The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-28
ARGUMENT IN
CRAPSEY CASE
Famous HereSy Trial in Pro-
teStant Episcopal Church
Drawing to a Close.
CREED VERSUS SCRIPTURES
STRONG PRESENTATION FOR
THE DEFENSE.

Batavia, N. Y, April 27.-The testi-
mony in support of Rev AIgernon S.
Crapsey. charged with heresy. having
been excluded by the ecclesiastical
court which is trying him, counsel to-
day began their arguments.
Franklin D. Locke began the sum-
ming up for the prosecution by say
ing:
I'VE maintain that the apostles
creed forms part OF the faith of the
Protestant Episcopal church and
every clergyman in this church must
accept every VOW therein 1t is intol-
cradle to think that any clergyman of
this church can declare in his church
In the morning that he believes these
things and to utter his denial of them
in the evening. 1t is admitted by the
defense that DIR. CrapSey does not be-
lieve some of the statements contained
in this creed. Then this is no church
for him. He can go to the synagogue
or to some other church. We do not
challenge his belief, but we do chal-
lenge his right to I'LL his official posi-
tion in the church while he holds these
views. We say he should go. This is
the attitude of the prosecution. Dr.
Crapsey's life is and has been of the
greatest. but this only magnifies his
ofense, for such a man must hold him
self higher than others"
Argument for Defense.
After reading to the court state
ment Of DR.. Crapsey, Congressman
Perkins addressed the court for the
defense. He said in part:
1T is the church itself which is on
trial here today. We believe there is
room in this church for godIy men:
that DR.. Crapsey and Bishop Walker
can live side by side in the kingdom Of
Christ.
after reviewing in details the charges
and specifications, that the world was
created in six days, that the sun goes
around the earth, and that at the word
OF a man the sun stood still?"
The fifteenth specification against
DR.. Crapsey says that true religion is
Ito visit the fatherless and the widow
and TO keep himself unspotted from the
world" Such is the wording of the
Scripture itself
IF II is heresy to obey Gods word.
TO declare that true religion consists in
relieving the distressed and leading a
pure life. then for heresy we will be
condemned"
Later in the address, he said:
Apostles Greed Obsolete.
IF the position of counsel for the
prosecution is correct any person who
deviates in the least from any printed
words from the literal Specification Of
ally phrase III the DOCK OF common.
prayer, must be expelled from the
church.
There is not person I'm our church.
there is not one person in the court
who believes the apostles creed as it
was believed by the men who framed
it.
"A wise latitude to pious belief In
intelligent study has been an element
In our church We may hope with
reverence, that a man like Dr. Crap
rsUrT1
dom by the rule which Christ himself
laid down. 1t is for you to say
whether a man. who we may trust
would be deemed q fit person to sit in
Chrfsts kingdom in heaven, should be
cast out of ChriSt's church on earth
What fifty years ago was believed
by many to be heretical is now believed
by all the world. Our conception OF
religion becomes truer and stronger as
scientific progress shows that the AL
mighty has acted with infinite wis
DOM
Ordination Of Priests.
Mr.. Perkins laid particular stress on
certain clause Of the service for the
ordination of priests. in which the
bishop asks the applicant:
Are you determined to teach moth
ing as necessary to eternal salvation
but that which you shall be persuaded
may be concluded and proved by the
Scriptures?"
"A man is told he continued. "to
study the Scriptures for himself and To
interpret them, not according to what
he is told by others, but according to
what he is persuaded may be concluded
and proved therefrom. These words
are plain and clear; there is no mis-
taking them; but, accoring to the pre-
sentiment of the prosecution, Dr. Gran
sey must break this VOW as above set
forth"
The statement written by DR.. Gran
sey and read by Mr.. Perkins was a re-
against him. Mr.. Crapsey did not
speak in his own behalf and his writ
ten statement was listened to with the
deepest interest. In it he asserted that
he is not charged with violation of a
moral duty to his fellow men. but of
speaking words unlawfully for him to
utter as preacher The sermons on
which the charges were based, he said
were not delivered with a controver-
sial object in view.
Or. Cropsey's Statement.
Il am far from saying that the
church has no right to place any limit
I whatever upon the kind of truth which
/ should utter in my official apacity
1as your minister" said Dr. Crapsey.
Two of these limitations. he asserted
were contained in his promise at ordi-
nation that he should base his teach
fngs upon the Holy Scriptures. and
teaching nothing as to eternal saliva
ton but that which he should be per
suaded may be concluded and
approved by the Scriptures. and that
Ec should minister the doctrines OF
Christ as the Lord hath commanded
and as this church hath received the
sane"
Continued on PAGE z