Amongst the preachers of the past generations in Churches of Christ in Australia, there have been many who were outstanding. They were "men who had an understanding of the times" and they were certainly men of the hour. Had they belonged to one or other of the larger denominational bodies, we have no doubt that they would have attained eminence amongst them. But believing as they did, they chose to help poor and struggling causes, which, because of their adherence to the simpler teaching of the New Testament were either ignored by, or were the butt and ridicule of, denominationalism. They chose comparative poverty to pioneer the cause which they had espoused. Not the least of them, although not one of Our earliest preachers, and still remembered by a great number of brethren today, was Thomas Hagger.

      Thomas Hagger was not an Australian by birth. He was born in London, England, on July 13, 1874. His father was an Anglican and his mother a Baptist. He was, however, brought up under strict Anglican teaching. When he was nine years of age, his people moved to New York where they lived for three years before coming to Australia. Here the family settled at Williamstown, whilst the father, a pastry cook, found employment in some country centre. Thomas went to work in a grocer's shop.

A Small Flame Burning

      There was another lad working in the same shop as Thomas, and one day he asked him if he would come to church the following Sunday night as he was going to be baptised. It is not known how much conversation took place on this subject of baptism but it was something 'new fangled' to Thomas. Nevertheless he was interested and told the boy he would see his mother first before making any promise. He knew it was very doubtful if his father, at that time, would have allowed him to attend any service of Churches of Christ. He found his mother, not only willing to let her son attend the church service, but glad to know that he was showing interest in spiritual matters and promised to go with him. She too was glad to witness again the ordinance of Christian baptism in which a new disciple was buried and rose to walk in newness of life with Christ.

      We do not know the name of that grocer's boy, but he did a great thing, a very great thing, when he asked Thomas to attend the service. It was not only a witness, but a little piece of personal work of which the lad could not foresee the tremendous result.

      Think of the many millions whose names, unknown to us, are in the Lamb's Book of Life because in their humble way they have made a witness of their faith in Christ as Saviour. The grocer lad was not the least of these.

      Thus it was that Thomas Hagger came under the influence of the preacher, D. Macallister, who gave him wise counsel and guidance in the Word of Life. Such men are generally at the back of great lives. John Egglen, a humble preacher, turned Spurgeon to the ministry, and Edward Kimball, a

Sunday School teacher, helped Moody to become the great evangelist that he was. In reading the brief sketches that are extant of the lives of our earlier preachers, we find them paying tribute not only to those who first planted the seed of the Word of God in their hearts, but to the preachers who helped and taught them, even as many today gladly acknowledge their indebtedness to Thos. Hagger. Seeing that the least or the greatest of God's servants today could tell of the influence of those who helped to turn their footsteps into a path of richer life and service, it would be good to enquire among ourselves as to whether we are helping or hindering younger people to use their lives and their talents for the service of Christ and His Church.

      Under the preaching of D. Macallister, Thomas owned Christ as his Saviour and was baptised on September 28, 1889. A few years later, he wrote in "The Christian Pioneer," "I thank God I was converted when young, for two reasons: First, I was surely drifting out on the ocean of sin, and it would have been more difficult had I been older. Second, I have the whole of my life to devote to my Saviour."

Thomas Takes Up the Torch

      Being asked to take the place of the preacher planned, he preached his first Gospel sermon at Williamstown on March 18, 1893 at the age of 19. His text was Mark 16:16. "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned." But within two months the family moved to South Yarra and for a short time he was active in the work at Prahran. In the beginning of 1894 he, with others, commenced the church at South Yarra. His smouldering zeal had burst into flame. Other members of the family had united with the church.

      People who remembered him in that day told of his cheery voice and whistle as he delivered bread and pastries from his father's ovens. He was secretary of the church, a worker in the Bible School, and a teacher in the Chinese Mission. His services were constantly in demand as a speaker in the Melbourne and suburban churches; and, as a result of his preaching, many hundreds were turned to Christ.

      At this time, Thomas began to prepare himself for the ministry of the Word into which he intended to give his life. He attended the Laing College for secular education. Churches of Christ had no training College in Australia at that time, but classes for that purpose were conducted in Adelaide and Melbourne. W. C. Morro, the preacher of Lygon Street, had such a class and Thomas Hagger attended this. W. C. Morro was a gifted Bible student. Those who remember him as a preacher, speak of him as one who always gave a message well worth hearing. His studies on the Holy Spirit are comprehensive works, and a book written later on, Stewardship, is a most exhaustive study of the subject. (Bro. Morro later returned to America and became Professor of New Testament in Brite College of the Bible at Texas Christian University.) We can well imagine that Bro. Hagger received a good grounding in New Testament history and doctrine under such a teacher. It was always a matter of regret with him that he was not afforded the opportunity to study in any theological College such as we have today. But it is not always that from such institutions the greatest of preachers have come. In Mr. Hagger's case, he believed in the call which he had received, the commission the Lord had given (Matt. 28:18-20), the commands of the New Testament teachings and the power of that Word to convert the unsaved, and of consecration to the greatest task in all the world. And no matter how well qualified one may be educationally, these are the basic

essentials in the ministry of the Word.

