LtTXURIAKT GROWTH OV TITLES. 01 



self," — and styles himself "His Excellencyl" The more we 

 study the royal institutions of the Bahamas, the more satisfied 

 we become that our boasted re2)nblic is a failure, popular gov- 

 ernments a mistake, and that it is about time to give some of 

 our most skillful artists a liberal order for crowns, scepters, 

 thrones, and all the gilded trappings necessary to set u]) one of 

 those lofty imperial governments wliich are "ordained of God." 

 Perhaps it mav be well to start one first upon the " Thimble 

 Islands,*"^ that our people may see with their own eyes how beauti- 

 fully tho thing works. 



In a newspaper which is issued there semi-weekly, entitled 

 "The Nassau Guardian,-'' &c., we find under date of February 

 24th, 1879, a letter of welcome to the newly elected Bishop of 

 the diocese from the rector, Avardens and vestry of a church up- 

 on Harbour Island (one of the Bahamas) upon his first visit to 

 that island, and the bishop's reply. The correspondence has no 

 particular interest to the outside world except as it shows how 

 great, windy titles thrive wlien transplanted upon these wonder- 

 fully productive calcareous rocks. The Harbour Island church 

 officials addressed tliis successor of poor and humble apostles as 

 follows: 



"Tlie Right Reverend Dr. Francis A. Cranmer-Roberts, Lord Risliop of 

 Nassau, Reverend Father in God." 



The Bisho}) in his reply concluded as follows; 



"Believe me to remain, 



"Your affectionate Father in God, 



" Fhanois-Na.ssatt." 



Kow if these little rocky isles of the ocean can sport " Fathers 

 in God," "Lord Bishops," and other high ecclesiastical digni- 



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