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Church missions and Chaplains in the Empire of China. It turned out that the Queen had power to grant such letters Patent. They were therefore withdrawn after the native resignation.
In appointing the third Bishop, the original object of the Bishopric was kept in view - namely the development of Church missions among the Chinese. China was then divided into two Episcopal Missionary Districts. And that attached to Hongkong was limited to the Missions South of the Chekiang Province. I was appointed to this on account of certain qualifications that I was believed to possess as a Chinese Missionary of twenty years' standing. I was consecrated by mandate of the Queen and sent out to Hongkong in 1874, without illegal Letters Patent, by the Ecclesiastical Authorities of England.
I have occupied here the exact position, Ecclesiastically, that my predecessors occupied, and have as much or as little authority over the Clergy as they had. But the Local Government considered that the previous Ordinance with reference to the status of the Bishop in the Cathedral was void, and they did not think it needful to acknowledge the new Bishop in any other way.
I think this was a mistake. It seemed to me to cast a slight on the office of a Bishop, and it gave the impression to many that, not having Letters Patent, I was no Bishop at all, excepting perhaps...
American Methodist