Evening star., 1937-06-06

had the same rounded Oxford Scottish
intonation as her beloved Davidson.
But Davidson was married.
The Queen asked him how many
curates he had to run his enormous
industrial parish, and when she heard
fifteen" she said: Il am sure that
If you had a wife to help you, you
would not need 80 many curates."
"Ah, madam" said DR.. Lang, III 4
curate fails me, I can always dismiss
him. But wife ="
The Queen made him one OF her
chaplains. But he was no courtier-
ecclesiastic. Son OF humble parish
minister of Aberdeenshire, who rose
to be principal OF Aberdeen University,
the virtues of toll had been early in
culcated into him. He was the out
standing man OF his time at Oxford
University. Then he came to London
and settled down to study law In the
old walled lawyers quarters in the
temple.
Course Of Life Changed.
He passed his examination and
seemed all set for a career which
inevitably would have carried him to
Parliament, the bench OF judges, the
House of Lords and the Woolsack-the
traditional chair on which sits the
head Of the upper chamber, the
second subject of the realm, who ap-
points judges and bishops
But one day friend took him down
to the East End slums. There he met
d lean man with the eyes Of a saint
Wilmington Ingram, 10 years his
senior, later to become Bishop Of
London
One Of those mysterious sparks was
struck which changes a mans whole
life and outlook Lang abandoned the
law and took holy orders instead. He
was 26 when he was ordained to the
curacy OF Leeds, one OF the great
manufacturing cities OF the industrial
North
1t was a novitate useful to him in
his subsequent career. He stayed
three years and then returned to
Oxford as fellow and dean of divinity
at Magdalen, post of which two
years later he added the incumbency
|
His scintillating intellect ravished
the dons. His influence among the
undergraduates in the church became
aware OF a glowing new star rising in
the ecclesiastical armament.
Qualities Of Tenderness.
Nobody called him "lovable" even
then; and yet he could be very tender,
in patriarchal way. with young
people He could put children at their
ease. AS a curate he liked to tell
stories to children, and they liked to
listen. He even permitted himself to
write boys book, a straightforward
campfire yarn Of lore and adventure,
titled The Young Clanroy"
II he had gone on writing. he might
have become a second John Buchan.
| But he did not go on. The Scot in
him was stimulated by the life of the
great institution to which he had
devoted his life. He wanted q career,
and he thoroughly understood the
technique of career Only ii years
alter he had joined the church. he
was bishop. At 40 he was offered
promotion as Bishop of Montreal. He
declined, and stayed home The Arch
bishop OF York was failing, and Bishop
Lang did not want to be far away
when the see of York fell vacant
Death called the old archbishop
and Herbert Asquith, then premier
and himself great scholar, made
Lang Archbishop of York. Lang was
only a.
Sees Religion rs Basis
Priest. statesman. lawyer and diplo-
matist, the archbishop believes that
enlightened government can rest only
on a broad basis OF religion. After
the abdication of Edward VIII he
went along to address a number of
parliamentaries in the great Parlia-
ment Building opposite Westminster
Abbey He had critics in the crowd,
and men who disliked and had de-
nounced his disqualification radio
speech, which condemned Edward for
1alllng In duty as a King and as
Christian. There was even one among
them who had publicly regretted that
Edward VIII was not in position to
talk to his grace Of Canterbury as
tersely as Queen Elizabeth once talked
TO Bishop Heton, who showed a reluc-
tance to give up his palace to her
favorite, Sir Christopher Hatton.
Proud prelate," wrote the Queen
I would have you know that
1, who made you what you are, can
unmake you; and If you do not forth
with fulfill your engagement, by God,
l will Immediately unfrock you!
Yours as you demean yourself Eliza
beth"
The assembled parliamentarians all
knew that the archbishop dislikes CEN
sure and is impatient OF criticism.
They looked for signs of hurt and
resentment. But the old man i'm
pressed them as the embodiment of
calm strength and self-command.
The river and its boats made 4
background for the imposing figure
standing, back to the committee room
windows, talking without gestures.
He reminded the parliamentarians
that the only policy that can cure the
political ills Of the world is the one
enunclated by Jesus Christ, He
stressed the Importance of the "open
habit" Of churchgoing, the religious
observance of the Sabbath. He said
that public man has a special in
nuence and therefore a special re-
sponsibility toward the church. He
urged them to make the daily prayers
IN Parliament more real and less a
concession to formality. The parlia-
mentarians were, to a man, deeply
moved.
Power Lies In Eloquence.
Cosmo Lang. one OF the greatest
orators OF the Engnsh-speaking world
and one who never uses the cliches
OF emotion-has always been able to
move men by the magic OF eloquence
and the force Of 4 great personality.
The solid Yorkshire politico- lawyer,
Asquith, who put him on the road to
the highest church once, said pri-
! VQfA1V nf him fn UyY> T.