Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-03

Bishop Charles Henry Brent Of the Phil
ippine Islands has again declined to be-
come Bishop of Washington.
His decision is announced in a letter
reoei, ed in Washington today written by
the Philippine bishop in Boston. His
reasons. he says. are the same which gov
erned his declination or the first election
that il is Gods will that he remain in
the Philippines.
Bishop Brent indicates that the only
reason which made him hesitate about
declining the second election was a fear
that his health was being undermined
by the Philippine climate and a further
stay in the islands threatened a serious
physical breakdown. His physician in
Boston has pronounced his present illness
not chronic. he writes. and therefore he
will return to his former work
Letter to DIR. McKim.
The letter. which was written at St.
Stephens House. 2 Decatur street. Bos-
ton. and addressed to Rev. Randolph H.
Mckim. president of the standing com
mittee of the diocese of Washington, is
as follows:
Dear Or. Mckim: AS my dispatch of
L
glad to find myself free to adhere to my
original decision. The letter l wrote YOU
from Manila after my reelection made
clear that the matter hinged upon the
verdict of my physicians. Today they
assured me that the trouble which
alarmed the physicians in Manila has
proved itself acute. instead of chronic
and that I am justified in continuing my
work in the Philippine Islands after a
brief course of treatment
My former letter of declination ex-
pressed so fully all that it is in my heart
TO say that / can but reiterate its terms
on this second occasion ON which you have
beStCw wed upon me the highest mark OF
confidence tat could fall to human lot
| rejoice to return to the orient, because
l am conscious that in serving the inter
ests yonder I am best serving you.
Praying that God will always bless the
diocese of Washington with His fullest
benediction, l remain. yours very faith.
fully.
tSignedy &c H. BRENT
Bishop of the Philippine Islands"
This letter was sent to DR.. McKim at
Blue Ridge Summit. where he is spending
the summer. and DIR. Mckim sent it to
MS assistant at the NlulCn OF lne Eplpn
any. Rev. @. Freeland Peter. By him il
was made public today.
Bishop Brent's Reasons.
The former letter in which Bishop Brent
declined his first election to the bishopri,
OF Washington gives the reasons for the
declaration At it's beginning Bishop
Brent mentions his delay in sending a
definite answer. and then continues:
Moreover. my conviction that it /.
Gods will for me to decline has become
so settled that it would be an injustice tt
you 10 withhold my answer any longer
Hence my cabIegram of yesterday.
''It is not that l fail to recognize the
splendor of the missionary opportunity In
Washington and the dignity OF the
heritage which you bid me enter-they
inspire me; nor that l shrink from the
tasks and problems of leadership Whlcf
you invite me to face in company wltr
you-they challenge me; nor that do moi
oftentimes yearn to serve the church II
the home land again| am human. Bu
God charges me today-the morrow car
take care of itself-to continue my wit
ness TO the high Importance OF the far
off missions of the church and the graV
IJy of the nations responsibility in the
orient by abiding on the spot where l am
Some Iay the soft Ideal that wooed
Confronts us hercely. foe beset. pursued.
And erie, reproachfuI: Was IL then my prais
Aud no, myself was loved? Prove now thy truth
claim of thee the promise Of thy youth
Give me- thy life or In empty phrase,
The victim Of thy genius. not its mate.
In being loyal to Christs inner leading
here on the church's and the nation
frontier I am serving you at the cente
in the most effective way possible. and
rejoice 70 feel that this is so, for L Woult
doublc-k knot the cord with which you
own hands have bound me TO you.
The Need of the Orient.
1T was due to the craftsmanship an'
insight of YOUR late noble-hearted bishol
that this missionary district came int
being AMI he was. in large measure. re
sponsible for my coming here. His af
fec;ICE for and trust in me. in which
glory. we're deeper than words. 1t is m
desire to justify his confidence in me b.
gladly making any sacrifice that Co
s:i,s N behalf of the work even to suf
fering. or. II need be. death. The orien
to!a: IL rapidly becoming the center o
the worlds gravest problems No capita
city or seat of government in the western
world can fail to have II constantly in II
thoughts and deliberations, no portion o
the Christian Church can anord to neg
lect or discount it's ceaseless appeal I
tie strong for help-help that Americ
with her unparalleled wealth of manhoo
a,.I neans Is abundantly able to give
Hence the cause which / represent. and
myself must always be near YOU"
bishop Brent was first elected BishO