Rollings , William Swift

1871-1944. Born in Australia and trained for Baptist ministry at Whitley College, he had three pastorates in Adelaide. He also edited the denominational newspaper and he was President of the South Australia Baptist Union, 1910-1911. From 1913 to 1935 he had N.Z. Baptist pastorates, successively at Ponsonby, Brooklyn, Richmond, Vivian Street (Wellington Central) and Lyall Bay. He was very active in N.Z. Baptist affairs, at various times being Convenor of the Missionary Society, temporary Editor of NZ Baptist (1922-1923), Secretary of the Baptist Union, President of the Baptist Union (1922-1923), first Secretary of the Baptist College Committee and Convenor of the committee which framed the Baptist College constitution in 1925. He attended the Baptist World Alliance congress at Toronto in 1928 and was elected a member of the executive of that body. He took a strong interest in the gospel implications of wider issues of society. His stature is reflected in the Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, attending his funeral. Ref.: Obituary: NZB November 1944.