Herbert Sowerby Takes A Stand

At this point, Herbert Sowerby made his ill-advised decision  to enter the debate, communicating his own views, initially to the editor of the North-China Daily News. Herbert had the following to say regarding the suitability of William Jones Boone for the Bishopric of Shanghai.

Bishop Schereschewsky at prayer: It was his resignation that precipitated the crisis in the ranks of the Protestant Episcopal Mission. 

News was received by to-day's U.S. mail officially confirming a telegram received some weeks since that the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. had elected, subject to, the usual, confirmation by the several Dioceses, the Rev. Wm. J. Boone, M.A., as Missionary Bishop of Shanghai in succession to Bishop Schereschewsky lately resigned. 

The following facts maybe of local interest. Mr. Boone is the second son of the late Bishop Boone, the first Missionary Bishop of the Anglican Church, and who was consecrated so long ago as 1844, since which time many missionary bishops have been sent forth from England and the United States. Bishop Boone was one of the earliest settlers in Shanghai, and with others lived in the Chinese city before any house of the present settlement was built there. Mr. Boone was born in 1846; he was educated in the United States, graduated at Princeton College in 1865, and after the usual theological studies was ordained Deacon in the United States. Soon afterwards he was appointed missionary to China in 1869, and was ordered Priest in St. John's Church, Hankow, by Bishop Williams (now of Tokio) in 1870. He was stationed at Wuchang for some eight years, and then in 1879 was removed to St. John's College and appointed by the Bishop as Dean of the Theological Department, where he has been steadily working for the past five years. 

Whereas certain absurd reports are believed to be current as to ritualism at St. John's College, it may be well to add that Mr. Boone's election is not only satisfactory to the members of the mission, but is also thus spoken of in the leading Church paper:--"The Rev. Wm. J. Boone, Missionary Bishop elect of Shanghai, is a worthy son of his predecessor in the same office. He is a prudent and trustworthy man, and has the confidence of the friends of foreign missions. The House of Bishops may well be congratulated on electing to the office one who is already familiar with the work."

Yours truly,

A MEMBER OF THE MISSION. 

(Rev. H. Sowerby.)

This seems on the surface to be a fairly innocuous contribution, but it was to provoke some explosive responses, as we move into the month of June in 1884, not least because it seems that Herbert Sowerby initially chose to conceal his identity as the author of the missive. 

This would explain the initial response of a Mr F. McKeige that:

I regret very much that "A Member of the Mission" should have written that "Mr. Boone's election is not only satisfactory to the members of the mission "--without first consulting its members. He would then have had authority to write as he did, if all were in accord.

And this was merely the opening salvo.