Thomas Henry SCAMBLER

SCAMBLER, THOMAS HENRY (b. Joyce's Creek, near Newstead, Vic, 1879; d. Melbourne, Vic, 31 Oct 1944). Churches of Christ minister, college principal, controversialist, advocate for Christian unity.

Scambler's parents, of English stock, were drawn into Churches of Christ through the preaching of Stephen Cheek (q.v.). His first attempt at public speaking, at age 13, was to a group of Christians at Newstead. Several years later he was preaching in the open air at nearby towns. Feeling called to ministry, he moved to Melbourne to improve his education. After a period as student preacher at Ascot Vale, he was invited by the Victorian Home Missions Committee of the Churches of Christ to the Echuca circuit. In 1903 he left for Perth and a ministry among the WA churches. Wishing to undertake further study, he sailed for America. After graduating BA from Drake University, he returned to WA to work with the church at Maylands. His next, and most successful, ministry was at Hawthorn, Vic, where he remained for fourteen years. During this period he graduated Dip Ed from Melbourne University.

Scambler was invited to lecture at the College of the Bible conducted by the Churches of Christ in Melbourne in 1921. In 1929 he left Hawthorn for Box Hill, where he remained for four years. This was followed by a five year term at Swanston St, Melbourne. When the college principal, A R Main (q.v.) toured abroad in 1935, he served as acting principal and, on Main's retirement in 1938, he was appointed principal.

Scambler was president of the Victorian Conference of Churches of Christ during 1919. He was well-known as a writer—a novel, short stories, hymns and a book on the art of sermon construction were among his achievements. He was involved in ecumenical discussions and exhorted Churches of Christ to 'cultivate a fraternal spirit towards all the children of God' and to recognise 'as Christian all who sincerely love and serve the Lord Jesus, whether they coincide with us in doctrine and ordinance or not'.

Scambler was warm and outgoing and interested in the insights of the New Psychology. Viewing the philosophic defence of the faith as important, he became a member of the Left Book Club and publicly debated with Mr Langley, a leading rationalist. After a brief six years as college principal, Scambler collapsed and died of a heart attack on Gardiner railway station.

G Chapman, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: A History of Churches of Christ in Australia(Melbourne, 1979); W J Thomson, 'Thomas Henry Scambler, 1879-1944', Digest of the Australian Churches of Christ Historical Society 16, April 1966

GRAEME CHAPMAN