SCOTLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1912, Page 47

SCOTLAND

DEATH OF A BISHOP. The death is announced of the Right Rev. Bishop Charles Gordon, S.J., which occurred at Manresa House, Roehampton, London, after a long illness. Dr. Gordon was a native .of Glenlivet, " Scotlandj and was a descendant of thp Gordons of Minmore. His family was an old Jacobitean-and Catholic one and a branch of the ancient ducal house of Gordon. His father was Sir Charles Gordon, of Drinnah, Argyllshire, well knovn as one of the chief promoters of the Highland and Agricultural Society. In his earlier years Dr. Gordon was destined for a writership in India, his uncle being a director of the East India Co. The death of his father, however, involved a change in his career, and he devoted himself to the management of the extensive family estates. In 1867 when the French Empire had ceased to defend the 1 ope he raised a force of sixty men, recruited chiefly in Glasgow, armed them at his own expense, and took them to Italy, where he saw much active service receiving severe wounds, the marks of which he bore until his death. After two years with the Papal soL diers he renounced his fortune and estates in favor of • 1S ic™*"? and j ° ined the Societ of Jesus.in Rome in 1869, being then in his thirtieth year. He was raised to the priesthood at St. Beuno's, North Wales ; in 1878, and soon afterwards left for the South African mission, where he remained for two years. In 1884 he returned to England and was appointed Superior of St. Aloysius' College, Glasgow, • the first portion of which , institution he built: Dr: Gordon was consecrated Bishop :of Thyatira.by Archbishop Eyre, of Glasgow, in 1889, and was appointed I Vicar- Apostolic of' Jamaica his zeal in : that position ,greatly increasing ' tne Catholic population of the island, whilst his' know* ; ledge of agricultural matters enabled him to better the condition of many of his people. 5 - Owing to ill-health - he -resigned that See in 1905.- . ' --