even to the Episcopate! In the case before us the Episcopal superintendence of the Mission would be transferred from the Diocesan, not to another Bishop who could speak with official authority and act, on his own judgment, but, in effect, to the executive of the C. M. S. An arrangement to which I take very grave exception. I agree most cordially with Appendix II to the 39th Report of C. M. S. on the constitution and practice of the Society with reference to its ecclesiastical relations, and I am prepared to uphold the principles so well advocated therein. The Committee have their important functions to fulfil and the Bishop has his. The one cannot, in the Mission field, do without the other. Each must appear, not in name only, but in real and independent action, and yet by mutual forbearance, in confiding co-operation. The scheme I deprecate reduces the position and office of a Bishop in the Mission field to the value of a cipher; and if practically exhibited in Ningpo will expose the Episcopate to ridicule not only throughout China, but the Church of Christ.
On these grounds I deprecate the consecration of a Missionary Bishop for the native Church in the Ningpo Mission, and must withhold from the measure my official assent.
II. Let me now invite your Lordship to consider the merits of the other scheme proposed, viz., the Consecration of a Missionary Bishop to supersede the Bishop of Victoria above a given geographical line.
1. No Colonial Bishop can be appointed in China except in Hongkong and its dependencies. Great Britain claims not a foot of ground elsewhere in China. The Bishop therefore can only be consecrated as a Missionary Bishop under the so-called Jerusalem Act. It would be a grievous injustice to the European Clergy, especially to those who come to China as Deacons, as has been the case with almost all the Missionaries of C. M. S. in China, to subject them to the jurisdiction of a Missionary Bishop so consecrated.
By him to the Priesthood would for ever be disqualified from holding preferment or even a Curacy in England. To obviate this difficulty it was proposed to me to issue a commission to the Missionary Bishop to ordain his European candidates for holy orders; or, to bring them to Hongkong for ordination by myself. The remedy suggested sufficiently illustrates the grave difficulty of the case. The constant delegation of his functions on the part of one Bishop to another in order to get over a difficulty exposes the whole scheme to animadversion. To send the Clergy of North China to Hongkong for ordination would most unhappily exhibit the impotency of their Bishop!
2. As in the former case the dependent and subservient position of the Bishop as a stipendiary Missionary of the C. M. S. (his stipend being in lieu of the Endowment of the See) appears equally inexpedient and unseemly. Bishop Crowther's is altogether an exceptional case. Similar peculiarities should exist to justify a similar appointment in the present instance. It must be remembered the Niger Mission exhibits the happy result of a Native Bishop presiding over a Native Church, though that Bishop be a paid Missionary of the C. M. S. But, in Ningpo, it is the case of a European presiding over a Native Church. When Ningpo can present its Chinaman as a candidate for the Episcopacy, as the Niger has its African, the question of the Ningpo Missionary Bishopric will occupy very different ground.
3. Besides, the scheme is to some extent a misappropriation of the funds of the C.M.S to other than strictly Missionary purposes. The Bishop's duties in the case before us will be colonial in reference to foreign residents at Shanghai, Hankow, Kiukiang, and elsewhere as well as at Ningpo. I cannot see the propriety of furnishing the stipend of the Bishop for the European merchants, and others, resident in the treaty ports of North China from the funds of the Church Missionary Society. I believe this difficulty will be felt; and that to put the North of China under the jurisdiction of an Episcopal Missionary of C.M.S. receiving his stipend from the Society, will be to sacrifice the interests of the European residents to the interests of the Missions. The former have no claim upon the services of the Missionary Bishop. But both have an equal claim upon the Bishop of Victoria. And it will be an injustice to deprive either of his superintendence without an adequate provision being secured.
4. It further appears to me to be manifestly inconsiderate in reference to other Church Societies (e.g. the S.P.G)--to place their Missionaries who may be sent to China under the salaried Episcopal Missionary of a particular Society.
But I think I have said enough to shew that the second scheme which I suppose has been already negatived by the Colonial Secretary is surrounded with difficulty.
III. There is a third scheme which has not yet, I believe, received consideration. It appears to me feasible and free from the objections above urged. How far it may be acceptable to the C.M.S. I cannot tell. I mean the appointment of a Coadjutor Bishop. The presence of the Bishop of Victoria in England is occasionally as necessary as his presence in China, and in his absence the assistance of a Coadjutor might be an advantage: and, resident as the Bishop of Victoria is in Hongkong, the presence of a Coadjutor in the North of China might be occasionally convenient. I suggest the scheme, thinking it might prove "a door of hope." But I deprecate at present two Bishops for China, acting independently of each other. The four Missions and eight European Missionaries and two Native Deacons need one head and one policy; and union under one ecclesiastical head and unity of Missionary action are at present indispensable. A Coadjutor Bishop would act under commission and under commission only, and whenever he appeared as Bishop he would appear as the representative of the Bishop of Victoria; and I deprecate the Consecration of a second Bishop for China under other conditions.
My Lord, I earnestly entreat you and the Secretaries and Committee of the C.M.S. not to intrude upon this Diocese a Missionary ...
