New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-04
LIBERAL VIEWS OF CHURCHMEN'
THE VIEWS OF MR. CRAPSEY IN HIS PAMPHLET
UPHELD

THE VIEWS OF MIR. CRAPSEI IN his fh"i NINA
UPHELD.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Cir. Tho editorial article in The Tribune OF NO
vember 20 entitled False and True ChriS''a"
Unity" saws anent the pamphlet recently pun
lfsbed nv the Rev Mr. Crapsey, entitled Tine
Disappointment Of Jesus" that VIII doupt'eSs
attract wide attention" And well IT may attract
attention because It Is timely suggestive anu S's
nidcant II this pamphlet had been put forth by d
Moderate or a Broad Churchman In all propaplLI'y
that magazine of sweetness and light "Church De-
fence" weuld put him In the plory with other
heretics like Bishop Potter and Or. Briggs bu'
the Rev Mr. Crapsey is classed as an ultra hlsh
Churchman and the body Of liberal opinion IN the
Church which is compelled to speak with hul-
fled voice. will be able to gain nearing '"'oUe'
him without being placed In ecclesiastical quaran-
tine.
The urinary contention OF liberal Churchmen is
that in an Infinite universe truth must have INFINITE
sides hence there can be no closed questions III
any branch OF human inquiry; that the Greco OF the
Church Is In continual process OF enlargement ana
elaboration: that at best 1t can be only tentative
atterpt TO define mysteries which are beyond ade-
ouate definition Councils and synods are products
OF the ecclesiastical machine, necessary In one
way tust as machine" is necessary TO every
organization: but the monstrous assumption thaI
gatherings Of ecclesiastcs whose decisions have
oftentmes been dictated by force, gained by oasest
intrigue. or been the outcome of party passion;
assemblies which have been torn by faction and
been the scenes OF violence and murder-l say, the
monstrous assumption that the majority vote OF
these councils and synods should forever close
certain questions concerning the operation OF the
infinite mind and the relations OF God to man is
something that in this age We may dismiss with
smile or n shrug, remembering, perhaps, some
such words as these spoken by Professor Huxley:
"Extingushed theologies lie about the cradle or
every science as the strangled snakes beside that
of Hercules"
But unfortunately the ecclesiastical machine"
wherever It has had the power has tried with pains
and penalties enforce ecclesiastical regularity
spain IL the most perfect specimen OF its work In
that country by sort OF natural selection all men
of original thought were eliminated from the
population and we the result In ignorance, SUI
nerstition and national decay The Church In the
modern world with all her services to civilization
has TO bear the evil heritage OF the past. The
workingmen reverence Christ and hate the Church"
This Is unfortunately true description OF the atti-
tude OF multtudes of every class in France and
The mental attitude evnced by Mr. Crapseys
pamphlet is a hopeful sign 10 those who wish TO
see Christianity defined In terms or service rather
than In terms OF ancient metaphysical controver-
sizes A hopeful sign for those who believe that the
church as the conserver OF the highest ideals and
the noblest aspirations and Christian ministers who
are the separated teachers of One Who Is the
image of the invisible God the first born OF every
creature" have a mighty and glorious work TO DO
staining the East JOHN T. ROSE
Cazenovia n Y. Nov g. 1899