Turner, Nathaniel
1793-1864; e.m. 1821
WM missionary to Australasia and the Pacific islands, born in Wybunbury, Ches., and baptized there on 10 March 1793. He was appointed to New Zealand in 1822, serving there, latterly as Superintendent in succession to William White, until forced to abandon the Wesleydale Mission in 1827. Proceeding to Tonga, to aid the failing mission, he was censured by the Missionary Committee in London for acting without authority, but his experience and resourcefulness probably saved the infant Church there. In failing health he went to Hobart in 1831, returning to New Zealand as District Chairman in 1835, following the departure of White, and had to deal with difficulties created by his predecessor. When John H. Bumby arrived as District Chairman, he returned to Australia as senior minister in both Tasmania and Sydney. He died at Toowong, Queensland on 5 December 1864. Although his health had never been robust, his obituary asserted that 'few ministers have preached the Gospel over a more extensive field.'
- J.G. Turner, The Pioneer Missionary: Life of the Rev. Nathaniel Turner (Melbourne, 1872)
- William Moister, Missionary Worthies, 1782-1885 (1885) pp.96-97
- G.G. Findlay and W.W. Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (1921-1924), vol. 3 passim
- G.I. Laurenson, Te Hahi Weteriana: three half centuries of the Methodist Maori Missions 1822-1972 (Auckland, New Zealand, 1972)
- John M.R. Owens, Prophets in the Wilderness:the Wesleyan Mission to New Zealand (Auckland, New Zealand, 1974) passim
- A.H. Wood, Overseas Missions of the Australian Methodist Church, vol. 1 (Melbourne, 1975)
- Encyclopedia of World Methodism (Nashville, 1974)
See also
Entry written by: DJP and MJF
Category: Person
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