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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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'Priest forever after the order of Melchizedech' |
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Two of the most remarkable men in Tasmania, and
certainly in the Anglican Church anywhere, are the Butler
twins of the Parish of Longford.
The Reverends Harold and Hugh Butler are twins, 90 years
of age, and still actively involved in the life of the
Church, although Harold (the younger) has suffered some
illness in recent weeks. Born in London on 23 January 1913 they were two of six
brothers. Coming to Australia in 1929/30 the Butler family
took up farming in Victoria - with no previous experience on
the land - and Hugh and Harold became involved in their
local church through the influence of a Christian man who
encouraged them both by his own example. Eventually both men were priested by the late Rt Rev.
Reginald Halse in 1939 and 1940 respectively. Over the years Harold served in many Dioceses: the
Riverina; a migrant chaplaincy; invited by the late Bishop
Cranswick to Tasmania to Zeehan, and Deloraine; a chaplaincy
in Indonesia; back to Oatlands; missionary work in Fiji; to
Cressy, and finally to Bothwell. Hugh married Melva in 1943 and they have two daughters.
Hugh and Melva have been in many parishes: his first
incumbency was Lake Cargelligo in NSW, then at Wentworth,
and eventually, like his brother, under Bishop Cranswick, to
this Diocese and Smithton, where he had 9 centres. He went
to missionary work in Japan for seven years, to the Diocese
of Adelaide and then Naracoorte, back to Tasmania and
Wynyard, Evandale and then Campbell Town from which he
retired to join his brother, also in retirement, at
Longford. Hugh tells of the enormous challenges of his ministry in
the Riverina; long distances every Sundays on gravel roads
in an old Chevy at a time when most of the men were away at
the war and many of the women were involved in the war
effort elsewhere. Harold was in England doing chaplaincy work when he was
invited to this Diocese and the Parish of Zeehan. What a
contrast! But both Hugh and Harold state quite firmly that
whatever their Bishop requested they saw as their calling
and gave service in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with
unfailing zeal. Over more than 60 years of ministry they have seen many
changes in the Anglican Church, not least its renaming from
the Church of England, and many 'new' Prayer Books, hymns
Ancient & Modern to just modern, facing the altar to
standing behind or doing away with it altogether. But through it all both have remained 'a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedech'. Hugh celebrates Holy
Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer at Christ
Church, Longford at least once a month and does so
perfectly! Their faith and spirit remain firm, the certainty
of their belief in the Risen Lord as strong as ever and
their enthusiasm for living to the full the life they have
been given undiminished. Harold never married, but he and
Hugh, with the strong support of Melva have always remained
very close and, although in appearance they are virtually
indistinguishable, their Christian service together has been
most distinguished. In Hugh and Harold Butler this Diocese has two national
treasures. We thank God for giving them to us! |
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