STEWART, Alexander James, Rev (1877-1961)
Assembly memorial minute, 1961
One of the senior ministers of our Church in Victoria at the time of his death, the Rev. Alexander James Stewart died on April 10th, 1961.
Born at Mount Duneed near Geelong, he attended the University of Melbourne until his studies were interrupted by eye trouble; later he entered the Ormond College Theological Hall and, on the completion of his course, was ordained and inducted at Corryong in 1906.
Most of his ministry was centred in districts within the hinterland of Ballarat until he began his long and notable work at Preston in 1927. During that period he served the Church at Miners' Rest, Beaufort, Rupanyup and Daylesford and he also acted as locum tenens for the Rev. R.C. Foyster, then minister at Hamilton, during his period of chaplaincy with the First A.I.F. in France.
At Preston he had to deal with the problem of the proper site for the church on account of changing circumstances and for 22 years he was a faithful pastor who endeared himself to his people in good times and in the bad depression days.
Not only was he a faithful pastor, he was a true presbyter seldom out of his place in any court of the Church and ever attentive to his varied tasks. In 1949 he went into retirement and lived at Croydon until his death
He is survived by Mrs. Stewart, three sons and four daughters, to whom the sympathy of the Assembly is extended.
Gender
- Male