The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-04-27

DEFENSE
Judge Stiness Of Church
Court Defines Case,
TESTIMONY RULED OUT.
RcctOrs TO Determine Whether
Statements Amount To a
Violation Of Doctrines.

flOIdllON VI OOCtIllSN.
BATAVIA, y. Y. April y. The
trial Of Rev. Algernon 5. Crapsey Of
Rochester before an ecclesiastical
court Of live rectors of Protestant Epls.
copal churches is nearing its close.
DR. Crapsey stands charged with
heresy and a violation of his ordina-
ton VOWS, the evidence against him be
ing book OF sermons printed over his
name and the Book Of Common Prayer
OF the Episcopal church.
The prosecution abruptly ended its
case, and the defense endeayOred ia
present the testimony Of number OF
prominent clergymen as TO whether OF
not DR. Crapsey's sayings constituted
heresy, hut the court ruled the tcsti'
m0ny ont on the ground that no man
could qualify as an expert in doctrine
and on the further ground that the
witnesses We're called to express 0pin-
ions on subjects which were before
the court for decision The lawyers
for the prosecution aud defense will
sum up today.
The widespread interest which is at
tracted TO the trial was attested by
the greatly increased attendance
The most interesting incident was
an exchange between Judge Stiffness
for the prosecution, aud Edward VI
Shepard, for the defense This fol
lowed the placing on the stand of the
Rev. Joseph Alexander Leighton, chap
lain and professor Of philosophy in
Hobart college, the first witness called
hy the defense. After DR.. Leighton
had read the full text of the present
ment against Or. Crspsey. Mr. Perkins
said to him:
I'm your opinion, is there anything
contained in the specifications which
is contrary to the doctrines Of Christ
as the Lord had commanded aud as
this church had received the same|
Il object" emphatically announced
Mr. 0'Brlan Of the prosecution. u dc
not understand that the witness is i'm
personating the doctrine OF the Prot
estant Episcopal church. He has nc
more right to characterize and inter
pref the doctrine OF this church than 8
man never heard of, because the
church Is an organization, with its con
Stitution and bylaws. The churcl
speaks as a church. This is a question
Of law and not Of fact. Such testl
mony as this is manifest absurdity."
1T is charged" replied Mr. Perkins
that DR. CrapScy has violated his
VOWS as a clergyman in that he has
advanced statements contrary to tn,
doctrines of Christ. What is this
church If the argument of the prose
cution is correct Who Is the churcl
but the lsity and the clergy? We are
the church Suppose somebody, as IN!
friend says, held TO some doctrine con
lrary to his Interpretation and th,
whole church was this man. He woulC
have the whole church hereto excep
the standing committee.
This is an important question" Mr.
/ Perkins continued 1T goes to the es
sence OF the whole matter We wan
| to show what people think. not neces
sarlly what is right and wrong"
At this point Judge Stiffness, former
chief justice of the supreme court o.
( Rhode Island, spoke for the first time
My associate" he said, has request
ed me to define this case to the court
I | do. This court has to determine tw,
things first, whether DR.. Crapse!
made the statements cited in the pre-
sentiment. There is no proof neces
sary, because this is admitted by thu
defense. Second whether these state
ments amount TO violation of the doc
/ trines of Christ 1t is not question
whether that doctrine is true Tn,
I great question is, Are these things sale
+ by DR. Crapsey in accordance with tn,
4 doctrines of the church,
Il assure my friend" said Mr.. Per
kins in reply, that he has not lost tn,
art of the advocate"
Rev. Mr.. Alexander testified that h
sat in his place at the chance and tool
notes of what DIR. Crapsey said. Thi
is what he heard:
Jesus was born Of parents belong
I ing to the middle class. He was borl
of simple father aud mother. IL
was the son of carpenter. The fac
that the early Christians predicted
miraculous birth of Christ is to be re
garded as one of the greatest msfol
tunes that has ever befallen mankind
Had you heard him preach on sim
lar questions before?' asked Mr.. Pei
knS.
Eyes. | heard him lecture for lively
consecutive Sundays, and 1t was mos
painful TO hear
Lawyer Perkins tried TO draw an nd
mission from the witness that he go
evidence against DR.. Crapsey so h
could get the rector dismissed and Sc
cure his place. Mr. Alexander dodge
the point
owe Have Right TO Assist"
BERLIN, April 2T.-At a meeting q
the Berlin city council last night Pres
dent Langerbans referred feelingly
the disasters at San Francisco and !
the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius. ii