January 27, 1902.] *
ought to be publicly burnt, the Church Body took upon themselves to make an appoint- ment the importance of which could not be overestimated namely, that of the senior officer-without attempting to consult the Seatholders' or Subscribers, wishes or feeling, in the matter. The authority for that disregard of their feelings was Clause 8 of the Ordinance, which they claimed gave them full legal power to do as they liked with the officers and money of the Subscribers. It was a theory of equity and religion that would possibly be new to many pre- sent. Personally, though he was not a lawyer, he was not so confident as the Church Body were of the legality of their action. Cluse 12 of the Regulations, however, provided that before the Church Body could fix the salary of a verger or of other-presumably Chinese-servants, they must consult the Seatholders and Subscribers in general meeting and obtain their approval. That being so and seeing that the Regulations, made subsequent to the Ordinance, required the consultation of the Seatholders and Subscribers in small and unimportant appointments, one would imagine that the appointment of their highest official demanded all the care and con- sideration and consultation that the Church Body and the Seatholders and Subscribers unitedly could give it. The Church Body, not recognising the right of the Seatholders and Subscribers, made the appointment on their own responsibility, and for unfathomable reasons kept the matter secret. Perhaps they were not happy in their action and hesitated to make it public. Their plea for the same was urgency, and the matter was apparently rushed through. No one was consulted; no applications for the post were invited and when the senior chaplain arrived in November, he found that a successor had been provisionally appointed. Even then the Eeatholders and Subscribers were kept ignorant. The Church Body pleaded urgency for their mistake and yet the new chaplain would not take up hisappointment until next Angust. Now they came to the vital point concerning the ap- pointment, and on this he would state that personal feeling either one way or the other should not enter into the question. They had, however, not to consider the feelings of any individuals when the future of the church was at stake. The Church Body, without making any attempt whatever to secure a suit- able successor, appointed one locally. One would have thought that acting entirely alone they would have recognised the needs of the Cathedral and made every provision for an even more successful future than the past had been. But on their own admission they mad absolutely no attempt to go outside the Colony, and not content with depriving the Seatholders and Subscribers of their just privilege in one case, they went further, and placed in the hands of the new chaplain the engagement of a junior chaplain. In the case of the second chaplain he would suggest that any authority for engage ment given should be at once revoked by telegram. The salary of the second chaplain should be increased so as to secure a fit and competent mau, a good preacher, and possessing musical qualifications. If this were not done they must be prepared to face serious contingencies, which threatened the existence of the Church, and which must be apparent to every mind.
Mr. MASTER seconded.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The TREASURER thought it was a great pity that the discussion had assumed such a phase. Mr. Johnson's agreement had been signed, and it was ill-advised to discuss his personal affairs at a public meeting.
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Mr. GOODMAN said he had hoped it would be unnecessary for him to say anything, but with regard to Mr. Johnson's appointment. person- ally he went to church to get some good and to come away a better man; and as long as the services were reasonably sensible he was content. As regarded Mr. Cox's remarks concerning the method adopted by Congregational chur ohes in the selection of a preacher, that had its merits and it faults. But obviously the method could not be applied in the present case, as the body being considered was not a Dissenting one but the Cathedral Church of Hongkong. Mr. Goodman then proceeded to detail the system that had obtained in earlier years. with regard to such matters and pointed out that the Seatholders and Subscribers under that system did not have in their hands the making of The Government appointed a appointments. man or did so through the Secretary of State or the Colonial Chaplain, but that power was at all times vestel in the Church Body. and in support of that statement he quoted Section 7 of Ordinance 11 of 1892, which reads as follows:-
It shall be lawful for the Church Body from time to time to appoint as occasion may require one or more chaplains to perform and carry on divine worship and the services usual in the Church of England according to the rites and ceremonies thereof and to appoint such other officers as may be necessary or expedient upon such terms and conditions as they may think fit.' In 1899 an amended Ordinance was intro- duced, Section 8 of which read as follows:- "The Church Body may appoint, as occasion or more may require, a chaplain and one assistant chaplains to perform and carry on divine worship and the services usual in the Church of England according to the rites and ceremonies of the said Church." Dealing then with Mr. Johnson's appoint- ment, Mr. Goodman said that he could not speak with knowledge on the matter because he was in England when the appointment was made. However, he was sure they were all agreed on one point, and that was that in the Rev. Mr. Cobbold they had had an agreeable and an efficient chaplain-(hear hear)—who as It only they all know was not a married man. showed that they could get on very well with the unmarried men. (Laughter.) Speaking for himself, Mr. Goodman did not see why they should insist on the chaplain being married if he did not want to be, and he himself Another would deplore such a restriction. chaplain had been appointed in Mr. Cobbold's place, and he trusted that he would be a first-class man-certainly a man who would encourage the musical services and help to made them bright and cheerful. Mr. Goodman regretted to see the trend events were taking and trusted there would be no ecclesiastical split or difference. As to the resolution, if it were carried by a majority some people would go away with the satisfaction of having censur- ed the Church Body. The gentleman who had proposed the resolution, which would be a very cruel one in its bearing towards the Church Body if carried, had come there with a nicely: prepared speech, a fact which gave him an advantage over such speakers as himself. Re- ferring to correspondence which had appeared in the morning paper, especially with reference to one in that morning's issue of the Daily "Church Goer" which attacked Press signed the Bishop, Mr. Goodman deemed it most unfair to influence by this means the minds of the Seatholders and Subscribers, and challenged the writer if he were present to declare himself, and to say what he had to say openly. It might have been a very brilliant letter, but it was a rather shabby trick.
