Obituary: Donald Monro Drysdale

Timber and Plywood , vol. 26

OBITUARY DM DRYSDALE Jan. 1 1898

OBITUARY DM DRYSDALE Liverpool has lost a whole souled and untiring Christian worker in the death of Mr Donald Munro Drysdale of the firm of Drysdale Brothers timber and stave merchants 168 Regent Road Liverpool who passed away at Mentone in the south of Ih ance on Christmas Eve So long since as June last Mr Drysdale health failed and after recruiting a few weeks at Scarborough and Harrogate he was advised b his medical attendant to seek the warmer climes of nce A couple of weeks were spent in Paris and then about the middle of October he journeyed to Mentone where for a time his health seemed to be benefited The end however was not unexpected and on Saturday he peacefully away at the Hotel Westminster there ing at the bedside his wife his daughter Mrs Anderson and his s0n in law Dr Anderson of Paris and his sister ln law Miss  Brown In the religious life of Liverpool of the set twenty years or more the deceased gentleman will ever hold an honoured lace Of Scotch descent he was born in Liverpool his father being the late Alexander Drysdale timber merchant of Great George Square

 As a boy he was fond of all school games and was a fine cricketer one of the distinctions which his prowess on the cricket field earned for him being his selection to play for Liverpool against the All England eleven

Like his father before him he entered the timber trade and when a young man founded with his brother William the firm of Drysdale Brothers whose operations as timber and stave merchants met with great success In his young days he attended the Scotch Church in Rodney Street but it was not until he was reaching middle age that the loss of a dear friend brought out the full belief in the teaching of the New Testament Being thoroughly converted himself he threw away no opportunity of impressing on his fellow men the truths of the Gospel.

 Although a busy commercial man he still found mu time to devote to religious work At first he distributed tracts after dusk and the encouragement with which he met led him to adopt a course which was sometimes misunderstood the case of Professor Huxley will be remembered of addressing fellow passengers in train and steamboat From preaching in Wavertree Park he organised evangelistic services in Hen ler's Circus on Sunday evenings during the winter months and these have been continued with few exceptions each winter until a year or two ago From the first the services attracted crowds of people and the heart sing ing apart from the homely practical addresses of  Drysdale himself were greatly appreciated While a believer in the preaching of the simple Gospel Mr Drysdale's advice to those who sought his confidence was to become regular attendants at whichever place of worship they chose to select The deceased gentleman paid several visits to Canada and the United States , and  was who was instrumental in bringing the great American evangelists Moody and Sankey to this city in 1875 He acted as hon secretary of the local committee and ten years later on their second visit he was the vice-chairman Of many religious and philanthropic institutions in Liverpool Mr Drysdale was a generous supporter among the societies into whose work he entered earnestly being the Town Mission Bible Society Midnight Mission and Seamen's Friend Society The late Mr Drysdale married a daughter of the late Mr Aaron Brown of Liverpool and leaves a widow and one daughter. His Living residence was Silver mere Prince's Park The news of his death has been received with general regret in his native city where he was esteemed as much for this earnestness in the cause of Christ as for his personal good qualities