The influence of E. L. Williams on Churches of Christ in Australia is immeasurable. Perhaps only A. R. Main ranks with him in the way several generations responded to his lead. Most of the nearly 500 students he taught at The College of the Bible imbibed his approach to faith and life and made it their own.

      The thousands of church members these former students ministered to received indirectly from the wealth of his mind and spirit.

      Through his writings, teaching missions, extension lectures, speaking at Conferences and preaching, countless people were opened up to crucial dimensions of the Kingdom of God.

Truths

      A brief summary cannot capture the style of Lyall Williams' thinking, but these are the emphases he passionately declared and lived.

      The essence of Christianity is commitment to the Person of Christ.

      The immediate and practical authority for all Christians is the Scriptures, which are to be interpreted according to 'the consensus of consecrated scholarship'.

      Christianity is applicable to the whole of life-"personal, cultural, social, economic and political'.

      Christians are called to responsible living, to being good stewards.

      The church is the body of Christ and is called to express clearly the quality of life revealed in Jesus. The church is both universal and local.

      The witness of Churches of Christ concerns 'the divinely given teachings, principles and practices witnessed to in the New Testament' and these include the unity of the church. 'Manifest oneness' is an essential part of New Testament Christianity.

Integrity

      These truths were not just assented to with his mind, they were lived. Before most of us were up, each day he had spent time in prayer with the Lord whom he knew as a friend. Without fuss, he used his time, money and business expertise to help people in need.

      While he pointed to and upheld high standards, he offered forgiveness and a fresh start to those who had failed. When he was misunderstood and attacked, he did not retaliate but continued in love to share the truths he held dear.

      He humbly acknowledged that he wasn't always Christlike, but those near E. L. saw him as a person of great integrity.

The Person

      Lyall Williams was a practical man--a good farmer, a bush carpenter, a keen sportsman, an astute commentator on community issues and a reader of many types of literature, including westerns and mysteries.

      Despite heavy demands on his time, the family were very much part of his life. In later years, the grandchildren loved to visit him at the Narre Warren farm where he enjoyed giving them tractor and pony rides.

      He always made time to speak with the little children in the college community and they loved him.

      Missionaries on furlough staying at Ludbrook House opposite the college were provided with a trustworthy car.

      Some students wondered what they were going to talk about during the long drive to Western Australia on deputation, but they came back full of stories of shared laughter and enriching conversations.

      A friend to all students and faculty, Lyall developed precious relationships with some, especially T.H. Scambler, Randall Pittman, Alf White and Keith Jones.

The Principal

      The "Chief" taught mainly in Doctrine, Ethics and Church History, including on the Restoration Movement. He believed that ministers needed a depth of understanding of the essentials of the faith to guard against 'emotional prejudice and dogmatism'. He demonstrated to his students how to use careful scholarship and thought, first of all to understand and then to communicate the truths of God to people in their various situations. His starting point was the givenness of the gospel, not what people wanted to hear.

      Before Lyall Williams joined the faculty, all, including the principal, were part-time. During his principalship, he achieved his goal to have a full-time faculty, so that they could strengthen expertise in their areas of teaching while maintaining close contact with the churches.

      From the 1950's, the number of married students with children increased and Mr Williams diligently found them suitable accommodation. With his normal careful stewardship of limited finance, married quarters were provided on campus. He encouraged women with gifts to undertake the ministry course and in his last year as principal the first women were ordained.

      His goal was to train people for a "GP ministry", so that Churches of Christ would continue to have ministers strongly committed to Christ and the gospel, to the mission of the church and to the plea which made us a people.

Vision of Unity

      E. L. Williams was captured by the universal, or catholic, dimension of the church. He gained this vision both from the New Testament and from the beginnings of the movement of Churches of Christ, expressed especially in the writings of Thomas and Alexander Campbell. This vision he shared with conviction.

      His ecumenical spirit was shown both personally and institutionally. He loved to gain insights from writers from many segments of the world church and from discussions with a wide range of Christians.

      He fearlessly advocated that Churches of Christ needed to share our understandings within the world and Australian councils of churches, while also listening to what the Spirit was saying through other Christian traditions. Many leaders outside Churches of Christ came to know, and appreciate our witness because they had heard E. L. Williams share it with conviction and love.

A Legacy

      Mr Williams did not seek recognition for himself. His desire was that people would be captured by Jesus Christ, live as responsible Christians and work for the fulfilment of Christ's prayer for unity. We honour him best by passing on with integrity the legacy he shared with us.

      To Lila, his long-time companion and helper, to Joan, Reg and Graeme, and to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, our movement of churches says: 'We share with you in a great loss, but most of all we are grateful that we were privileged to have been ministered to by Christ through E. Lyall Williams'.

[Prepared by Keith Bowes and Ken Clinton, students and then colleagues of E. L. Williams at COB.]