      He left no one in doubt, as to what they should do to be saved and proclaimed "the whole counsel of God." He stated the truth faithfully, fearlessly, and persistently. When Philip preached to the Ethiopian in the chariot, he began by explaining a passage in The book of Isaiah commencing, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter" etc. The next words tell us that the Ethiopian said, "What doth hinder me to be baptised?" It seems obvious that when Philip preached Jesus to his listener, he told also of Christ's command. Thomas Hagger's preaching was like that. He did not leave any part of his congregation crying. "What must we do to be saved?" In the days of his vigour he considered a Gospel sermon incomplete without having concluded with an appeal to obey Christ in the waters of baptism. His customary question to those who came forward to confess their faith in Christ was, "Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; and do you desire to follow Him obediently?"

      In August, 1895, he accepted the invitation of the Victorian H.M. Committee to preach in the Echuca-Wedderburn circuit. The district included Kyabram, Mystic Park and Banjeroop. There were eight churches in all when he commenced but some were only gatherings of eight or nine people and were in Private homes. But in a short time, five other household congregations were added to the circuit. Some of the people were very poor, but they were rich in Spirit. Some of the names of the brethren in more than one state still live on in the Brotherhood, though in that day bran and tea was an all too common diet. And the names still live on because though poor in this world's goods, they were rich in Godliness. When Bro. Hagger left the horse and buggy for the more modern push bicycle, he covered about 50 miles each Sunday.

      To quote A. W. Stephenson in "The Australian Christian" (Sept. 5, 1950), "The Gospel was preached in the open air, in farm houses, in barns. In hired halls, in chapels, and wherever a few could be gathered. Within two years and two months, 100 souls confessed Christ. 'Those were great days' he wrote, 'And loyal and faithful were many of those who were found in the churches'."

      It is little wonder that Thos. Hagger was always a strong advocate of the circuit system, especially that young preachers, commencing their life's work should engage in it. Near to the end of his life he still advocated it and practised it. In his last ministry at Frankston, isolated brethren living at Moorooduc were organised into a church, and others on the Mornington Peninsula were linked into the fellowship of this circuit. It was not just a matter of pioneering; he was on the job, doing the work of an evangelist fulfilling his ministry.

      Always there has been the desire in our Brotherhood for each settled but small congregation to have its own preacher. Sometimes this has meant financial impoverishment to the church, the preacher, and perhaps the H.M. Committee, and the spiritual impoverishment of scattered groups. Very often the preacher would sit in the congregation whilst speaking brethren exhorted. If a church was strong enough to have such capable brethren it was only logical to suppose that these perhaps, but certainly the preacher, could be shared in a wider field of service. It was not always an easy matter to form circuits, Preachers, committees and isolated brethren might concur, but not always the church established in the district. There may have been good reasons for this at times, but any church without a vision beyond itself soon dies spiritually. Circumstances are not always

the same in every district and of course, there are always changing conditions and Bro. Hagger was never blind to these. but saw in some of them opportunities for a larger sphere of service.

      When he was called to preach in the newly expanding area of North Richmond in 1898 his vitality and earnestness proved him the man for the work. Within four years the church had grown from 87 members to 370 with a Bible School of 350 scholars and a teaching staff of 30. It is worthy of note that women who were girls in Mrs Hagger's Bible class, still visit her. Mrs. Hagger came from the Shepparton church--one which gave a number of faithful brethren and sisters to the work.

The Flame Burned Brightly

      Leaving North Richmond, Mr. Hagger answered a call to W.A., where he entered into tent mission work. There were often over 500 in the tent, and hundreds confessed their Lord and were baptised. He, and his wife sometimes lived in tents whilst holding missions in country centres. During a ministry at Fremantle, he baptised a girl from a godly home who was to give so much of her life to the church as the wife and widow of T. H. Scambler. It would be interesting to know how many, who were led by T. Hagger to follow Christ, became preachers, church officers, Bible School teachers etc. Unhappily his records have apparently been destroyed.

      From W.A. he went to N.S.W., where he carried forward a similar ministry with much blessing on his work. He was instrumental in planting fresh causes, building up weak ones, and encouraging, the isolated to set up the Lord's Table in their homes.

