The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-26
DR.. CRAPSEY LEAVES CHURCH.
CANNOT RETAIN PRIESTHOOD
AND PREACH TRUTH.
h Rochester Clergyman Suspended for
Hcresy Declares HIS Present Creed
and Defends HIS Views Of the Birth
" Jesus Future Plans Not Made.

Of Jesus Future Plans Not Made.
The Rev. Algernon Sidney Crapsey OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church, who was
adjudged guilty Of heresy by a court Of the
Western Diocese OF thisS State. sent a letter
yesterday to Bishop w. David Walker OF
that diocese resigning from he priesthood.
The letter was sent out from the rectory OF
DR.. Crapsey has been for the last twenty
six years. Bishop Walker is asked to ac-
complish the deposition from the ministry
not later than D~ecenber0 O.
There is a parallel between the cases Of
DR.. Crapsey and OF Algernon Sidney, the
English revolutionary statesman for whom
the minister is named. For tractates
against the monarchicsl system in the time
Of Charles II, Algcrnon Sidney was brought
to trial November 81, 1888, and executed
December I of that year. On December 2
DR.. Crapsey will be free from the bonds OF
the Church he deems intolerant. His ap-
peal was denied on November Fl. The letter
to Bishop Walker starts off by saying.
Under existing conditions | deem it my
duty to make a formal and final ~renuncia-
ton Of the ministry of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church, and in consequence | ask thar
you will. for reasons as to time already
given, not earlier than the Sd, not later
than the 6th of December, take order
under canon 81 OF the general canons OF
The Church to accomplish my deposition
from the priesthood"
nn Tronoatv fnllnura chat Iy IarIar,nn
that apparently the time is not a. hand
when a mar may teach what he finds to be
the truth if he cannot harmonize it with the
creed, He says that it is a choice between
his own Interpretation of the truth and the
creed. and that he must yield the latter.
He goes OF
am certain that you will be glad to sc-
knowledge that 7 am not compelled TO this
action by anything that reflects upon my
moral integrity or calls in question NV faith
fulness as a pastor. NV sole difficulty lies
In the fact thar a long. careful, oonscien-
tious study of he Holy Scriptures has COM
PEELED me 10 come to certain conclusions COM
corning The prenatal history OF Jesus which
are not in physical accord with fhe letter OF
thc Creeds and hence have compelled me
in order to hold the creeds to give to certain
articles an Interpretation that wild harmonic
them with the truth as | find that truth in
the teaching Of the Holy Scriptures.
But recent judicial decisions have declared
that any such harmOnizinG OF the creed
with my own convictions OF the truth is not
permissible in the Protestant Episcopal
Church. In my own case I recognize the right
of the constituted authorities Of the Church
90 define the limits of inter probation aud IN
order to hold fast to the truth must let 40 o.
the creed rs now Interpreted BY the courts.
The retiring minister declares that he il
-. -. - g-!--
PibIe statements in the Ugh. OF modern
science amy more than | am conscious Of
insincerity when I say the sun rises and
sets, though, as a matter of fact. the sun
does nothing o. the kind"
Then follows one of the very points which
caused so much discussion when DR.. Crapsey
put II forth first OF all:
When say Of Jesus that He assembled
into heaven ! do not mean and cannot mean
that with His physical body of flesh. blood
and bones He foated into space aud has
for 1000 years been existing somewhere
in the sky. in that very physical body NJ
flesh. blood and bones. Such an existence
would seem to me not glorious but horrible.
and such a conception * to me not only un-
believable, it il unthinkable. What I do
mean by this phrase is that Jesus. having
accomplished His work in the flesh, assembled
into the higher life Of the spirit. Also when
say OF Jesus that He was conceived
by the Holy Ghost, born OF the Virgin Mary.
| do NOT mean that the grea' and living God
in order to get into His world had TO violate
His wonderful law nj human generation. break
into the sanCtit'es Of marriage and cause
a son OF man to be- horn without a human
father. Such a notion is most repugnant
to my ideal OF a wise and holy God.
DR.. Crapsey then says that he was -
lieved to find on closer examination of the
Scr Dtures that this story % he orig n was
without foundation n history. He adds;
When / reached the conclusion. a. I d,i
some years ago. that the infancy stories
were not historical, ! did not cease to believe
in JaSus. believed In Him all the more.
md gave to the words conceive ed by tho
HOLY Ghost. born Of the Virgin Mary an
INTERPRETATION that harmOnized with my
knowledge Of the facts. He was a child ~
the holy seel. sanctiheI from His mother's
womb. 4 Son of God all the more. in my
estimation. because He was the son Of man.
Then follows he text of the who e state
ment of withdrawal:
Now this conception Of Jesus based upon q
careful study Of Holy Scriptures is OF the
very warp and wool Of my Intellectual and
spiritual life, and II is not probable that II
will ever change. | will carry IL with me
into that spiritual world where l shall see
Jesus face to face. But I am told by judicial
decision that this conception is not permissible
in the mind of a minister of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. l bow to that decision.
! cannot change my mind-I therefore leave
the Church. I do not blame my Judges;
they acted according to their liRht-let not
them blame me II | follow my light, which
is tightening me to the everlasting day. But
whether they blame or not. / cannot do other
than dol NUT obey God rather than men.
DR.. Crapsey follows with an intimation
tina the Church need not believe that be-
cause he has been deaf with all is over
in the discussion Of the problem. He de-
cIares that there are many oder men in
the Church puzzled as he was and makes
this appeal:
Hundreds OF clergymen and thousands Of
l1ymen in the Protestant Episcopal Church
have reached the same conclusion that i have:
ani. sir. l beg TO say to them In this letter to
YOU. that their position in the Church lis just
az tenable as II ever was. This Judgment
Affects no person except myself. Let no one
be dismayed. Let every man stand in hiS
plsce-speak his mind boldly. and the truth