HE influence of a good life would be impossible to estimate. Practically every Church of Christ in South Australia has at some time or other come under the influence of Thomas Jefferson Gore. Grote Street, the City Church, was blessed by twenty-five years of his life spent there, his influence reaching to hundreds, yea thousands of lives during that time. Chapel Street, Norwood, was placed on a firm footing through the efforts and influence of T. J. Gore, and in 1888 he reorganised the church there. He formed the church at Glenelg with eighteen members, and stayed with them till the church was well established. In 1884 he formed the church at York, and spent three months there, during which time there were thirty-one additions. He spent fourteen years at Park Street, Unley, and the church there and at Cottonville were greatly blessed. The churches at Forestville and Fullarton have both been formed by members from Park Street. He opened the churches at Croydon, Mile End, Maylands and Williamstown. He was present and spoke at Port Pirie at the opening of the church there. He helped the church at Strathalbyn when there were a very few members there; he went from Adelaide and helped and encouraged them. Milang and Point Sturt were also greatly helped. The churches of Alma and Owen experienced great joy during the visits of T. J. Gore and were encouraged. During [45] the three and a half years of ministry at Henley Beach, the church there was blessed and his influence was felt, not only in the church, but in the community. At Queenstown and North Adelaide he was always a very welcome visitor. He was known and loved, not only by the churches in South Australia, but by the whole of the Australian Brotherhood. His preaching and writing alone did not win for him his wonderful popularity, nor was it to these two talents alone that his influence over the lives of others could be attributed, but to his marvellous loving personality. Love is the greatest force in the world, and thousands just loved Thomas Jefferson Gore. One of our leading doctors on his return from the War, in speaking about him said, "When I was out there I thought of one absolutely white man home here, and his life influenced me and helped me more than anything else."

      When T. J. Gore arrived in South Australia there were less than 500 members of our churches in the State. He lived to see a membership that numbered over 7000. [46]

[TJG 45-46]