BIOGRAPHY

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30466, 13 June 1964, Page 4

BIOGRAPHY

The Chavasse Twins. By Selwyn Gummer. Hodder and Stoughton. Illustrated. 250 pp. Index.

Noel and Christopher Chavasse were twins, sons of the Bishop of Liverpool. Noel became a doctor and joined the army on the outbreak of war. Before he lost his life in 1917 he had joined a Bar to his V.C. Christopher became the powerful and provocative Bishop of Rochester. Most of the book is concerned with '. Christopher Chavasse. Unfortunately, it is crowded with unimportant details, but the outstanding character of Christopher Chavasse is brought out with clarity. The attitude of Bishop Chavasse to the Revision of the Prayer Book in regard to the Reservation of the Sacrament was largely, in Chureh of England circles, responsible for the proposed revision being unacceptable. He was an outstanding and fearless social reformer and was constantly in hot water for' his out-spoken criticism of matters both in Christand society that made life difficult for the masses. A sportsman with a fine record, he was the idol of the working men and youths in his various charges. Uncaring about deportment he often shocked his superiors—until he became a Bishop and then he dressed as carefully as any.

The evangelicals in the : Church looked to him - as i leader. Always willing to appreciate the opinions and (beliefs of others who differed (from him, he was adamant lon what he deemed was the fundamental basis of Christian I life and witness. A controversialist of great power :and vigour, and constantly misrepresented, he bore; no grudges. At his death in .1962 it was finely said that he left behind him “a long line of pilgrims facing the right way and stepping out with a new hope and confidence because they had met him on the road.”