Frederick Thomas WALKER

WALKER, FREDERICK THOMAS (b. St Albans, NSW, 20 Aug 1875; d. 2 June 1928). Methodist minister.

Son of a local preacher of outstanding ability, Fred Walker was one of four brothers who entered the Methodist ministry (1902). His early years were spent in industrial areas (Cobar, Lithgow), where he struggled with the problem of bridging the gap between the church and industrial workers. At his own request, the 1916 Conference set Walker aside to develop special industrial work. The Men's Own Movement grew from this. Walker undertook a heavy programme of factory visitation and struggled to build good relations with various worker organisations. He distributed free a paper, Men's Own, which preached social justice and faith in Christ. He was a frequent speaker in the Domain.

Walker's work later came under Conference control and links were forged with the Congregationalists, and later the Presbyterians, as well as interstate Methodists. Within the Methodist church, Walker fostered a more responsible attitude to workers and their concerns and drew up Australian Methodism's first Industrial Pronouncement. He summarised his social teaching in a book, The Golden Heart of Labour. Walker was an early worker in the field of socially responsible evangelism and helped to pioneer the development of an evangelism suited to modern needs. He paved the way for his church's extensive activity in the area of Christian citizenship. His death in 1928 was an untimely and serious blow to the development of this important work.

Minutes of Methodist Conference, 1929; SMH, 4 June 1928; Don Wright, 'The Methodist Men's Own Movement', Church Heritage, 4/1 (March 1985)

DON WRIGHT