Laurence Langley NASH

NASH, LAURENCE LANGLEY (b. Melbourne, Vic, 29 Sept 1904, d. Prahran, Vic, 30 Mar 1965). Anglican clergyman.

Laurence Nash was the youngest son of the Rev C H Nash (q.v.). He was educated in Melbourne and Cambridge (BA - 2nd cl, history, theology - 1929, MA 1934), and BD (Melbourne) 1940. After training at Ridley Hall, Cambridge he was ordained deacon 1930 and priest 1931 and served as curate of Moreland 1930-33.

From his early years Nash actively supported the CMS, was assistant master at the Diocesan High School, Hong Kong 1933-8 and general secretary of the Victorian CMS 1938-41. When RAN Chaplain 1941-4 he was one of the last to leave the torpedoed Canberra. While rector of St George's, Battery Point, Hobart 1944-52 he was honorary general secretary of the Tasmanian CMS, and 1950-1 served at a theological college in Djakarta as a mission in aid from the Australian CMS.

He was vicar of Moreland 1952-61 and St Matthew's, Prahran 1961-5. During these years he was actively engaged on many of the CMS branch and federal committees, a member of the Church of England Evangelical Trust (Vic), and as a member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Victoria. He was a leading spokesman for the evangelical cause in the diocesan Synod, in the Diocesan Council, and as a member of General Synod. He was appointed a canon of St Paul's Cathedral in 1961, and as editor of the Messenger from 1956-64 he made a positive contribution to church life in the diocese.

An evangelical like his father before him, Nash insisted on the need for sound learning and had a special interest in Ridley College, Melbourne. He was secretary of the college Council and a member of its executive for a number of years. He wrote the definitive history of the college under the title, Forward Flows the Tide. He was for some years a member of the Victorian Committee of the Bible Society.

Throughout his ministry he had the loyal support of his wife, Dr Gwen Nash (née Gwendolyn Bradley) and they had three daughters.

L L Nash, Forward Flows the Time (Melbourne, 1960) Keith Cole, A History of the Church Missionary Society of Australia (Melbourne, 1971); Melbourne Diocesan Records

KEITH COLE