Remembering Arthur Stace 56 years on
Like a broken record, we’ve mentioned Arthur Stace on our website once or twice over the years.
In some ways, you might call him Sydney’s best known evangelist, chalking the word Eternity on footpaths across the city for more than 35 years. He inspired thousands to wonder at the meaning of that word – hopefully to contemplate where they would spend eternity – and to be attentive to the gospel.
In addition, Arthur was an open-air evangelist, though few were aware he was also ‘Mr Eternity’.
Arthur was called home to be with the Lord Jesus on this day (30th July) in 1967.
He was eventually buried at Botany Cemetery, now part of Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park.
As we remember this humble man, let’s also be encouraged by his example as he laboured to bring the good news of salvation to his fellow Sydney-siders.
See also these two tributes in song – by Nathan Tasker (video below) and Colin Buchanan.
The message lives on
“Mr Eternity could never have imagined he would have crowds of Sydney-siders remembering him 50 years after his death, but that’s what happened at St Andrew’s Cathedral on Sunday.
But then again, he wouldn’t have imagined he would prompt city authorities to emblazon Eternity in fireworks on the Harbour Bridge at the turn of the century, either.
Arthur Stace was an alcoholic converted during the Great Depression, who then went on to devote his life to reminding people of Eternity by writing the word in perfect copperplate on Sydney Streets.…”
– Russell Powell reports on the tribute to Arthur Stace, “Mr. Eternity”, last Sunday at the Cathedral. (Photo of Arthur Stace courtesy HammondCare.)
See also this report from Eternity News, and these related posts.
Why we need a plebiscite
“In his campaign launch speech last Saturday the leader of the Federal Opposition, the Hon. Bill Shorten, has politicised the same-sex marriage plebiscite, making it a key point of differentiation between Labor and the Coalition. Mr Shorten affirmed Labor’s commitment to introduce same-sex marriage legislation if elected on July 2, and claimed that the Coalition promise of a plebiscite to allow Australians to have their say on this important social change would be a ‘taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia’…”
– Bishop Michael Stead, chair of the Religious Freedom Reference Group for Sydney Diocese, argues the case for an informed choice about same-sex marriage in the form of a plebiscite.
Bishop Stead was interviewed by John Sandeman for Eternity Newspaper. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for the video.)
“Our driving agenda is telling people about Jesus.”
‘Turnbull Govt victim of abortion lobby push to silence Troy Newman’
“The Australian Christian Lobby has expressed concern that the Turnbull Government has acted hastily at the request of the abortion lobby to deny a visa to an American pro-life advocate…
‘Australian taxpayer money funds Planned Parenthood operations in the Asia-Pacific region and Mr Newman’s visit promises to shed light on the abortion provider’s murky activities.’…”
– strong words from the Australian Christian Lobby, who have also launched a petition calling on the Immigration Minister to reverse the decision to deny Mr Newman a visa.
From Bible Society Australia:
The SMH is reporting, “Counsel for the Commonwealth gave the undertaking not to immediately remove Mr Newman at a hearing in Melbourne before High Court justice Geoffrey Nettle on Thursday evening, at which counsel for Mr Newman sought to have the decision to bar him from Australia overturned.”
On Thursday afternoon Immigration Minister Peter Dutton agreed to not deport Newman for 24 hours.
Eternity understands the matter will be decided this afternoon.
Update: What the Aussie Media has not told you about Troy Newman – John Sandeman.
‘PM misrepresents the Bible’
“Last night, on a serious Australian current affairs program, Q&A, our current serving Prime Minister, a self-professed Christian, grossly caricatured the Bible. ….”
– Sandy Grant responds to the Prime Minister’s statements on Q&A last night.
And Eternity Newspaper’s John Sandeman spoke today with the Prime Minister’s questioner, Pastor Matt Prater –
“I did get attacked a lot on social media last night. And got called a lot of nasty names. I just want to make it clear to anyone reading this that I am not a homophobe. I don’t hate homosexuals. I love everyone with the love of Jesus.”
(Images: ABC TV.)
Update:
The Prime Minister further explained his response (YouTube) in Launceston on Tuesday 3rd September.
Question lands pastor ‘in lion’s den’ – The Australian.
“The first time Pastor Matt Prater interviewed Kevin Rudd, the year was 2006 and the then opposition foreign affairs spokesman was deeply obliging. …”
And Sandy Grant reflects on the whole thing at The Briefing.
Archbishop Peter Jensen’s 2008 Synod Presidential Address
The audio file of Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Presidential Address to the 2008 Synod meeting of Sydney Diocese – given late this afternoon – is now available at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Connect09 and GAFCON were among the key topics covered. Worth hearing – the 28MB file runs for 80 minutes.
The text of Archbishop Jensen’s address is also available. (Photo: Anglican Media Sydney.)
The Archbishop speaks about Canon RBS Hammond, Rector of St. Barnabas’ Broadway in the 1930s. “RBS” is mentioned in this story about Arthur Stace, “Mr. Eternity” – a man who made Sydney his mission field in an innovative way.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…