Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-29
Dr. Crapsey Retains Men,
] beIshjp, in. the Church.
Says Bishop Has Asserted He
Is in Good Standing.
Had .Honed ! ToTDie in Service! in
Which Heslived SO Long. XII


'rapScy. who has just resigned as rec
Tor Of the ST. Andrews Episcopal
| church, today issued an address to hi,
people III the course of which he says:
Il have this day rendered to the war
Gems ami vcstrymen of our parish my
resignation as rector of st. Andrews
| church This action, bringing to an end
as Ii does the relationship of pastor
ana people which has existed between
us Tor nearly rs years. was not NolGn-
l;iiE on my part, nor was 1t brought
about by my desire in the hearts of our
VcSiry or yourselves. | have been com
PEELED to take this step by the fact
that our ecclesiastical SuperiOrs have il,
effect dismissed me from my office.
They do not consider that 1 any longer
| nave tie ability to rightly divide the
word of truth nor the wisdom to IN
lruct you in the way of salvation. And
l am sorry to say that our ccclesiasti-
cal SupcriOrS have as little confidence
in your intelligence as in mine; they do
not think that you have the capacity
to separate the wheat from the chaff in
my preaching. nor are you, IN the estl-
lpatlon of these great men able TO
search the Scriptures and determine for
yourselves whether what / say is true
or not. Whether this reelection of our
supcriors upon my intelligence and up
on your. is well founded is no for me
t" say; | only know that it is effectual
in bringing upon me the greatest sor-
row of my life. Having lived so long in
your service | had hoped to die in that
service. If God so pleased it was my
wish to grow old in your midst and
from being your brother to become
your father, and when the time was
come for me to go to that rest that
rcmaneth' l trusted my last act would
be to breath upon you the blessing of
peace and your last act for me would
be for to carry me to that rest. But
this is not to be. Instead OF being sep
a~atcd Ey the gracious natural act of
Cod. we are forced to part by what we
believe to be the mistaken Judgment OF
men.
Fer more than q quarter Of a cen
tI,ry | have stood in this pulpit and
have never spoken against my inward
conviction nor have | held back. for
prud. ntial reasons, things which l con-
sidered it my duty to say. And it is for
speaking as + still think what is true
and timely. am to be deprived Of the
right of speaking in this pulpit at all.
1t Is NOT that l can no longer preach
i'll this pulpit or pray before this altar
that gricvcS my heart, but that | can
20 longer go in and out among you as
your pastor. bringing to you that COM
fort wherewith | myself have been
Comfcrted Of God. Because l am COM
pclls,! to leave the passionate of st. An
dr"w's must YOU also forsakc its mem
ncrship? 90 not believe it. While it is
my duty to go forth not knowing
whittier l 70 il is your duty to abide
in your place. And even If you hold. as
many of YOU do. the same conception of
trlth. for which | am condemned ana
dismissed, your right to remain in tn"
church is unagsailablc. You have not
simply my word for this. but of the
bishop of the diocese. He has SAID that
even am still member in good stand
ing in tn, Protestant Episcopal church
and neither he nor any other blShor
WGuld dare cXcOmmuniCatc me. Now
that such Il situation is anomalous not
to say absurd. is apparent. The la'"ty
may h. licVe that the clergy are per
n:itttd to either believe or teach. The
inevitable consequence of this situation
is that TIC teaching office Will pass from
the lc,Cy to the Iaity and that the lal-
tv come 10 teach and believe the clcr-
Nv viii have to receive. for the clergy
are dependent upon the laity. not tn"
laity upon the clergy.
"And, now dearly beloved. more dear
" beloved than ever. good night and
roodivc. our outward formal relation
o. pastnr and people which is i'll the
booming rr man. ceases to be Our in
ward spiritual relations OF mutual al
fcction which is in the keeping oi Cod
will endure forever"