The Washington times., 1922-10-09
PASTOR SAYS
LOVE FOR GIRL
IS SPIRITUAL
Arrested After Flight, Defends
His Course and Friendship
for Companion.

BOSTON, Oct. 9.--The Rev.
Frederick W. Leeds, former New
Haven pastor. who was arrested
with Miss Ellen rReid, an altar
worker in his church, at a hotel
here, where the pair had register
ed as man and wife, promises,
when his case comes up for a
hearing on October 1s, to prove
that his relations with Miss Reid
are above suspicion. He says he
will sbare q romance as beautiful
as the medieval love story Of
Abelard and Heloise.
Calls It Spiritual.
my love for Ellen Reid is a spirit
ual love, passing the understs nding
of the world" asserted the pastor.
1T is a religious feeling. an expSes-
sion Of the loftiest form Of Chris
tiani.y sy pn,d 1t is the will f Cod ;os;, ,or
Mr.. Leeds is a sacred feeling. 1t is
as spiritual as prayer. He Is my
spiritual friend and guide: the en-
bodiment OF my salvation in this
world and the next"
But the third party in the odd love
triangle. Mrs. Leeds. the pastors
wife, says:
Il don't believe in this spiritual
love. 1t isn't possible. II is a de.
lusion, cloak with which my hus.
band is hiding his real motives.
am his wife. rightfully entitled TO his
love and I shall fight to win II back"
Tells Of Spiritual Bond.
Leeds says that he felt drawn to
the girl by an unusual spiritual bond
from the first. that she alone OF his
parishioners seemed to appreciate his
efforts to beautify the service with
ritual.
II felt that I had found at last
friend who really understood and
sympathized with my ideals" he said.
This was the basis, the foundatio
Of our friendship. Later IL ripened
into an intense spiritual experience.
found soon after I realized Miss
Reds exceptional qualifications that
l needed a secretary. I hired her.
The devotion of Miss Reid to the
church. her unselfish service and her
ideals Of simple Christian living be.
came more vivid to me e~eyery day. l
realized that ! had discovered an ex.
ceptional woman, woman whom !
might place on a pedestal and wor-
ship for her purity and her beauty Of
soul.
Says Wife Misunderstood.
MY wife misunderstood me. 1t
was impossible to cherish my ideals
OF service and TO remain in an at
mosphere OF hostility and unkind.
ness. Whatever step / took 1t was
done with the best and most un.
selfish intentions.
Miss Reid and ] met in Boston at
hotel. But the real truth OF the
matter II not as the world sees il.
The truth is far more sacred, far
harder to understand 1t is perfect.
ly understood only by us both and by
God himself. There is a love which
is not within the scope Of the intclii.
gence Of the worldly. 1t is as hard to
understand as 1t is to achieve. 1t
or the pressure OF the lips II Is dis.
embodied fleshness and does not dc.
pend on the lure Of the sex.
But 1t is this conception OF iONe
ideal and spiritual-which has
brought me my greatest Joy and my
greatest sorrow. Whatever result IL
brings, l am unashamed, and as such
shall face the world.
when the detectives broke in
upon Ellen Reid and myself we we:e
having our first talk in weeks. We
were happy to be sharing each
others spiritual companionship after
a separation. We had no thought Of
wrong. II Miss Reid had been off.
ferent-if she had not been the pure
minded. unsoiled innocent girl that
she isl would not have been with
her in that situation"