Evening star., 1945-12-05
Canterbury
Continued From First Page.)

bury Cathedral October 81, 1914, to
take part in the funeral service for
DR.. William Temple, his successor as
Archbishop of Canterbury, who died
at the age of SO after two and half
years in the office.
The Most Rey. and Right Hon.
Cosmo Gordon Lang held the dis
tinction, unique in modern Eng
land, Of having played a major
role as a churchman in the abdi-
cation of one monarch and the
crowning OF another.
He was credited with sharing
with Stanley Baldwin, then Prime
Minister, the leadership of forces
which brought about the abdica-
ton of Edward VIII and he per-
sonally placed the crown on the
head of Edwards brother, George
vi.
The venerable Archbishop of Can
terbury, 9th successor in the See of
st. Augustine, was closest in touch
with Mr.. Baldwin during those NOV
ing days Of December. 1896. when
Britain lost a King who, in Canter-
bury's stern words, disappointed
hopes SO high, abandoned trust
so great, and sought his happi-
ness in a manner inconsistent with
Christian principles"
Throughout the crisis, he was Mr.
Baldwin's inspiration, swinging all
his power and influence as primate
of all England into the fight to keep
England from having an American
divorcee as queen.
While the battle was on he kept
silent. 1t was reported, however,
that in an audience with King Ed
ward, he and the Archbishop of
York had declined any part in
crowning Wallis Warfield queen.
1t was not until two days after the
crisis that he lashed out publicly at
the former monarch in a scorching
radio speech that aroused bitter COM
ments on the archbishop's "un-
Christian attitude" from Edwards
friends.
Crowned New King.
DR.. Lang, then 72, stood the stress
Of the eventful months well for a
man OF his years, belying rumors of
his failing health. When he crowned
the new King, George vi, May IL,
1887, he showed no signs of fatigue,
although the two-and-a-half hours
ceremony kept him standing without
a moments respite.
He had the distinction of being
prominent at three royal funerals,
three coronations and one abdica-
ton. Queen Victoria called for him
as she lay dying at Osborne, Isle of
Wight, 1901. He was vicar then of
neighboring Portsea and already q
friend of Edward VII whose corona
tion he attended.
When George v came to the
throne in 1910, he had become Arch
bishop of York, with necessary role
70 play in all state functions.
He never hesitated to express his
own and the church's feeling on the
grave international issues that con-
fronted Europe through the Ethio-
plan and Spanish wars of 1857.
He himself described the life o1
Ian Archbishop of Canterbury as
incredible, indefensible and in.
evitable." One part of the qualifi-
cation caught on. Mayfairites nick
named him "Cosmo the Inevitable. ;
Curate From 1890 to 1898.
There was an element of fltnes.
in this nickname for the Lang ca.
reer maintained the English tradi.
ton that Leeds parish church is {
nursery for those who attain high
rank in the Anglican hierarchy. Il
was here that he first served ths
Church of England, being curate O.
the parish from 1890 to 1898. Thirty.
five years later, on July ~, 1928, h,
was named Archbishop of Canter,
bury in succession to Randall
Thomas Davidson, who had resigned
two days before.
Through those IS years were sprea1