8e5
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even to the Episcopate! In the case before us the Episcopal super- intendence of the Mission would be transferred from the Diocesan, not to another Bishop who could speak with official authority and act, on his own judgment, but, in effect, to the executive of the C. M. S. An arrangement to which I take very grave exception. I agree most cordially with Appendix IL to the 39th Report of C. M. S. on the constitution and practice of the Society with reference to its ecclesi- astical relations, and I am prepared to uphold the principles so well advocated therein. The Committee have their important functions to fulfil and the Bishop has his. The one cannot, in the Mission field, do without the other. Each must appear, not in name only, but in real and independent action, and yet by mutual forbearance, in confiding co-operation. The scheme I deprecate reduces the position and office of a Bishop in the Mission field to the value of a cipher; and if practically exhibited in Ningpo will expose the Episcopate to ridicule not only throughout China, but the Church of Christ.
On these grounds I deprecate the consecration of a Missionary Bishop for the native Church in the Ningpo Mission, and must with- hold from the measure my official assent.
IL Let me now invite your Lordship to cousider the merits of the other scheine proposed, viz., the Consecration of a Missionary Bishop to supersede the Bishop of Victoria above a given geographical line.
1. No Colonial Bishop can be appointed in China except in Hongkong and its dependencies. Great Britain claims not a fout of ground elsewhere in China. The Bishop therefore eau only be con- secrated as a Missionary Bishop under the so-called Jerusalem Act. It would be a grievous injustice to the European Clergy, especially to those who come to China as Deacons, as has been the case with almost all the Missionaries of C. M. S. in China, to subject them to the Deacons ordain- jurisdiction of a Missionary Bishop so consecrated.
by him to the Priesthood would for over be disqualified from holding preferment or even a Curacy in England. To obviate this difficulty it was proposed to me to issue a commission to the Missionary Bishop to ordain his Europena candidates for holy orders; or, to bring them to Hongkong for ordination by myself. The remedy suggested But surely, sufficiently illustrates the grave difficulty of the case. the constant delegation of his functions on the part of one Bishop to another in order to get over a difficulty exposes the whole scheine to animadversion To send the Clergy of North China to Hongkong for ordination would most unhappily exhibit the impotency of their Bishop!
2. As in the former case the dependent and subservient position of the Bishop as a stipendiary Missionary of the C. M. S. (his stipend being in lieu of the Endowment of the See) appears equally inexpe dient and unseemly. Bishop Crowther's is altogether an exceptional Similar peculiarities should exist to justify a similar appoint- It just be remembered the Niger ment in the present instance,
case,
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Mission exhibits the happy result of a Native Bishop presiding over a Native Church, though that Bishop be a paid Missionary of the C. M. S. But, in Ningpo, it is the case of a European prosiding over a Native Church. When Ningpo can present its Chinaman as á candidate for the Episcopacy, as the Niger has its African, the question of the Ningpo Missionary Bishopric will occupy very different ground. 3. Besides, the scheme is to some extent a misappropriation of the funds of the C.M.S to other than strictly Missionary purposes. The Bishop's duties in the case before us will be colonial in reference to foreign residents at Shanghai, Hankow, Kiukiang, and elsewhere as well as at Ningpo. I cannot see the propriety of furnishing the stipend of the Bishop for the European merchants, and others, resident in the treaty ports of North China from the funds of the Church Mis- sionary Society. I believe this difficulty will be felt; and that to put the North of China under the jurisdiction of an Episcopal Mis- sionary of C.M.S. receiving his stipend from the Society, will be to sacrifice the interests of the European residents to the interests of the Missions. The former have no claim upon the services of the Mis- sionary Bishop. But both have an equal claim upon the Bishop of Victoria. And it will be an injustice to deprive either of his super- intendence without au adequate provision being secured.
4. It further appears to me to be manifestly inconsiderate in re- ference to other Church Societies (e.g.the S.P.G)--to place their Missionaries who may be sent to China under the salaried Episcopal Missionary of a particular Society.
But I think I have said enough to shew that the second scheme which I suppose has been already negatived by the Colonial Secretary is surrounded with difficulty.
III.-There is a third scherne which has not yet, I believe, receiv- ed consideration. It appears to me feasible and free from the objec tions above urged. How far it may be acceptable to the C.M.S. I cannot tell I mean the appointment of a Coadjutor Bishop. The presence of the Bishop of Victoria in England is occasionally as neces- sary as his presence in China, and in his absence the assistance of a Coadjutor might be an advantage: aud, resident as the Bishop of Victoria is in Hongkong, the presence of a Coadjutor in the North of China might be occasionally convenient. I suggest the scheme, think- ing it might prove "a door of hope." But I deprecate at present two Bishops for China, acting independently of each other. The four Mis- sions and eight European Missionaries and two Native Deacons need one head and one policy; and union under one ecclesiastical head and unity of Missionary action are at present indispensable. A Coadjutor Bishop would act under commission and under commission only, and whenever he appeared as Bishop he would appear as the representative of the Bishop of Victoria; and I deprecate the Consecration of a second Bishop for China under other conditions.
My Lord, I carnestly entreat you and the Secretaries and Com- mittee of the C.M.S. not to intrude upon this Diocese a Missionary
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