MR ETERNITY.

For nearly 35 years the residents of Sydney would see the word 'Eternity' written on the pavement in chalk. It was a mystery, and remained a mystery until 1956 when it was revealed that the single word message was being written by a reformed alcoholic and christian, Arthur Malcolm Stace. Stace is estimated to have written the word over half a million times in suburbs from Campbelltown to Hornsby, Blacktown to Cronulla. It became so much a part of Sydney folk lore that in 2000 the new millenium was ushered in with the word 'Eternity' electronically displayed across the front of the Harbour Bridge as part of a $5.4 million dollar fireworks display.

Arthur Stace was born in the Sydney suburb of Balmain on 9th Febuary 1884. His parents were alcoholics and Arthur grew up neglected and without much schooling. By the age of 12 he was made a ward of the state and at 15 he was sent to gaol. He enlisted and became a stretcher bearer in World War 1 but upon returning to Sydney after the war he became a heavy drinker, a gambler and a petty criminal. After appearing in court on 6th August 1930 Arthur went with other down and out vagrants to the church hall at St Barnabas' on Broadway. Here he had to listen to a sermon before being given a cake and a cup of tea. However Arthur was so moved by the words of the preacher, Archdeacon Hammond, that he soon repented of his sins and became a devout christian.

At a sermon six months later the reverend John Ridley said he wished he could shout the word 'Eternity' throughout the streets of Sydney. Stace says these words kept ringing through his head and outside of the church he reached down to the pavement and with a piece of chalk wrote the word 'Eternity' on the footpath. Although he could barely write his name the word 'eternity' came out in beautiful copperplate script. So began Stace's quest. For the next 35 years he would rise at 4am and after praying for an hour and having breakfast he would set off to different parts of Sydney where in a day he would write the word about fifty times. At first he used yellow chalk but later changed to marking crayon because it did not wash off as easily in the rain.

Arthur died in a nursing home in 1967. Although he left his body to Sydney University he is buried with his wife in Botany cemetery. Arthur is remembered by the word 'Eternity' being cast in wrought aluminium near the Sydney Square waterfall. The National Museum in Canberra also holds one of Arthur's sign which he wrote on a piece of cardboard. When the Sydney GPO clocktower was rebuilt in the 1960s and the original bell returned to the tower after 15 years in storage the workmen found the word 'Eternity' written in Stace's hand under the lip of the bell. Seven years after Stace's death the word 'Arthur' began to appear written in chalk on the payments around Sydney. Although this continued for several years it was never discovered who had written these messages.

With a piece of chalk Arthur became known as 'Mr Eternity'. Imagine what he could do now with a computer.

(The picture above is one of the few taken of Arthur Stace. It was taken by Trevor Dallen a Sydney reporter)