LATE LORD DAVIDSON.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19985, 21 July 1930, Page 2

LATE LORD DAVIDSON.

FUNERAL AT CANTERBURY. I FIFTY BISHOPS AT THE GRAVESIDE. j (nou on ow» cohbespomdext.) LONDON, June 5. Archbishop Lord Davidson was laid to rest in the Cloister Garth, Canterbury Cathedral, on Friday. All through the night the body of the Archbishop lay in the chapel of Our Lady "Undercroft, -where watchers prayed in the flickering light of the candles which stood around it to symbolise the undying spirit of the departed. The outstanding feature of the service was th? wide representation of the Church. The Anglican Communion throughout the world was represented. Besides the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and Bishops of English Sees, there were Bishops from many and remote parts of the world—Athabasca, North China, Lagos, Pretoria, New Guinea, Polynesia, Waikato, and the Upper Nile. There were fifty Bishops present. The whole Church paid homage to one who during his Primacy did much to link the Mother Church of ! Canterbury with religious,work abroad. ;iThe catholicity of that work was also i Shown in the'representation of Other Churches, including the Free Churches of England, the Church of Scotland, the American Episcopal Church, and the Greek Church. The last seat in the Nave, and all the ' standing room behind, had been filled for some time before the clergy entered in procession from the Cloisters. Between silent rows of mourners they passed slowly to their places, as a choir in the rood screen sang softly: "I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord," and "I know that my Redeemer liveth." Before the clergy came the bedesmen with their wands and the bearer of the great Cathedral cross of silver. There were students of St. Augustine's College, the King's Scholars, the Minor Canons, the Six Preachers,, whoso office is peculiar to Canterbury Cathedral, the Honorary Canons, and Rural Deans, and behind all these the concourse of Bishops and the Archbishop of York. The Archbishop of Canterbury walked with the Dean, the late Archbishop's chaplains and the Canons Residentiary preceding him, and his own' chaplains following. The first hymn was "Bless'd Are The Pure in Heart," which was followed by the 90th Psalm, "Lord, Thou hast been our refuge." After the lesson from the Burial Service had been read by the Dean, the congregation joined the choir in singing the hymn, "Now, Thank We all Our God," sung with the fervour that marked - the congregational sing- ' ing throughout the service. Thankfulness r and Praise. In his address the Archbishop of Canterbury described the day as one not Of mourning but of praise. "It is the desire of those who most loved our dear father and brother now departed that the uttermost thought of him should be the thankfulness and praise expressed in the hymn which we have sung together, 'Now, Thank We All Our God.' We must indeed have sorrow, to some of us a sorrow too deep for words, that we shall not see his face again—that* face so kindly and so strong —nor hear again that voice whicn so often spoke to us words of counsel, sympathy, and | cheer, of hope and trust in God. But When we think of him as he was, and | still more as he is, our sorrow is turned into joy." The final prayers said, the procession reformed while the. choir sang "Jerusalem the Golden." Immediately after the bier walked Lady Davidson, clasping the hand of the young relative in Eton suit who tenderly supported her. The procession wound round the northwest corner of the Cathedral, in the sight of a crowd of men and women outside, for whom this was a first and last glimpse" of the funeral service, and into the Cloister Garth. In these ,last few minutes rain had begun to fall, at first gently, but quickening, and turning to heavy drops when the mourners had assembled round the deep grave, with its lining of moss and~ purple flowers. The massive tracery of every archway of the cloisters framed two or | I three surpliced figures during the short committal by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who stood in the midst of a throng of mourners by the grave.