(2)
Before my arrival in China I was content to leave the grave question of the consecration of a Missionary Bishop for Ningpo (in which no one could be more interested than myself) to the discretion of the Home Authorities, and to forego any exercise of the veto with which the Bishop of Victoria is entrusted. On the eve of my departure from England the Duke of Buckingham negatived, as the Primate informed me, the scheme then proposed; and I supposed it to be finally abandoned. On my arrival, however, in Hongkong I found a letter awaiting me from the Hon. Clerical Secretary of C.M.S. re-opening the question. In my reply,† a copy of which was forwarded to the Primate and duly acknowledged by His Grace, I vindicated my free agency in the matter and declined to assent to the Consecration of a Missionary Bishop to officiate within the limits of the jurisdiction of this See, until I had visited Ningpo and made myself acquainted with the requirements of the Mission. I visited the Mission in February and March: I found the scheme of a Missionary Bishopric at Ningpo distasteful everywhere; I could see no real advantage to be gained by its creation; and I saw many serious anomalies and great perils which it would be unwise to risk. I therefore in a letter to the Primate distinctly gave my voice against the proposal: And I considered the matter settled.
Nevertheless there is reason to fear an effort is now made to put aside my letters patent and to force upon this unwilling Diocese another Bishop; whether to officiate exclusively in behalf of the native Church at Ningpo, or altogether to supersede the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Victoria above a given geographical line, I am not certain. Both schemes have been proposed: but as the latter scheme was I believe negatived by the Secretary of State for the Colonies last autumn, and as the better government of the native church is the benefit desired, I presume the former.
It will doubtless be expected of me to state some of the reasons why I withhold my assent
I-To the scheme of a Missionary Bishop for the native church at Ningpo and its outstations exclusively.
1. I think it would violate the apostolic principle that the Church of Christ is "One body" (IV. Ephes. 4.) I am glad to be able to explain myself in the words of one whose judgment and discrimination few will question. The late Bishop of Calcutta (Dr. Cotton) thus expresses himself upon this subject in his second Episcopal charge, p. xii., in words singularly applicable to the case before us:
"I earnestly hope no encouragement will be given to a plan sometimes propounded in England-of placing within the limits of the present Indian Dioceses certain Missionary Bishops who, if I understand the proposal, are to have jurisdiction over native Christians only. According to this plan the head of every Mission or the chief Missionary in every important district would I suppose receive episcopal consecration and preside over the other Missionaries and their converts. But, surely, the establishment of such sees would not only be opposed to scriptural and catholic principles, but would be likely to cause practical evils of which it is difficult to foresee the end. It would divide the Indian church into two separate portions, and introduce into it distinctions of race scarcely less fatal than those of caste from which the native believers are with difficulty delivered. There is already too little connection between Asiatic and European...
+ From the Bishop of Victoria to Hon. Clerical Secy. of C. M. S.
Hongkong, 30th October, 1867.
"And first, as to my leaving England without furnishing Mr. Dunning with the document necessary for the creation of the Ningpo Bishopric; I called on Mr. Dunning on the subject and he referred me to the Colonial Office. I called there twice or thrice and was informed each time that the matter was under consideration. The last time I called (to take leave) the Duke informed me he had difficulties in sanctioning the needful alteration of the order in Council, but if they were removed he would forward me the document for signature to the care of H.B.M. Consul at Marseilles before Sept. 5, the date of my sailing from that port. Subsequently I received a letter from the Archbishop informing me that the Duke of Buckingham 'did not feel justified in recommending the suggested alteration of the order in Council by which the See of Victoria was created, and that the See of Victoria was to remain as it was before. Nevertheless when at Marseilles I called on the Consul (4th Sept.), but no document had come to hand for me from the Colonial Office. Under these circumstances I do not see how I can be justly censured for leaving England without signing the deed. I consider if it had been ready and presented to me for signature I was at full liberty to decline signing it, the peculiar provisions of the Jerusalem Bishopric Act and how they affected the whole question not having been explained to me in May when I signified my assent to Lord Stanley. I had however made up my mind (the Archbishop and the Colonial Secretary having been fully informed upon the matter) to be guided by their decision; and had I possessed the opportunity I should have signed before sailing.
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797
"Now I should be unwilling to do so before I have visited Ningpo. You write that you understood me 'pledged' to the signing of this document. I am surprised you should write so. Before my consecration I informed both you and Mr. Mce of my doubts respecting the advisability of the scheme in question. In my letter of 20th May I informed you 'I must venture to think for myself in this matter.' In my letter of 24th May I wrote 'I would not commit myself or be committed blindfold to any measure. In my interview with you at East Sheen, 25th May, you shewed me letters (written in the confidence of friendship without an idea of their being kept and used for any ulterior purpose), in which you thought you found expressions which pledged me; but, on that occasion I strongly and I am satisfied successfully repudiated such a construction And throughout, I maintain I have never pledged myself to anything. And, I beg you and all my friends to understand that I purpose holding myself in the matter of the Ningpo Bishopric, and in every other matter connected with my office, a free agent in the fullest sense of the term; pledged to nothing, save only to act to the best of my judgment and in dependence on the Divine guidance and blessing."
