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Ross Piper

Photo courtesy of Adventist Heritage Centre, Australia.

Piper, Ross Clinton (1914–2000)

By Marye Trim

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Marye Trim, Ph.D. (Loughborough University, Leicestershire, England), retired in 2008 as a Senior Lecturer in Australia, England, India and Thailand, also at the University of Western Sydney and Loughborough University. A New Zealander, married to Pastor John B. Trim with five adult children, she supported his pastoral and leadership roles for over fifty years. Trained in journalism and creative writing, she has published books, stories, poems and inspirational articles world-wide, also 21 significant academic publications.

 

First Published: January 29, 2020

Ross Clinton Piper was born at Palmerston North, New Zealand, on December 1, 1914, soon after the start of World War I.1 The only son of Harold E. Piper, he was part of a family that thoroughly embraced the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church and contributed to its early years in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. His contribution through 42 years of service came via several avenues, but he is especially remembered as a dynamic associate speaker for 11 years with the Advent Radio Church, and editor for the Signs of the Times for 11 years.2

Early Years, Education, Marriage

Ross Piper was raised in an environment of Christian service. While still at home, his father, Harold Piper, was appointed to minister in every state of Australia and in both islands of New Zealand.3 In his teenage years he studied at the New Zealand Missionary College at Longburn, Palmerston North, where, at 19, he graduated from the old 25-unit business course in 1933.4 In 1934 he continued his studies at Longburn. Although he finished the ministerial course, he did not formally graduate, as in October of that year he was appointed to be an assistant accountant at the Christchurch, New Zealand, headquarters of the Sanitarium Health Food Company.5 He remained there until the end of 1937.6

In 1938 he worked for nine months as a literature evangelist in the South New South Wales Conference, canvassing in the towns between Nowra and Eden.7 Then in October 1938 he was appointed to pastoral-evangelistic ministry in Sydney.8 While in Sydney, he met Melva Lavinia Ward, who had been born in Sydney on April 3, 1917. They were married by the groom’s father at the Concord SDA Church on December 23, 1940.9

Ministry

Ross and Melva Piper moved to southern Queensland in October 1941, where Piper accepted an appointment as the youth secretary for the Queensland Conference.10 Then in October 1942 he was ordained in Brisbane and moved to pastoral work in local churches.11 Just a few weeks before his ordination, their first daughter, Laurice Rhae (Taylor), was born in Brisbane.12

After four years in the Queensland Conference Piper was appointed to work with L. C. Naden as the associate speaker for the Advent Radio Church. The name of the program was later changed to Voice of Prophecy.13 While there, he also edited the Voice of Prophecy News.14 The family was blessed with two more children: a son, Graeme Ross,15  and a second daughter, Robyn Anne (Foster).16

Toward the end of his tenure at the Voice of Prophecy his articles were being published in various magazines, including the American These Times.17 He was at that time already acting as an editorial assistant for that magazine.18 In 1956 he was appointed as the editor of the Australian Signs of the Times, an eight-page weekly magazine. His name appeared as editor in the May 21 edition.19 He remained in that role until March 4, 1967.20 During his tenure he transformed the Signs of the Times into a 36-page monthly.21 Well known as an inspirational speaker, he was also popular at graduations and camp meetings.22

He next accepted an invitation to return to pastoral duties and was the pastor of the Wahroonga church in the Greater Sydney Conference for two years, 1967 and1968.23 His final appointment before retirement was as the Bible School principal at Advent Radio and TV Productions, Australasian Division. He remained there from the beginning of 1969 until the end of 1975.24

On January 23, 1997, Melva died at the home of her daughter Laurice Taylor at Dural, Sydney.25 Three years later, on February 26, 2000, Pastor Ross Clinton Piper died at the SDA Elizabeth Lodge, Normanhurst, New South Wales.26

Sources

“Editorial Assistants.” These Times, September 1, 1955.

Forbes, A. H. “Diamond Graduation Anniversary.” Australasian Record, January 13, 1964.

