TRELEAVEN, Glyn Stuart 1901 - 1950

Obituary from the Minutes of the Methodist Conference 1950, page 146

Born at Bradford in 1901. The son of the Rev. William Woodman Treleaven, he was educated at Kingswood. He began to preach at the age of sixteen and entered the Ministry in 1926.

He spent his pre-collegiate year at Bangor and entered Didsbury College in 1924. While at Didsbury he felt -the call to work in West Africa, and after being ordained in 1927 sailed for Nigeria

where for four years he was in charge of the Ilesha Circuit.

In 1931 he was appointed to the Gambia District as Chairman, and gave himself to the difficult work of this area unsparingly.

During his ministry in Gambia nearly all our Mission properties were rebuilt or restored, and the staff of the High Schools was increased .and strengthened.

He took an active part in the life of the Colony and for many years was a Justice of the Peace. For his services to the Colony he was awarded the Silver Jubilee and the Coronation medals.

As a preacher he excelled, for his word had an authentic note. His African friends loved him, and saw in his life the effect of the Gospel that he preached.

His integrity and singleness of purpose won their respect, and his kindness and patience won their love and loyalty. He drank deep of the water of life himself, and was able to lead others to that fountain.

The war brought great changes to Gambia, and men of the Navy, Army and Air Force poured into the Colony.

His home was a centre to which these exiles flocked. His services were crowded Sunday after Sunday. He was an inspiring preacher, and men walked and hitch-hiked long distances through the tropical rain and heat to hear him.

Again the secret of his power to influence men was the deep love that he had for his Lord and to many weary and dispirited souls his smile became a benediction.

No relief was available during those dark days of the war, and he took no “furlough between 1939 and 1944, but his health was being, undermined. In 1944 -relief was sent and he came home on furlough.

He returned to his post when his leave was over, sailing from England on Christmas Eve 1944, but within a few days of his return to the Africa that he loved he was taken to hospital where he remained for seven weeks.

He made a wonderful recovery, but it was felt advisable for him to return to the homeland.

In 1946 he again asked to be allowed to return to Africa, but Conference decided that for health reasons he must remain in England. The news that he was not to be permitted to return to Africa was a crushing blow to him, but, like the Greatheart that he was, he threw himself wholeheartedly into circuit work at home, being stationed at Tenterden in the Kent Mission.

In 1943 he was appointed Superintendent of the Margate Circuit, but his health was unequal to the strain of the active ministry, and shortly after his arrival at Margate he was unable to continue.

He became a Supernumerary at the Conference of 1949. He, who by his devotion, friendship, and service taught others to love and serve, was called to higher service on 1st April 1950, in the twenty-fourth year of his ministry.

©Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes 1950

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