The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-07-31
Great Convert.
Rose Cleary.

The Marquis of Ripon. England's
most notable lay convert, the announce
ment Of whose death last week caused
regret in Catholic circles everywhere,
was one of that group of prominent
Englishmen who a generation ago as
tonished the public by announcing their
conversion to Catholicity At the time
of taking this step, in 1874, he was, and
had been since 1870, grand master of the
English Masons. He at once resigned
his Masonic dignity and retired from
the order. The Prince of Wales sue
ceeded him as grand master.
The marquis was a. years old when
he embraced the Catholic faith and his
conversion signaled the outbreak of a
violent tempest of no-popery literary
riots. He was coolly informed. by one
great newspaper that such a step in
wolves a complete abandonment of any
claim to political, or even social. infiu-
ence in the nation, and can only be re-
garded as betraying an irreparable
weakness of character" Another re-
ferred to him as man who, in 1.-THE full
strength of his powers, has renowned
his mental and moral freedom" while a
third impressed upon him that "a states
man who becomes a Catholic forfeits
the confidence of the English people,"
The marquis step was considered the
more remarkable because he had never
been suspected Of theological propensi-
ties. 1t took place shortly before Mr.
Gladstone issued his famous pamphlet
against the vatican council, in which
he declared allegiance to the spiritual
supremacy Of the pope incompatible
with civil allegiance to the British
crown. Five years later, notwithstand-
ing the direful prophecies of the press
and in spite of the stand taken by him
in his own pamphlet, Mr.. Gladstone
appointed the marquis viceroy of India,
an act the significance of which was
not lost on the nation.
As the Hon. George Frederic Samuel
Robinson, the late marquis was born in
1927, son of the first Earl of Ripon and
nephew Of Earl de Grey. His father
was then prime minister Of England,
and during the latters lifetime the son
was known by courtesy as Viscount
Goderich. In 1852 he was elected to
parliament from Hull, and although his
father was a conservative, he himself
began life as a strong radical. He took
a deep interest in workingmen's move
ments. He represented Huddersfield
from 1853 to 1857, and the West Riding
Of Yorkshire from 1857 to 1859 Then,
till 1851, he was under-secretary of war.
and for a short time in the latter year
for India Again he
became under-secretary for war; and in
1863 he was advanced to the full secre-
taryship, which he retained until 1866, |
when he became secretary of state for
India
He soon left India with the retirement |
Of the Russell administration, but on |
the return of the liberals in power, in |
1865 he accepted office under MIR. Glad
stone as lord president Of the council |
When his father died, in 1859, he became |
Earl Of Ripon, and that same year, by |
his uncle's death, took also the title of |
Earl de Grey. He was a member, in |
1871, of the joint high commission, |
which negotiated the treaty Of Wash
ngton. He retired from Office for a
while with Mr.. Gladstone in 1874. Then, |
n 1880, came the appointment as vice
10y Of India, where he remained four
-earS