Anglican Parish of Northern Mallee

Post Office Box 692, Mildura 3502, Victoria, Australia

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Our History to 1960
Our Clergy to 1988
Saint John the Evangelist

St John's Box St Merbein
Corner of Box and Smith Sts


	Architect's vision 1917, and the West end window

The completed church, with fence and notice board

Our History

Planning began in October 1907, to establish 100 blocks each of 50 irrigated acres on the frontage of White Cliffs. By 1911 there were 163 blocks with water to irrigate 2319 acres.

Merbein gained its name in January, 1910, changing from 'White Cliffs', and in July the Progress Association began a campaign to have the name pronounced 'Mer-been', being a more friendly sound than the alternative 'Mer-bine'.
In December 1913 an application was made for land for a church building site, and again in Jan 1915. On 20 Aug 1917 the parishioners formed a Church Committee to build a church which would suit the climate. In October 1917 a cyclone fence was erected around the Church grounds.

West side view St. John's is a member of the worldwide Anglican/Episcopal Communion.

In Feb 1918 Mr Lever advised the Church Committee, and they applied for three allotments adjacent to the Church site. Mr Lever gave the Church site, and it is believed he also gave the land on which the Vicarage is built - a magnificent gift, for which the present Church people give thanks to God. The final choice of John the Evangelist as Patron, also pays tribute to John Lever, recognised for his zeal, hard work, and the ability to put his money where his heart lay - donating various items as their need arose. He served on the Vestries of 1920-29, and then stepped back, encouraging other, younger men to 'have a go'.

Mr J J T Lever donated the grounds for our church.

The south view, notice tent Services suspended.
Services at Merbein were suspended from 13 July to 24 August 1919, because of the 'serious flu epidemic'. From 5 Oct 1919, services were held three times a month (1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays). The Vicar was given 5 shillings per week as travelling expenses between Merbein and Mildura.

Laying the Foundation Stone, Sunday 26 Oct, 1919.

The Foundation Stone was set in place, with much ceremony, by the Rt. Rev M H Maxwell-Gumbleton, Lord Bishop of Ballarat, flanked by the Choir, with Rev Howard Russell holding the Bishop's golden Crook.
The event was most interesting, and a large crowd assembled. One family's pet pig escaped it's minders - wanting to get a very close view of the Bishop's actions.
Bishop to Vicar spoke - quietly - 'get rid of that pig'.
Vicar moved between the Bishop and the pig - and put the crook down sharply.
Pig shrugged - and two more blows from the crook were delivered.
Pig departed - singing descant to the choir's dulcet rendering of the next hymn.
Rev Howard Russell kept a straight face.
The Rev George Menlove was paid a stipend of 225 pounds per annum, from 1 Jan 1920. He had the added responsibility of keeping the parish interested, while the church was built.

New style fence and notice board erected about 1950 On Sunday 10 April, 1921 all was in place, with Mr William Evans, a bell ringer migrant from England, managing the pealing bells to call the procession into place for the Blessing and Dedication of the new church building and fittings. Bishop Maxwell-Gumbleton noticed there was no weather-cock, and donated five pounds to have this traditional detail added.

The Vicarage was Blessed and Dedicated on 13 Nov 1921.

A second Vicarage was built in the 1970s, in our modern way called 'the Merbein clergy house'.

Max Janson at the entry, 25 Jan 1999.

Sunday 25 June 1944
- Acting Vicar becomes First Rector

Bishop Winter comes to lay The Foundation Stone for the new Hall

Bishop Winter, Rev Newton-Hamilton and Mr Stan Whiting, president of Mildura Shire

In April 1944, a special meeting of the Vestry noted they had cleared all debts. They moved that the stipend be increased to 250 pounds, and that the Parochial District of Merbein be restored to the status of a Parish. On 25 June 1944, Bishop James Inducted and Instituted the Rev Vernon Desmond Hartwig as the first Rector of the Parish of Merbein.

On 22 April 1951 the Rector dedicated the Rectory new fence and gates given by the Ladies Guild in memory of Emily Esther Smith, and in December the Mildura Shire Council granted a permit to build a new Parish Hall.

Bishop Winter follows the Choir to lay The Foundation Stone for the new Hall In September 1952, Mr A Hamilton was paid 30 pounds for turning the old Parish Hall around, then in November a sub-committee was formed to begin the process of getting a new hall. The foundation stone for the new Memorial Hall was laid in Sept 1956. Bishop Winter, Rev Newton-Hamilton and Mr Stan Whiting, president of Mildura Shire make sure the Foundation Plaque is firmly in place.

Procession members are
(left to right)
Bishop Winter, and the Bishop's Assistant,
fifth man is Mr Jack Pope, Mrs Missen, Mrs Winifred Walker, ?, Mrs Symons, Laurie Pope, with two young girls leading the way.

Our Visions at Merbein

New Diocese - New Bishop

On Weds 29 Sept, 1926 Diocese of St Arnaud

The northern section of the Diocese of Ballarat became the Diocese of St Arnaud, with the Ven Archdeacon Melville Charles James, Archdeacon of Maryborough, elected as the first Bishop. Bishop James paid his first visit to St John's Merbein on 21 Nov 1926, and he confirmed 22 people at a service beginning at 7.30pm.
Bishop James conducted the Consecration Service for St John's on 30 June, 1929. This happened after a mystery - the Treasurer discovered that the Debt on the church had disappeared, and the Bank explained - a person came in, asked what the balance owing was, and wrote a cheque for that amount to be paid into the Building Fund.
Bishop James retired and was replaced by Bishop Winter on Friday 29 June 1951. Bishop James died on 4 April 1957

Reginald Kingston Gansberg

Reginald Kingston Gansberg, a son of Merbein, offered as a candidate for Holy Orders, but by 1932 found that economic pressures meant he was not able to fulfil his call. In the following years to 1961, he served at St Johns as a member of the Vestry, a lay reader, Sunday School teacher, choir member ...
Services were begun at Tullilah, 18 miles along the Werrimull road, on 17 Jan 1932, at 3pm. It closed after drought and financial hardship caused the departure of nearly all the settlers there.
Bishop James conducted two confirmations, of 41 candidates on 29 May, and of 30 candidates on 27 Nov, 1932.
Bishop James Consecrated the Church of England portion in the Merbein Cemetery at 3pm on Sunday, 29 May 1932.
Mr G Lever gave the concrete church fence and railings, dedicated by Bishop James during his second visit, on 27 Nov 1932.

