Stuart Edmund McNair

From https://movimentodosirmaos.blogspot.com/p/stuart-edmund-mcnair.html

Stuart Edmund McNair was born on March 8, 1867,  in Brighton, Sussex, southern England, and was raised in Croydon. He was the son of Lindsay William McNair and Harriet Agnes Turrell. His parents were married at St. Nicholas Anglican Church, Brighton, on June 23, 1864. McNair was baptized as a child at Hove Anglican Church, Sussex, on March 20, 1867.

His siblings are: Lindsay John McNair, born in 1866, Mabel McNair, born in 1868, George McNair, born in 1870, Henry Stein McNair, born in 1873, Jane Harriet McNair, born in 1874, Charles Carpenter McNair, born in 1876, Charlotte Emily Wainewright McNair (Carlota) , born in 1878, William McNair, born in 1880, Margaret Evelyn McNair, born in 1882  , and Donald McNair, born in 1883. 

We have no information about his conversion, but in 1882, at the age of 14, in Croydon, he participated in a Bible study led by the renowned theologian John Nelson Darby, and was impressed by his spirituality and erudition.

McNair trained as a civil engineer, mechanical draftsman, and theologian.

While still young, McNair was sent to Dublin, Ireland, to oversee the installation of an electric tramway, where he remained for eight months. It was during this time that McNair met the celebrated writer Charles Henry Mackintosh, whose writings were then known throughout the English-speaking world. Mackintosh invited him to regularly have tea at his home, which McNair began to do every two weeks. McNair recounts that on one occasion he went to visit Mackintosh at his house, and upon ringing the doorbell, Mackintosh himself answered, and from that very doorway, told him of his feeling that God was calling him to serve Him in South America. Mackintosh then placed his hands on young McNair's head and prayed, asking for divine blessing upon his future service.     

In 1891, McNair answered an advertisement for a mechanical draftsman in Lisbon and moved there. He stayed for five years in the home of Caterina Holden, widow of Richard Holden, with Ernest Holden, then 11 years old.

His stay at Caterina Holden's house may have greatly influenced his coming to Brazil, since he also received news from the brothers who were already meeting in Rio de Janeiro through JF Barbosa, a result of Richard Holden 's fruitful work .

It was in June 1896, at the age of 29, that he disembarked in Rio de Janeiro. He was received on board by the brothers Daniel Faria and João Brito.

He stayed at Daniel Faria's house, on Ladeira do Barroso, Morro do Livramento, and later had his brother George Howes as a companion in the same house.

These brothers accompanied him in evangelization, beginning in what was then the Federal Capital, Rio de Janeiro, then Paracambi, Mendes, Paty do Alferes, and Petrópolis, where Daniel Faria and João Quintino established their residence. From there, they spread the Gospel along the entire railroad to São José do Vale do Rio Preto, where the Tavares Belo family was converted. Later, they would take the Gospel to the Carangola region and its surroundings.

McNair made 8 trips to Argentina, on one of which he contributed to the printing of another edition of the hymnbook "Canciones Espirituales," using some hymns from "Hinos e Cânticos." He visited the Falkland Islands and also worked evangelizing in Pernambuco, Belém, Piracicaba, and in 1905 he returned to Portugal.

During this period in Portugal, McNair rented an apartment in Aveiro and another in Coimbra, where he chose to evangelize university students for three years.

In Coimbra, his companion was Dr. Joaquim Leite Junior. McNair described the work there in Coimbra as not being very prosperous, according to him: “There was a lot of sowing of the Gospel around the city of Coimbra, but little fruit. I believe that the workers residing there now (1953) are more successful.”

McNair remained in Portugal for eight years, where he also evangelized in Barcelona and Val de Olivas, Spain.

After receiving an invitation from his brother Miguel Mattar from Maranhão, McNair returned to Brazil, directly to that state. He then went to Rio de Janeiro before settling in Conceição de Carangola in 1913, where he found a large number of converted families.

On this occasion, McNair travelled extensively throughout the Zona da Mata region, a border area between the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo, accompanied on alternating trips by Albert Henry Storrie, George Howes, William Anglin and William John Goldsmith.

Between 1918 and 1920, he promoted three Bible schools in Conceição de Carangola, with the active participation of the learned Harold St. John. They taught in a way that stimulated students in the study of the Word, developing their gifts without forcing them to abandon their livelihood, which was farming. In six months, they were able to read the entire Gospel of John in the original Greek. The Bible schools were successful, and the students bore fruit for future generations that continues to this day.

Later, McNair sold his house in Carangola to his brother Albert Henry Storrie. He moved to Portões-MG, then to Divisa-ES, Barreiro-RJ and Divisório-MG, always accompanied by his sister Carlota, promoting Bible Schools and social assistance.

In 1933, no longer having the strength to ride horses (his preferred means of transportation) or undertake long journeys, he settled in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro, and founded the publishing house.

He dedicated himself to publishing printed works, and then emerged as a hymnologist, typographer, journalist, lexicographer, polyglot, and commentator par excellence. His erudition greatly contributed to a rich biblical cultural heritage, serving as spiritual nourishment for students of the Word.

Among his many works, the following were published: “A Bíblia Explicada” ( "The Bible Explained") ; “Pequeno Dicionário Bíblico” ("Little Bible Dictionary") ; “A Vida Cristã” ("The Christian Life"); “Cartas Ocasionais” ("Occasional Letters"); “Palestras com os Meninos” ("Talks with the Boys"); “O Guia do Pregador” ("The Preacher's Guide"); “Consultório Espiritual” ("Spiritual Counseling"); “O Cristão em Casa”("The Christian at Home"); “Biblioteca Evangélica” ("Evangelical Library"); “Amiguinhos” ("Little Friends") (children's newspaper).

The day before his death, while still at the table, right after dinner, he asked Carlota, his sister (a nurse), why Jesus hadn't taken him yet? Carlota reprimanded him harshly.

In the early morning of January 10, 1959, at the age of 92, more than half of which he dedicated to the Master's cause, Stuart Edmund McNair fell asleep in the Lord.