The gifts to the chapel by the Earle and Langton families were both numerous and costly; and of the total cost of the chapel, about £70,000, these families generously contributed nearly one-half. Their offerings were supplemented by those of other friends, so that the chapel when opened was complete in every detail, and with every accessory.
To the Dowager Countess of Derby and her committee of lady workers, with Miss Stolterfoht as secretary, we are indebted for the beautiful embroideries which do so much for the adornment and enrichment of the choir.
We launched this first and great instalment of the cathedral "in humble thankfulness to Almighty God that He has prospered our handiwork, and pray that in this holy and beautiful house prayer and praise may be ever offered unto Him; that He will assist with His blessing our effort to complete the cathedral for His Glory; that He will endue with wisdom the heads that guide, preserve from evil the hands that work, provide the silver and gold, and carry to a glorious completion the building thus begun."
York House of Convocation.
In 1902 the Lord Bishop was good enough to nominate me as a member of Convocation. We met at York once each year, when the clergy held their meetings within the precincts of the cathedral, and the laymen in a temperance hall. Our debates were purely academical and bore no fruit, and no notice was taken of us by the Archbishop or the cathedral authorities. If the clergy and laity were to meet together, Convocation would have a reality and a value, for if nothing should come of their public discussions they would at least get to know each other, and an interchange of ideas could not be otherwise than advantageous to both. Under the rule of Archbishop Lang I have no doubt Convocation will become a very valuable institution.
Church Congress.
The opportunity was afforded me to take part in several meetings of the Church Congress. At some I read papers and at others I was a special speaker. The most interesting congress was the one held in Exeter in 1894, when I was the guest of Bishop Bickersteth, at the Palace. The other guests at the Palace were Dr. Temple, then Bishop of London; Dr. Wordsworth, Bishop of Salisbury; Dr. Gott, Bishop of Truro; and Lord Cross.
We were all much interested with the rugged intellectual power of the Bishop of London. His epigrammatic utterances interjected into our after-dinner talk were full of wisdom, and often bubbled over with quiet, quaint humour. Many stories were told of the Bishop when he was the Bishop of Exeter; of the kindness which was concealed under his brusque, outspoken manner, and his remarkable influence for good. He delivered at Exeter a striking and very forcible address upon temperance. His eyesight was already very defective and Mrs. Temple had to lead him about. To the surprise of everybody he not only became Archbishop of Canterbury, but will also be remembered as one of our great archbishops.