Charles Curwen Walker
Encyclopedia
Charles Curwen Walker was a Christadelphian writer and editor of The Christadelphian
Magazine from 1898 to 1937.
, Depwade Rural District, Norfolk
on February 18, 1856, son of a landowner. His middle name "Curwen" indicates his descent from the aristocratic Curwen family of Ewanrigg Hall, Dearham
, Cumberland
. At the age of 13 Charles Walker accompanied his father in emigration to Australia, where Walker subsequently worked as a surveyor at the goldfields of Ballarat.
In 1881 C. C. Walker returned to England to manage the sale of one of his father's properties and made a visit to childhood friends and relatives, the Sutcliffe family, in Haworth
in West Yorkshire. The son of the family, Charles Sutcliffe, had been baptised as a Christadelphian at Keighley
in August 1880. While Walker was staying with them Charles's sisters Ellen and Edith were also baptised. The Sutcliffes talked at length to Walker and gave him books to read on the long ocean voyage home to Australia, including Christendom Astray by Robert Roberts
. Disembarking from the Aristides in Melbourne on 24 September of 1881, he sought out the Christadelphians there before travelling home to Ballarat. The leading brother at the Windsor Ecclesia was Henry Gordon, an immigrant from Dominica
, West Indies, and Walker requested baptism and informed him that a future wife would soon be sailing from England to join him. Early in September, 1881, Walker made a visit to Melbourne, and was baptised by Henry Gordon in the latter's home in Windsor
.
In August 1882 sisters Ellen and Edith Sutcliffe of Haworth arrived in Melbourne, and Charles and Edith were married. The couple moved from Walker's parents home in Ballarat, to the Melbourne suburb of Prahan
. Walker later set up a Christadelphian Book Centre in Melbourne, and sent an order for literature to Robert Roberts
in Birmingham which was the largest single order the Christadelphian Office in Birmingham had ever received up to that time.
In 1887 the Walker family returned to the UK, via Palestine
, partly at the urging of Robert Roberts to supervise the progress of funds Christadelphians were giving to the Laurence Oliphant's appeal for the Rosh Pinna
Jewish settlement at Al-Ja'una
. On his return Walker was soon authoring a monthly feature, "The Jews and Their Affairs", showing particular interest in the emergent movement for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Walker visited Palestine four more times in 1901, 1902, 1912 and 1914 in the company of Frank Jannaway
.
In 1898, following the death of Roberts, C.C. Walker took over the editorship of The Christadelphian
magazine. He was the second, and last, editor to run the magazine as an individual, though he received support from several capable brethren including Henry Sulley
. In 1934 he proposed to turn the magazine over to an association of nine brethren including W. H. Boulton
as the Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association Ltd (CMPA), which in 1937 took over management and, on Walker's recommendation, employed John Carter as the new editor.
The period 1898-1937 was a difficult time for the Christadelphians (see history section in main article
), and consequently for Walker as editor. He inherited from Roberts a controversy with John J. Andrew in London, which between 1898 and 1908 turned into a permanent breach, with a substantial part of the body in America separating as the Unamended Christadelphians
led by Thomas Williams
of Chicago. Although Walker had a gentle and moderate temperament, as often shown in his articles and editorials, he was unable to prevent a further separation of the influential Clapham meeting in South London, led by his former travelling companion to Palestine Frank Jannaway
, and most of the remaining North American Christadelphians, into the Berean Christadelphians
fellowship in 1923.
However from 1923 the remaining "Central" Christadelphians had a time of relative peace and The Christadelphian Magazine continued to report growth in Britain and overseas. Also in mentoring John Carter
to take over the position of editor Walker found someone who was able to contribute substantially to the reunions of almost all of the Christadelphian movement into one group in the 1950s. He died on April 3rd 1940.
The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian is a Bible magazine published monthly by The Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association . It states that it is 'A magazine dedicated wholly to the hope of Israel' and, according to the magazine website, it 'reflects the teachings, beliefs and activities of the...
