ALFRED WILLARD.
The Methodist:- 8th October 1904
Alfred Willard was born in Sussex, England, on 13th August 1831. At the age of 23 years he left the old country, and arrived in Sydney in January 1855. He at once went to Bolwarra, near West Maitland, and providentially was led to the home of Mr. James Boorman, who was then the superintendent of the Wesleyan Sabbath School at that place. Though in England he had been brought up in the Church of England, through the influence of Mr Boorman and his family, he connected himself with the Methodist Church at Bolwarra, and was induced by them to take a class in the Sunday School. This served to show him that if he would guide his scholars in the right path, he must himself be led into that path. By theory he knew Christ, but in practice he was a stranger to him, and this became increasingly apparent to him during the few months that followed. He must get right with God before he could lead his class to Christ. This conviction deepened until the Easter of 1855, when in a series of gracious revival services in the Maitland Circuit, commencing at Morpeth, with the old fashioned camp meeting, he was by saving faith, led into the Christian experience of forgiveness and adoption, which never waned, but ripened through the remaining years of his life. Not long after his conversion he was made superintendent of that school where he had received his first religious convictions, and this position, among others, he retained until the year 1870, when owing to heavy losses occasioned by a succession of floods, he and his family left for Sydney. He married in the year 1856, and the wife of his early years has now become his widow after 48 years of participation in the joys and sorrows of his life. Upon his arrival in Sydney from Bolwarra, he at once joined the Newtown church, and for many years was a regular and devout worshipper there, as well as a constant attender at the class meeting. He became superintendent of the Sunday School which was held for several years in the old Forester's Hall at St Peters, and finally when the Camdenvale church opened in 1884, he threw his lot in with the workers there, and not for one moment did he relinquish his love and interest in God's cause at that place. For nearly 20 years he was superintendent of the school, besides holding a number of other very important offices, including those of class leader, trustee, and society steward. For a number of years he was circuit steward in the Newtown Circuit, and his zeal and earnestness in all matters pertaining to its welfare never flagged. He was also a member of the executive committee of the Home Mission Society, and took a deep concern for the progress of the Church throughout the State. As a husband, he was loving, tender, true; as a father, he was thoughtful, kind, and deeply solicitous for the conversion of his children; as a class leader, he was faithful and anxious for the spiritual well-being of each member; as a friend, to know him was to respect him and to trust him; as a visitor to the sick and sorrowing ones, he was always ready with his sympathy and words of comfort; while as a man of prayer, the earnestness of his soul was ever apparent. He delighted to be at the throne of grace. But towering above all his other virtues was his love for his children. They were the objects of his special care and prayer, and whether in the church, school, or street, he always had a cheery word for them. His soul was filled with yearning on their behalf. On Sunday 21st August 1904, he was at his accustomed place in the church and school, but during the evening service he became ill. He rallied somewhat during the week that followed, but towards its close his health again failed him, and on Saturday evening pneumonia set in. He quickly became unconscious, and save for occasional gleams of recognition, he continued so until the following Thursday evening, 1st September, when just before the darkness of earth's midnight, at the age of 73 years, he entered into the dawning of eternal day, with a smile upon his countenance that spoke of heaven's rising sunshine. Truly it can be said of him that his earthly end was peace.
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