The Australian Church (1884–1957) was founded by Dr. Charles Strong in Melbourne .
26-736: Charles Strong (26 September 1844 – 12 February 1942) was a Scottish-born Australian preacher and first minister of the Australian Church . Strong was the third son of the Rev. David Strong and Margaret Paterson, née Roxburgh, and was born at Dailly , Ayrshire, Scotland. Strong was educated at the Ayr Academy , Glasgow Academy , and in Arts and Divinity at the University of Glasgow 1859–67 (hon. LL.D., 1887). John Caird had become Professor of Divinity in 1863 and
52-519: A cheque for £3000 (at least $ 500,000 in today's values). At 9 pm. that evening he received a summons from the Presbyterian assembly to attend a meeting by 11 pm. and disavow all complicity with the doctrines of the lecture and declare his faith in the true deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the propitiatory character of his death and the real resurrection of his body from the dead. Strong, who
78-494: A driver ploughed through a crowd on Flinders Street, injuring 19 pedestrians. The perpetrator, Saeed Noori, appeared in court on 23 December, charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of reckless conduct endangering life. According to the Melbourne Police, Noori, a 32-year-old Australian of Afghan descent, had a history of assault, drug use and mental health issues. He was remanded in custody and ordered to undergo
104-487: A monthly periodical known variously as Our Good Words (1887–89), The Australian Herald (1889–1908) and The Commonweal (1908–42). Strong received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Glasgow for his thesis upon the "Doctrine of the Atonement". Strong always claimed "that he was neither an iconoclast nor an innovator. Changes were taking place in modern thought and if he prepared his people for them it
130-482: A multi-level carpark. The Melbourne Fish Market was situated on the south side of the railway viaduct, facing Spencer Street, having been displaced from the south-west corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets when the present Flinders Street station was constructed in the early 1900s. The site of the former Fish Market now forms the western end of Batman Park. In the late 1950s, an overpass was built to take King Street over its intersection with Flinders Street, as part of
156-592: A sermon. Strong was, however, charged with promulgating unsound and heretical doctrine and he resigned from the Presbyterian Church of Victoria , and as minister of the Scots' Church, although by the law of the church these could not be accepted while charges were pending. On 14 November 1883 a large number of his friends met at the Melbourne Town Hall to express their sympathy with Strong and to present him with
182-611: The Flinders Street Viaduct runs roughly parallel to the street, linking the city's two major railway stations. Other landmarks along Flinders Street include Federation Square , St Paul's Cathedral , Young and Jackson Hotel , the Banana Alley Vaults , the old Herald & Weekly Times building , Melbourne Aquarium and Batman Park , which adjoins the Yarra River. The land between the south side of Flinders Street and
208-582: The Melbourne Docklands . As the closest street to the river, Flinders Street served Melbourne's original river port . The Customs House, now the site of Victoria's Immigration Museum , is on Flinders Street. The street is home to Flinders Street station , the central station in Melbourne's suburban rail network. Tram routes 70 and 75 , as well as the City Circle route, run along Flinders Street, and
234-909: The National Anti-Sweating League , the Criminology Society, the Peace Society, and other organisations for social reform. Strong was unselfish; when an admirer left him £250 he immediately sent it to Dr Maloney for his milk for children fund. Still active in mind and body, Strong died after a fall at Lorne, Victoria , on 12 February 1942, aged 97. Strong was survived by five sons and two daughters. Strong's published works included Unsectarian Services for Use in Schools and Families (1888), Church Worship (1892), Christianity Re-interpreted and other Sermons (1894), and various separate addresses and sermons. From 1887 until his death Strong edited
260-627: The Presbyterian Church . In 1880 attention was called in the presbytery to a paper submitted by Strong titled "The Atonement" which appeared in the Victorian Review ; a committee appointed to investigate the article reported that some passages required explanation. The charges appeared to some to have been tenuous, one of his principal accusers said of one passage that "the words were perfectly harmless in themselves but conveyed an impression of unsoundness to his mind". By most they were seen as inadequate given his obligation to assert, maintain and defend
286-575: The construction of the King Street Bridge and Kings Way. The overpass extended from Downie Street to just east of Custom House Lane. Excavation commenced on the foundations of the southern side of the overpass on 6 January 1959 and, by 7 September, the first steel girders were erected. Upon completion of the first stage on 21 November 1959, trams were diverted onto temporary tracks laid by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on that part of
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#1732902295856312-632: The doctrine of the Presbyterian Church. Of course Strong had come from a relatively liberal Church of Scotland to a church that was the result of a union in 1859 including Free Church of Scotland and United Presbyterian ministers. What might have passed in Scotland without great upheaval was likely to take a different turn in Victoria, whose Presbyterian Assembly was chaired by hard-line fundamentalist Moderator John Gardner . With continuing friction in
338-508: The economic situation and Strong's sympathy for the manual workers, the richer members of his congregation dropped away and in 1922 a smaller church was built in Russell Street . Strong ministered there to the end of his life, in his last years accepting no salary. Strong founded the first crèche in Australia at Collingwood , one of the poorer suburbs of Melbourne, was an earnest supporter of