Magazine from 1898 to 1937.
Life
C. C. Walker was born near DissDiss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
, Depwade Rural District, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on February 18, 1856, son of a landowner. His middle name "Curwen" indicates his descent from the aristocratic Curwen family of Ewanrigg Hall, Dearham
Dearham
Dearham is a village and civil parish in the Allerdale district of Cumbria, England. It is situated in West Cumbria, about east of Maryport and west of Cockermouth. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,028. It is a large, strung-out village...
, Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
. At the age of 13 Charles Walker accompanied his father in emigration to Australia, where Walker subsequently worked as a surveyor at the goldfields of Ballarat.
In 1881 C. C. Walker returned to England to manage the sale of one of his father's properties and made a visit to childhood friends and relatives, the Sutcliffe family, in Haworth
Haworth
Haworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope...
in West Yorkshire. The son of the family, Charles Sutcliffe, had been baptised as a Christadelphian at Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
in August 1880. While Walker was staying with them Charles's sisters Ellen and Edith were also baptised. The Sutcliffes talked at length to Walker and gave him books to read on the long ocean voyage home to Australia, including Christendom Astray by Robert Roberts
Robert Roberts (Christadelphian)
Robert Roberts is the man generally considered to have continued the work of organising and establishing the Christadelphian movement founded by Dr. John Thomas...
. Disembarking from the Aristides in Melbourne on 24 September of 1881, he sought out the Christadelphians there before travelling home to Ballarat. The leading brother at the Windsor Ecclesia was Henry Gordon, an immigrant from Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
, West Indies, and Walker requested baptism and informed him that a future wife would soon be sailing from England to join him. Early in September, 1881, Walker made a visit to Melbourne, and was baptised by Henry Gordon in the latter's home in Windsor
Windsor, Victoria
Windsor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Windsor had a population of 6394....
.
In August 1882 sisters Ellen and Edith Sutcliffe of Haworth arrived in Melbourne, and Charles and Edith were married. The couple moved from Walker's parents home in Ballarat, to the Melbourne suburb of Prahan
Prahran, Victoria
Prahran , also known colloquially as "Pran", is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Prahran had a population of 10,651. It is a part of Melbourne with...
. Walker later set up a Christadelphian Book Centre in Melbourne, and sent an order for literature to Robert Roberts
Robert Roberts (Christadelphian)
Robert Roberts is the man generally considered to have continued the work of organising and establishing the Christadelphian movement founded by Dr. John Thomas...
in Birmingham which was the largest single order the Christadelphian Office in Birmingham had ever received up to that time.
In 1887 the Walker family returned to the UK, via Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, partly at the urging of Robert Roberts to supervise the progress of funds Christadelphians were giving to the Laurence Oliphant's appeal for the Rosh Pinna
Rosh Pinna
Rosh Pinna is a town of approximately 2,500 people located in the Upper Galilee on the eastern slopes of Mount Kna'anin, the Northern District of Israel. The town was founded in 1882 by thirty immigrant families from Romania, making it one of the oldest Zionist settlements in Israel...
Jewish settlement at Al-Ja'una
Al-Ja'una
Al-Ja'una or Ja'ouna , was a Palestinian village situated in Galilee on the slopes of Mount Canaan near al-Houleh Plateau, overlooking the Jordan Valley. The village lay on a beautiful hill side 450–500 meters above sea level, 5 kilometers east of Safad near a major road connecting Safad with...
. On his return Walker was soon authoring a monthly feature, "The Jews and Their Affairs", showing particular interest in the emergent movement for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Walker visited Palestine four more times in 1901, 1902, 1912 and 1914 in the company of Frank Jannaway
Frank Jannaway
F. G. Jannaway was an English Christadelphian writer on Jewish settlement in Palestine, and notable for his role in the conscientious objector tribunals of World War I.Frank George Jannaway was born in Kensington, Brompton in 1859...
