The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-11-26
Refuses to Make Cow
ardly RetrdCtiOn" and
Ministry Terminates.
AGAIN STATES HIS
PECULIAR VIEWS
Believes Jesus of Nazareth Born
of Human Father, Taking Ex-
ception to Meaning of Greed,
Which Says Conceived
by the Holy
Ghost.

ROCHESTER n. Y, November e6.-S
Bowing to the will Of the church. bur
refusing TO make "cowardly retraction'
OF the belief which Induced the church
to terminate his ministry. the Rev AlEer-
non s. Crapsey, rector OF St. Andrews
Church, Of Rochester. y. Y. to-day re-
nounced his ministry in the Protestant
Episcopal Church in letter 20 Bishop
William David Walker. OF the Western
Diocese of New York In this letter the
Rev. Mr.. Crapsey reafirmed his belief
that the notion OF the origin OF Jesus
that son of man was born without 3
human father is without confirmation N
history"
He also asserted that when I say Of
Jesus that He ascended into heaven I do
not mean and cannot mean that with His
physical body OF flesh. blood and bones.
He floated into space and has FOR two
thousand years been existing somewhere
IN the sky. I'm that very physical body OF
flesh. blood and bones. Such an existenca
would seem to me not glorious but hor-
rible."
Declaring that he is about to carry tho
case 70 the free intelligence and eniiRht-
ened conscience OF the world he coun-
sells "the hundreds OF clergy and thou-
sand Of iaymen in the Protestant Epis-
copal Church who have reached the same
conclusion as he has. not to be dis
mayed. and to stay where they are
Appeal to the People.
Il appeal" he said. from those ia
places Of authority IN the church Itself
70 the great body OF people" He as
serted that he does not blame his tudges
and though he bows 70 their will ana
feels that It is final for him. he saws:
] am equally certain that Il Is not final
for rho church. When the great tribtinal
OF free fhonuhf hag
tenuon. the men to administer the church
on earth will conform TO this decision
Having let 30 OF the temporary and
unstable Interpretations OF the creed 90
he declares that he holds more firmly 20
the gospel In his letter. Rev. Mr Crap
sey says:
Under existing conditions ! deem il
my duty to make a formal and final
demonstration 10 the ministry OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church. and in con-
sequence ask that you will. for reasons
as to time already given. not earlier than
the Sd. not later than the 6th OF Decem-
Der. take order under canon 81 OF the
general canons Of the church TO accom-
plish my deposition from the priesthood.
i am certain that YOU will be glad to
acknowledge that am not compelled to
this action by anything that reflects
upon my moral integrity or calls in ques-
ton my faithfulness as a pastor.
My sole difficulty lies in the fact that
n long, careful. conscientious study OF the
Holy Scriptures has compelled me 70 come
to certain conclusions concerning the pre-
natal history or Jesus, which are not
In physical accord with the letter OF
the creeds. and hence have compelled
me in order to hold the creeds to give
to certain articles an Interpretation that
Will harmonize them with the truth az
I fnd the teaching IN The Holy Scrip
lures.
Spiritual INTERPRETATION
But recent judicial decisions have de-
clared that any such harmonizinS Of the
creed with my own convictions OF tha
trutE Is not permissible in the Protestant
Episcopal Church.
In my own case recognize the right ~
the constituted authorities OF the churr1
TO define the limits OF Interpretation. and
In order 70 hold fast to the truth nnust
let g. Of the creed as now interpreted bv
the courts am not now and never have
been conscious Of any insircerity in Civ
ing such Interpretation 10 the various -
ticles Of creed as are demanded by present
conditions Of thought and the present
state OF knowledge. any more than I avn
conscious OF insincerfty when 7 say tha
sun rises and sets. though as a matter OF
fact the sun does nothing OF the kind
II / am 20 hold the creed at all 7 murt
give TO certain. II not all OF its articles
q spiritual rather than literally physical
Interpretation.
when say OF Jesus that He ascendad
into heaven. / DO not mean. and cannot
mean. that with His physical body or
flesh. blood and bones. He hoated into
space and has for two thousand years
been existing. somewhere in the slrv in
that very physical body Of flesh. blood
and bones Such an existence wou'd
seem to me not glorious. but horrible
and such a conception is TO me not only
unbelievable: it Is unthinkable What
do mean by this phrase is that Jesus
having accomplished His work In the
flesh. ascended into the higher life of ths
spirit.
Chief Contention.
Also when l say OF Jesus that He wa.
conceived by the Holy Ghost. born os the
Virgin Mary, do not mean that tas
great and living God. In order 10 set
into HIS World. had 70 violate His won
derful law Of human generation. break
into sanctitics Of marriage and cause a
son Of man to be born without human
father.
such a notion Is most repugnant to nv
ideal OF wise and holy God. Wa
not. therefore. alarmed I was relieved
when careful study OF The Holy Scrip-
lures convinced me that this notion of
the origin OF Jesus was without fourda-
tion IN history Jesus was not lessered
in my worship. He was ennobled BY fhis
discovery. When I reached the concig-
sion, as l did some years ago that ths
infancy stories were not historical 7 sfd
not cease to believe IN Jesus I believed
I'm Him all the more. and / gave % tha
words conceived BY the Holy Ghost. born
or the Nirgin Mary an Interpretation that
harmonized with my knowledge of The
facts. lie was child Of the holy seed.