THE LATE FATHER STANTON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14668, 17 May 1913, Page 16

THE LATE FATHER STANTON.

A "PERPETUAL CURATE."

The roost picturesquo figure of tho High Church party has passed away jby tho death of Rev. Arthur Henry i Stanton, for fifty years curato at St. Albans, Holborn. He had just been offered, and refused on the ground of ill-health, a prebendal stall at StPaul's offered by the Bishop of London. j Horn at Stroud—whero ho died—in I ISC9, and educated at Rugby and I Trinity College, Oxford, Stanton. be- ! came a Traotarian of tho Tractarians. Ho was warned, when offered the St. Albans curacy by Maekcuochie, that aeccptanco would cut him off from all ! hopo of preferment, but thai never : worried him. Ho served under succossive vicars, and contrived to keep on tho best of terms with them. He was a man of groat geniality, with rich humour, and extensivo knowledge of • varied human nature, to which his ! practice of hearing confessions probably contributed. Everybody in tho ''mean streets" behind st. Albans knew him, and he knew everybody. With the children lie was immensely popular, and his practical organising capacity showed itself in the creation oi such institutions as the Guild of St. Martin for postmen, and a young I women's guild that was popularly j known as the "Guild of Lizzies." Father Stanton, who was nothing if not unconventional, would read to the"Lizzies" chanters from such books as ".Nicholas Nickluby" and "Adam Bode." Uncompromising sacerdotalist as he was, ho won the respect and admiration of Tree Churchmen, who recognised his broad humanity and tho value of his practical Christian work. Ho sometimes attended Dr. Parker's Thursday services at tho City Temple, and Mr Campbell not long since received a very kindlv messngo when Mr Stanton was too ill to see visitors. In IM7 an address of appreciation, with 3600 si.inat a res, was presented to him in the Holborn Hall. The signatures included those of many Nonconformists, and tho Rev. Silvester Homo and the Rev. F. C. Spurr joined in tho expressions of high regard for tho man and his work. As a preacher, his stylo was free, racy, homely, dramatic, and humorous. It drew large congregations, but no report could convey the power of tho personality of the man. He had been failing since November, when his work really ended. Striking ritual and a groat demonstration of public regard marked the funernl procession from St. Albans to tho Broolnvood Necropolis station. Tt was headed by tho'churchwardens, with incense-bearer and torch-bnnrers necompanyine a white crucifix. Then followed the choir, singing hymns. Tho coffin, on a low bier wheeled by tho clerey of tho church, was followed by a long lino of peonle of all ranks, including a body of postmen carrving thoir bags, a troop of slum children. Sisters of Mercy, etc. At Brookwood about a thousand people gathered at the crrnvo, where tho Rev. R. A. J. Suckling (PVitn«»r Stnnton's vicar) was ono of the pall-benrers. Many knelt and crossed themselves after the service.