364-490: The opening of the Public Library and Art Gallery on Sundays. With George Selth Coppin in 1883, Strong promoted lodging-houses. In August 1883 Strong was chairman at a meeting of the Scots' Church Literary Association when Judge Higinbotham gave a lecture on 'Science and Religion', and Strong was attacked again. At the meeting Strong dissociated himself front some of Higinbotham's statements, and later on replied to them in
390-471: The overpass which resulted in property values dropping and the closure of hotels, shops and showrooms. Plans to revitalise the area in the early 1960s never eventuated. In May 2002, the state government announced it would be demolished, but it was May 2005 before work commenced, with preparations for Melbourne's 2006 Commonwealth Games acting as a catalyst. The project concluded in August. On 21 December 2017,
416-422: The presbytery, Strong tendered his resignation on 8 August 1881; however he agreed to take six months leave instead at the request of church officers and the congregation. Strong left his family in Melbourne and visited Scotland from March to October 1882 after a speech by a Scots Church elder, J. C. Stewart, reignited attacks on him. On Strong's return to Melbourne he was admonished by the presbytery for supporting
442-542: The railway viaduct between Spencer and King Streets was once home to the Melbourne City Markets, an ornate building constructed in 1890, covering 23,000 square metres. The market buildings were demolished between 1958 and 1960, after which the site became a public carpark. The site is now home to the three towers of the Northbank Place complex which includes office space, residential apartments, retail outlets and
468-632: The southern edge of the Hoddle Grid . It is exactly 1 mi (1.6 km) in length and one and a half chains (99 ft; 30 m) in width. The street is named after the English explorer, Matthew Flinders , who was erroneously credited with discovering Port Phillip at the time of its naming. It extends eastwards as far as Spring Street and the Treasury Gardens and, originally, westwards to Spencer Street, but now continues past Batman's Hill to
494-561: The structure. On 23 November 1959, construction on the foundations on the northern side of the overpass commenced and, by 20 February 1960, the remainder of the steelwork on that portion was erected. Following the erection of beams and the concreting of decks and permanent tram tracks, trams were diverted from the temporary tracks during the weekend of 11–13 June 1960. The northern traffic lanes heading eastbound were opened to traffic on 1 July 1960, with southbound lanes open not long afterwards. Many businesses and properties were overshadowed by
520-468: Was a member of this church. This Melbourne -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a Christian denomination is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Flinders Street, Melbourne Flinders Street is a street in Melbourne , Victoria, Australia . Running roughly parallel to the Yarra River , Flinders Street forms
546-499: Was a success and he became known as one of the leading preachers in Melbourne. He emphasised practical Christianity. The Scots' Church Convalescents' Aid Society was formed in 1879, followed by the Scots' Church District Association in 1881. Its major work was the care of neglected children (continued today as Kildonan Uniting Care ). He was also a pacifist. Strong's liberal views on theological matters, however, led to suspicion by some in
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#1732902295856572-573: Was invited become its first minister. A large church was built in Flinders Street, Melbourne , and for several years Strong had a congregation of about 1,000, but was in trouble in the 1890s. Strong accepted William Edward Addis , a former Glasgow classmate, as assistant minister in 1888. However, Strong and Addis had different views on theology, politics, economics and society; Addis did not seek reappointment and left Australia early in 1893. For various reasons, including difficulties with his assistants,
598-568: Was on the eve of his departure to Europe declined to attend, and the assembly passed a motion the day after his departure declaring him no longer a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, by a vote of 136 to 6. Strong regarded the assembly's ...proceedings as unconstitutional and illegal. Strong returned to Melbourne in October 1884; in November 1885 the Australian Church was founded and he
624-405: Was that they might be strengthened in the faith". Australian Church Charles Strong was a Presbyterian minister who, previously, had been charged with heresy because of his liberal theology . The Australian Church had a firm commitment to social justice and was active in the anti-conscription campaigns during World War I . Australia's second Prime Minister Alfred Deakin
650-507: Was the principal influence on Strong. Caird was known as an attractive preacher but his theology was much influenced by G.W.H. Hegel , the German idealist philosopher. After some months experience as a private tutor 1867, Strong was licensed as a preacher on 2 October 1867 and became an assistant at Dalmellington, Ayrshire. On 7 October 1868 he was ordained to the Old North Kirk at Greenock which
676-610: Was then a chapel under the oversight of the Old West Kirk . On 16 March 1871 he was inducted to Anderston Parish Church in Glasgow where Professor Caird also attended. In 1872 Strong married Janet Julia Fullarton (daughter of Archibald Fairrie Denniston); they had three daughters and five sons together. In May 1875 Strong was chosen as pastor for the Scots' Church , Collins Street Melbourne , replacing Irving Hetherington. Strong and his family arrived on 23 August 1875. Strong's ministry
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