The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1902-03-12
AN OPEN LETTER
tComtinaed from Ist pages

resignation OF the Bishop not essen
tial to accomplish this result, but,
having made the question special
study, may say without fear of
contradiction, that without the
Bishop the result could not have
been constitutionally attained. 1t
could only be reached by the volun.
tsry act OF the Anglican Church in
Hawaii through its Diocesan Synod.
And an act OF the Synod required
the concurrent consent Of the Bieh
Clop, ergy, and Laity.
Nevertheless, although it was
known that l should be in the city
in time for the fifth day of the Ses-
sion, resolution had already been
brought into the House and passed
asking for my resignation. Having
been passed in Council no knowl.
edge OF it had goue abroad, and as
l have already said no intimation of
it had been conveyed to me, until
coming into your House on that
Monday afternoon, O3tober 7, the
Secretary read out the RESOLUTION, a
copy Of it being placed in my hand.
The occasion was one that stands,
as far as eau discover, unparalleled
in the history Of the Church, the
Bishop OF az independent Sss invit-
ed to the House of B shops OF a
branch OF the Church with which
his diocese was not yet connected,
aud on entering their assembly Of
ovor 80 bishops, all but seven OF
whom were junior to himself in the
Episcopate, to be called upon to
address them on resolution already
passed asking him to resign.
The present action OF the B'shop
of New York throws aid 9 lsght up
on an action which was to ma al the
time incomprehsnsible and inaxpl TO-.
able. 1t is perfectly true that al.
ter the annex alton OF the Islands
had taken place, signifed my
readiness to resign on condition of
the continuity of the Sss bsing Sc
cured, should such a course be de-.
sired by the House OF Bishops. But
my offer on that condition had not
been accspted. Moreover, the all
given to this diocese by the Socitt
for the Propagation of the Gospel,
which included my entire stipend,
had been Withdrawn on Juus 80,
1909, and from that date had msin-
tanned the status OF the Church in
the Islande, through the aid OF a
few earnest ohur chmen, without re-
ceiving a dollar from the Church in
the United States which in 1898 had
claimed the ultimate jurisdiction
over the Church in ths islands.
That Notwithstanding the cutting
of of an annual grant OF 81 .250 per
ann. not single mission had beea
abandoned constituted, still ven.
ture to think, some claim on the
consideration OF your House; nor
was it a presumption on my part to
expect that the first step on the
part OF your House, If a change in
the Episcopate was desired, would
be to confer with me with regard to
the renewal OF the offsr had made
in 1899 and to ascertain tn 4, trus
position OF the diocese 10 respect OF
its property, clergy, and institutions
Until the publication OF our Di-
ocesau statistics in the q sneral
Convention Souvenir Edition. Of the
Catholic Witness, il wa, impossible
for members Of your House to have
had any real knowledge of the posi-.
tion OF affairs in this diocese.
Nor could the whole state OF the
diocese be learned from that STATIC,
tical table. For. holding most strong
ly that for a Bishop voluntarily 10
resign his See is to look back from
the plough to which he has put his
hands, have rooted myself in these
Islands as deeply as any Bishop in
the United States ia rooted in hi