Stephen was educated at Geelong Church of England Grammar School and entered Trinity College, at the University of Melbourne in 1878.
[3] He was ordained deacon in 1883 and priest in 1884 and was a curate and parish priest in Melbourne before becoming chaplain of Trinity College and then the warden of St John's Theological College, Melbourne (1906-1914).
[4] From 1894 to 1899, Stephen was vicar at St Andrew's Church, Brighton and was Dean of Melbourne from 1910 until his elevation to the episcopate.
[5] He retired to Melbourne in 1928, where he died on 7 July 1956 at Kew, aged 95.
His funeral service was conducted by Archbishop Booth at St Paul's Cathedral on 9 July.