NUTTALL, Ernest James (M.A.) 1889 - 1949

Obituary from the Minutes of the Methodist Conference 1950, page 134

Born at Failsworth, Manchester, in 1889. He was educated at Ashton-under-Lyne, and later took an Honours Degree in Philosophy at the University of Manchester. He entered the Ministry in 1912, went to Didsbury College, and then became Assistant Tutor at Headingley.

In his fifth year as Superintendent of the Huddersfield Mission, he was taken seriously ill and retired to Timperley.

After a long period of utter prostration patiently borne he passed away on 2nd December 1949, in the thirty-eighth year of his ministry.

Inspired throughout his life by an ardent passion for evangelism, he was remarkable for his lucidity of thought and speech, for his gift of penetrating exposition of Scripture, and for his quite extraordinary combination of deep emotional power, sympathetic friendliness, and critical acumen. Some of his brethren found it a wholesome discipline to take their ideas to him for his judgement before they ventured to publish them, for he was always appreciative and aware of the other side of the case.

But, masterly and persuasive preacher of the Gospel as he was, his greatest gift was his power of bringing comfort to those who were sick in body, mind or soul. Like his Master, he loved individual men and women, and was, at the same time, quite without illusions about human nature in the mass. Knowing more than most of us what was in man he never lost faith in people.

His organizing and administrative gifts were well known in the Synods to which he belonged, and but for his firm refusal to take high office he would certainly have been elected Chairman of more than one District. There can be no question for those who knew him that he burnt himself out in the service of Christ and His Church.

©Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes 1950

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