The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-14
Work Of the Episcopal Church
Among the Virgin Islands

New York. July IL. Especial Cor
respondence) The transfer OF the
Virgin Islands from Denmark to the
United States a contamination voted
| for by 50 per cent of the inha bitants
as far back as the presidency of An
drew johnson, stirred up a tempest in
! the religious teapot, SO to speak. OF
| the islands.
/ While wanting, for commercial and
| political reasons to belong to the
! United States. the islands, for senti-
mental reason. did not wish to
| renounce their membership in the
/ church OF England to which body
I most OF the church going inhabitants
! belong despite the long Danish owner
! ship of the islands.
| BY an unwrittcn agreement between
| the church of England and her
| daughter. the Episcopal church of
| America, all undertakings of the
! Anglican communion are turned over
| TO thes Episcopal church whenever a
! bit of territory where she is establish
| ed is transferred to the United States.
/ The Virgin Islands at times belonged
| to England. English was the language
spoken outside OF Danish official
circles. and the communicates Of the
church OF England outnumbered
those Of the Danish Lutheran church.
|
abroad for an education are sent to
the United States or England. not to
| Denmark The universally OF the
| English language in this islands is
| due mainly to the fact that the negro
I Inhabitants have come in from the
| English West Indian islands.
| The Rev. Gustav A. Christensen. D.
D., rector Of Holy Rood Episcopal
church. Washington Heights. New
York. a native OF the Virgin Islands.
| was sent there by the Episcopal
| islands by this country to make pre-
| liminary inquiries concerning the ex-
| nected transfer of the work OF the
/ church Of England to the Episcopal
| church. In speaking OF the reluctance
| of the members Of the Anglican
I church to he transferred to the Amer
| lean church, matter which had to
| be taken clear up to the Archbishop
| OF Canterbury, the highest prelate of
/ the church OF England. before 1t was
| settled--Dr. Christensen said:
! The objection of the Anglicans to
| becoming Episcoplians was mainly
| sentimental They were very devoted
| ard very loyal to the Right Rev. Ed
| ward Hutson. ID. D.. Bishop of Anti
! qua, who was in charge Of tine religi-
/ Gus work IN the islands for the church
! OF England. and did not wish 10 lose
| him Their love for him and loyalty
| to him are most commendable. And
| then the transfer meant that they
would lose most OF their rectors and
| clergy-two of them have already left
AS they wished to retain their place
| In their own ecclesiastical orEanlZa-
| ton They also were British citizens.
/ The change in membership meant
| the breaking ur nf old associations
| and the corgrega lions were quite de
| ctded in their opposition TO the trans
/ fer. The church in st. Thomas voted
! unanimously against II, but the
| priraase OF their church upheld the
! advancement made with the Episcopal
! church and the transfer Of authority
/ was made
| The inhabitants Of the Islands had
wanted the United States to buy the
/ islands fer commercial reasons. AZ
long ago as 1867 the Danish govern
| rnent sent my uncle. Governor Cars
| Jensen. To the Virgin Islands to take
| a vote on the transfer The vote was
/ hffv TO one In favor Of the transfer.
| but political influence was brought to
hear upon Denmark by Germany and
| the islands were not sold.
| The island of St Croix. or Santa
| Cruz. the largest of the three. has
| population of about $4,000 OF whom
5000 live in Christiansted. 4.ooe IN
| rredericksted and the rest on the
sugar plantations between the two
! towns St Thomas population Is L.
| 900 while ST. Johns is only about
! 500 The Moravian church Is the only
| religious organization which Is do
/ ;nr any work on the island OF St
John. The Lutheran church is estah-
! lished on the other two islands, ana
| 7 was given TO understand on my re-
! cent trip there that II would continue
/ its work.
| There ,s great opportunity in the
Virgin Islands for the Episcopal
! church. but l believe il will be neces-
sarv for II to adhere to the islands
| tradition Of not separating the races
NJ nublic worship. Write and negroes
Worship side by side in the churches
/ on the islands. The people are ac-
| customed to II and would. / helfeve,
| resent separating them. Ninety per
/ cent of the population Of the ISLANDS
/ is negro There are half dozen or
more clergymen in the Episcopai
| church in the United States who were
horn in the Virgin fslands--the most
! OF them are colored.
| There Is plenty OF room for our
| church to start institutional and hos
initial work. I earnestly hope that one
+, result Of our nation wide campaign.
| now In progress, will.be the funds and
workers TO embark upon such enter
| prises,
The care OF the insane in the Is
| lands is a disgrace. They are put in
| tail with criminals and petty offend
ers with the result that perfect bed
lam prevails. Hospital facilities are
! painfully lacking. The gospel OF
cleanliness needs to he preached to
| the negroes who live in miserable
| huts. They need to he taught how to
keep their homes orderly.
| THE people Of the island are most