+1
aer
(2)
Before my arrival in China I was content to leave the grave question of the consecration of a Missionary Bishop for Ningpo (in which no one could be more interested than myself) to the discretion of the Home Authorities, and to forego any exercise of the veto with which the Bishop of Victoria is entrusted. On the eve of my depar ture from England the Duke of Buckingham negatived, as the Primate informed me, the scheme then proposed; and I supposed it to be finally abandoned. On my arrival, however, in Hongkong I found a letter awaiting me from the Hony. Clerical Secretary of C.M.S. re-opening the question. In my reply,† a copy of which was for- warded to the Primate and duly acknowledged by His Grace, I vin- dicated my free agency in the matter and declined to assent to the Consecration of a Missionary Bishop to officiate within the limits of the jurisdiction of this Sec, until I had visited Ningpo and made myself acquainted with the requirements of the Mission. I visited the Mission in February and March: I found the scheme of a Missionary Bishopric at Ningpo distasteful every where; I could see no real advantage to be gained by its creation; and I saw many serious anomalies and great perils which it would be unwise to risk. I therefore in a letter to the Primate distinctly gave my voice against the proposal: And I considered the matter settled.
Nevertheless there is reason to fear an effort is now made to put aside my letters patent and to force upon this unwilling Diocese an- other Bishop; whether to officiate exclusively in behalf of the native Church at Ningpe, or altogether to supersede the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Victoria above a given geographical line, I am not certain. Both schemes have been proposed: but as the latter scheme was I
+ From the Bishop of Victoria to Hony. Clerical Secy. of C. M. S.
HoNekong, 30th October, 1867.
"And first, as to my leaving England without furnishing Mr. Dunning with the document necessary for the creation of the Ningpo Bishopric; 1 called on Mr. Dunning on the subject and he referred me to the Colonial Office. I called there twice or thrice and was informed each time that the matter was under consideration. The last time I called (to take leave) the Duke informed me he had difficulties in sanctioning the needful alteration of the order in Council, but if they were removed he would forward me the document for signature to the care of H.B.M. Consul at Marseilles before Sept. 5, the date of my sailing from that port. Subsequently I received a letter from the Archbishop informing me that the Duke of Buckingham 'did not foel justified in recommend- ing the suggested alteration of the order in Council by which the See of Victoria was created, and that the See of Victoria was to remain as it was before. Nevertheless when at Marseilles I called on the Consul (4th Sept.), but no document had come to hand for me from the Colonial Office. Under these circumstances I do not see how I can be justly censured for leaving England without signing the deed. I consider if it had been ready and presented to me for signature I was at full liberty to decline signing it, the peculiar provisions of the Jerusalem Bishopric Act and how they affected the whole question not having been explained to
(3)
797
believe negatived by the Secretary of State for the Colonies last autumn, and as the better government of the native church is the benefit desired, I presume the former.
It will doubtless be expected of me to state some of the reasons why I withhold my assent
I-To the scheme of a Missionary Bishop for the native church at Ningpo and its outstations exclusively.
1. I think it would violate the apostolic principle that the Church of Christ is "One body" (IV. Ephes. 4.) I am glad to be able to explain myself in the words of one whose judgment and discrimina- tion few will question. The late Bishop of Calcutta (Dr. Cotton) thus expresses himself upon this subject in his second Episcopal charge, p. xu., in words singularly applicable to the case before us :---
<
"I earnestly hope no encouragement will be given to a plan "sometimes propounded in England-of placing within the limits of "the present Indian Dioceses certain Missionary Bishops who, if I na- "derstand the proposal, are to have jurisdiction over native Christiaus "only. According to this plan the hosul of every Mission or the chief Missionary in every important district would I suppose receive epis- copal consecration and parside over the other Missionaries and their "converts. But, surely, the establishment of such sees would not "only be opposed to scriptural and catholic principles, but would be likely to cause practical evils of which it is difficult to foresee the "end. It would divide the Indian church into two separate portions, "and introduce into it distinctions of race scarcely less fatal than those "of caste from which the native believers are with difficulty delivered. "There is already too little connection between Asiatic and European me in May when I signified my assent to Lord Stanley. I had however made up my mind (the Archbishop and the Colonial Secretary having been fully informed upon the matter) to be guided by their decision; and had I possessed the opportunity I should have signed before sailing,
*
"Now 1 should be unwilling to do so before I have visited Ningpo. You write that you understood' me 'pledged' to the signing of this Before my consecration document. I am surprised you should write so.
I informed both you and Mr. Mce of my doubts respecting the advisabi- lity of the scheme in question. In my letter of 20th May I informed you 'I must venture to think for myself in this matter.' In my letter of 24th May I wrote 'I would not commit myself or be committed blindfold to any measure. In my interview with you at East Sheen, 25th May, you shewed me letters (written in the confidence of friendship without an idea of their being kept and used for any ulterior purpose), in which you thought you found expressions which pledged me; but, on that occasion I strongly and I am satisfied successfully repudiated such a construction And throughout. I maintain I have being put upon what I had written. never pledged myself to anything. And, I beg you and all my friends to understand that 1 purpose holding myself in the matter of the Ningpo Bishopric, and in every other matter connected with my office, a free agent in the fullest sense of the term; pledged to nothing, save only to act to the best of my judgment and in dependence on the Divine guidance and blessing."
+1
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