      In 1909 he attended the Centenary Celebrations of the Restoration Movement held in Pittsburg, U.S.A. We recall a story of his when preaching during that time. His subject was "Heaven, and How to Get There." As he was speaking on his first point, Heaven, an elderly man sitting in the front seat called out "We know about Heaven, tell us how to get there." Mr. Hagger took no notice and went on with his theme. But the man interjected with the same words several times until Mr. Hagger demanded that he keep quiet for he was not to be diverted from telling what the Bible taught about Heaven. This incident, I think, epitomises Bro. Hagger's determination to preach the Word, creating the desire to inherit the Home before proclaiming the way to such an inheritance.

      Before returning to Australia, he visited Great Britain where he held several missions. He was always anxious to be out on such work, and wherever he could he held tent missions.

      Here we would like to observe that whilst Churches of Christ have not lost their missionary fervour, tent missions are not held so much. Christ likened the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to a drag-net which brought in fish both good and bad. We must beware that we do not just dangle a line when we should be casting out the net. The fact that tent, or other missions, may bring indifferent or "bad fish" does not negative the casting out of the gospel net.

      When he returned to Victoria, he was asked to take charge of Home Mission work and to conduct tent missions. In this sphere of evangelism, he had Will H. Clay as his song leader. Bro. Clay gave up his business in Auburn, N.S.W. to do this work. Each short mission averaged about 60 conversions. One interesting incident was at Stawell during the Stawell Gift. The missioners went down among the athletes and held a meeting. Like all such times when a bow is drawn at a venture for the King, someone is struck and on this occasion it

was a drunkard dressed as a policeman that was converted. He made a fine Christian. His old "friends" even threw beer over him to get him back again, but he remained staunch and true.

      Naturally, Bro. Hagger believed intensely in personal work. We recall one State Conference, where he had some leadership, that the Home Mission meeting was centred on personal soul saving. A men's quartette sang a piece, the refrain of which was:

      There was also a motto: "Each one win one, and each one won win one."

      Every evangelist knows that the preacher needs the full co-operation of those who can and will speak to others personally of their need of the Saviour. His own early experience was sufficient testimony to the need for personal soul-winning.

      He attended the World Convention at Leicester, England, and after revisiting the United States, he conducted missions in New Zealand.

An Advocate for Christian Unity

      Bro. Hagger not only preached Christian unity, but he practised it by uniting wherever he could unite. His sermon on "Christ's prayer for His Disciples--a Plea for Christian Unity" was published by the Austral Co. and ran into its second edition in 1910. His text was John 17:20, 21. In this he showed the need for unity, that God's Word condemned divisions, how such divisions retard the work of Christ; the hindrances to the consummation of unity and the basis upon which Christ-loving people can unite. In all of this he earnestly contended for the return to the teaching, practices and ordinances and life as revealed in the New Testament.

      "God speed the day," he wrote, "when human creeds and creed-makers shall be known no more; when party names shall no longer distinguish God's people one from the other; when sects and parties shall fall no more to rise, and when God's people, liberated from the bondage of creeds and sectism, and united in one great host, shall march forward under one banner--the banner of Emmanuel--and shall bring the world to the feet of the world's Redeemer. God hasten the day when unity shall prevail among those who love Christ; when the prayer of Jesus shall be answered."

      He had a lantern lecture on the early Restorationists. This was both interesting and instructive and was used to good effect in explaining the plea of Churches of Christ.

      Perhaps it is as well to mention here, that fifty years ago or more, members of Churches of Christ were not altogether in error in calling the plea for unity "Our Plea." Certainly it was Christ's prayer "that they all may be one" but anything in the nature of unity was for the most part stoutly resisted. Christ's words, "I am the vine, ye are the branches" were quoted in support of denominationalism.

      As a body, Churches of Christ were as a lone, voice crying. The plea for Christian unity on the basis of a return to the New Testament teachings was a distinctive plea. We have good reason to believe that upon the basis of a return to New Testament teaching it is still very distinctive in its plea. On one occasion when the leaders of various church bodies in one of our cities had been meeting to discuss the matter of Christian unity, and Mr. Hagger recognising how little progress was being made toward the meeting's purpose.

rose with a twinkle in his eye and asked of a certain prelate, if immersionist bodies should forego their practice of immersing, would the prelate's body forego the surplice? The reply was rather startling in that the surplice had such a history attached to it that it could on no account be dispensed with. It is easy for a reader to say that such a question was puerile, or some such thing, but it showed how tradition stands in the way of the acceptance of the Apostle's teaching. And "traditions" were among the things that Christ had to face--and condemned. But, 50 years ago, as now, the acceptance of some of the "traditional" elements in worship for the sake of unity would not mean any advance in restoring the New Testament Church. Churches of Christ do not plead for any kind of unity or unity at any price. Scripture could easily be fulfilled in having the lion and the lamb lie down together--so long as the lamb is in the lion.

