The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-14
AN OPEN LETTER.

Ny Dear Siys:
On November and, 1891, invited
you as prominent members of the
Second Congregation of St. Andrews
Cathedral to an informal conference
with me on proposition laid before
you for bringing to an harmonious con
clusion the organization known as ''the
Second English. speaking Congregation
ofSt. Andrews Cathedral which exists
by virtue of license granted by me
under certain conditions on December
4th, 1885.
On that occasion l pointed out to you
that the Unprecedented experiment Of a
twofold organization within the same
limits had proved unavoidable, and what
ever good results might be pointed to
we're more than counterbalanced by the
scandal to religion, which the fact alone
of two separate organizations in the
Cathedral was causing in the city and
diocese, independently Of any strife be-
tween them. Although division does
not of necessity involve loss of unity or
harmony between the parts, as tree in
its upward growth continues to divide
and sub divide, and yet remains at unity
in itself, there is nothing in nature ana
Joyous to a ''distinct society" existing
within the same boundaries as that from
which it seeks to be distinct The fact
is that what has been tried is in the
nature of things impraciicable, and six
years trial had than proved it to be So
l hoped, therefore, that this would be
realized by those who had in the first
instance requested to be formed into a
"dist.act society,"" and that the Second
Congregation would be dissolved by
mutual consent.
With this end in view, the proposition
laid before you was that the Second
Congregation on its side should ask for
termination of the license under which
it exists, and on my part l was ready to
appoint the minister Of the Second
Congregation to the position Of Rector
of the Cathedral, then about to become
vacant, he of course resigning his
Government position in the Royal
School. This in the sequel he declined,
and the matter dropped.
Our conference, however, was very
gratifying 1t was confined to discus
sion of general principles, and of an
outline of the action to be taken, and
resulted in your concurring with me in
the principles advanced, as was made
clear by the letter you wrote on No
vember IS, 1891, in which you said
"We all felt deeply the importance
of preventing the existence Of such d
feeling bet10een tz0o congregations az
7oonld be injurious, or eUen seem com,
bstitiVe or nntriendH in any 1Oay t.
either, and to secure this zoe ShOnlG
gladly see the plan carried ont 7ohicl
your LordshiP suggested. We, there
fore, very much regret that ace are no
able at once to find it Practicable"
1t is clear, therefore, that on you
part you were ready and desirous t.
give me your cooperation in bringing
to an end a very distressing and dis
astrous state of things. And addres
this letter to you now, as an open letter
(which all members Of the Church ma,
read and consider), trusting that ma,
still claim your cooperation in matte
of vital importance to the well-being o
the Anglican Church in these Islands
Fifteen months have elapsed sine
you intimated to me that you were IN
able to proceed further in the consider
alton of a proposition which had com
mended itself to you, and which person
ally you were prepared to entertain.
During these fifteen months, agai
and again, have there been occurrence
which are best described by your word
competitive" and "unfriendly," an
which have been injurious to the peaC
of the Church l must also point OF
to you that on more than one occasio
the conditions on which my license t
the Second Congregation is based, an
subject to which your Minister receive
his license, have been disregarded, so {
to Justify its revocation. But the pa
ticular instance Of such disregard sinh
into insigniicance in presence of tt
general spirit of antagonism of one CO..
gregation towards the other, whic
makes no attempt to disguise ITSELF
is one Of the first things that strange
arriving here are made aware Of AS
consequence one pronounces the sta
of things in the Church a travesty {
Christianity Another feels it nece
sary to keep entirely aloof from Il
Church. Need l remind you no
strongly the Rev. J. osborne expresst
his opinion from the pulpit after S
months residence. Amongst ourselve
many have ceased attending public VIC
ship altogether. If to this it is reptile
that there is a large congregation atten
ing the services of the Second Congr
cation, l answer that large congregatio
are no evidence of spiritual life, or
true religion, if the foundation be u
sound For the spirit of antagonis
that is abroad is between members
the same household of faith, who ha
no differences but that OF the congree
ton to which they belong This Dug
not so to be.
The conviction, that some acti'
must be taken to put an end to Il