THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN FIJI.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4455, 5 December 1871, Page 3

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN FIJI.

TO THE EDITOE. Sir, — The time has arrived when the Church of England in Fiji must break the silence which she has hitherto observed. Her present position and future prospects and duties demand that she should make herself heard i and known — publish her wanis, and seek foi ; the lemedy. The Church here is youn^, it is true ; but under the careful and skilful nut sing of the Key. W. Floyd, assisted by God's blessing, she has grown rapidly into health, size, and strength. Indeed she has now attained to such dimensions in the various parta of this widely-scattered group through the indefatigable labours and popularity of her minister, and the high appreciation of his administrations, that at lease three additional clergymen are required. In Considering the wants of the Church in Fiji, we must first review the circumstances which surround her — the position in which she is placed. To avoid being tedious 1 shall refer to only a few of the principal of these circumstances. First, then, Fiji has undergone during the last few months a political revolution It is now a constitutional monarchy, and is, in J reality, governed by white men. Our political institutions are thoroughly British, and are at least as free. We have now Bitting a Legislative Assembly of whites elected by whitus, under Thtkatnbau as king. Every such great political change in a State less or more affects directly or indirectly and at ouco, or directly or indirectly in the future and the tide of pnssing events, every institution in the State from the doraestio hearth upwards. The Church is affected so. And to carry out successfully her great mission for good to man, she 'mast not only adapt herself, as far as she judiciously can, to the changing condition of things, but also be eager to sei^o it as an excellent opportunity for the extension of her operations and the advancement of her standard. Herein our Church io at a dioad vantage— at least in the absence of Episcopal authority, and superintendence. Our deacons and our presbyters cannot ia any way deviate from the Liturgy, either by adding to or taking from the services otherwise than it is provided for by the rubrics. A bUhop, on the other hand, has the power of so "ordering" the affairs of his diocese as to meet alljSuch contingencies. Therefore, in order that the Church may avail herself of such opportunities, and in order that all such contingencies m*y be met as they arise, it ia absolutely necessary that we should have a Bishop. resident in Levuka, as far aa Fiji is concerned. l"o illustrate what I have juat said, i«t : me cite the following example. The King and Parliament r are now •ifcfc ng in Levuka. A. request was lately made, to the Key. Mr. Floyd to insert in the service "a prayer for the King and Parliament of this kingdom," to be read and used ia the same manner as the prayer for Queen Victoria and the British Parliament. But on what autho- * rity could Mr. Floyd comply with this request ♦ How : dare he change, add to, or takle from the service of the Church, otherwise than -he is authorised by the rubrics * Unjike a bishop,,. he has not the power of " ordering "—he, as a presbyter, is ordered. He 'had to refuse. His canonical vows left him no alternative except their violation. No man, could feet more anxious than " c does to be able or enabled to ccmply with puch a request. , Yet, rather than violate his &rdjnation'vo JwB, J w8, he is boldly prepared' to incur any amduut of disapprobation, if needs -beJ Now what impression will be left, on the. public mind by, /this, , ocotrfrerioe?" Observing* superficially, the vagfc t majority wilt naturally conclude ihat ' the {Jourch ! 'England, as- a' reltgioufcT institution, vb too stiff, too unwieldy, too tightly bound round with rubrical tape, to adapt herself to the j ever-pha'uguuc condition' of/ men 'and laatibna. It; is, JKowever; only to th> jßuperfcpjaJ observer that she can present auch an aspect]} HoiV «o ? Became aty that ia, objected and complained 'of could be remedied, and ever { if tirwwd.l prmntoj, by tb» pi-ejenet, tl|

