Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/212

Marsden^[1] arrived, and preached on the following Sunday to the military in a barrack-room, and to the convicts in Mr. Johnson's new church. In Sept. 1796 he had opened a church at Parramatta, having formed it out of the materials of two old huts. Thenceforward he was one of the most active influences for good in the community; benevolent, but active and bold, as determined to do his duty by his neighbour and to the law as he was devoted to his God, his advice and personal energies were continually called upon by succeeding Governors. For a long time it was his custom to go by boat from Parramatta to Sydney on the Saturday, in order to hold Divine service at Sydney on the Sunday morning, and then to walk fifteen miles to Parramatta to hold service there in the afternoon. His physical power was great and was on one occasion singularly tested. Unruly convicts desired to get rid of him. One of them, knowing that Marsden's benevolence would prompt him to save any drowning man, fell purposely into deep water, affecting that he could not swim. When Marsden plunged in to the rescue, the fellow, who was an expert swimmer, endeavoured to drown him. Mr. Marsden was strong, and brought the man forcibly to the shore.

A man of Marsden's energy was perhaps needed after Phillip's departure. Johnson had striven, but in vain. He is found imploring Phillip in 1792 to cause a place of worship to be built, because "now we are wholly exposed to the weather." In the same year he appealed to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Many convicts could not read, and he had no books for those who could read.

His building of a church in 1793 was not prevented, but was discouraged by Grose, and it was not until 1797 that Mr. Dundas ordered the disbursement to him of the "expenses he had incurred." This tardy justice was due to the intercession of Pitt's friend Wilberforce, who assured Dundas that Johnson, though described by Grose as