New-York tribune., 1884-10-12
BfSHOp SrlBrRy,s CENTENNIAL.


The ono hundrcdth anniversary of the conso-
Grafton of Bishop Scabury Of Connecticut,
which wns celebrated during the past week In
Aberdeen. was n little premature, the consccro-
tion having actually taken place in Bishop
SINNERS modest chapel in Aberdeen on the
nth of November 1854. But tho cele-
bratOn took place nj this time because
it was considered desirable to avoid the wntry
weather and stormy seas that are apt to prevail
in that latitude I'm November. The event com
mcmoratcd Is one of great historical interest to
the Nation az well IA to the church of which
DR.. Scabury was the first hOnOrcd bishop
When the American Colonies became indepcnd-
cnt the condition of the Episcopal church
was exceedingly precarious. In the first
place the jealousy or indifference of
English statesmen had prevented the mission
church in America from having bishops Of its
own. American churChmcn, therefore, lived
and died without confirmation and other Epis-
cOpal officers and all candidates for orders in
America were obliged to take long and dan
gerous ocean voyage i'll order to be ordained in
London. But III addition to these chronic
drawbacks, the American Revolution had
necessarily placed the English Church in
America in an anomalous position. A large
number of the clergy were loyalsts, and re
manned true to the English Crown-a
fact which, however crcdiablc it might
be to them personally, brought upon them and
their church the dislike and even the active
hostility of the American patriots. 1t is rot
wonderful. therefore, that when the indcpend-
ence of the American Colonies was acknOwl-
edged by Great Britain the fate of the English
Church in the newborn States was regarded as
settled in advance. Ii was an exotic whose very
name and history were IN insult to all true pa
triOts.
In the face of these diShcartcning facts
little handful of Anglican clcrgymen met
at Woodbury., Conn, in 1888, to dis
clss the best method of obtaining an Epis-
c0pate for the obscure headless communion,
and 50 completing its organization The re-
suit of their discussion is well known. They
decided to send the Reverend Dr. Samuel
Seabury. Presbytcr of the State of Connccti-
cut, To England. to obtain Episcopal consecra-
tIon there if possible. But the English bishops
were unwilling and unable to cOnsccrate DR..
Scabury certain oathS of allegiance to the En-
gllsh Crown stood in the way, and
Parliament showed no immediate dis
position to dispense with them. After
waiting in London year, DR.. Scabury opened
correspondence with Bishop kilgour, the
pIim1s of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the
result of which was that he was consccrated
Bishop in Aberdeen on November If, l7Sl, by
Bishops Kllgour. Pctrc. and Skinner. The
Episcopal Church of Scotland. itself almost
outlawcd. was thus instrumental in giving the
Ep-copatc 10 its struggling sister in America.
From that time to the present the history of
the Episcopal Church in this country has been
one of honorable success and prosperity. other
bishops were soon consccratcd in England and
the infant church sprang into being at once n
vigorous aad hardy American institution with
ont losing the peculiar features that marked its
English and Scottish origin. In June, 1885.
Bishop Srabury landed at Newport, H. l.,
and ON the Sunday after his arrival.
IN Trinity Church of that city. he
preached the frat sermon ever delivered
10y mn Episcopal bishop IN The Unitcd States
From thcso small beginnings the Episcopal
Church hna grown steadily, until now II num-.
bomG~ bishops 5000 clergy, and nearly loO..
600 actual communicates, lnhctting the wise
conservatism of the venerable Anglican COM
munlon from which II sprung, II has ncycrthc-
less shown is ability to grapplc with tho prob
lcms peculiar to its new environment, aud the
old snccr about it's being foreign
English exotic has long ago been com
plctcly answered by the splendid history of its
first century of independent American life
But however promising may be the future Of
this virc and working church. il can celebrate
no anniversary more interesting or important
than that which recalls the consccration of its
first bishop in humble chapel on back street
of Aberdeen one hundred years ago
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THE stony or MfRY