Memorandum
In 9179
On the Appointment of a Missionary Bishop in China, read by the Bishop of Victoria to the Committee of the Church Missionary Society, August 8th, 1870; with the RESOLUTION of the Committee.
THE RIGHT HON. RUSSELL GURNEY, M.P.,
IN THE CHAIR.
648
AFTER a few preliminary sentences, the Bishop of Victoria read as follows:-
The division of episcopal jurisdiction in China, whereby it was proposed to place Clergymen unconnected with the C. M. S. under the episcopal jurisdiction of one of your Missionaries-4. e. to place above 28° N. British and Consular interests as distinguished from Mission work to the Heathen under an episcopal Missionary of your own, supported by your funds and subject to your direction and control-would be, to my personal knowledge, so objectionable to Chaplains and to many influential Laymen in North China, espe- cially at Shanghai, I could not be a party to the measure.
Besides, this scheme would involve both your Missionary and this Committee in questions of difficulty not only foreign to Mission- work, but such as, I am persuaded, this Committee would be most unwilling to entertain.
I think this Committee will be glad that a scheme which would connect the Missionary Bishop exclusively with the Missions, should be substituted for it.
Can such a scheme be suggested ?
The Bishop-Coadjutor scheme for the Missions you have declined.
The consecration of a Missionary for the Ningpo Mission-unless he be at liberty, on conventional terms with the Bishop of Victoria,