Authority, the superintendence, of a resident Bishop. It is therefore manifest that if our Church is to go on and prosper as she has begun— is to hold the respect and affections of her children — is to extend her usefulness in Fiji, a Bishop, m\\st be appointed forthwith to be resident therein. - Again,' there is now here in Levuka a large number of persons, both y*ang <&hd 'adult, desirous of and anxiously waiting for Confirmation. The R«r. Mr. FJoyd had requested the late lamented Bishop Patteson to call at Fiji to administer that rite. The Bishop stated, in repljjr, that; he would endeavour to' comply with the invitation during some part of last month. Whether he could have done so, even had he not been murdered, is a subject of grave doubt. A Bibhop already overburdened with work, as Bishop Patteson was, can never be expected to attend to Fiji. He himself has aaid as much. But even if he had been permitted and enabled to call at Levuka, his call would not only have demonstrated the necessity that exists for a Bishop of our own, but would, also have made him the first to call the attention of the Primate and Bishops of New Zealand, it is believed, to this question so momentous to the present and future of the Church of England in this country. In pointof fact, the Church here, and the Rev. Mr. Floyd, are not under any Bishop whatever. Over the Church in Fiji, there is at present no Episcopal authority —no jurisdiction— aor has there ever been. What anomalous— what an unprecedented— position ! In the midst of this ecclesiastioal phenomenon, we look to the Primate and Bishops of New Zealand for relief. They are the nearest ecclesiastical authorities to this kingdom; and, moreover, our sympathies draw us to them. "We want a Bishop ; and to them we shall appeal to supply that want. But it may be asserted that the Church of England in Fiji is too young— too few in numbers —-too unimportant— to entitle her to the immediate appointment of a resident Bishop — that an occasional Episcopal visit would answer all the purposes of the Church in these realms. Those who are not desirous of promoting the interests and influence of the Church • here will argue after this fashion. But no discerning and zealous friend of hers could permit himself to take such a view of the subject. How very unsound this mode of reasoning is, it requires only a few seconds to show. Now let me auswer these asser tions and objections. Let me take the last one first :—" An occasional Episcopal visit would anwer all the purposes of the Church in these realms." To this there are two answers : 1. An occasional visit, at intervals necessarily brief, cannot only not be depended on, but also cannot be expected. 2. Even if an occasional visit could be depended on, the difficulties which may arise daily, owing to the inevitable changing of things in a new and peculiar country like this, could not by any possibility be met by such Episcopal visits. " The Church in Fiji is too young." This objection is very irrational. Why, her infant state is one of the strongest reasons why she should have constant Episcopal care and superintendence. And mark this : It is the invariable rule of the Chnrch in England, when planting herself in any new place, to appoint thereto a Bishop first, leaving it to him to select his own olergymen, whether one or more. Such, according to usage, should have been done in the case of Fiji. Since it was not done at first, the sooner the deviation be corrected the better. "The Church is too few in numbers 1" To this lat once demur. The Church is not too few in numbers. Look at the number even of the male- -adult maletaxpayers produced last night by the Minister of Finance ! Add to this the female non-taxpaying and non-adult population, and what will be the total ? Much larger than the white population in several places where there is located a resident Bishop. The whites alone number more than would entitle them to a Bishop. But our Church in heathen lands is not a Church for the whites only — she is also a Church for the blacks. Sheis, or ought to bo, a missionary Church in Fiji, as well as in India, Africa, or elsewhere. No country ever presented a fairer field for missionary operations. To carry on these operations— for tho Church to do her duty— a Bishop an the spotisessenlial. But suppose it were granted that her numbers are too email — is it desired to increase them ? Yes. Well, how can it better bo accomplished than by the constant and present guidance and authority of a Bishop ? " She is too unimportant to have a resident Bishop." The person who would give utterance to this sentiment is possessed of more rashness than reason. It is a censure on the Bishops in England, and on the missionary societies there, for consecrating Bishops to places where hardly a white mwi had set his foot, and where only a very few, if any, natives were converts to Christianity. Such places, and the Church to be planted, and when planted therein, have never been considered too unimportant to have the essential concomitant of a Bishop from the very commencement. But even were the assertion correct, the first step towards making the Church in Fiji important would be the consecration of a Bishop thereto. To sum up, then, I would state in brief form that a Bishop should be forthwith consecrated to the Church of England in Fiji, for the following reasons, namely :—l.: — 1. Because consfcautEpiscopal superintendence is absolutely essential to the temporal and spiritual wellbeing of the Church and her children, the conservation of her present interests, and the further extension of her sacred mission. 2. Because the Church of England in Fiji is, to the great detriment, in these respects, of the Church and her children, deprived of such Episcopal superintendence. 3. Because the Episcopal superintendence essential to the aforegaid well-being is obtainable in no other way than by the oonsecration of a Bishop thereto. 4. Because the members of the Church in Fiji, being conscious of the necessity of, are moat anxious for, the consecration aforesaid. 5. Because Fiji offers to the Church a scope unprecedented for good ; which scope must ba lost, unless a resident Bishop be appointed. It has been accordingly proposed to petition the Primate and Bishops of New Zealand to consecrate a Bishop for Fiji, and further to pray that the Eev. W. Floyd should be that Biahop. He ia the pioneer clergyman of our Church in Fiji. His task has been a most unpromising and laborious one. He has undergone countless 'privations. He has been indefatigable in hia work for the good of «ur Church and her people. His services have been of incalculable benefit to many. He, haying borne the burden in the heat of the day, can now look with joy at the unmeasured success which has crowned his efforts. His course of life, narrowly watched, has rendered him beloved by all, and vindicated the character of the sacred ministry. His experience of Fiji and Fijians is such as, in addition to his ability and piety, renders him peculiarly adapted to fill the office of Biahop in Fiji. Nowadays, especially in new countries, we like to have the useful— the tried man — one whom we know. And we entertain that opinion of the Primate and Bhhops of New Zealand that with confidence we appeal to them for help in this critical hour of our Church, and beseech them to give effect to our prayer. — I am, &c, Churchman, Lecuka, Fiji.