Physically, he was a strong man; a man about the middle height in stature, vigorous build, honest open face illumined by softly shining eyes, and voice of full trumpet tone; a man capable of fatigue, one who could endure hardness; decided, resolute, cheerful, and withal gentle in every thing he did; liberal and catholic in his tendencies, ready to learn and apt to teach; and above all, a man of strong faith and devotion. When it was proposed to him to go abroad, he gave the matter a brief but very earnest consideration, and at length he intimated his willingness to obey the wish of the Committee, and at the same time to be obedient to what he believed to be the call of duty and the will of God. By this time he was a married man, his wife being the daughter of Mr. Webb, of Fareham; and the young couple prepared to set out for Australia. The young Missionary looked forward to his future field of labour with the calmest confidence, as he thought of the Divine presence accompanying him, and that he was neither going away from his Saviour nor his work, because going to a distant land. He took an affectionate farewell of his family and many friends, some of whom accompanied him to the ship.
There are many yet living who can remember well the period of his leaving England, and all the circumstances attending it. He went away on the 13th October 1835, with the farewells of many devoted and noble men ringing in his ears, whom, in the providence of God, he was never destined to meet again. Jabez Bunting, among others, had given him every encouragement, and had said to him, “Years of labour may be before you, but success is certain: it must come, it must come!”—He left his native shores with those words animating his heart:—“Success is certain; it must come, it must come!” Never were words more prophetic of the success which awaited the young Missionary’s efforts in the far-off land to which he was going. The voyage out was a dangerous one; the ship was overtaken by a violent storm, and at one time the Captain had said, that in six hours they would all be at the bottom; and thus shipwreck marked the beginning and close of his Missionary life.
Mr. Draper arrived at Sydney early in the year 1836, and applied himself to his work with all the enthusiasm and energy which were among his main characteristics. He could indeed speak conscientiously of “doing a week’s work,” for labour with him meant something, and was far remote from pretence. On Sunday morning he preached in the city, in the afternoon at a place fourteen miles off, and in the evening again at Sydney. Every day and every evening of the week had their engagements, which he perseveringly discharged; and while thus earnest in his own sphere, he was on the most brotherly terms of communion with the various branches of the church of Christ at Sydney and surrounding towns. He could truly say,
“Be they many or few, my days are His due,
And they all are devoted to Him.”
A large amount of success attended labours thus constant and conscientious; many, very many, will have reason to bless God for his ministry at Sydney. It was not without drinking of sorrow’s bitter cup, however, that he had to commence his work amid new scenes and circumstances. He was early called upon to resign his young wife and child into the arms of death, and to feel the grief of a widower among strange people.
Subsequently his life for many years became subject to the changes incident to Missionary life amongst members of the Wesleyan community, and he was removed from station to station. It is gratifying to note, however, that he left no station without also leaving behind him the impress of a man whose one object it was to bring souls to God. In 1837 we see him pursuing his work at Paramatta; and from 1838 until 1841 at Bathurst. He is at Sydney again from the last date until 1845. He goes to Melbourne in 1846, and he was there for twelve months, during all the excitement produced by the discovery of gold.
The following year, he removed to Adelaide, and continued there until the year 1854. In 1855 he once more returned to Melbourne, and travelled successively in the East circuit, the North and the South. He was not without honour from his brethren in the ministry, who, in 1857, chose him to be Secretary of the Australian Conference, and, in the year 1859, elected him to fulfil the post of President. In addition to his pastoral and other duties, we may also remark that he had deeply interested himself, being a man of some means himself, in getting a provision made for poor ministers and for the widows of such, and his benevolent wishes were partly accomplished.
Such, then, is a brief outline of Daniel James Draper’s life, during a period of about thirty years in Australia. The details of those years of honourable service in the church of Christ will, if published, reveal a life of no ordinary labour and no common success. But, if never published to be read by the eye of man, we rejoice in thinking that they are already known to Him who called him home, bade him rest from his labours, and left them to follow him.
In the year 1865 Mr. Draper determined upon once more visiting his native land, and the scenes of his childhood. It is said that the love of Home was very strong in him, and that like a magnet it would every now and then draw his heart towards his country and towards old Fareham scenes and associations. His parents were now dead, and many of the friends of his youth were gone, but still it would be good to see the old place once more. He had married again, his wife being the daughter of Mr. Shelley, one of the first Missionaries to Tahiti, who sailed by the ship Duff at the end of the last century. She was an amiable and accomplished lady, worthy of her parentage and worthy of her husband: we cannot accord her higher praise, or it should be freely given. Having resolved to revisit the land of his birth, he was not long in making all necessary arrangements, and accompanied by the best wishes of friends at Melbourne, Mr. and Mrs. Draper sailed in the Great Britain, and, after a voyage of sixty-four days, landed at Liverpool May 20th of last year. He had come to this country not only that his heart might be charmed by old and familiar scenes, and by intercourse with friends, some of whose faces he had never seen, but also in an official capacity. The Methodist Conference of Australia had desired him to be their representative at the British Conference, and his brethren in Australia had expressed themselves thus concerning him:—“The Rev. Daniel J. Draper has our ready consent to visit the land of our fathers. By our unanimous wish he is commended to you as our representative in your next Conference. You need not be informed of his valuable services to us; his intimate knowledge of our Connexion; or the high esteem and confidence in which he is held. We believe that from you he will receive a most affectionate welcome. He will be followed by our prayers, that he may return to us in health, and in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.”