices of Romanism and promoting the virtues of the Reformation. He also gained his DD degree and published his major work, Cataracts of Revival (Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1939) which reflected his distinctive emphasis and heritage.

After considering several calls, including some from the United States, Morgans moved to West Melbourne Baptist Church in May 1944. Taking advantage of the larger population of Melbourne and the presence there of many evangelical organisations, he continued his work as a protestant activist, founding the United Protestant Association. He also made his inner-city pastorate a base for aggressive evangelism. In 1947 he travelled overseas to attend a Baptist World Alliance congress in Denmark and to conduct preaching missions in Europe and the United States. Resigning his pastorate in 1948, he engaged in itinerant ministry overseas, and finally joined other members of the family in the United States, taking up pastorates in Welsh-speaking Baptist Churches in Scranton and Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He continued his pamphleteering, began a radio ministry and travelled internationally on preaching missions. He was an eloquent preacher and he read widely. He was also a patriotic son of his homeland, taking a prominent part in St David's Day and other Welsh celebrations.

Dr Morgans retired to the mountain resort area of Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania, where he was still active virtually up to his death in 1988. His library and papers were bequeathed to Bible College of Queensland.

David Parker, Top of the Mount: The Story of Queensland Bible Institute (Brisbane, 1981)

DAVID PARKER