The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-12-26
Archbishop Flags Society.


Though much has been cabled about
DIR. Cosmo Gordon Lang, newly ap-
pointed Episcopal archbishop of York
with a salary of $4,000 a year, there are
lot of good stories now being circu-
lated about him. He is one Of the
youngest archbishops ever appointed,
and his office ranks second highest IN
the Church of England. Despite his
years, his experience is wide and
UNIQUE. As bishop of Stepney-one of
London's poorest and most overcrowd-
ed sections-he has always been in close
touch with the poor and he holds strong
views on social problems.
Not long ago in the course of a ser
mon to a swell audience gathered in
st. Pauls cathedral. he created SEN
sation by drawing a sharp contrast be-
tween the condition of the rich and
poor. and he slated the well-dressed
women Of his congregation for their
extravaganza. Among other things, he
said:
'AH admire the graceful lady in the
beautiful dress who fits about among
the stalls of the charity bazaar. But sup
pose the dress was not paid for, and
suppose the unpaid bill meant TO some
poor dressmaker, harassed for want of
capital, the prospect of losing the home
which had kept the aged parents and
the invalid sister in peace? l speak of
what 1 know"
Well-dressed people in England do not
like to be reminded Of unpleasant
truths, but the reverend gentleman had
sufficient independence to rub it in,
and, instead of being asked to resign,
as might have been the fate of a less
forceful character, he has risen TO a
post of power, exceeded only by the pri-
mate of England, and archbishop of
Canterbury.
The new incumbent Of the see of York
does not owe his success wholly to
force of character, however, for the ell
ement of luck played considerable
part in his destiny. He happened to be
appointed some years ago TO little
church at Portsea, not far from Osborne
House, where he attracted the attention
of Queen Victoria by his work among
the poor. He had organized vigorous
society for making the local church at
tractive to the working classes and his
straight talks were reported TO the
queen.
one day the queen spoke to the young
vicar about his work. why don't you
get married?" suggested her majesty.
"A good wife is better than half dozen
curates. Take the advice of an old wo-
man and marry. God will give you
good wife"
To the queens surprise. the young
vicar refused her counsel with the char
acterstic reply:
IF I have a curate 1 do not like 1
can send him away. But such is not
the case with q wife" He subsequent
" became the queens chaplain.
From Portsea DR.. Lang went to Step
ney as suffragan bishop, having been
called" to that district through the in
fuence of his close friend, DR.. Ingram,
the present bishop of London. DIR. Lang
was not long in Stepney before he had
won the confidence of the people by
mixing up" in all their local affairs;
not even refusing to attend prize-f1ght-
ing contests, which are very popular in
that neighborhood. One night he went
into the ring at Wonderland, the great
East End sporting club, and acted as
referee From this incident DR.. Lang
became known in the Whitechapel dis
trict as the fighting bishop and went
I'D Immediately in the estimation Of the
people who, as a rule, don't cotton to
the prelacy in that part OF London
From the ring of Wonderland the min |
lister did not lose the opportunity of |
making a speech. 81 am on a fighting |
platform he said, and it is a good |
coat in a good cause and put on the
gloves"
Dr. Lang is a fine orator and is never |
at a loss for words. He holds his audi |
ences better than most English speak |
ers and has a direct, incisive style that |
reaches the mark. He is wonderfully /
apt at composition, and in this connec- |
ton an amusing story is told concern
ing one of his oxford examinations.
One day in a classroom he was sudden
ly called upon for philosophical the
sis which he had not thought of pre-
pairing. He rose from his seat, how
ever, with great composure and began
to read from a manuscript. The exam
liner was so pleased with the essay that
he asked the author to permit him to
copy certain passages. To his aston
ishment, however, he found the pages
Of the supposed manuscript" absolute
ly blank. The student had composed
his. essay extemporaneously.
In addition to his East End adven-
lures the arch bishop has had much eX-
perience as a prison chaplain. He
shocked the world of the elite recently
by comparing the young Oxford under
graduates to the men he had had to
visit in prison. THE difference between
them" he said, SIS simply one of privi-
leges. opportunities and social habits .
He also said that young society women
were little different from girls of the
lower classes who give way 20 intem-
perance.
When Dr. Lang began his career he
first studied for the bar. He passed all
examinations with flying colors, but the
very night when he was to be called he
sent a telegram withdrawing his name