The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-10
Spiritual Jurisdiction Of Anglican
Church Transferred.
FOR WELL-BEING OF THE. CHURCH
Changed Political Condition Render
the Course DesirabIe-A Bright
and Harmonious Future.

Address Of the Bishop of Honolulu to
the Clergy and Laity of his Diocese
with regard to the transfer of the
spiritual jurisdiction from the See of
Canterbury to the Church in the
United States of America, given in
St. Andrews Cathedral on Sunday.
April g. 1899
My dear Brethren of the Clergy and
Laity in the Diocese of Honolulu.
The time has arrived, when as chief
pastor of the Anglican Church in Ha-
wall, should make fully known to all
members of the Church in the Islands
the course of action that the changed
political condition has rendered desir-
able to be taken in order to secure the
present well-being of the Church and
promote its advancement in the future.
At the recent General Convention of
the American Church held at Washing
ton, it was recognized that the Hawaii
an Islands having passed under ne do
minfon of the United States, the re-
sponsibility Of making spiritual pro-
vision for their new possession de-
volved upon that branch of the Angli-
can Communion, although immediate
action could not be taken, inasmdch as
the Islands had for consideraE per-
iod been missionary diocese of the
Church of England.
A resolution postponing the consid-
Grafton Of the course to be taken until
after conference with the authorities of
the Church Of England having been
adopted by the Convention, it did not
at first appear open to me to move in
the matter, until l had received some
communication indicating the steps
that should be taken under circum-
stances which have never before arisen
in the history of the Anglican Com
munion. No adyices, however, having
been received, there appeared on ma
ture consideration no valid reason why
L should not take the initiatory step
towards handing over TO the Church in
the United States a responsibility
which that Church is ready and desir-
Gus to assume.
Under these circumstances the course
that l have adopted has been to for
ward to the Archbishop of Canterbury
(under whom so far as the Church OF
England is concerned, the final author
ity rests) recommendation that the
spiritual Jurisdiction of these Islands
be transferred to the Church in the
United States, as soon as that Church
is in a position to receive it, and to
make provision for It's support
AS an offshOot of the Church of Eng
land the Anglican Church has taken
root in these Islands, and had the coun
try remained in an Independent polit
ical condition, the mother Church
would. without doubt, have continued
to foster its growth, until it became a
self-suppOrting diocese of the Anglican
Communion.
But the trend of public events has
been otherwise. The annexation of the
Islands to the United States points to
the advisability Of the Church in Am
erica taking up and continuing the
work that has hitherto been done by
the Church of England With this
transfer of responsibility in view I
have placed my tenure of the oversight
OI juIS uIlSSlOn III the udDUS OIL Ju0
Archbishop. so that it may cease as
soon as, but not until, the House of
Bishops in America is ready to conse-
crate a bishop to succeed me.
1t is quite possible that this transfer
of jurisdiction may not at first COM
mend itself to all the members of the
Church in the Islands in consequence
Of the various natiOnalities our mem
bership comprises. But when it is
clearly seen that such transfer fol-
lows the natural order of events, and
that il would be an anomalous state of
things for the Anglican Church in Ha-
waii not to be attached to the Ameri-
IAN branch of the Anglican Commun-
on. I am confident that the action [
nave taken Will meet with general ap- /
prevail
At present I have no means Of know I
ng whether the transfer can be effect
ID during the present year. or whether
I will be necessary to wait for the ac-
ion of the General Convention in 1901. /
N either case there is much that you |
an do in preparation for the change.
Times of transition are so often periods /,
# disintegration that take this oppor-