Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28
A RADICAL PREACHER
Father" Dolling, Who Has
Just Passed to His Reward.
HE WAS "BROTHER BOB"
HE RAPED THE ARISTOCRACY
SOUNDLY.
Anecdotes of His Career Among the
Lowest Glasses and the
Poor.
Written for The Evening Stal

Written for The Evening Star.
In the death of the Rev. Father Dolling
there has passed away a great preacher,
absolutely unique among his English breth-
rem, if, indeed, the world itself holds par
allel. He was a pastor of the poor, yet
peers were proud to shake him by the hand.
Very much what Father McGlynn repre-
scented to the poor Of New York, Father
Dollng was to the masses of the East End
of London. To champion their cause in re-
ligiOn and politics his life's work. Like
his American contemporary, his radical
sympathy and his extreme zeal often
brought down upon him the censure of his
superiors. He was a typical priest of the
church militant, robust in build, caring not
lot for the opinions Of bishops or fellow
clergymen. When he was convinced his
course was right, he went ahead.
His practices were often of the strangest.
He had his own view of the best means to
reclaim those who had fallen away from
the church. During his pastorate in the
East End of London he determined to
bridge over any social distinction between
himself and his flock and adopted work
mans clothes, generally the costume OF a
sailor. With their clothes he frequently put
on also their style and manner Of speech
To them he was always Brother Bob" On
the other hand in his religious life he was
an extreme ritualist A Catholic clergy
man who had once attended Father Dol
ling's church smilingly declared afterward
that while the ceremonial was deeply i'm
pressive on the whole, he preferred his own
simple service.
So many are the stories told of Father
DolIing's pecuiarties that they would fill
volume, but one or two will Illustrate his
sterling character and quaint methods.
When he was vicar Of st. Agatha's, Ports
mouth. the most thickly populated and VI
cious parish in that city by the sea, it was
n n share his meals with
hungry member of his congregation. Twice
day, at breakfast and supper, Father
Dollng took his seat at the head Of long
deal table in a bare hall with sand on the
floor His assistant priests, vowed to pow
erty and celibacy like himself, sat on either
side, and the long table rapidly filled up
with all sorts and conditions of men. No
one was refused admission who had once
taken the communion in his church.
Helping the Tempted.
Nothing distressed Father Dolling more
than the temptations which beset the youth
of his parish. They had no place Of relax
alton but the streets, with their alluring
saloons and low dancing halls. So he built
a gymnasium, and once twice a week
gave dances under his own supervision. He
himself played the violin. When repon-
strated with by other clergymen of the city
as to the advisability Of a priest teaching
the young to dance his reply was character
istic and to the point:
(Which would you have them do" he
asked, dance to my tune or the devils
fiddling?"
After the dancing was over the hall was
turned in to a dormtory for his homeless
boys similar resting place was provided
for girls in the house Of a SiSterhood he had
established.
In his sermons, whether in st. Pauls
Cathedral or in some concert hall, turned
for the time being into a place of worship,
he never ceased in vigorous language to de-
nounce what he believed to be the sins of
the age. His often violent attacks on the
upper classes, so far from estranging them
from him, seemed only to bring them flock
ing in greater numbers to his pulpit. And
this is the more remarkable when 1t is con-
sidered that he generally referred to the
late Queen Victoria in his preaching as The
Old Lady of Osborne" and often singled
out strangers in the congregation to Illus
trate his text.
She Was Peeress.
On one occasion when the writer was at
tending a service at st. Agatha's, a lady,
very stylishly dressed and wearing handsome
jewelry had taken a front seat. Father
Dolling had evidently remarked her pres
ence with little approval, for in the middle
Of his sermon he pointed her out, declaring
that, as she had usurped the place Of some
humble member of the congregation, proba-
bly, out Of a motive of curiosity, he would
expect her to pay as well for the entertain
ment as If she had gone to theater. Some
people might have been offended, but the
lady In question. who happened to be
peerless, sent Father Dolling a check for
500
AS in religion, so in politics, Father DOLL
ing was hustler" In the conservative
stronghold Of Portsmouth his influence be-
came so great thai as long as he remained
in the borough he sent up two radical mem
bers to parliament. More than once he re-
ceived calls" to America, and on one of the
several occasions when he was in trouble
with his bishop it was hoped he would
take charge of the Church of st. Mary the
Virgin, San Francisco, founded by the late
Mr.. Pixley of the "Argonaut." who was a
great admirer of Father Dolling. But Eng
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