DLA097-0089  Transcription

Natal Mercury, 13 Aug 1926

Archbishop Davidson

In mail week Dr. Randall Davidson attained the longest Canterbury primacy since the Reformation. He had then been Primate of All England for 23 years and five months, having been translated to Canterbury from the See of Winchester in February, 1903. To commemorate this longest period of a primacy in four centuries, his portrait [4632], subscribed for by more than a thousand members of the Church Assembly, has been placed in the Great Hall of the Church House. The artist, Mr. Philip de Laszlo, has pictured Dr. Davidson in his Episcopal robes, seated in the chair used at the last two coronations. The portrait was unveiled by Lord Selborne. Dr. Lang, the Archbishop of York, spoke of the Primate as an Archbishop who had in a quite singular degree won the confidence, pride, and affection of the Church. Dr. Davidson, in replying, acknowledged the honour, and referring to the length of his primacy, said they nevertheless thought more of incident than duration and during the past years they had passed through more stirring and eventful times than any which had occurred during the primacies of the past. Of recent years the Church of England had been exceptionally active in constitutional and administrative changes. The Church to-day was a much more organic, living, and pulsing thing in the life of the nation than it was 40.years ago. The clergy take a far larger share in Christian citizenship, and even more marked was the mutual understanding of each other’s position between all classes. I think it may be added that Free Churchmen have the highest respect for the Christian character of Dr. Davidson, and fully recognize his desire to promote friendship with them in all possible ways.

MD

01/02/2010