ANDERSON, William, Rev , M.A., Prof (1870-1953)
Assembly memorial minute, 1954
William Anderson was appointed in 1897, by the John G. Paton Mission Fund, Glasgow, as the young lay assistant to Dr. John Bowie, then stationed at Hog Harbour, New Hebrides. Thus Mr. Anderson went out as one of the John G. Paton missionaries in the New Hebrides. He proved himself an excellent apprentice in missionary service, in that large charge of East and North-East Santo. For some years he left the mission service and engaged in business as a planter, but continued to exert rare Christian influence among natives in his employ and throughout the district. He married the daughter of the Rev. Peter Milne, then missionary at Nguna.
In 1921, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson returned to Hog Harbour, as John G. Paton missionaries, to take charge of that large station where Mr. Anderson had served his apprenticeship - East and North-East Santo - wherein 30 years of devoted and expert labours were to be spent.
In May, 1930, the Victorian Foreign Mission Committee, after consultation with the John G. Paton Fund, placed before the Victorian Assembly Mr. Anderson’s brilliant and faithful record of missionary endeavours and, with the authority of the General Assembly of Australia (given in 1928), arranged for the Presbytery of Melbourne North to ordain Mr. Anderson as a Foreign Missionary. He was ordained on 5th February, 1930 and, until the time of his retirement, was a member of that Presbytery.
Mr. Anderson was a devoted and consecrated Christian, giving of his practical thoroughness and natural versatility to the cause of promulgating the Gospel of his Lord, Jesus Christ. His fellow missionaries placed high value upon his friendship and experience. Among his native parishioners he was pastor, leader and spiritual guide. The white settlers of the group respected him as the natives’ champion and advocate. Men and officers of the American Army, during World War II, honoured him and through him the mission was helped and itself proved of great service to the military garrisons in those districts.
Mr. Anderson came to know every corner of his wide parish, and worked among Christians and heathens. His thorough knowledge of the native population and their dialect gave him a deep insight into the native mind, so much so that they came to love this missionary of the quiet-spoken voice.
Upon retirement, in 1951, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson made their home in Canterbury, New Zealand, where Mr. Anderson passed away on 22nd May, 1953, at the age of 83.
To Mrs. Anderson and her family, the Assembly tenders sincere sympathy.
Gender
- Male