The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-29
He ANSWERS
THE BISHOP
Anglican Churchman on
the Live Question.
RIGHTS OF THE PRELATE
Is Hawaii an Independent See or
Merely an Ordinary
Diocese2

Editor Advertiser: The Diocesan Mag
azine for this month contains an able
defense of the position taken by the
Bishop of Honolulu on the question of
the transfer of this Diocese to the Ameri-
can Church. 1t is not. however, alto
gether impregnable.
The Bishop bases his argument chiefly
on ecclesiastical principle, primitive usage
and precedent.
He seeks to show that q See once
founded by the Catholic Church, may
that it's Bishop may not be removed or
disturbed in the exercise of his Episco-
pal jurisdiction therein; and that there
fore, in the absorption of this mission by
the American Church, it is obligatory on
that church not only to perpetuate the
See but to preserve its integrity.
While, no doubt, it is true that it has
not been the practice of the Catholic
Church to dissolve Sees, nor yet to re-
move or disturb the Bishops in such
Sees, yet no evidence can be brought to
bear in support of the argument that
See may not be dissolved, if 1t should be
considered necessary by the church; nor
yet that Bishop is SO irrevocably fixed
to his See that it's integrity must be
preserved for the Bishops benefit. 1t
would be no argument to say that a See
may not be dissolved, because 1t has not
been the practice of the Catholic Church
to dissolve Sees. 1t would be suicidal
policy on the part of any institution to
create an office that might not be o.s-
solved, if changing conditions should rem
IL ytr,tl ffz1 f. of
the enterprise.
Owing to the weakness of this Diocese,
a resident Bishop is not really necessary,
at present at least, and since the Amerl-
can Church has not the advantage of an
S. P. G. for Handmade it is not prob
able that the Mission Board would feel
justified, under the circumstances. in
making large grant of mission funds
as would be necessary to maintain one.
The Bishop of Honolulu takes exception
to the Bishop of New York and the sec
rotary of the S. P. G. referring to his
Diocese as the Church work in Homo
lulu" and at the manner it is proposed
to deal with his Diocese and his rights.
Has his Lordship good ground for SO do
ing?
The Bishop, unquestionably, has certain
rights in this Diocese, which Will, no
doubt, be respected by the American
Church; but the value of those rights
must not be overeStimated.
1t should be remembered, and it may
not be generally known that the Bishop
of Honolulu has never had authority
given him by the Church of England to
exercise Episcopal jurisdiction over all
churchmen in these Islands, but only ov-
er such of them as wish for his ministra-
tions and assent to his authority. He
stands on quite different footing from
ordinary Bishops. In ordinary cases a
Bishops jurisdiction covers all the Epis-
copal residents within the geographical
boundaries of his Diocese, but England
has not granted this authority to the
Bishop of Honolulu, because she had nc
power to confer upon Bishop, in for
| eign country, any Jurisdiction or author
lily over any persons against their will
Therefore the Bishops flock here con-
sists only of those persons wishing fol
his ministratfons and asserting to his au
thority
/ Since 1864 the British Government has
discontinued tie issue of letters patent tt
Bishops in countries or colonies possess
ed of an independent Legislature.
| The Constitution of the Anglican
Church in Hawaii, as well as the voice
lof the Privy Council in England, pro
claims this Church to be voluntary as
sociation; and although on the first ar
rival of Bishop here, all those person:
IChurch of England gave assent to thu
Bishops jurisdiction, by implication, sine
THAT time many have withdrawn their al
llegiance, some have associated them
iselves with other religious bodies, SOM
have not, and have attended no place o
worship, while there are many Others
who now wish to withdraw their ale
lgiance in favor of an American Bishop.
| For argument sake say that only one
half n ba EniScOno lianS here VOluntar
lily accept the ministrations of the Bishop
of Honolulu and assent to his authority
1T is clear that the other half are with
Tout Episcopal oversight and are as sheer
without shepherd. Therefore only one
half this missionary jurisdiction can D.
claimed by the Bishop as his, since hi
jurisdiction covers but one-half of 1t
church residents. 1t is clear then tina
the Bishops jurisdiction and authority j
limited to those persons who remain loya
to his authority, and should there b.
none loyal the Bishop would be withou
a Diocese, although occupying the See
while the people would be without Epis
eopal ministrations This would appea
to be anomalous, but 1t cannot be denied
A Can 1t be argued then, that the statu
of the Bishop of Honolulu or Of thi
mission is such as to entitle either hin
or it to those rights properly belonging
to ordinary dioceses?
1t may be said, and with apparent jus
t;ce, that if the people refuse the minis
trations of the Bishop provided by Eng
land they should forfeit their right t
Episcopal ministrations. But England ha
gwen them the choice and they are sure
ly justified in taking it. There hav
been many persons who would not con
sent to receive confirmation at the hand
of the Bishop of Honolulu, and parent
who would not permit their children {
dc SO. Is it in accordance with the in
tention of the Church of England tina
such persons should forfeit their Churc
privileges? A whole Church does not be
come disaffected without a cause, ana
usually, a good one.
) 1t must be remembered, too, that a.
though people may be led in Church mat
tiers, they will not bear being driven. Th
, Church is fur the people and not vic
, versa. Her Office is to gather her chi
, ldren together by cords of love rattle
than scatter them through unnecessar
harshness.
a The weak point in the Bishops argr
ment would appear to be that he claim
this mission to be an Independent church
and for the Bishop of Honolulu the sam
authority and Episcopal jurisdiction owe
this mission that is enjoyed by Englis
or American Bishops in their Diocese
over which they exercise full Episcop;
control. This contention is impossible
maintain, because such authority has NJ
been conferred 11pop hin,