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The Nunawading Messiah: James Fisher and Popular Millenarianism in Nineteenth‐Century Melbourne
Author(s) -
Featherstone Guy
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of religious history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.117
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1467-9809
pISSN - 0022-4227
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9809.00141
Subject(s) - millenarianism , messiah , sect , history , settlement (finance) , religious studies , ancient history , theology , law , philosophy , archaeology , political science , politics , world wide web , computer science , payment
James Fisher (1832‐1913), known as the “Nunawading Messiah,” was the leader of a millenarian sect now virtually forgotten. This article describes the beliefs and practices of the sect, the Church of the Firstborn, which he led for nearly fifty years, first in Nunawading (Vic.) and later Wickepin (W.A.). From limited sources, the development of the sect is outlined, noting the eighteenth‐century English background from which it drew inspiration and the Christian Israelite traditions which it followed to some degree. Fisher’s attempt to succeed Wroe as an Angelic Messenger is detailed as is the public controversy of 1871 concerning Fisher’s prophetic claims and alleged polygamy. An analysis of the reasons why Fisher was able to attract a following and retain it for so long is included. The final years of his life as the leader of a communal settlement in Western Australia is followed by a discus‐sion of his place in the millenarian tradition in Australia and his sect is compared with millenarian behaviour generally.