Percy Charles NALL

NALL, PERCY CHARLES (b. Hobart, Tas, 24 May 1874; d. Turramurra, NSW, 14 Aug 1945). Apostle to the Garos.

Born of Christian parents, his journalist father's work took the family to Brisbane, then to Sydney where the family worshipped at the Burton St Baptist Tabernacle. His conversion and baptism at 14 determined his life's purpose. By trade a carpenter, Nall in 1893 presented himself to the NSW Baptist Union as a candidate for overseas missionary service. After preliminary studies, he was sent in 1895 to St Andrew's Presbyterian College for theological training. He was ordained at the 1897 Baptist Assembly and left for India soon afterwards.

He was seconded to the Victorian Baptist Foreign Missionary Society which located him at Mymensingh, East Bengal (now Bangladesh). He worked here for two years, studying Bengali. He then married Anne Swadling who came to India to join him. The District Magistrate, guest at the wedding, commented prophetically about the strong, energetic, sandyhaired bridegroom: 'He looks as if he was capable of doing something unusual'.

In the hill country to the north dwelt the Garos, matriarchal and former headhunting tribespeople of Mongolian descent, who over the years had attracted missionary attention. National evangelists had made a few converts and commenced a church, but the work was in disarray. In 1900, Nall was sent to Birisiri to take charge. At first, in the absence of suitable accommodation, he commuted from Mymensingh town. Though the distance was only 65 km the journey took at least 24 hours.

Early in 1902, the Nalls made their home at Birisiri, the first missionaries to live amongst the Garos. The area had been devastated by a recent cyclone. Their first home was a couple of thatched huts. The intrepid builder began to erect more suitable structures to house the work he was doing. A succession of disasters followed over the next few years: hail, cholera, fire and flood, in which personal effects were lost, health imperilled, buildings destroyed and materials swept away. Undeterred, Nall followed each calamity by improvements, erecting schools, churches and houses, responding to the needs of the whole district.

An ardent evangelist, he recognised that the Garos would be best evangelised by themselves. He developed the rudimentary educational system already in operation until, in addition to boys and girls schools throughout the area, he had established Bible and training institutes at Birisiri. Consequently, with a trained and dedicated Garo leadership, a virile self-governing and largely self-supporting church grew up.

Nall's compassion and understanding of the Garo mind gave him a unique place in the esteem and confidence of the people. Often they found themselves at the mercy of extortionate money-lenders. He established a cooperative bank as one means of helping them. He envisaged a community delivered from poverty, ignorance, disease and sin, knowing the power of the gospel to transform the whole life of man.

A jovial personality with an infectious laugh, he related well with fellow missionaries, and gave his skills willingly to assist them in their work. His keen judgement and mastery of detail were invaluable in their conferences. It was said that the sight of an organ to him was either an invitation to repair it or play it, leading his colleagues heartily in singing.

When he retired in 1931, he left behind a strong stable Garo church. In after years his successors declared that nothing Nall had done needed to be seriously revised.

Archives, Australian Baptist Missionary Society, Hawthorn, Victoria

BASIL S BROWN