HONIBALL, Samuel John, Rev (1862-1941)
Assembly memorial minute, 1941
Our church lost a most faithful and devoted servant when, on February 4th, 1941, the Rev. Samuel John Honiball passed away at Geelong. Mr. Honiball was born in Melbourne in 1862. When quite young he was compelled by his father’s death to assist in supporting the family, and entered upon a business career. This proved to be an invaluable preparation for his subsequent work as a minister.
In 1885 he married Miss Agnes Duff, of Erskine Church. In 1887 he was sent by his firm to take charge of businesses at Launceston and Zeehan, in Tasmania. But his heart was really in specifically Christian work. He had already done Y.M.C.A. work, and found pleasure in hospital visiting; in Zeehan (where he had purchased a business) he had donated land to the Presbyterian Church, and had frequently conducted services. But in 1899 he determined to give all his time to the work of the ministry.
As a Home Missionary he was sent to Sorell, where he laboured for about three years. As his total income for the first year was about £60, and for the second year about £80, and he had a wife and two children to support, this meant severe self-sacrifice. He was transferred to Rushworth in 1903, and had charge of the Waranga Basin Mission, where over 5, 000 men and their families were dwelling in tents. The canvas church, in the erection of which he personally helped, served for Church services, Sunday School and a reading room and social centre. For almost three years Mr. Honiball did notable work here.
From 1905 till 1916 he laboured faithfully at Numurkah, Murtoa, Berringa, Heywood, Outtrim, and Carisbrook. In view of his long and valuable service, the General Assembly of Australia, in 1916, directed that he receive ordination. The Home Mission Committee appointed him to Omeo, and on his way thither, at Sale, on November 22nd, 1916, he was ordained by the Presbytery of Gippsland. Subsequently he was called by the Omeo charge, and inducted at Benambra church on June 19th, 1918. In 1921 he resigned from Omeo, and was placed by the Home Mission Committee at Yarra Glen, into the pastoral oversight of which he was inducted in April, 1922. In September, 1926, he was translated to Smeaton, and demitted his charge in May, 1932.
He was a minister emeritus of the Presbytery of Ballarat until his death, but he continued to do active work for the church for several years, at Rokewood first, then at many other charges, and finally at Pomborneit. The complete failure of his health—due in part to the loss of his wife in May, 1940—compelled him to give up the work which he loved, and he retired to Geelong, where he died.
Mr. Honiball was gifted with a happy personality—“a good man, with much consecrated common sense. ” He was a most hard-working minister. One who knew him intimately writes: —“He never spared himself nor considered time or effort, if his services were required. He will be remembered by hundreds and hundreds of people for his influence and work in their homes, rather than for his eloquence in the pulpit. He loved meeting people, and took an intense interest in their problems and work. Certainly to him, The proper study of mankind was man. ’ ” Who can measure the influence of such a life?
His son, Mr. Leslie Honiball, is Assistant Superintendent (Commercial) of the Telephone Branch of the Postal Department, and to him and his sister the Assembly tenders its sincere sympathy.
Gender
- Male