New-York tribune., 1920-01-16
Grant Upheld
BY Vestrymen;'
He Stands Firm,
Bishop Refuses to Comment
or Announce Decision in
Absence of. a Personal
Report From Preacher
New Charges Are Ready
DIR. Christensen Reiterates
Three Clergymen Are
Prepared to Act Now


into the remarks of the Rev. DR.. Percv
Stickney Grant, pastor of the Church
OF the Ascension, concerning the $50
Wet ark'' and the Mayfower's passen-
gers remained unsettled last night
after the development yesterday of four
important angles Of the case.
These were the publication of a let
ter from DIR. Grants vestry to Bishop
Charles S. Burch upholding DR.. Grants
right to free speech but registering
certain reservations concerning the i'm
press'ons caused by DR.. Grants re-
marks; long letter from DR.. Grant
IN reply to his critics declaring the
deportation Of radicals un-American
and inconsistent; the refusal of Bishop
Burch to comment or to announce any
decision concerning possible action
against DR.. Grant in the absence of a
personal report from Dr. Grant; and
reiteration by the Rev. G. A. Carsten-
sen, of the Holy Rood Church, of the
statement that in case DR.. Grant is not
brought to a church trial as the result
of the vestry's report, three Episcopal
ciergymen would unite in preferring
charges for such presentment.
Special Report Received
The special report of the vestry
made to Bishop Burch concerning Dr.
Grants "soviet ark" speech was made
public yesterday morning by Bishop
Burch without comment. The report
covered two points-the action of DR..
Grant in allowing the parish house to
be used on Christmas Day by num-
ber of persons who paraded up Fifth
Avenue in plea for amnesty for polit-
ical prisoners in this country, and DR..
Grants coupling of the Pilgrim Fathe RS
with the "soviet ark" deportees
The vestry found that in its opinion
the amnesty parade was legal and that
the rector chad the necessary authority
to allow the use of the parish house as
the assembling and starting point for
this procession" The vestry dissented
from expressing complete approval of
DR.. Grants action on this point in
these words:
"Our personal opinion, however, is
that in view of the circumstances it
was unwise to permit the use Of the
church buildings for this purpose.
"The result of such permission was
to produce the impression upon the
minds of many persons that the men,
bers of the Church Of the Ascension
favored immediate amnesty for all So
called political prisoners-all of whom
have been convicted under due process
Of law and many of whom have been
convicted Of crimes against the stat
utes Of the United States after trial
by court and jury.
Wiser Course Suggested
"We recognize that the general pur-
pose Of the parade was humanitarian
and that the motives of those engaged
/ in it were most excellent, but on a SUBJ
iect so controversial and as to which
opinions may differ it would have been
wiser in our opinion, for the rector to
have consulted with the vestrymen or
with some committee of the vestry and
we suggest that when similar occasions
arise in the future that course be
pursued"
The vestry stood firmly behind DR..
Grant in his right to protest against
the deportation of the Reds" and
accepted DR.. Grants explanation that
his references to the Pilgrim Fathers
were intended merely as historical COM
ment rather than as comparison. The
vestry declared itself personally in ia
vor of deportation, but equally de-
termined that DR.. Grant should be
allowed to express his own opinions
freely and fearlessly," constrained
only by the law and the proprieties.
The only dissenting comment Of the
vestry on this point was, However,
we regret the mention of the arrival
Of the Mayflower and the landing Of
the Pilgrim Fathers in connection with
the sailing Of the Buford, carrying the
deported aliens, as having been highly
unfortunate. The misunderstanding and
the misinterpretation of the allusion
was easy and not unnatural"
When asked to comment last night on
the vestry's report and DR.. Grants pub
lie statement Bishop Burch refused,
saying that he was awaiting personal
report from DR.. Grant before saying
anything. He will take no action one
way or another, he said, until he has
received and digested that report.
The Rev. DR.. Christensen, after being
quoted earlier in the day as not now
expecting charges to be made by three
clergymen against DR.. Grant, declared
again last night after learning of the
vestry report and DR.. Grants defense
that failure by Bishop Burch to act
would force the three clergymen to
do so.
No Plan to Evade Issue
DR.. Christensen referred to the YES
try's statement as "so-called explana-
tion," and declared there was no dis
position on the part of the three clergy
men to evade the issue.
II don't think the report is either
cogent or conclusive" said DR.. Carsten-
sen. at doesn't settle anything. If
that is all the defense they have they
haven't helped the proceeding.
eve had hoped for some acknowledge
ment of manifest impropriety on the
part Of DR.. Grant, but apparently there
is none. If he had acknowledged any
impropriety there would have been a
disposition on the part of the clergy
men to be satisfied with a reprimand
for him. This report seems to be an
attempt at Justification"
Dr. Christensen refuted the assertion
of one member of the vestry yester-
day that DR.. Grants use of the church
as forum was legal saying DR.. Grant
had no right to use the church "for
profane, unhallowed purposes"
DR.. Christensen also declared that he
now has proof for the third charge
the three clergymen are expected to
lodge against DR.. Grant in case Bishop
Burch does not call 8 church trial.
This proof is in the form of court
records, DR.. Christensen said, showing
that DR.. Grant had married at least
one divorcee contrary to church canons.
Look to Bishop for Aid
eve expect the Bishop to do the
iuh< r.