A DISTINGUISHED ANGLICAN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 9

A DISTINGUISHED ANGLICAN.

' DEATH OF UEVv A. W. ITUTTON. In recording the death of the Her. A. W. Button, Hector of Bow Church, London, tho "Guardian" says:— J! r. Mutton's career was a remarkable one. Born in 1818, he camo of an old clerical stock, and ho used to say that ho could count no fewer than five clergymen as Ms progenitors in tho direct line. He went as a schoolboy to Cheltenham, and passed thenco to Exetev College, Oxford, where ho had won. an open, scholarship. At Oxford ho throw himself with youthful ardour . into the theological interests of the place, and he enjoyed the intimate friendship of Canon Liddou, who always retained a high estimate of 311\ Hutton's powers as a writer, of Dr. Bright, the learned Professor of Church History, and of Dr. King, afterwards Bishop of Lincoln, lie was placed in tho First Class at the examination for Theological Honours, being , the only man of his year to whom that distinction fell. He. was ordained on tho title of a. curacy at St. Barnabas', Oxford, and in 18i3 ho succeeded his father as Rector of Spridlington, a village about nine 'miles from the city of Lincoln. But after three years lie found his position as High Churchman of the Tractarian type _no longer' possible, and lie was received into the Roman Church by Dr. Newman, Ho lived in the Birmingham Oratory for somo seven or eight years, spending a peaceful and pleasant life. There ho published a work on "The Anglican Ministry," which Dr. Newman introduced by an interesting Preface. Mr. Ilutton was also zealous in his work among the Roman Catholics of the district, and elementary .£I2OO, as a single gife to the elementary schools of the Oratory, beside advancing another sum of nearly the eaino amount as a loan without interest. But tho peace which ho found was apparent rather than real, and did not last long. In 1883 Mr. Hutlon left tho Oratory, destitute, or believing himself to bo destitute, of any faith "in the supernatural. "Wo shall always love you" were Newman's parting words. Quite recently liutton broke down, overcome with emotion, as ho repeated then) in npaper on Newman which he read to a well-known clerical Society. For a season he belonged to iio Church, lie retained, however, his passionate (icsiro, to know the truth and that blamelcssncss of life which was from first to last a beautiful trait in his character. Nor was his | life an idle one. J!e was librarian of the National Liberal Club, and wrolo a short and sympathetic Life of Cardinal Manning (who was still living). Ho devoted Ids leisure to philanthropic .work. Mr. Hut ton never spared himself, and he took the utmoft pains to succour any one who appealed to him fur help. At last, the light broke. Speculative difficulties wove not overcome, but ho found the practical solution of his doubts in Christ the Bon of Man and the Son of God. He was greatly assisted in this recovery of faith bv the Ritschlians, and especially by Harn'ack. Ho did not care much for theology in its more technical Reuse. To him Christ was nil in all, the revelation of God's love, binding man to man and all men to God. In 181)8 hfl resumed his work as a clergyman of tho English Church. From that time he never looked back; Christ was ilia centre of his faith and lie valued more and more the liberty which the Church of England affords, and its mighty power for good. Ho held various curacies, and also a small living: in Salop.