LORD DAVIDSON DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 11

LORD DAVIDSON DEAD

PEACEFUL PASSING OF AGED PRELATE WIFE WATCHES AT BEDSIDE Reed. 9.50 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. The death has occurred of Archbishop Lord Davidson, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, after a short illness, at the age of 82. The old and frail Lady Davidson watched unceasingly at the bedside of her husband, who before his death raised his hand as though to salute her. A faint smile played about his lips, but for the most part he lay quietly with his eyes half open. He died peacefully in his sleep. A little crowd of people waited all day outside the house, the doors of which remained closed. HIS LAST WORDS “May God give you judgment,” were Lord Davidson’s last words, when before subsiding into unconsciousness, he placed his hand on his successor's head and gave his blessing. At Archbishop Cosmo Lang’s request, he himself preached today at the Chapel Royal. He said largemindedness and charitableness were Lord Davidson’s outstanding merits The sermons today, irrespective ot creed, and including the Jewish Rabbi’s, contained tributes to Lord Davidson’s saintliness. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, in a tribute to Lord David son, said: “Wisely and cautiously, yet with liberal breadth and depth of thought and sympathy, he guided the Church and won influence in the State. “Many of us will miss a friend whom we reverenced and from whom we received a stimulating inspiration.” UNIVERSAL TRIBUTES Archbishop Davidson retired from the Primacy two years ago after holding that oflice for 25 years, which was a longer period than any Primate since the Church Reformation. Many affectionate tributes to him were paid today ia pulpits and in the Press. The “Sunday Observer” says: “He raised his oflice to a place in national life it had hardly ever before reached, by sheer force of character. He was

a great prelate, because he was a strong, sincere and simple man, endowed with an unusual store of wisdom and common sense.|” The “Sunday Times” says: “His life was one of noble service to religion and of continued statesmanship, and his character was beloved and admired, and of finest worth.” Archbishop Lord Davidson, Randall Thomas Davidson, had been Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England for 25 years when he retired on November 12, 1928, the date of his golden wedding anniversary. He was the first Primate to retire, and the first on whom a peerage—a barony—was conferred. Lord Davidson was born in Edinburgh. He was at Harrow and Oxford, and bis first cure was at Dartford, , Kent, in 1874. He married in 1878 Miss Edith Tait. a daughter of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Tan, to whom he acted as chaplain and private secretary from 1877 to 1882, as he did to Archbishop Benson, ISS2-ISS3-He had already been one of the six preachers at Canterbury Cathedral. ISSO-83, and was Dean of Windsor and domestic chaplain to her Majesty, 18S3-91, and Clerk of the Closet to the Queen, 1891-1901. In 1891 he was appointed Bishop of Rochester, in 1895 Bishop of Winchester, in 1903 ArchbislioiJ of Canterbury. LORD BLEDISLOE'S MESSAGE His Excellency the Governor-General. Lord Bledisloe, has sent the following telegram to Lady Davidson in connection with the death of the former archbishop:—- . “Accept sincerest sympathy on death of my old friend and spiritual chief. Many thousands of all creeds in New Zealand will mourn the loss of a great Christian - r ‘