The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-29
DIR. CRAPSEY.
His Deposition Inevitable since ne Denied
o DOctrino Of the Church Universal.

Doctrine Of the Church Universal.
To THR EDITOR OF TIE SUN-Sir: The
Rev. DR.. Crapsey In requesting Bishop
Walker to "depose" him from the ministry OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church II In the United
States takes q step which rebounds very much
to his credit and should call forth the admi-
ration and hearty sympathy Of his brother
clcrgymen. whether they agree with his
theological views or not. 1t should he clearly
understood that DR.. CrApsey. according to
every principle Of straiGhtforw ward honesty.
was perfectly iusClfed in taking the position
which he did. until IL was finally decided by
a properly constituted court OF the religious
community to which he belongs thar his views
were not In accordance with the received
doctrines OF his Church.
DIR. Crapsey denied the virgin birth OF
Christ. and he assumed that the Church
would tolerate his views. and that on due In
ouiry these views might De found tensble.
There were good reasons for taking this
view. Tn the Church OF England about forty
years ago the Rev. Charles Volsey. rector Of
q church in London. was deprived Of his
benefce for denying eternal punishment.
But we have lived to see the day when the
majority OF the clergy have very greatly
modified their views on this subject. About
the same time an ecclesiastical court In South
Africa depossd Bishop Colenso because no
had written on the mistakes of Moses. Now.
after a lapse of ~forty-three years, many
cler esteemed orthodox" acknowledge
that the Anglican Church has absolutely no
formulated creed on the inspiration Of Holy
Scripture.
DR.. Crapsey was therefore justified In TAX
Ing the position that his views on the virgin
birth OF Christ. as well as upon other subjects.
may be found in accordance with the creeds
OF the Church. 1t was for the Church and not
for DR.. Crapsey to take action. By the pub
q - II. LAAI L. a. Il
and Bishop Walker was compelled to take
some action. If he had not done 30 he would
undoubtedly have been presented to the
college OF Bishops, because at consecr alton
. Bishop makes a solemn promise to be
ready with all faithful diligence to Danish
and drive away from the Church all erroneous
and strange doctrine"
The court OF review was made up OF men
OF various parties, and they nave unanimously
decided that DR.. Crapsey's views regarding
the virgin birth Of Christ are not in harmony
with the teachings Of the religious community
to which he belongs. IL will be absolutely
impossible for any intelligent man to study
the history OF the Church in any of it's branches
Anglican, Greek. Russian. Syrian, Arme-
MAN, HISTORIAN or Coptic. or the creeds of the
various Protestant sects, without discover
ing that In the midst OF great diveTsities OF
opinion the Church catholic has firmly main
tanned that according to the statement OF
st. Matthew. in the first chapter OF his Gospel.
Jesus of Nazareth was not the son of Joseph.
but was born Of a pure virgin" II the
Episcopal Church had retained DR.. Crapsey
in its service il would have been as incon-
sistent a. a Baptist congregation that retains
the services Of q minister who breaches infant
baptism.
The worst of it is that according to the
csnons OF the Protestant Episcopal Church
DIR. Crapsev will now be "deposeds from the
ministry Of his Church by precisely the same
process as a clergyman is deposed who has
sinned against the moral law.
In other words. he is degraded simply
because he is an honest man and is not afraid
to make KNOW his convictions. Conse-
quently there ia something very pathetic in
the abdication OF this good and earnest min
lister when he asks Bishop Walker to depose
him from the ministry OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church. DR.. Crapsey will not be
left stranded on the world, for there il many
a Congregational church that would gladly
welcome him as its minister. On the other
hand, the decision of the ecclesiastical
court regarding his case will undoubtedly
strengthen, and not weaken. the position OF
the Episcopal Church in America.
She 10 not an ethical society. but a Church
Of historical continuity. having definite
-reeds and definite standards Of belief. The
late Bishop Wilberforce and other Bishops
OF the Church of England were in favor OF
withholding full recognition Of the American
branch of the Anglican CHURCH because IL
had eXpunEed the Athanasian Creed from its
Book Of Common Prayer. What would have
been the outcome OF a decision to retain in
its services a clergyman who denied the his
toric belief Of the virgin birth OF Jesus Christ?
An ANGLICAN CLERGYMAN.
BROOKLYN. November 2s.