Evening journal., 1908-09-07
PARSON WRITES
AFFINITY DRAMA
Rector Crafts Play is Ostensi-
bly, Based on Case Of Fer
dinand Pinney Earle
breaches A SERMON ON
SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE

BRIDGEPORT. Conn. Sept THE
Rev. Ernest J. Craft. rector Of Christ
Episcopal Church OF this city. has
written play called "His Affinity"
and based according to its author. on
Ferdinand Pinney Earle, who discarded
his wife for an affinity"
Mr. Craft just finished his play in time
to read Of the trouble that Earle had with
his affinity" and his arrest for beating
her.
This" said Mr. Craft. to a reporter
''was the logical conclusion which 1 fore
saw at the start and which I show in my
play Those whom God hath Joined to-
gether no man can put asunder They
cannot do Il themselves and no ono can
do IL for them
In Ellis Affinity" the principal charac-
ters are Charles Brent. an artist: his
wife Anna, and Marion Langley. tho
affinity In the opening scene tho
wife complains OF the thiny vsied rcla-
tons between her husband and Marion
Langley and later In the scene Brent
Says:
"fhe trouble is that IN most mar
rlages the man and woman are not afn-
mites. They do not discover Il until they
are bound together by the Infamous laws
and customs Of society, and they 20
through years, miserable. unhappy. be-
cause they do not have the courage TO
defy society and break the chains. VIII
live my life as nature intended. win nave
my souls mate, and no crew Of cantine
fanatics VIII keep me from her"
The second scene shows Rrents stu-
do, where Marion Langley is posing. The
artist and the model exchange words OF
passionate love and embrace. They arc
disturbed by the entrance OF servant girl
who when Brent leaves the room. tells
The model what she thinks Of her. Marion
Langley attempts to justify herself.
Brent returns TO his studio with hia
wife and Mr.. Brossman. who is TO crit
cls9 Brents painting. Brossman and Mrs
Brent left alone together. read in the
portrait the fact that Brent IS IN love
with the model Brossman, who has Sc
crety lovedMrs Brent declares his love.
She rejects him. Though he has an attrac-
tion for her, she viii remain true TO her
husband
ln the second act Brent and his wife
part Brent living with his afnnity-wife
discovers that each is UNHAPPY and that
the affinity" is turning to other men.
Fifteen years pass. Mrs. Brent and her
son, Ernest, now a man. are IN Los An
geles. Brossman. happily married. visits
Mrs. Brent on behalf Of her husband. who
pines TO return 20 us true wife. Mrs.
Brent refuses TO receive him at first but
finally love conquers and she consents to
receive her husband If her son Ernest give
his consent.
The son is not so forgiving Brossman
pleads with him TO receive his father. and
the son says: "Yes. I'm see him. I'm tell
him 10 his face what he has done. III
shove his damned hyp1~sy in his teeth
and will tell him that now we have no
affinity for him, and that he must seek il
among those Of his lSind-in he'll"
Another scene brings together Mrs
Brent her son and Brent The SON arr
raigns his father and scons a recon-
ciliaton The father pleads with bis SON
on his knees. The son starts to leave the
room but at the door relents and foreivos
his father, who announces that ne ha es
the very word affinity" SO the play ends
happily.
Mr. Craft discusses very fully IN the
play she affinity theory and strives 70
show that the orieinal marriage is the
only true marriage, by an immutable law
Of God. and that the spiritual relations
developed between husband and wife must
last forever This theory. argues Mr.
Craft is not alone inspired by the word
OF the Bible but Is borne out by his ac-
quaintance Of human life. lie hopes ta
have his play presented by a New York
manager Before he entered the ministry
Mr.. Craft was a shakesperian reciter.