Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-12
Memorial Is Sought
For Bishop Seabury
TO the Editor Of Tn. Star

To the Editor OF The Star:
Aberdeen. Scotland. gave to America
Its f1rst biShop-the first bishop from
the British Isles to found a diocese be-
| yond the seas.
We are seeking to raise q permanent
memorial OF that unique event which
has had such large consequences and
Wnlcn makes an imperishable link. be-
tween America and Aberdeen.
The story OF Americas first bishop
deserves to be remembered. In Scot
iano we are very proud OF 1t. This is
the story:
AT the close of the Revolution. when
this great Republic had its birth,
American EpiScopalians had no bishop
and the whole continent of America was
supposed to be under the jurisdiction
OF the Bishop of London. For manv a
year they had appealed to England for
q bishop, but the appeal had fallen on
deaf ears. The clergy of Connecticut
| were determined that there could be no
more delay and they elected Samuel
Seabury and sent him to be conse-
Grated In England. For more than a
year Seabury was Kept waiting in Lon
don. knocking at the door of the Church
OF England In vain. At that time the
English Church was enslaved bv the
eminent was that no man might be
made bishop unless he received his
commission from the state.
mat theory would have disqualified
the twelve apostles and ST. Paul. Sea-
ourys patience was at last exhausted
He turned to the Scottish Episcopal
Church and he came to Aberdeen. At
that time Scottish Episcopacy was SUI
1ering under ruthless penal laws. The
Engilsh government feared the Jacobite
sympathies of our people and was
attempting to destroy our religion and
our church. The penal laws made IL a
crime for more than four of our neonle
10 meet together to worship God and
onciating clergy were liable to six
months imprisonment for their first
oHenSe and penal Servitude for life for
their second. Our only meeting places
were In back streets and secret places
and upper rooms.
And 1t was In Door. bare room in
Aberdeen in the year 1884 that three
OF our Scottish bishops consecrated the
nrst American bishop and did what the
great Church of England could not and
cared not DO. That event has we'll been
called the birthday of a church" n
was more than that. 1t was also the
foundation stone of that vast structure
OF dioceSes and provinces which now
covers the whole world and which forms
the Anglican communion. for Seaburv
was the first bishop of our faith who
founded diocese beyond the British
Isles.
We feel In Aberdeen that there should
De some permanent memorial of that
momentous event-a memorial which
should manifest forever the tie between
america and Aberdeen. And to enlist
the sympathy of American people in
mat memorial Is the object of nv visit
The architect is John N. Comper of
London England.
The movement has the warm in
dorsement of the presiding bishop and
National Council of the EpiSconaI
Church. And it is hoped that the
foundation stone will be laid in Aber-
deen. Scotland, by the Most Rev. John
9. Murray. D. D., presiding bishop of
tne American Church, after the Lam
bath Conference in London, 1890. The
national chairman is Right Rev. E. c.
Acheson, d. D., Bishop of Connecticut
and the executive secretary is Canon
j. T. Mitchell, at the Washington Hotel
and at 2l7 Broadway. New York CITY.
Ihls memorial depends upon the
goodwill offerings of the American
people. JOHN F.. MITCHEIJ
The Bishop Seabury Memorial.