The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15
DR., CRAPSBY'S TRIAL TUESDAY
aCHURCH COURT ABOUT TO HEAR
THE HERESY CHARGE.

ROCHESTER, April 15.-Unless some Of
the members Of the ecclesiastical court are
cballen sed, the trial of the Rev. DR.. Alger-
non Sidney Crapsey for heresy will begin
rext Tuesday in st. James's Church. Ba-
tayia. DR.. Crapsey and his counsel have
bAep DESTROYS Of securin 6 a postponement of
Inc trial for a month or two, but 1t Ia not
hele we'd that it will be granted.
Or. Crapsey awaited himself of the privi-
lepe Afforded by the canons Of the Church
n ehallen 70 two membera Of the court
elected at the diocesan council last sum
mer. Directing to the Rev. DR.. Charles w.
HAYES and the Rev. C. Morton Stills, both
NJ Geneva. 1t is supposed that they we're
objected to by DR.. Crapsey because OF their
svowed rigid orthodoxy.
bishop Walker, in whom rests the cole
royer Of filing the vacancies, designated
The Rev. Nathan w. Santon Of Buffalo ard
the Rev. G. Sherman Burrowa OF North
~Topawanda to serve in their places. DR..
Crapsey has the right to challenge only one
NJ the new members, and neither he nor
hhs counsel has yet announced whether
that right will be exercised.
In any event, q chalieng &c would not oc-
casion more than a few days delay, as
Bishop Walker, having shown a desire to
dispose Of the matter as rapidly as pos
able, would appoint another member of the
court at once. Bishop Walker has desig-
mated Judge 8. E. North Of Batavia as e gal
adviser Of the eccle ~siastical court. and the
standing committee Of the diocese, which
made the presentment against DR.. Crapsey,
has retained John Lord 0'Brian Of Buffalo
as prosecutor. DIR. Crapsey will be repre-
sented by Con gre ssman James Brock Per-
kins of Rochester and Edward NJ. Shepard Of
New York as counsel.
DR.. Crapsey has continued to carry on
his work in st. Andrews Church regardless
OF the storm that has been stirred up be-
cause Of the coming trial. He has steadily
refused 10 enter into a discussion of the
case since the charges were fled by the
standing committee, but has continued to
preach and to minister to his parishioners,
by whom he Is heartily supported in his
present trouble.
Notwithstanding the apparently sensa-
tional nature OF DR.. Crapsey's ~utterahces,
It has never been charged that he is a man
who seeks notoriety. On the contrary he
has always been considered unobtrusive,
reserved, quiet and dignifed.
He is a diligent student and the range Of
his knowledge long ago caused him to he
regarded as one 81 the most scholarly men
In the Episcopal Church.
DR.. Crapasy left hone ut the age Of II
and worked in the check room In a dry goods
store for two years. For the next eighteen
months no was employed in a hardware
store.
the age Of IS he enlisted in Company
B Of the Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry and in isss found himself with
tho rear guard Of Gen. Rosecrans's army
guarding the lines Of Kentucky. His con-
shtuton waa not strong enough 10 stand
the rgors Of army life, and after several
months service no became 90 Iii that he
was invanded home.
For Q while after recovering his health
no worked In a printing establishment
Then he conducted q country store among
the salt works OF western Virginia, which
DO gave up to accept q temporary appoint
ment In the dead letter Office at Washing
ton. After that he again entered the print
ina business, working for eighteen months
In tho employ Of Sackstt 4 Mckay, at the
corner OF Pine aud William streets. New
York.
Il was while employed here that no de-
dded to enter the clerical profession, q
daqialon that was doubtless influenced by
family associations. His father, Jacob
Tompdns Crapsey, was q lawyer In Gin
onnad for fifty years: his paternal grand
father was q Baptist minister.
His maternal grandfather was Thomas
Morris, Q founder OF the State OF Ohio,
and a United States Senator who wal an
early and a leading Abolitionist. He oon-
tested the Vice. Presidency on the j. G.
Birnsy ticket, and in the Senate protested
against slavery and foretold It's extinction.
1t was while debating with Henry Clay
in 1882 that he made the assertion; The
negro will be free"
DR.. Craplsy was 20 when he entered
upon a special course at Stephens College,
Annadale, n. Y, which was supplemented
with a three years course at the New York
Theological Seminary. After being or
dained deacon he was assigned 10 work
doing duty at St, Paul's Chapel,
The following year, 1873, he was ordained
q priest. In 1874 be was made assistant
minister on the permanent stat OF Trinity
Church, his duty being confined to st.
Pau's His work was In the old Five
Points district.
After six years service there he was
barely 90 when he resigned to accept the
rectonhip Of the newly organized St.
Andrews parish, Rochester. The church
TO which he came was but a mission chapel
In one Of the worst localities In the city.
There were about twenty families In the
parish, with not moro than thirty or forty
communicates To-day that parish has
about $50 families, 600 communicate and
1000 members.
Finding an inadequate system Of public
schools In Rochester and an almost entire
ignorance Of kindergarten work, DR..
cepsey and Mrs. Crapsey started q manual
trimming school for boys and girls and a
large normal school for kindergarten
teachers. These they conducted fifteen
yean, or until the work was taken up by
The public SCHOOL board.
The rector became deeply immersed in
every feature OF work he could devise for
!ns benefit Of his working parishioners.
dc built q parish house for their club. As
soon as his church had a sufficient number
OF male members he founded a mutual
benefit association. After an existence Of
t,1ntU IA -. L.. ONn ,.or,InSs onI