John Keble, and Fr. S.

I recently read a biography of John Keble. He was a saintly vicar of the country parish at Hursley, and one of those responsible for the Oxford Movement. It seems to me that he was the “glue” that held it together, especially after the defection of Newman to the Church of Rome. And he did most of this simply by observing the Daily Offices and the Holy Eucharist in his parish church, visiting the sick and the needy in the parish, diligently catechizing the young people, and encouraging Pusey, Newman and others behind the scenes. Two quotes from the biography (by Georgina Battiscombe: p. 354):

In spite of his obvious limitations, in moments of difficulty or crisis men's minds turned instinctively to Keble: “when all else had been said and done,” Liddon [another biographer] declared, “people would wait and see what came from Hursley before making up their minds as to the path of duty.”

It was not John Keble's wisdom which drew men to him, but his holiness, a very understated, English type of holiness..

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As I read, I recognized that I had the privilege of working with a priest who followed in Keble's saintly footsteps: Fr. S., who was priest-in-charge of this parish during an interim, then assisting priest for a few years. The likenesses are many, and I dare not begin naming them, for time is short.

But I do wish to honor Fr. S., and what he has meant to me, even after his departure for other work. He instituted the Daily Office in this parish, over the objections of the Vestry; with my collusion, he instituted monthly Choral Evensong. He was at the church for Matins and Evensong six days a week (I covered the seventh, Friday), and celebrated a midday Eucharist on every major Feast, even the three Feasts that follow hard on Christmas Day, when most clergy are scattered far and wide on holiday.

I do not doubt that Fr. S. knew of Keble. Whether he was conscious of following that great example, I do not know. More probably, the likeness between them stemmed from the One whom they both followed and served.