The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-03-29
ECHO FROM
MAINLAND

The following is from the san Franz
cisco can of March 18th.
The conflict in the Episcopal or En-
glsh church in the Hawaiian Islands,
which has been waged with varying
intensity for the last quarter of cen
fury. has received a fresh impetus. and
n determined effort is being made by
the American element to get rid of the
English Bishop Wills and secure either
an American as his successor or al
least the protection of the American
branch of the Episcopal cnurch,
Rev George Wallace, late of san
Mateo and for several years chaplain
20 the Bishop of Hawaii, speaking OF
the trouble in the islands says;
zone of the most embarrassing ques-
tions that viii come before the trien-
NAL convention of the Episcopal church
in october next will be the settlement
of future relations to the church IN
the United States. Heretofore the
church in the islands has been fOStereu
and supported by the 5. +. G., the
great missionary society of the Angh-
can church, which furnished bishop
and has contributed largely to the
temperatures of the distant diocese,
whose diocesan was subject only to the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Since the
annexation the English society has re-
linuuished all authority and Withdrawn
it's contributions, for the reason that 1t
has no right or disposition to exercise
Jurisdiction in what is beyond DOUBT
American territory The future exist
ence of the diocese of Hawaii there
fore depends entirely upon the action
of the church in the United states
at the convention.
Bishop Potter, ON a recent visit TO
Hawaii, could not promise to continue
the present diocesan organization OF
tel, do q
members in the whole territory ana as
there is no prospect of an increase,
manifestly a bishop must be supported
bv our own church, which is not dlS-
posed to embark upon an unnecessary
enterprise.
There would be no difficulty what
ever If Bishop Willis of Hawaii would
resign and transfer the valuable prop
erty of the Hawaiian diocese to the
american church, and allow that or
ganization to determine its future.
Bishop Willis is, it is said, averse to
any proposition that does not carry
with 1t his continuance in office. IN
him vests the title to all the church
property which, he claims, belongs to
the Episcopal church, held by him in
trust The prospect OF a long and bit
ter litigation is one that meets with no
favor in the American church and Will
not be permitted Bishop Willis is
aged and will not live many years
longer, ana tnen an dllllCdple Stlllc-
ment can be easily arrived at by the
British and American prelates.
During the entire administration OF
the present Bishop of Hawaii there has
been a conflict between the Bishop
on one hand and the priests and laity
on the other. The Bishop is an auto
crat in ecclesiastical matters, stubborn
to the last degree and exceedingly
opinionated. The Bishop is indepen-
dent of the laity as far as salary is
concerned and has managed to acquire
title to all the property of the diocese.
The people have nothing whatever to
say and only small element ever at
tend church. Bishop Willis has In
CURED the hostility of the wealthy
American element by persistent opposi-
ton to annexation.
This conflict, which is exciting such
deep interest in the church in the
United States, is without precedent in
the whole history of the church. An
attack upon the prerogatives of bishops
is q dangerous proceeding and cannot
be permitted yet the alternative IS
presented of a dependency of an Amer
lean church governed by an unpopular
English Bishop, who is hostile to
everything American and cannot be
persuaded to resign or to transfer the
temporalitieS to legitimate success