The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1902-01-20

and mems manners, so that nothing be
ordained against Gods Word.
Every particular or national church hath
authority to ordan, change, and abolish
ceremonies or rites of the church ordain-
ed only by mans authority so that all
things be done unto edifying.'
According to this utterance of the
Church of England, the church in the
United States had the fullest liberty to
make the changes that were made more
than a century ago; and when these ISL
ands became part of the United States,
It became right and proper that the
Church in Hawaii should conform to the
use of the Church in America. Had we
been an independent branch of the
church. we should have done so two
years ago. But not being in that posi-
ton, We could do no more than express
our readiness to do all that was neces-
sary to bring this church in Hawaii into
union with the church in the United
States, which implies the acceptance of
it's forms and rules of worship. 1t is
this that has gone into effect today, and
makes the second Sunday after Epiph-
any, 1902, a day to be remembered.
1t was also n foregone conclusion for
which every one should have been pre-
pared and which every true member of
the church should welcome, that when
the Anglican Church in Hawaii became
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
Hawaiian Islands, 1t should not attempt
to carry with 1t conditions which have
been an impeachment to its growth, and
which belonged to an inchoate stage of
existence. l allude to the existence of
a dual organization in the cathedral, to
which no parallel can be found in the
branch of the church to which we are
now united, and to the rules and Gus
toms of which we have promised alegi-
ance. AS many as eight years ago, all
justification of a congregation keeping
itself separate from the cathedral organ
ization, had passed away, as was made
plain in a pamphlet of that date, enti-
tied, 1.-THE Essential Need of Unity in
the Cathedral Church." which commend
ed itself to the conscience of those who
read it, and but for the opposition of
few, would have met with general COM
plance. In that pamphlet 1t was stated
with unmistalIable clearness that when
ever this church should be united to the
church in the United States, such a con-
dition must Immediately cease. The
words that were written in 1893 were
these:
From whatever point of view the
matter be approached, it will be seen
that the time has come for the dual or
ganlzation to cease. View it politically
there would be no place for the ar
rangement in the American church, to
which we should be united under
change of flags; view it enthusiastically
it is a departure from the parochial sys-
tenn of the Church of England, which
has stood the test of centures view it
acknowledgement is no ground for Its
continuance that will bear a moments
examination; view it practically-it has
not tended to the strengthening of the
church, or the development of the mis-
sion."
Those words were published eight
years ago. For two years our union with
the Church in the United States has
been seen to be our manifest destiny. In
October last 1t became known that 1t
would be brought about when our synod
met in December. During all this time,
IL there were any who did not welcome
the prospect OF again uniting with us,
abundance of time was given them to be
the peaceable founders of new church
in this now widely expanded city. The
invitation that was posted on the doors
of the cathedral three weeks ago gave
to the communicates of the other con-
gregation an equal voice with the com
munieants of the cathedral in the elec-
ton OF the lay officers for the year.
There was no preference, no exclusions
all were OH an equal lOOllIB. L ne Cdlll-
edral church is, as 1t always has been,
the house of prayer for all nations.
None are excluded but they who eX-
clude themselves. We may say, with the
prophet, "Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come we to the waters he that hath no
money, come We, buy and eat without
money and without price" In times of
change 1t is impossible to please all. And
If the Anglican Church has failed to do
this. 1t is no more than the Church of
England failed, when her prayer book
was first put out, as the preface to that
book bears witness. But inasmuch as
the work which is now concluded was
undertaken by this church with a single
eye to the glory of God, and the peace
Of His church, we may humbly hope
that what has been accomplished will BIO
we'll accepted and approved by all sober,
peaceable and truly conscientious sons
Of the Protestant Episcopal Church in
the United States, who will see cause
to glorify our Father which is in heay-
en-.
A MOVE ON THE BOARD.
At the service Rev. Canon Kitcat and
Mr.. Fitz read themselves into the
American church by accepting the
thirty-nine articles.