The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-08-23
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH.

The annexation OF the Islands will
in time alter the connection Of the Es-
tablished Church of England with the
people OF these Islands. BY the COM
ity OF churches, the Protestant Epis-
copal Church OF America will replace
at, and the church organization will be
part OF the diocese Of California. In
terviews with the Bishops Of Califor-
mia lately published. indicate that the
matter will be carefully considered in
the convention which assemblies In
Washington In October next, and that
It will result in a most beneficial
change, is hardly to be doubted.
We have before us q copy Of the
American Quarterly Church Review,
(EpiscopaD published in 1865, which
contains a most interesting, but not
impartial, statement OF the establish
ment OF the Anglican Church here in
1861.
The object Of the essay was to prove
that the Congregational mission to
these Islands was a failure, and that
the heather in these parts could only
be saved by and through the English
Church. 1t charges the missionary Of
those days, especially Rev. VIM. Rich
ards, Rev. Richard Armstrong, u D.,
and DR.. Gerritt p. Judd" with exchang-
ing missionary for political work,
and asserts that the American Board
OF Missions in Boston gave up the mis-
SION here because it was failure.
It must be admitted that the Amerl-
can missionaries did not relish the
appearance OF rivals in their own field
as it was an open declaration that their
work was failure. Some Of them, al
least, had declared that they would CO.
operate with the fright kind" of Eng.
lish missionaries. But when the Eng.
lish Bishop arrived in 1862, he very
clearly declared that the system Of
Congregationalism was Inadequate tc
the spiritual wants OF the Hawaiian
nation. His attitude at once. and nat
urally, provoked fierce antagonism ant
war OF creeds which did not advance
the common cause in which both par
) ties should have been united.
Thirty-slx years have passed, and al
the American branch OF the English
Church will soon be established here
an account OF stock might properly
be taken at this time.
The singular failure Of the Anglican
Church to fulfill its promises here ID
due entirely to its misfortune in ths
personal character OF its chiefs. Thi,
. great Church has vindicated itself else.
where. 1t has grown and prospered
; 1t has its great and divine missions, a.
other Churches have, but after periot
OF thirty-six years 1t finds itself hert
crippled, divided and in some sense
. ridiculous. The proof OF this is in the
unwilling testimony OF its own mem
!. bers. The contrast between its asser.
tons OF its vast superiority over thu
Congregational mission, and the actua
outcome Of its own work is glaring ant
painful.
But the Congregational mission has
no cause for triumph over its unsuc.
cessful co-laborer 1t should rather
grieve that such splendid corps in the
army OF the Lord as the Anglican
} Church, was assigned in some myster
lous way, to the command Of a genera
who seems to demoralize and waste his
; forces. Its disheartened and broker
ranks might we'll cry out: "Oh, for ar
hour Of Bishop Staley."
. 1t is not necessary to believe in the
, divine origin, or the Apostolic success
sion which is the faith and strength o.
the Anglican Church. 1t is enough t.
, recognize it, as one OF the great living
I human agencies in the regeneration O
, man. When 1t lies crippled 1t is mis-
, fortune to all religious bodies.
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