The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-16
COURT DETERMINED TO CONVICT.
Edward NJ. Shepard Declares the Verdict
Against DR.. Crapsey Carries No Weight.

Edward NJ. shepard Declares the Verdict
Against DR.. Crapsey Carries No Weight.
Edward NJ. Shepard, counsel for DR..
Crapsey, gave out a statement yesterday
afternoon in which he declared that the
Courts verdict carries no weight and that
those who sat in judgment on DR.. Crapsey
were determined to convict him. no matter
what evidence might be submitted. Mr..
Shepard said:
have neither disposition nor reason to
question the well meaning sincerity OF the
majority OF the court. But nevertheless. ]
Am clear that their judgment carries no moral
weight whatever. Those gentlemen seemed
from the beginning to consider themselves
mere representatives OF the prosecuting
authorities. Every member OF the court was
named by the prosecuting authorities-the
Bishop or the standing committee. Even
when DR.. Crapsey challenged two members
OF the court, the prosecution named their
successors. The original members Of the
court were chosen from a list of ten men. all
named by the standing committee. When
the court, which had thus been. in effect II
not In intention. packed. refused the very
reasonable request OF the defence Tor an
adjournment OF three weeks In order that the
Diocesan Convention. then to meet. should
have the opportunity Of appointing a dis
llltT tSItt Coull \, VIA 10 W soy OiO W NA'AA~
by the prosecution. l considered DR.. Crap
sey's cause as practically foreclosed, and that
the majority, having determined to convict.
considered the trial entirely as a burdensome
formality.
Although the csnons provided for a pro-
cedure according to the principles Of the
common law. not only those principles but the
commonest rules OF fair play were violated.
Had 1t not been for the fortunate interven-
ton OF the very competent lawyer. Judge
North, who was called in as assessor. the
majority Of the court would have persisted
in the programme upon which they started
QUITO make Of the hearing a mere for
mality conducted in a small room and
| with utterly inadequate opportunity for
defence. The odium theolo0icum was pain
fully apparent. The defence undoubtedly
did a large amount of work during the
poor delay OF a week which was allowed
in preparing their case. 1t was an over
whelming one, although 1t would have been
greatly strengthened had fit time been allowed.
When the prosecution conceded, as 1t had to
| concede, that the form of the Apostles Greed
had been altered by the American Church
more than once. when 1t conceded, as 1t e&-
| pliCitly did of necessity, that a number OF its
articles were interpreted by pious and in
disputably orthodox churchmen in different
ways and are now interpreted by the whole
| Church in an entirely different way from the
way such articles were interpreted until
within the last century. the right Of DR..
| Crapsey to ascribe a spiritual verify to the
divine conception Of Our Lord. and a spiritual
| verify to His resurrection-that is to say. to
do precisely what st. Paul and the other
Apostles did-was not open to reasonable
dispute.
When the prosecution conceded the radical
| change made in the ordination vow. when
the English or Protestant Episcopal Church
.~1ortad fran, thu Church of POu,a md
that In the Episcopal Church a clergyman
was bound to preach only what he was per-
! uaded was taught by Holy Scriptures, 1t con-
ceded DR.. Crapsey's duty to do precisely
what he has done, with courageous and high
minded honesty and explicltness. The
| Church Of Rome has in many ways a strong
case for its doctrine Of authoritative inter-
probation by the head Of the whole Church,
Such a doctrine IL far more tolerable than
that now promulgated in DR.. Crapsey's case.
that the court of a single diocese of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Church can there limit the
comprehensive and sacred liberty which Is
freely enjoyed In other and far more inn
portant dioceses.
The trial has been Of infinite value to the
Church in showing that a large part of the
Church believes that its comprehensive
I liberty as a true catholic Church does not
require that DR.. Crapsey's sacred labors and
self-sacrifce should be driven out of the pale
of the Church. ] have confidence that the
pious and s~tatesmanlike men In the general
control Of the Protestant Episcopal Church
will not fall short Of the farseeinE wisdom
with which. In these respects. the Church of
England has been administered If they shall
take the narrow, sectarian view of the work
of the Church which the majority OF this
court has taken. then. Of course, the future of
! the Protestant Episcopal Church is merely
the future OF a sing Christian sect in our
country, and far from the most important
one.
As to an appeal. / cannot Of course. speak
until after conference with DR.. Crapsey and
MIR, Perkins. II an appeal were taken, 1t
would go TO the Court OF Review for the juris-
diction, which includes all Of the New York
and New Jersey dioceses. The court would
have the right to hear the appeal upon any
OF the questions which were raised, whether