New-York tribune., 1906-12-03
CHRTSTI4NITYS ESSENCE.
FoIIo1ang Christ's Teachings. Not
WOrshp of Hin. Says DR.. Grant.

In view Of the recent conviction of the Rsv. Dr.
A : Crapsey. of Rochester. for heresv bv an
ecclesiastical court Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, the parishoners Of the Rev Percy Stick
ney Grant. of the Episcopal Church OF the Ascen-
sion, were deeply interested when in his sermon
last night he declared that Christianity was not
worship of Christ He said it was turning upside
how He vas born. how He died and what His re
taught and make them secondary To the instructor
through which they came was placing the cart be-
fore the horse Mr.. Grant said.
Mr.. Grant said he had chosen his subject. What
Was often Urged that the essentials are Doctrines
that must believe before he can preach that
chrs5ianltS Chr ii lie conti6ued ~ say lie 0ssVeS /"
The more the question is asked What are the
s@eT SSs'te seems 8, as aat of BELIEF 'E Saw l' & 2n
acutely that the times through which We are pass
ing are times Of transition INTO something richer
and more beautiful do not believe that de
G6af we of cm lf and DEBATE q is tR arey %
preface for clearer appreciation Of religion
the person of Christ. There are Volumes and
reverence ard deterence TO the religious faith of
generations beg to say tb that when we do this we
tTed 70 tea2n it ~ IaaKeS max US ASK suCa questions as
] f%W was va L1 JI[je oo[n Tnarf e7 We heep IN the
impossible TO answer I say to have no opinion one
There is no such thing a Suspension of Judgment
We are now, with this turning upside down OF
was born how re died. what His return viii be
and what MS personal identity IS as compared
+ is very serious thing Of course TO differ with
those who believe these are the essentials Of Chris
Ganl but peg to az absolutely & dffer fi from them
They are se Pfe} en s f owen na WG 9 @ n9t a 6pd
derstand Him. To succeeding generations He was
son sonaty Pc How can we expect then to undsrzssnd
these problems in the light of reason. and one
mans thought is good as that Of another
The personality OF Christ has been analysed IN
order 10 find q viCarious value. Then these think
ers or mystiers. on the subject having anaIvzad
T1lliT 1DI
placed Him in the seat of God;
beg leave to believe that Christianity is not the
worship Christ. and that If He We're here in my
place He would say the same Do we realize what
we have done? We have taken all the great spir-
itual truths which He illustrated and made them
sarandarv 10 the instrument through which thev
IIati1g the cart before the horse. The trouble is
~, Tra have forgotten the teachings in tha
teacher The world is pretending 70 he IN love with
christ and is forgetting the sublime truth lie
tangbt II is love. II you can't act as II you had
that feeling toward those you Meet all else is for
naught.
In connection with the sermon Of the Rev Mr.
Grant the parishloners of the church read with
interest paragraph in the first issue OF The
parish News" which has just been established in
the interests OF the Church OF the Ascension rr
read:
In these DAYS when so much is said about reIg
IONS doubt and so much unknd criticism is given
70 IT, we believe our readers VIII be Interested
Of the book Natural Law in the spirttqa! World
end the little tract The Greatest Thing in the
World has TO say on the suoJect.
r,hsr followed several extracts from the book
among tner''
Heresy is truth in the making and doubt is the
pshsr never failed to distinguish between doubt
and iinbeef. Doubt is can't believe unheief is
wqR wThs G5urch says Prospecting the hereucJ Brand
him Christ says, Teach him.