The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-10-02
STATUS OF EPISCOPAL
CHURCH on THE ISLANDS
LETTER OF THE BISHOP OF Ho-
NoLULU 10 THE ANERICAN
BRANCH OF THE CHURCH
Some Friction With the Society
for the Propagation Of the
Gospel-Pesse VIII
Follow

The Honolulu Diocesan Magazine,
just out, has the following Of more
than usual interest:
II appears from comments that have
appeared in the church papers and
from private letters that the position
taken in the bishops letter TO the sec
Rotary of the S. P G.. published in our
last issue. has been strangely misuE-
derstood- In consequence OF q passage
quoted from an American theologiau
10 the effect that the Church OF Eng
land had departed in certain particu-
lar from the ancient paths 10 which the
American church has returned, one cor
respondent expresses his indignation
at the charge made against the Amer;-
can church
II will, therefore, not be out OF
letter and endeavor TO satisfy those
who have jumped to conclusions who'll
ly unwarranted by the premises, that
the letter to the secretary contains
none of the dreadful things that are
supposed to be in it
So far as doctrinal differences be-
tween the English and American
churches were touched upon, it was
entirely from a legal and not from a
theological point of view, as will be
made clear in few sentences
The ground on which the standing
committee OF the S. P G. based
its action with regard to this diocese
was the alleged competence of the
American church to take charge Of the
work at once. The letter maintained
that on the contrary it was not COM
petent for the American church to take
charge Of the property on which the
work Is carried on until the terms on
which the property is held have been
to make this alteration are those in
whom the property is now vested. It
was further shown that the synod was
already pledged to make the necessary
alteration when invited to do so. 1t
was, therefore, urged that it was pre-
mature for the S. p G. to withdraw
all aid before we had even been in
vited to make such changes in the
terms on which the property is held as
would enable the American prayer
book to be used in our churches.
This, in brief. is the argument used.
In the course of it it was necessary to
reply to an argument that had been
advanced that it was in the power Of
the bishop to introduce the American
book in his diocese if he pleased. This
was shown to be ultra wires, on account
of the terms of the charter under
which the property is held. The doc
trines Of the Church Of England as
maintained in the Book of Common
Prayer, are the basis Of the trust. The
book referred to is clearly the English
book. That being the case. it was
clear that the American book could not
take its place unless from legal point
of view it was identical with the Eng
fish. To say that the doctrinal stan
question. The law looks only to the |
letter, not to the spirit. 1t was shown |
that they are not identical. There are
variations between the two books |
which. in the mind of the writer, would |
be sufficient to invalidate the title to |
the property IL one book were substi- /
tuted for the other without a cor
change in the terms Of the
charter. The thirty-eight articles Of
The American book will not satisfy the
of a charter which calls
'or thirty-nine. A passage was quoted
rom a standard theological work OF
he American church, showing that in
)ne particular the doctrine contained
n the American book is a return to
he ancient standard of the Catholic
,hurch, from which it is claimed by the
Iuthor that the Church of England has
leviated. No opinion was expressed
Is to the merits of this difference The
quotation was made to show that diff
erence does exist, so that the trustees
II the property OF the Anglican church
n Hawaii could not sanction the sub
of the American for the Eng
ish book without some previous modi-
ication or change in the terms of the
,harter.
The conclusion was, therefore. cone
o that necessary step towards bring
ng the Anglican church in Hawaii
nto union with the church in the
United States is to apply for sueh
,hange in the charter as shall permit
he use of the American prayer book.
rhe synod OF the church in Hawaii be-
ng ready to do this. 1t is difficult TO
lee on what ground exception should
lave been taken TO a dry legal aTgI-
-,.rs