The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1899-10-06
The Place Of the See Of Honolulu in
the Anglican Communion.

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petuate the See OF Honolulu by no
means exhausted all that is to be
said on the subject. To take COM
prehensive view OF the situation, 1t
must be regarded not from an Eng
lish or an American point OF view,
but in it's relation to the whole
worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Church OF England, the Church
in the United States, the Church in
Canada, the Church in Australia
and New Zealand, etc., are but sub
divisions OF the Anglican branch OF
the Holy Catholic Church, all knit
together by unity OF doctrine aud
the solidarity of the Episcopate in
close intercommunion.
Now from the time that this
branch OF the Church, which two
hundred years ago had not spread
beyond the narrow limits Of Great
Britain and Ireland, began in ear
nest to fulfil her Lords commission
to "Go into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature" no
instance has yet occurred (and may
it never occur in which so retro
grade a step has been taken as that
OF removing the seat OF the Episco-
pate from any country in which it
has once been established The on
ward march OF the Church OF Christ
was not made by our Lords com
mand dependent on moves ON the
worlds political chess board. In
the present case, however, political
events emphasize the importance
not only Of retaining but Of streng-
theniug the See OF Honolulu. By
annexation To the Uniie3 States thu
Hawaiian Islands have suddenly ac-
CURED an impor, auce they did not
previously possess. Under the new
policy OF the Government at Wash
ington they have become the step
ping stone to. the Philippines The
harbour at Honolulu has become too
small for the shipping with which
it lie crowded. The present time is
marked by increase of population,
great commercial activity, and new
enterprises in development OF the
Island resources. Never before had
the Anglican Church greater OPP
portunities than Uow. But il after
being seat Of the Episcopats for
81 years, there should cease to be an
Anglican Bishop at Honolulu, those
opportunities would be neglected,
and, as prominent London cler-
gyman writes, lit would be nearly
equivalent to suppressiug the An
glo-Cstholic Communion in the Is.
lands" .f
Aud the loss will not be felt only
in the Hawaiian Islands. The An
glican Church in Hawaii, embracing
in her roll OF communicates a hun
dred Chinese whose families are
growing up in the Faith, is through
them brought into touch with China
and Borneo. Moreover, being stu
ated at the cross roads OF the Pacific,
Honolulu is in direct communities
tion with Samoa, Tonga, and the
British calony of Fiji. 1t is to the
See OF Honolulu that these groups
of islands look for the spiritual mi
nistrations of Bishop. The sup
preston of the See OF Honolulu will
mean the withdrawal OF the Angli-
can Episcopate from the western
Pacific. Such an event would be
reproach to the whole Anglican
Communion,
Already the position of the An.
glican Church in the western Pacific
ought to be much stronger than II
is. For although this branch OF
the Church can claim no share in
the early triumphs OF the Gospel,
won by the Wesleyans in Fiji, aud
the Congregationalists in Samoa,
admiration and respect for what was
wrought by their means furnish no
excuse for continuing TO neglect op
portunities offered to our own