.
In 1898, following the death of Roberts, C.C. Walker took over the editorship of The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian
The Christadelphian is a Bible magazine published monthly by The Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association . It states that it is 'A magazine dedicated wholly to the hope of Israel' and, according to the magazine website, it 'reflects the teachings, beliefs and activities of the...
magazine. He was the second, and last, editor to run the magazine as an individual, though he received support from several capable brethren including Henry Sulley
Henry Sulley
Henry Sulley was an English architect and writer on the temples of Jerusalem.Sulley was born to English parents in Brooklyn, Long Island, USA, January 30, 1845, but relocated back to Nottingham when still young....
. In 1934 he proposed to turn the magazine over to an association of nine brethren including W. H. Boulton
William Henry Boulton (author)
W. H. Boulton was an English writer on assyriology, transport history and religious subjects.William Henry Boulton was born on 11 April 1869 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, to Joseph Boulton, a brass founder and Ann Maria Elwood. He married Charlotte Harding in September 1891 in Hackney, Middlesex....
as the Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Association Ltd (CMPA), which in 1937 took over management and, on Walker's recommendation, employed John Carter as the new editor.
The period 1898-1937 was a difficult time for the Christadelphians (see history section in main article
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
), and consequently for Walker as editor. He inherited from Roberts a controversy with John J. Andrew in London, which between 1898 and 1908 turned into a permanent breach, with a substantial part of the body in America separating as the Unamended Christadelphians
Unamended Christadelphians
The Unamended Christadelphians are a "fellowship" within the broader Christadelphian movement worldwide, found only in the United States and Canada. They are, like all Christadelphians, millennialist and non-Trinitarian...
led by Thomas Williams
Thomas Williams (Christadelphian)
thumb|right||Thomas WilliamsThomas Williams was a Welsh Christadelphian who emigrated to America and became editor of the Advocate magazine of the Unamended Christadelphians.-Life:...
of Chicago. Although Walker had a gentle and moderate temperament, as often shown in his articles and editorials, he was unable to prevent a further separation of the influential Clapham meeting in South London, led by his former travelling companion to Palestine Frank Jannaway
Frank Jannaway
F. G. Jannaway was an English Christadelphian writer on Jewish settlement in Palestine, and notable for his role in the conscientious objector tribunals of World War I.Frank George Jannaway was born in Kensington, Brompton in 1859...
, and most of the remaining North American Christadelphians, into the Berean Christadelphians
Berean Christadelphians
The Berean Christadelphians are a Christian denomination that separated from the main Christadelphian denomination in the 1920s, withdrawing congregational fellowship in the process...
fellowship in 1923.
However from 1923 the remaining "Central" Christadelphians had a time of relative peace and The Christadelphian Magazine continued to report growth in Britain and overseas. Also in mentoring John Carter
John Carter (Christadelphian)
John Carter was editor of The Christadelphian from 1937 to 1962.Carter was the third editor of the Christadelphian after the founding editor Robert Roberts and his successor Charles Curwen Walker...
to take over the position of editor Walker found someone who was able to contribute substantially to the reunions of almost all of the Christadelphian movement into one group in the 1950s. He died on April 3rd 1940.
Publications
- The Old Testament Doctrine of Eternal Life. A brief examination of many passages ... in which ... the doctrine of a future life 1906
- Job - An attempted “consideration” in the light of the later work of God in Christ. 1923
- Rome and the Christadelphians - Being a reply to “Christadelphianism” by J. W. Poynter, etc. 1923
- Theophany - the Bible doctrine of the manifestation of God upon earth in the angels, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and hereafter in "the manifestation of sons of God" 1929 reprint 1967.
- The Ministry of the Prophets: Jeremiah. His word and work in the divine guidance of the nation of Israel. 1935
- Witness for Christ. Selections from the writings of C. C. Walker. [With a portrait.] post. 1943