New-York tribune., 1902-01-20
BISHOP BRENTS PLANS
HE HAD INTENDED TO RESIGN CHARGE
OF THE PHILIPPINES DIOCESE,
But WILL NOT.

The Right Rev. Charles II. Brent, recently
consecrated Bishop of the Philippines, spoke to
the congregation at yesterday mornings ser
vice in ST. Bartholomew Church, Madison ave-
and -fourth-st.
During the session of the general convention
of the Episcopal Church in San Francisco a few
months ago. he said. Il wrote letter to the
leaders of the Church saying that l should de-
cline the mission to the Philippines if'I was to
be sent out there unequipped for the work.
well knew what confronted the man VINO takes
up this work; the certainty of shortened lfe
the proba bity of early death and strug
gle against superhuman obstacles. 1t was not
that was afraid to die in the line of'duty, but
refused to throw over the Church the shade of q
failure to accomplish good results in such an
important field. This was the preface to another
letter which 1 intended to write resignng the
election the bishopric of the Philippines
pointed out that whoever goes out there should
have at least 100000 for clerical supplies and
$4,000 additional for a church in Manila.
Then came a voice whispering in my ear. 1t
was the voice of brother in the Church. who
said: Are you going to insist upon a money
condition? VIII you not rather take up this
great work to which you are called and trust to
the Church to show Its generosity and furnish
what is needed? He pointed out so clearly my
duty that l withheld the letter. l accept the
mission, and do trust to the generosity of the
Church to furnish the necessary equipment"
In regard to the conditions he expected to face
in his new field the Bishop spoke as follows
We exploited. We got. We filled our Golfers I'm
the early days of our nation at the expense the
Indians. TO shame be il said. Now as we go
beyond the sea to this people must go with
our hands filled with gifts and prepared to teach
them that We are desirous for their good and want
to bring 70 them the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ Probably my first work will be among the
educated people. then with the great masses. I am
told that there million or three
million un- Christianized people in the islands,
as the church of their race. Thousands OF
natives who have been estranged from the Church
of Rome under the Spanish reign will turn to us IL
We go to them 1t has been said that the hardest
work or the Church is found among people OF the
Latin countries Yet the vision came 10 the lead
ers OF the Church and inspired them TO grasp this
dif1culty. One man who has lived in Manila re-
Gently told me that. while at home he has never
been a churchgoer, out there he and many others
like him yearned TO hear some commissioned 70
speak the word of Christ.
There are nine thousand American civilians now
In the Philippines. There is town, called Pio-
neer, composed entirely of American miners. They
all call out 10 US TO send missionaries out there
A grave national problem confronts us in the Phil
ippines Thank God that Church has pro-
claimed herself national Church I'm establishing
this mission there! 1 firmly believe that it will be
an inesttmabe aid to the authorities in solving the
problem. We will accomplish more through the
people who settle there than through the admin
lstrauon of the national government and II is i'm
portant that the Church should spread her inau-
enee around these pioneer settlers.