Mr. Cox said he had been connected with the Cathedral for 40 years, and he regretted very much any differen e of opinion in the matter of these proceedings. In such things as the election of a senior chaplain the Seal- holders and Subscribers shouid always be consulted. He thought that candidates should come and preach before the congregation, that the congregation might be able to make a definite selection of the preacher. With regard to the appointment of Mr. Johnson, he could not refrain from saying, although entertaining no personal feeling in the matter, that be considered that gentleman too young to be senior chaplain of S. John's Cathedral. In his opinion it required a man of about 40 or 45, and married. He had great diffidence in rising to say what he had sa`d, but he had been compelled to state this expression of opinion. They wanted as a senior chaplain a good preacher with musical abilities. Mr. | had nowadays.to provide the funds necessary Cox concluded by again referring to the expen- siveness of the passage out and home being included in Mr. Johnson's agreement.
Mr MASTER said they did not intend to question the right of the Church Body under the Ordinance to appoint a chaplain, but he thought that that body might have consulted the Seatholders and Subscribers in the matter if on no other ground than that of ex- The Seat holders and cubscribers pediency.
for carrying on the church, and that being so was it not reasonable to consult them in such a matter as the appointment of a senior chaplain ?
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certainly the one special subject in his that they should have been con- opinion sulted upon. He had no personal feeling against Mr. Johnson, but as he had already stated, from the point of view of expediency the Church Body would have done better had they consulted the Seatholders and Subscribers, and the resolution now before the meeting was to place on record their opinion that they ought not always to be kept out in the cold and never given any voice in church matters. (Applause).
Mr. M. W. SLADE said that if the Church Body had called a meeting to consider the ap- pointment they would have been shirking the responsibility cast upon them, and if at the meeting any acrimonious discussion had been introduced the Seatholders and Subscribers would have been the first to have turned round and said, “You have done wrong. You had no business to call a meeting-you are responsible." Therefore it seemed to him that the Church Body did the only possible thing they could do in making the appointment without running the risk of incurring the petty spite of Seat- holders or Subscribers.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM said he objected most emphatically to the term " petty spite" which had been used by two speakers. It was a ques- tion of principle, not of personality, as he was careful to state in his opening remarks. If it was any satisfaction to Mr. Goodman, who had looked repeatedly in his direction, he might also state he was not" Church Goer." Personally, he entertained no spite against any one in this matter nor against any one in the Cathedral, (Applause).
The CHAIRMAN said that he hoped it would be conceded that the Church Body had acted honourably and truly, and he would remind them that the selection of preachers in the colony was limited. As he opened the Guardian every week he saw that the dearth of clergy was becoming more and more accentuated, and it was very difficult to obtain a man with the qualifications necessary, especially one musically gifted. As regarded the question of expediency, he would ask them to look at the precedents during the past ten years. Seven resolutions had been passed with regard to the appointment of chaplains and assistant chaplains, and in one case the matter was referred to the Seatholders, which was not a very satisfactory instance, an account of a very narrow majority. The other six appointments were by the Church Body. He was opposed to the introduction of the Nonconformist precedent in matters connected with the Church of England. For instance, to take Shanghai, they would never have the matter referred to Seatholders, and as a matter of fact it was the universal practice in the Church of England to leave the appointments of clergy of a parish in the hands of the trustees. He had a good deal of experience in "church-making," if he could term it so, and he had been drafting an Ordin- ance with regard to regulations in Hong. The same thing prevailed in South kong.
He really did not think those It present understood all the difficulties. Was no easy matter to get hold of men. Week after week he took up his church papers and found that a great dearth of olergy existed. The two last leading articles of the Guardian had reference to this matter. As a matter of fact he was always looking for men and found immense difficulty in getting them. Especially was it difficult to get men to come to the colonies, for why should a man leave a comfort- able living at home to come out to a place, for in- stance, like Hongkong, which for some reason or other was always associated with plague and disease? With regard to the resolution, he could not believe it was the right thing to pass a vote of censure upon the Church Body for what they had done. (Applause).
China.
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The motion was then balloted and resulted- Ayes 22, Noes 16-majority 6
The meeting then proceeded to elect the Church Body for the ensning year, when the following were appointed-Captain the Hon. H. W. Treinsis, Ion. W. Meigh Goodman, K.C., Hon. R. Murray Ramsey, R.N., Dr. Atkinson, Mr. 1. H. J. Gompertz. Mr. H. A. W. Slade. Mr. J. C. Peter was re-elected auditor.
The CHAIRMAN in a few concluding remarks said the motion did not censure the appointment but only the action of the Church Body. Referring to the Choir he expressed his great appreciation of the good work they were doing