New-York tribune., 1907-01-14
IMMORAL, SAYS CRAPSEY
HITS CHRISTIAN DOGMA.
Says Churches Hold False and De
grading Conception of Nan.

Rochester. Jan. = (speciaD.-The subject OF D..
Alsernon s Crapseys lecture IN the Lyceum The
afre this evening, was The Moral Breakdown IN
the Churches" II vas the intention Of the
speaker 10 dwell the facts that very great num-
bers OF people who profess the religion OF Christ
did not practise that religion. but rather to cali at
tention 20 the important fact that many Of
the moral conceptions found in the dogma Of the
churches in conflict with the enlightened con-
science c: the present age. Dr. CTapsey said, in
part
4 is very common error which holds that re-
is Morality is a guardian Of religion. There
are emotions Of men, not even the sexual emo
tions. which need be kept sternly under the
By the power OF the reason than the religious emo
tlons Mans religious nature IS m its essence un-
moral If not immoral In the name Of his gods ne
guilty OF ssncthed uncleanliness, has sacrificed his
sons and his daughters u devils, has murdered the
robbed the poor 10 build temples the deites. We
readily ecknowieoge the immortality Of the sncient
forms Of religion which supplsnted by Christi
anity. but we fan TO see that even in our own re,
g9 en2d6 i o5 are f9neeP9e5 Which the
The underlying thought of God in the Christian
oogma Is immoral IN it's nature. II represents God
soa e. 0eng ing IN PeTpega state o6 M anger 5 we hare are
'al S 'el ss lie year 4VD zoo mas 5 Ie.Ii
%-S.J 49, i'l1I 9et1st OF uie siI VI IN
, S9@ anger ] Is de6asing passion x he He Yao in. IN
iikeness man Is onr tousand 90 W Wears Of
- Eo-,d
and the God of the Westminster confession, who
Is IN this PERPETUAL state OF wrath IS as Dr. Car;
cannot command the worship OF a soul that has
itself discarded the passion Of anger
Cruelty is also attribute OF God. he is
81 aaeasne 70 dVoe @ m no S 6o6ka 6SGa Of % e cH o.
Cod 70 prove that God can keep by His immortal
power body Of flesh in eternal existence in order
Now a God Tio would do this would certainly
vengeance has been outgroHn. and our conscience
dogma as having his favorites among children Of
men, giving some and withholding from others,
without rhyme or reason, except His own will and
pleasure; Such partiality upon the part of hui
condemn In man we cannot allow in God.
Dr. Crapsey then went on to say that not only
were there immoral conceptions III regard TO the
Deity contained In the dogma of the Christian
churches. but those churches in their teachings
held false. degrading and, in measure, an i'm
moral conception Of man. lie continued:
The doctrine OF Original sin, as it is usually ex-
pounded from the pulpit rs insqng 20 mgian
of the nature Of Without his own fault man
religious teachers tell him is Essentially unciesn,
thst because OF this nnceanness @ ne o Is oigo asi
ously TO being damned after he is born, for then
be damned before he is born breeds in him sense
Of injustice, for he knows that he has done nothing
Now that there is in man tendency to evil is
tendency TO return to lower estate of moral life
snsa sh & 10 %e @ m nan b IN conaenc @ Of his birth
as man. 1t is the price he pays for being man,
but TO assert that this natural fact produces wrath
in g superna tural God and the curse of God rests
I9on man because Of II has no " WaPan5 m brd n is s
pure conception and why not that of the man?
from the f instant St pfs Of its besnnins in
places of nature and the Church should dwell upon
insist upon the privilege of every to be born
der eiencies Of first birth which is natural by
- lmagicai effects Of the second hirth which ,s IT
fbase of failure to achieve any great good
Fr that baptism is the antidote FOR original sin
to-day we see no difference between a tne pap, pap,
fher baptism avails anything nor want OF pap
love and to love purely The greatest symbol of joy
given 10 us IN the Holy Scriptures Is the Joy o1 the
% tTs IN WI %lte sin 5e 0lde ana JOY
Another immoral conception which is embedded
in our dogma is the doctrine of exclusive saliva
ton At no period in IFS history has the Church
included in its pale all the moral worth Of man
kind. There have been as many good people out
side inside, and il is not church membership
but essential goodness that saves.
DR.. Crapsey spoke at length of the immortality
which he held exhibited in the methods Of sal
walton they We're taught in the churches both
Catholic and Protestant. He stated that while on
the Continent of Europe he had seen aims boxes
over which was the sign. For your friends in
purgatory." and in these boxes he had seen poor
women putting their aims 10 purchase the release
of their beloved from the pains Of purgatory.
He went to SAY:
Such scheme of salvation IS so immoral that We
would not for a single moment tolerate it earth.
gatory until he has accomplished his punishment: If
he does not deserve his fate keep him in Rurga-
tory for a moment rs the grossest injustice. This
whole scheme of salvation for much" has al
Roman mind has sought to gain the favor of God.
SO many prayers, SO many masses. so many jour
neys 10 this and that shrine will gain for the
pardon Of his sin Walter Pater said of the old
Roman religion that ''it something to be
believed, something he loved. but il
something be done, in such a place at such a
time in such way A salvation g purchased
would be worthless because ii would be the gift
OF a worthless deity.
On the other hand the evangelical doctrine of the
merits OF Christ. this doctrine is often pre-
sented by the evangelsts is utterly destructive of
any moral conception of the universe. According
TO that teaching God leaves all Of guilt the
sinner Jesus. and the sufferings Of Jesus
for the guilt OF the sinner and then God imputes
the Righteousness or Jesus 10 the sinner. In other
words, God Furnishes the innocent and lets the
guilty go free. and he tells lie in order cloak
the quit of the who is thus favored TO lay
the guilt Of the sinner upon the snless active
injustice and therefore immoral. To say that an
unrighteous man is righteous is not true. and
not be moral We admit that behind this doctrine
there great living truths which give il credence.
The innocent do indeed suffer the guilty but
they do not bear their guilt suffer their punish
ment
This doctrine as II is usually talked has bred in
the mind Of the average Protestant that lie get
something Tor nothing, and that notion
throughout his whole life, and the besettng sin of
this age Is the desire 10 something for moth
.ng. and fer this the preaching Of the evangelical
Jesus. why not lav share Of labor upon the
poor that IS what 90 every day Of orr lives.
at least try to If We get heaven for song.
why not get fortune 10y a swindIe? The organized
and 10 bring about the present state moral chaos
II has overlooked altogether those great savings
that man shall get his bread by the sweat Of
his brow, 'NiaisoeVer r man soweth, that shall
that he enters into the kingdom of heaven