The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-11-14


placed In precisely similar TO that which
would be created supposing Great
Britain were to MOIST the British nag
at Cape Paimas and make Liberia q
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 Of
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 q
diocese or missionary Jurisdiction of
the American Church 1t Is we'll to be
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 holu 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 It does SO indirectly. 1t 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-
derstO0d. 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 union with the Church
in the United States.
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" So
important was this recommendation
felt to be that at the Conference of
1873 this recommendation was again
repeated In the following words: I'm
organization Of the several parts of the
Church tends to promote the unity of
the whole, your committee would, with
this view, repeat the recommendation
In the nth report of the first Lambeth
Conference, that those dioceses which
still remain isolated should, as circum-
stances may allow, associate them
selves with a province, or provinces, in
n N M he n
usages Of the Catholic Church."
Hitherto, however, 1t has not been
possible for us to act upon this recon-
mendation. there being no province
within practicable reach into which we
could be admitted. The time has now
come when. II the Church In the United
States Is willing to receive this Diocese
into Its organization, 1t should no lon
ger remain in the isolation which has
been a cause of weakness in the past,
but by becoming diocese of the
American branch OF the Anglican COM
munion find the strength that springs
| from union.
Now, II we were an endowed or self
supporting Diocese there would be
nothing to hinder the Bishop, with the
consent Of the Archbishop Of Canter-
July 'o" huhihS dppilCdtlOu IOT du-
mission into the organization OF the
Church In the United States according
to the provisions of the Lambeth Con-
ference; but our position being that of
! a missionary Diocese dependent on ex-
ternal support, we require to know be-
forehand whether the Church in the
| United States Is prepared 20 assume
the present liabilities of the Church of
EnU1and hn trtn
bishop and clergy In these Islands; 9TH
erwise an application for union with
that branch OF the Church will have the
appearance Of an application for finanr
cial support.
years ! have looked forward to the
event that finally took place ON Au-
gust IL, 1893, and IN SO looking forward
l have during this period taken 1t for
granted that whenever the Islands
should become American territory the
Church In the United States would take
steps to relieve the Church of England
OF all financial responsibility for the
support Of the Church In these Islands
at given date, 90 that at that date
without any break In the continuity Of
Its history. this Diocese with Its Bishop
and clergy would be received into the
organization OF the Church In the
United States. Unfortunately, the
General Convention of the Church In
America does not appear to have been
clearly informed that the Anglican
Church was duly organized In Hawaii,
and was not new field like Cuba and
the Philippines. and SO this simple
mode Of procedure has not yet been
followed. This. however. does not him
der us from expressing by resolution
our willingness and desire, with the
consent Of the Archbishop Of Canter-
bury. to come Into the organization Of
the Church In the United States, II that
Church invites US to do 80, and offers
to continue the support we now re-
ceive from the Church Of England.
And we can do more than this. II 10
important to observe that the transfer
OF spiritual Jurisdiction from the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury to the Presiding
Bishop OF the Church In the United
States will not affect all that Ia re-
| nnlraH Nathan tho nraaant niahn, ~