In 1913 he was also involved in organising the Australian section of the Chapman-Alexander Simultaneous Mission, a world-wide revivalist crusade driven by evangelists Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and Charles Alexander.
He was president of the Baptist Ministers' Fraternal in 1910[5] and president of the Baptist Union for the year 1911–1912.[6] His move to Geelong was deferred until after the ceremony.[7]
He was general secretary for Australia of the Mission to Lepers,[8] (an international and inter-denominational body, later known as The Leprosy Mission and the Australian body as Leprosy Mission Australia) 1913–1931. As this is a non-denominational body, he was obliged to sever ties with the Council of Churches.[9]
He was elected general secretary for Australasia of the Sudan United Mission (also international and inter-denominational) 1932[10]–1933, when he returned to the pulpit, at Ashburton, Victoria, which he held from 1935[11] to 1938.[12]
Recognition
The Walter J. Eddy Memorial Chapel for Lepers in Makutupora, Central Tanzania, was named for him[13] and Mrs Eddy.[14]
Family
Eddy married Eliza Sarah "Lillie" Mackenzie (died 1937) on 19 November 1885. She was a daughter of Rev. J. J. Mackenzie of Prahran.[15]
They had four daughters and two sons, Walter John Mackenzie Eddy (1897–1976) and Alan Philp Greig Eddy (22 January 1904 – 7 July 1982), an operatic baritone[16] claimed by some,[17] to be a cousin of Nelson Eddy.[a]
^Nelson Eddy's male forbears have been traced by a genealogist: William Darius Eddy (1876–1967); Isaac Nelson Eddy (1848–1936); Darius Eddy (1813–1896); . . .[18] Alan Eddy's grandfather has been named by another as Peter Eddy, so the claim appears unsupportable.
References
^ ab"Obituary". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 31, 449. Victoria, Australia. 18 June 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"About People". The Age. No. 16, 835. Victoria, Australia. 26 February 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Church Services". Geelong Advertiser. No. 20, 718. Victoria, Australia. 13 September 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Personal". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 20, 078. Victoria, Australia. 26 November 1910. p. 19. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Baptist Union". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 20, 247. Victoria, Australia. 14 June 1911. p. 14. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Personal". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. XCI, no. 63. Tasmania, Australia. 26 May 1932. p. 6. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"No title". Western Mail (Perth). Vol. 50, no. 2, 578. Western Australia. 18 July 1935. p. 12. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Obituary". The Age. No. 28, 750. Victoria, Australia. 18 June 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Visiting Baritone". The West Australian. Vol. 54, no. 16, 379. Western Australia. 29 December 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 25 October 2024 – via National Library of Australia.