A "STOP-GAP" VICAR'S. CONFESSIONS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15017, 11 July 1914, Page 16

A "STOP-GAP" VICAR'S. CONFESSIONS.

Tho Rev. G. M. Thompson, Vicar of St. Andrew's Croydon, who has exchanged livings with tho Rev. H. Ll. Pocock, "Vicar of Cranborne with. Boyeridge, Salisbury, in a farewell message to his congregation, says that he went to Croydon three years ago only as a stop-gap, and his one last request was that thoy would iorgethim as soon as possible. He explains that in 1906 he resigned a country parish and went V 'the Malay States as a missionary, under a promise from a Bishop to try to place him' suitably upon bis return. He found that the sacrifice consisted not in going abroad, but in loss of standing on his return, for he found himself stranded. "I was sent to look at several vacant country livings, "hut all wore quite im possible for mc. '- Either the income was totally inadequate, or the vicarage was a mansion which would swallow up the whole income, or. the squire was violently Protestant. Alter six months of this of thing T became rather desperate, as my temporary work was coming to an end. At this crisis St. Andrew's was offered mc. Wo all have our preferences and our prejudices, our likes and our ■ dislikes. To be quite honest, I was not in tho least attracted to Croydon, and the speciai condition of St. Andrew's was-enough to frighten many a better man than myself. But 'beggars'can't be choos-, era.' And so, though a parish in the London area was not at all what I hoped for, I accepted it gra-ef-_ly. ,, Mr Thompson adds that he is now going to "the parish of his dreamsjust such a parish as I havo longed for since I was ordained.' " .