“Former Signs Editor Dies.” Australasian Record, April 1, 2000.

“Graduation News.” Australasian Record, January 13, 1964.

Grosse, Bruce H., and George W. Maywald. “Melva Lavinia Piper obituary.” Record, March 1, 1997.

Piper, H. E. “Ross Piper–Melva Ward marriage.” Australasian Record, February 17, 1941.

Piper, Ross. “Say Something, and Mean It.” Australasian Record, February 3, 1964.

———. “Wanted: Men and Women Who Can Be Angry,” Australasian Record, May 18, 1953.

———. “What Has Your God to Say About This?” These Times, September 1, 1955.

Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Biographical Information Blank.”

Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Biographical: Piper, Ross Clinton.”

Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Piper, Ross Clinton.”

Ross Clinton Piper Service Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Personal Service Record.”

Ross Clinton Piper Service Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Service Record: Piper, Ross Clinton.”

Ross Clinton Piper Sustentation Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton.” Document: “Weekly Rates.”

“Signs of the Times.” Signs of the Times, May 21, 1956.

Silver, John, and Cec Powell. “Pastor Ross Piper obituary.” Australasian Record, April 1, 2000.

Notes

  1. Ross Clinton Piper Service Records, South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives (Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton”; Document: “Personal Service Record”).

  2. John Silver and Cec Powell, “Pastor Ross Piper obituary,” Australasian Record, April 1, 2000, 14.

  3. Ibid.

  4. Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records, South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives (Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton”; Document: “Piper, Ross Clinton”).

  5. Ross Clinton Piper Service Records, South Pacific Division of the General Conference archives (Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton”; Document: “Service Record: Piper, Ross Clinton”).

  6. Ibid.

  7. Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records, South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives (Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton”; Document: “Biographical Information Blank”).

  8. Ross Clinton Piper Sustentation Records, South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives (Folder: “Piper, Ross Clinton”; Document: “Weekly Rates”).

  9. H. E. Piper, “Ross Piper–Melva Ward marriage,” Australasian Record, February 17, 1941, 7.

  10. Ross Clinton Piper Sustentation Records; South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives; Folder: ‘Piper, Ross Clinton;’ Document: ‘Weekly Rates.’

  11. Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records; South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives; Folder: ‘Piper, Ross Clinton;’ (Document: “Biographical: Piper, Ross Clinton”).

  12. Ibid.

  13. Ross Clinton Piper Service Records (Document: “Personal Service Record”).

  14. Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records (Document: “Biographical Information Blank”).

  15. Ross Clinton Piper Biographical Records (Document: “Biographical: Piper, Ross Clinton”).

  16. Ibid.

  17. Ross Piper, “What Has Your God Have to Say About This?” These Times, September 1, 1955, 25–27.

  18. “Editorial Assistants,” These Times, September 1, 1955, 3.

  19. “Signs of the Times,” Signs of the Times, May 21, 1956, 7.

  20. Ross Clinton Piper Service Records (Document: “Personal Service Record.”).

  21. See, for example, Signs of the Times, March 1, 1967.

  22. See, for example, A. H. Forbes, “Diamond Graduation Anniversary,” Australasian Record, January 13, 1964, 2.

  23. Ross Clinton Piper Service Records (Document: “Personal Service Record”).

  24. Ibid.

  25. Bruce H. Grosse and George W. Maywald, “Melva Lavinia Piper obituary,” Record, March 1, 1997, 14.

  26. “Former Signs Editor Dies,” Australasian Record, April 1, 2000, 6; John Silver and Cec Powell, “Pastor Ross Piper obituary,” Australasian Record, April 1, 2000, 14.

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Trim, Marye. "Piper, Ross Clinton (1914–2000)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 29, 2020. Accessed February 06, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=7B6S.

Trim, Marye. "Piper, Ross Clinton (1914–2000)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 29, 2020. Date of access February 06, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=7B6S.

Trim, Marye (2020, January 29). Piper, Ross Clinton (1914–2000). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved February 06, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=7B6S.