      During his city ministries such as at Grote Street, Adelaide, and Lake Street, Perth, Bro. Hagger made a great impact on both States because of his staunch proclamation of this plea. In ministers' fraternals, united services and discussion groups, he took the opportunity to be present to make his witness.

Glowing Embers

      Whilst the torch of faith has passed on from life to life (and this, we believe, is the greatest thing that men can do), Thos. Hagger did not do it all by his preaching. Whilst we do not think he was ever looked on as a gifted writer, yet he was a prolific one, being the author of many articles in "The Australian Christian," tracts, and pamphlets, and sermons in Austral Publications.

      In a book published in 1900, And edited by A. B. Maston entitled "The Way," we find Thos. Hagger one of the authors within a symposium on how the spiritual life in the churches may be increased. His headings are--

1. A more regular attendance at the Lord's Table.

2. Increased attendance at our prayer meetings.

3. Family worship.

4. Private devotions.

      In "Visions of Christ" (published 1901, and edited by A. B. Maston) he has three sermons. The first of these is entitled "At Jacob's Well," a textual sermon with headings entitled: 1. "About the Living Water," 2. "About Domestic Relations," 3. "About Worship," and 4. "About the Messiah." The second sermon is entitled "The Lord's Prayer," but it is not about the prayer Christ gave to His disciples but of the prayer He prayed for them, and Thos. Hagger exhibits his own great zeal to see the answer to that prayer. Within this he wrote--"Neither pray I for these alone . . . that they all may be one . . . that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.' This prayer is

      not answered by what is called 'spiritual unity,' or 'interdenominational fellowship.' It demands a visible organic union of those who love Christ, such as existed in the early days of Christianity and which will convince the world of Christ's mission. Sectarianism among those who profess Christ abounds. Such divisions are dishonouring to Christ; they help to make infidels; they retard the conversion of the people to Christ.

      "With sectarianism must go every human creed, party name, and vestige of the great apostasy . . . the only possible way to bring about the glorious result is the return to the simplicity of New Testament Christianity . . . The seven-plank platform laid down by the Spirit of God in Eph. 4:3-6 must be the basis of Christian union. There is a lot of talk today about the conversion of the world, but if such is ever to be, it will not and cannot be until those who love God are one before the world. Could we get these forces of Christendom to

      His third sermon is entitled "The Last Office of the Dead" and is on the resurrection of Christ.

      In 1906, A. B. Maston published "What to Believe," and in it, T. Hagger wrote, "What to Believe About Dividing the Word," in which he said that to understand the Book it must be studied in a proper manner. It was not a Book in which to look for support of one's own formulated theories. The reader had to distinguish between the dispensations and must rightly divide the Word. His second article within the book is "What to Believe About the Union of God's People." One would expect that he would be asked to contribute something. on this subject.

      In 1909 "That They All May Be One" was printed. In this volume Thos. Hagger presents "The Plan of Salvation."

      There are not so many living now who remember Thos. Hagger in the days of his youth, but there are many who can recall the vigour of his preaching not so many years before his retirement. Into the cause of New Testament Christianity he poured his life. His vitality was great but it could never measure up to his earnest concern for the salvation of men and the desire to see all Christians united in one body. How many of us have, or will, match his work? How many shall cut as true a furrow as this disciple, who, having put his hand to the plough, never looked back? He earned a place amongst those pioneers of the Restoration Movement, of whom he wrote in his booklet "Heralds of Christian Unity."

      We live in fast changing times. People of every generation have thought the same thing. But whatever changes in methods there may be, it is well to remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever; His Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation and to preach the truth in love is still the ideal we must maintain.

      N. B. No mention has been made of Thos. Hagger's nine years' ministry at Gardiner, Victoria, or of his work as a lecturer in the College of the Bible, Glen Iris, his membership on the College Board, or his great contribution to Overseas Missions, etc. This pamphlet conveys but a very bare outline of his life's work.

      WILKIE J. THOMSON is a Western Australian by birth, and a graduate of the Federal College of the Bible (1923). After leaving Glen Iris, he returned to his own State where he spent 13 years in the preaching work. Studies at the W.A. University in the art of speech and voice therapy were undertaken. For some time he conducted the weekly devotional session over 6WF and, for several years, contributed weekly religious columns to newspapers. He is the author of the pictorial tract, "I'll Read to my Children," and of numerous talks, features, etc., for broadcasting and publication. During the editor's absence overseas, he was acting editor of "The Australian Christian." Ministries have been conducted in W.A., S.A., and N.S.W. Mr. Thomson is the present preacher at Malvern-Caulfield, Vic.