Sydney Greats - John Irwin
Humble Salvo a modern-day St John
Bestowing sainthood has never been part of the tradition of The Salvation Army but, says Major DAVID WOODBURY, in the eyes of the public John Irwin came close to it.
Born in Brisbane on 11 May 1905, John Irwin experienced more than his fair share of poverty and loneliness as a child of a single parent. Christian influence during his formative years came from a Christian aunt and cousin, with whom he lived at Highgate Hill in Brisbane. After leaving school at 15, John worked for a while with a meat export company. At 28 years of age and standing over six feet four inches, the lonely, dejected figure of John Irwin stood listening to a Salvation Army open-air meeting in Stanley St, South Brisbane. Although his early experience in the Methodist Church had provided some spiritual basis, within there was a deep yearning for something more meaningful in life. As The Salvation Army band played, John uttered a silent prayer: “My God, if you’re there, I need somebody’s prayer right now.”
Hardly had he uttered the prayer when corps sergeant major Vic Arnold from the West End Corps appeared and issued an invitation for John to come to a meeting. A few weeks later, John attended the meeting and surrendered his life to Christ. Not sure of the correct procedure he knelt not at the mercy seat, but on it. The sight of this huge man with his large boots protruding over the mercy seat may have amused some of the bandsmen, but they never forgot the night John Irwin unreservedly gave his life to Christ. Following his conversion, John moved to Bundaberg where he linked up with the local corps, becoming an active member. A move back to Brisbane saw him finding employment in The Salvation Army Home for Men in Stanley St. John, like the founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth, was to find his destiny among the destitute, rejected and lonely.
Unique gift
Part of his role was to scour the markets to feed his clients and he could often be seen in the early hours of the morning striding across Victoria Bridge over the Brisbane River with a bag of vegetables over his shoulder. It was during this time that John was to forge the characteristic of respect from authority that would later become his hallmark in the courts and prisons of NSW and Queensland. His corps officer at West End Corps, Adjutant Hubert Scotney, saw something in the gangly, awkward young man which others didn’t and encouraged him to apply to enter the officer training college. In later years, Hubert Scotney became the territorial commander of the Australian Eastern Territory and saw his insight validated as John Irwin became a revered figure in the courts and prisons system.
Following a brief period of training, John was appointed as assistant officer in the Foster St shelter for homeless men in Sydney, and two years later took over as the officer in charge. Here he was to realise his life’s destiny as part of his role included appearing at court for some of the establishment's clients. John quickly latched on the jargon and etiquette of court proceedings while still maintaining his compassionate relationship with those who found themselves at odds with the law. In due course, his leaders realised that here was a man with a unique and special gift and released him for full-time ministry in the courts and prisons. His biographer, Commissioner William Cairns, was to write: “He simply saw people in need of help and that was the beginning and end of it.”
Although he possessed no university degree or special qualifications in criminal rehabilitation, his education in the university of living served him well. Towards the latter part of his life universities sought him out to lecture to criminology students. While John did not see himself as a reformer, in many ways through his native intelligence and insight, he reformed the attitude and thinking of others in the courts and prisons system.
Heart of Christ
For the next 30 years the name of John Irwin was to become synonymous with a compassionate and pragmatic ministry as he spoke on behalf of those who needed a friend in court. He moved unrestricted in the penal system having the respect and esteem of judges, magistrates, police, prison warders and prisoners alike. Living at The Salvation Army’s men’s home at Balmain, John put in 16-hour days making phone calls and visiting prisoner’s families, and visiting courts and prisons all over NSW and Queensland. Realising the shackles that bound many of his client’s, John would pray with them: “Release us from the prison of our making. Help us as we struggle to be free from habits that bind us.”
Not noted for his tidy dress, John would often appear in court amongst the bewigged legal fraternity with his shirt collar unfastened, his shoes unpolished and revealing the grime of the prison cell he had just left. Those who knew the man saw past the disorderly exterior to the inner being of someone who possessed the heart of the compassionate Christ. One Sydney newspaper, commenting on the ministry of John Irwin, wrote: “Almost as much part of the Sydney Central Police Courts as the sandstone columns, its black and white parquet floors, its worn cedar docks and benches, is John Irwin.”
A judge of the time paid tribute to his commonsense and honest approach to his ministry: “I always felt that I could rely on him for he always told me the truth. If it was the case where he could help he said so, and if there was a chance he would try. He did not get the easy cases. I sought his help when I felt the probation service alone was not sufficient, and there was need to win the confidence of the offender in a way that only a man like John Irwin could.”
When Brigadier John Irwin retired at 65 years of age he was a spent force. The long hours and compassionate heart had taken their toll. However, he had left his mark on the wider community and received an OBE from the Queen in 1965 and, during a congress gathering in 1970, the Order of The Founder from the General of The Salvation Army. Bestowing the honour was none other than the officer who first encouraged him to become an officer, Hubert Scotney, now territorial commander. In 1971, the NSW Government established a centre at the Silverwater Correctional Centre for care of aged prisoners. Acknowledging the ministry of John, the centre was named Irwin House.
Eternal impact
John health deteriorated quickly after his retirement and on 23 October 1972, he was promoted to glory. His funeral service, held in Sydney Congress Hall, saw judges and police officers rub shoulders with prisoners and the destitute. All had come to honour the life of a man who they all called friend. Traffic in the City of Sydney came to a standstill as the hearse bearing the mortal remains of John Irwin left Sydney Congress Hall, preceded by The Salvation Army flag, the police pipe band, police motorcycle escort along with uniformed police and Salvation Army officers. It is difficult, even at this point of time, to truly evaluate the impact of the ministry of one man. What is obvious is that the extent of John Irwin’s legacy will only be revealed in eternity.
Those that remember him recall that he was a man larger than life, infused by the heart of Christ. Noted Sydney judge, Justice John McClemens, whose interest in criminology, the prevention of crime, and the care of released offenders aligned him closely with John, paid tribute to him during the funeral service. Justice McClemens said in tribute: “We live in an age that doesn’t believe that saints exist. He was a man who was a saint –a man who was fired and burnt himself out with love of God and the love of man.”
This article first appeared in The Salvation Army's Pipeline magazine.
IMAGE CAPTIONS
01 Brigadier John Irwin leaving a court in Sydney.
02 Of special Interest to John Irwin were young men who came before the court.