The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-05
The BlshOp OF California-Thc Episcopal
Church In the United States.

Church In the United States.
The General Convention OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church, after busy session of three
weeks, closed its proceedings last Wednesday
afternoon. Among the doings of the House Of
Bishops and the House of Deputies, which are
the two coordinate branches of the Convention,
was provision for the-spiritual wants Of the
Far West. The Rev. DR.. Kip. of Albany, was
nominated by the House of Bishops as suita-
bic person to be elected Missionary Bishop OF
California he was thereupon elected to that
Office by the House of Deputies and, on Friday
last, at Trinity Church in this city, the IT. Rev.
Dr. Kemper, Missionary Bishop of Wisconsin
and Iowa, assisted as usual by other prelates,
cOnsecrated the new bishop, having arrayed
him in ponfifcaibus-which by the bye, as a
fair judge of such matters said at our side, sofia
roce, were very becoming. Indeed, Nature has
not been sparing of her gifts to the new bishop,
either in mind or person. He has also been one
of those favorites of fortune whose origin. do
nestle alliance and friends, have not despoiled
them of deserved honors. The blood of good
old Dutch paternity is in his veins. He is the
son of the late Leonard Kip, one of our most es-
Unable Knickerbocker fellow-citizens. His lit
erary studies were pursued at Columbia
College, in this city, and his theological
studies at the General Theological Semin-
ary of the Episcopal Church. For more than
sixteen years he has been the pastor OF st.
Paul's Church, Albany. He has, also, by ssv-
eral popular works Of religious character, and
| by his elegant and attractive contributions to
periodicals and to religious ANNALS won
worldwide reputation. In the prime OF life,
having scarcely numbered his twoscore years,
in vigorous health, with many ardently devo-
ted and influential friends.an having at his con-
troll what is called material aid, he has much to
cheer him. In the exercise of our peculiar
functions as guardians of the public veal, we
shall keep our eye upon him, to see how he
does his work. At present we do not doubt
that some portion at least Of the yellow harvest
of the gold region is likely to get into good
hands, and the mixed multitude of our Ameri-
can Australia in fair way to be properly cared
for.
To one of the largest and most respectable of
our religious bodies it is certainly an event Of
importance to have one Of their chief shepherds
feed his locks upon the shores of the Pacific.
The first two bishops of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church commenced their labors on our At
lantic border little more than half century
since, in the year 1887 1t has been computed,
from reliable documents, that there were at
that time less than hundred Episcopalian
clergymen in all the States north of Maryland.
Now there are in the same region more than
thousand clergymen; and the whole number Of
the Episcopalan clergy in the United States at
this time is two thousand. If this progress
should continue at the same rate the mo-
ther-church--the Church of England-will not
only look upon her daughter as the heiress Of
an immense landed estate, but will have occa-
sion to rejoice at this daughters doing about
we'll in spiritual things as England's cidevant
colonies" appear at present to be doing in
temporal things.
In the future of the American branch Of the
Episcopal Church the new bishop and his sue
cessors will necessarily take part in scenes the
prophecy of which nfty yo".s "so "ouiu nave
| seemed not little bordering on hyperbole.
The thought of our purchase from Mexico at
the close of the late war turning to our advau-
tage as it has the thought Of its starting it
has SO suddenly into existence as one of the
States of our confederacy, adopting its constitu-
ton in 1849, and the next year admitted to
the Union. would, twenty years ago, have par
taken at least of the poetic. And so, too. the
thought of Cinnamon and other Asiatics being
attracted to our western borders, and residing,
as they now do by thousands, in the midst Of
our population there. We may now however
without indulging in poetic visions, confidently
anticipate. as the natural results of causes
and effects, events Of deep and lasting i'm
portance to the cause of civil liberty and
| Christian faith. The Anglo-Saxon has long
since made his power to be felt, and his moral
dominion recognized, by many other races Of
the human family. And he is still busy with
his physical and moral steam and electricity,
| in carrying on to it's completion the pledge OF
| greater oracle than that of Delphos, God
shall enlarge Japhet."
The occupation of California by a successful
Christian mission will soon prepare the way for
propagating the faith by Asiatic enterprises
The full Importance of the measure will only be
| felt in its remote consequences China, in her
| wonderful political and moral changes, is beck
| onipg to the Christian world to do their plain
duty to her at this crisis. If we may believe
the accounts conveyed to us, she has already
learned from Gutzlaf and the Christian "Chi-
nese Union," founded by that great modern
apostle, to lisp at least the cardinal truths o.
Christianity. 1t is alleged that many millions
Of the Central Kingdom are prepared to listen
to the teachings of a greater moralist than Con
fu-tse, and to exchange their sacred books, Shee
king and Sinking for better volume. Be
these allegations true or exaggerated, it is Ger.
tain that the present youthful and indiscreet
Emperor, Hieng Foung is destined to be de-
throned, and the Mantchoo dynasty to be sup.