The Parish Room

In Sept 1934 the Deacon, Mr Bellamy, suggested to the Vestry that a building for CEBS meetings be erected. In Feb 1935 the CEBS (Church of England Boys Society) went camping on the river Murray
In April 1935 a building at Carwarp was purchased from the Closer Settlement Board, transported to Merbein, and erected in the Church grounds. It was dedicated by the Vicar, Rev Bellamy, 23 June 1935, and opened for use by Parish groups. In May 1938 the Board of Health ordered alterations, which were effected.
The girl's club formed in 1936 became GFS (Girls' Friendly Society) in 1937 and had 22 members in 1938.
A men's club was formed, with ideas of becoming CEMS (Church of England Mens Society) but the war intervened, and this idea lapsed.

Parochial Districts combine

Bishop James met the Church Wardens and Vestry of St John's to discuss the amalgamation of the Parochial Districts of Werrimull with Merbein. Arrangements were made, and Mr Hartwig commenced taking services at St Nicholas', Werrimull on Sunday 25 Oct 1942, and ceased on 30 June 1943.

Sunday 25 June 1944
Acting Vicar becomes First Rector

In April 1944, a special meeting of the Vestry noted they had cleared all debts. They moved that the stipend be increased to 250 pounds, and that the Parochial District of Merbein be restored to the status of a Parish.
On 25 June 1944, Bishop James Inducted and Instituted the Rev Vernon Desmond Hartwig as the first Rector of the Parish of Merbein.

The west window beside the entry.

Stained glass windows in the Entry Porch

Misses Vaughan Bildstein and Evelyn Gansberg resigned from Sunday School in March to be married. This was not a rule against married teachers - Vaughan's mother took over the leadership of the Kindergarten.
On 22 April the Rector dedicated the Rectory new fence and gates given by the Ladies Guild in memory of Emily Esther Smith.and in December the Mildura Shire Council granted a permit to build a new Parish Hall.

In September 1952, Mr A Hamilton was paid 30 pounds for turning the old Parish Hall around, then in November a sub-committee was formed to begin the process of getting a new hall.
The foundation stone for the new Memorial Hall was laid in Sept 1956.

40th Anniversary - 1961

In April 1961, the Revd Leslie P G Smith, Rector of Merbein, published a book recording the facts in the history of St John's Church which can be verified. In 1999 this book has given us a small glimpse of the prayerful, dedicated work done by many people to enable us to share their faith and effort. May our heritage be richly blessed to future generations.

Lay Readers are rarely mentioned.
I located these notes.

When Rev Lees left on 24 Nov 1929, Mr J H Carroll and Dr M C Curwen-Walker as Lay Readers took services from Dec 1 to 25.
Owing to the shortage of Clergy, Rev Hartwig discontinued services in Werrimull on 30 June 1943, and commenced taking services at Wentworth on 1 July 1943, assisted by Messrs A W Hayles Merbein, and A C Calf Dareton, as Lay Readers.

The next mention is in the comments concerning 1 Jan to 23 March 1952, when Lay Readers Messrs Webb and Calf assisted visiting clergy who took services.
Rev Newton-Hamilton become Rector of Merbein on 25 March 1952, and in July 1952 he licenced as Lay Readers, Messrs A J Antcliff and K C Hollingworth. When he left 14 Oct 1956, he had Messrs Antcliff, G Bildstein and J Moore in place as Lay Readers and they were very busy till 24 March 1957, when Rev Monie arrived.
When Rev Monie left in May 1959, Messrs Antcliffe and Bildstein were the licensed Lay Readers in charge of services till Rev Smith arrived in Dec 1959.

Our Saint, John the Evangelist	John, son of Zebedee, was one of the twelve apostles of Our Lord. Together with his brother James and with Simon Peter, he formed a kind of inner circle of Three among the Twelve, in that those three were privileged to behold the miracle of the Great Catch of Fish (L 5:10), the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the Transfiguration and the Agony in Gethsemane. He expressed a willingness to undergo martyrdom -- as did the other apostles and is accordingly called a martyr in intention. However, we have ancient testimony that, although imprisoned and exiled for his testimony to the Gospel, he was eventually released and died a natural death in Ephesus: "a martyr in will but not in deed." John is credited with the authorship of three epistles and one Gospel, although many scholars believe that the final editing of the Gospel was done by others shortly after his death. He is also supposed by many to be the author of the book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse, although this identification is less certain.
PRAYER (contemporary language)	Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light; That we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
This biographical sketch is based on that written by James E. Kiefer. The web site archive of these commemorative biographies is maintained by the Society of Archbishop Justus.

© Elizabeth Janson Email me -	-- Click to visit -- Home Page, My Web Address is http://www.oocities.org/Mallee2007

This website is developed and maintained by Elizabeth Janson, and does not necessarily represent the view of the Anglican Church Diocese of Bendigo. Content is discussed with our Clergy, photographs are copyright of Elizabeth