The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-27
ECHO FROM
MA|NLAND
The Willis Row
Draws Church
Comment.
REV. GEO. WALLACE
OWES his VIEWS
What May Happen When the
Trienniai Convention Meets
in October.

The following is from the San Fran
cisco Cali of March 18th:
The conflict in the Episcopal or En-
glish 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
determined effort is being made by
the American element to get rid of the
English Bishop Willis and secure either
an American as his successor or at
least the protection of the American
branch of the Episcopal church.
Rev. George Wallace, late of San
Mateo and for several years chaplain
to the Bishop of Hawaii, speaking of
the trouble in the islands says:
"One of the most embarrassing ques-
tons that will 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 fostered
and supported by the s. z; e., the
great missionary society Of the Angli-
can church, which furnished bishop
and has contributed largely to the
temporalities of the distant diocese,
whose diocesan was subject only to the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Since the
annexation the English society has re-
linquished all authority and withdrawn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 or
the islands. There are only about 1000
members in the whole territory and as
| there is no prospect of an increase,
manifestly a bishop must be supported
| bv our own church, which is not dis
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, 1t is said, averse to
any proposition that does not carry
with it 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
| lOHSeE, anu lileI Ill dilIiCdOlc StiliS-
ment can be easily arrived at by the
British and American prelates.
During the entire administration of
the present Bishop of Hawaii there has
Ebeen 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 a 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
temperatures to a legitimate success
! cpr -