The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-14

at Cape Palmas and make Liberia a
British possession. The American \
Church has for long time maintained .
an organized Church in Liberia under /
Bishop Ferguson. and the question /
would then arise, which / do not at /
tempt to- answer. whether the work 81
the American Church in that part Of
West Africa should be interrupted in
consequence.
In our own case II we are Of opinion
that this Diocese should now become a
diocese or missionary Jurisdiction OF
the American Church IL Is well to- De
sure that We stand on solid ground IN
holding that opinion. On what basis
does such an opinion rest! II Is well
TO ask that question because some seem
TO think that the annexation OF the ISL
ands by the Government at Washing
ton has already brought these Islands
under the jurisdiction OF the Church in
the United States. To hoIu this would
be to regard the Kingdom OF Christ to-
be subordinate to- earthly kingdoms and
dependent on moves made by players
on earth's political chessboard. No:
directly the annexation OF the Islands
does not affect our position in the least.
But IL does so indirectly. II brings us
into a new relation to- the American
! branch OF the Anglican communion:
and whilst on the side of the Church
in the United States a responsibility is
felt for supplying the spiritual needs
OF this new possession OF their country.
which, when the position is fully un-
derstood. will. doubt not issue in full
provision being made for maintaining
in its integrity the Church already
planted here; on our side we should
fail in our duty were we not to- take
} such steps as are in our power to- bring
this Diocese into uLion with The Church
in the United States.
Il By proceeding In this direction we
shall be acting on the recommendation
} of the first Lambeth Conference in
1867. THAT all those dIoceses which
are not as yet gathered into provinces
should as soon as possible form part
of some provincial organization Sc
important was this recommendation
felt to- be that at the Conference oi
1878 this recommendation was again
repeated in the following words: In
asmuch as the sufficient and effective
organization of the several parts OF the
Church tends to promote the unity al
the whole, your committee would. with
this view. repeat the recommendation
- in the fifth report of the first Lambeth
Conference, that those dioCeses which
still remain isolated should. as cirCum
stances may allow. associate them
selves with province. or provinces. IL
accordance with the ancient laws an,
usages of the Catholic Church
Hitherto. however. IL has not beet
possible for us to- act upon this recon
mendation. there being no PROVING
within practicable reach into which W
could be admitted. The time has nov
come when. IL the Church in the Unite
states is willing to receive this DioCcS
into its organization. IL should no Ion
ger remain in the ISOLATION which ha
been cause OF weakness I'm the pas
but by becoming n diocese OF tn
American branch OF the Anglican con
munion find the strength that spring
from union.
Now, III We were an endowed or sell
supporting Diocese there would
nothing to- hinder the Bishop. with th
consent of the Archbishop OF Cantc
bury. from making application for NJ
mission into the organization OF II
Church in the United States acCordiu
to the provisions OF the Lambeth Cot
ference; but our position being that
a missionary Diocese dependent on e.
ternal support. we require to- know b
forehand whether the Church in Il
United States Is prepared To assuu
the present liabilities OF the Church
Q bishop and clergy in these Islands: OF
q erwise an application for union wi
that branch OF the Church will have q
appearance OF an application for fina
cial support.
l may say here that for over &
years / have looKcd forward to- Z
= event that finally took place on \
. gust IL, 1898. and IN so looking forwa
. l have during this period taken IL
Q granted that whenever the Islam
. should become American territory {
Q Church in the United States would In
= steps to relieve the Church OF Engla
= of all financial responsibility for {
- support OF the Church in these Islam
- at a given date, so that ut that IL
without any break in the continuity
its history, this Diocese with its Bish
and clergy would be received into
- organization of the Church in
= United States. Unfortunately.
= General Convention OF the Church
= America does not appear to have he
. clearly informed that the Angelic
. Church was duly organized In Haw:
- and was not a new field like Cuba q
the Philippines. and so this sim
mode OF procedure has not vet b,
followed. This, however. does not h
der us from expressing by resolut
our willingness and desire. with
a consent OF the Archbishop OF Cant
few bury, to come into the organization
C a the Church in the United States. IL q
Church invites us to do so. and OF
hip to continue the support We now
ceive from the Church OF England.
And we can do more than this. II
important to observe that the trans
OF spiritual Jurisdiction from the AT
bishop OF Canterbury to the Prestd
Bishop OF the Church in the Uni
so States will not effect all that u
Quired. Neither the present Bishop
- Honolulu. nor any other Bishop.
whose charge the Hawaiian iSla
might be committed. would have
e authority by virtue OF such trans
"a ence to use the American Pr1y.rbC
:. or authorize its general use In
e churches now belonging 10 the IN