A. Edgar WALKER

WALKER, (A) EDGAR (b. St Albans, NSW, 15 Aug 1878; d. Sydney, NSW, 13 June 1966). Methodist minister in NSW.

Edgar Walker was converted in a mission conducted by the Rev Robert Johnson at the age of 13. He began to preach when he was 20 years of age. He applied to study at the Evangelists' Institute at the Sydney Methodist CMM in 1902. He was attached to a CMM Tent Mission which brought about a life-long commitment to evangelism. In 1904 he was accepted as a candidate for training by the Methodist church, but he was directly sent to a country church doing his theological studies by correspondence.

In 1910 he was appointed as conference evangelist by the Methodist Church of NSW and conducted missions throughout New South Wales. Large numbers of conversions were recorded in these years (1910-12). Following appointments in South Sydney, Wallsend and Grafton he became minister at Newtown in 1924-38. During his ministry Newtown was declared a Mission because of the innovative and successful evangelistic and social ministry which he developed.

Walker was appointed as the bicentennial evangelist for the Methodist Church of NSW for the year 1938 to celebrate the conversion of John Wesley in 1738. He held missions across the state, and was used to bring thousands of people to a personal experience of Jesus Christ. He then became the minister of three further Methodist circuits, at Hornsby, Hurstville and Crows Nest. In 1944 he was elected president of the Methodist Church in NSW, making the theme of his year in leadership a call to evangelism. He retired in 1949, continuing to preach and summon people to conversion until his death.

Edgar Walker was one of the outstanding evangelists of his generation. He lived a life of simple piety, depending always on the power of prayer. In his years at Newtown he developed a ministry which cared for people's physical as well as their spiritual needs. Through his evangelism he expressed both the Word and the Deed of the Gospel.

ALAN WALKER