Rev. Dr. Sidney M. Berry, world leader of Congregationalism, who is visiting Melbourne, is acknowledged as one of the greatest living preachers.
Dr. Berry's great gifts as a preacher were recognised early when he was called to be the successor to Dr. Dale and Dr. Jowett in the historic pulpit of Carr's-lane, Birmingham.
He resigned this charge to become the secretary of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, an office which he held for 25 years.
Last year he was appointed secretary of the International Congregational Council and is now on a tour of Congregational churches of the world.
Headquarters of the council is in London, but the U.S.A. contributes three-quarters of its finance.
In 1936 Dr. Berry was invited to give the Warrack Lectures on preaching in the Glasgow University— an honour conferred only on those of outstanding merit in the pulpit.
A landmark in Australian church history was the visit, 50 years ago, of Dr. Berry's father, the late Dr. Charles Berry, of Wolverhampton, who was also a recognised leader of Christian thought and action in Britain. During the annual assembly of the Congregational Union of Victoria this week, Dr Berry said the proposal for the formation of a world organisation for Congregationalism emanated from Australia many years ago.
