Evening star., 1942-01-21
Canterbury
Continued From First Page.)

named DR.. Lang's successor.
Following the abdication OF Ed
ward VIII, in which DR.. Lang was
a leading fighter to keep England
from having a King married to a
divorce, the American-born Wallis
Warfleld. the venerable archbishop
placed the crown on the head of
King George VI. Edwards success
sor, May IL, 1887.
His decision to resign his position
was made known to the convoca-
ton of the Province of Canterbury,
one house of the church assembly
Of the Church of England.
When this war Is over" he said,
great tasks Of reconstruction must
await the church as well as the
state
Preparation for these tasks must
begin now 1t is clear the prepara-
ton must be the work of those who
will have the responsibility Of I'M
dertaking the tasks.
Cites Postwar Plans.
For myself, after q lapse Of q
few years, cannot hope to retain
even such a measure of vigor as
may have now. There is an in
evitable temptation to say OF
schemes and plans Of church re-
form and reconstruction: They can
not come in my time. 1t is not,
therefore, for me to give them care
full, responsible consideration This
cannot be right.
Thus I deem It my duty to hand
over my charge to some one younger
in years and more vigorous in mind
and spirit. who will be better able to
prepare now for postwar plans be-
cause he may expect to have lead
ing place in the endeavor to carry
them out
Thus the archbishop was following
the example of his immediate pre-
decessor. Randall Thomas Davidson,
who in 1928 at the age of 80 became
the first Archbishop of Canterbury
to resign since Augustine held the
office 1872 centuries ago.
DR.. Lang assured the convoca-
ton his health was excellent but
said his duties Increasingly fatigued
him. He has been an archbishop
of the Church Of England since 1910.
when he became Archbishop of
York.
Impressed Victoria.
Early in his career his abilities as
a parish priest impressed Queen Vic
toria, who appointed him an hon.
orary chaplain. Later he became
one of her favorite preachers.
1t was said that on one occasion
the Queen asked him why he did not
get married, to which he replied:
If have curate who doesn't suit
me. I can change him for another.
but I couldn't do that with a wife"
Though he remained a bachelor,
he often gave advice to married per-
sons.
Once he told an audience Of wom-
en-: Infinite patience is needed in
dealing with husbands. They may
be poor things but they are your
own and you've got to make the best
Of them"
AS primate, DR.. Lang has taken
q conspicuous part in state as we'll
as church affairs. He ofnciated at
the weddings of the Dukes of
Gloucester and Kent, brothers OF the
King; at the silver jubilee service Of
King George v in St. Pauls Cathe-
dral in 1885, and at the latters fu-
neral.
After the abdication of Edward
VIII, he made a broadcast which
provoked much criticism.
In that broadcast, on December
13. 1896. he said 1t was strange
and sad" that Edward should have
disappointed hopes so high and
abandoned trust so great"
Even more strange and sad 1t
is" he went on, that he should
have sought his happiness In 4 man
ner inconsistent with the Christian
principles of marriage and within a
social circle whose standards and
ways OF life are alien to all the
best instincts and traditions Of his
people"
This castigation drew considera-
BILE comment and the subject was
aired on the floor of the House OF
Commons, where one outspoken
member, Independent Laborite Jock
McGovern, declared bishops should
get out and deal with unemploy-
ment instead of kicking a man
when he's down."