New Britain herald., 1923-01-29
DR. GRANT ACCUSES
 WEALTHY INTERESTS
Says Capitalists Are Against Him
 Wont Back Down

New York, Jan, ss,-The Rev, pr
 Percy Stiekney Grant-undeF llFe for
 alleged heHetieal teEanees--eharged
 in his sermon at the Protestant Epis-
 eapal church of the Ascension yesier'
 day that the fight against him was ln-
 spiFed by eapiialislie interests work
 ing under the surface" rather than
 by any true religious zeal to purge the church Of apostates,
 Still awaiting the next move Of Bishop William T, Manning, whose demand for Teeanting Of Dr. Grants previously aYowed stand on the deity 0f Christ, or his resignation, the ree- tor answered with a letter restating his views and making no gesture toward Fesigning. Dr, Grant referred 10 his theological views yesterday only to say they were the same views he had been eNpounding, unmolested, for forty years,
 He indicated broadly that he in- tended to continue preaching his conception Of "humanistir" religion, even if he had to exchange his pul- pit for street corner soap box.
 While he voiced his plea for a church that could talk to mankind everywhere" before q congregation that packed his church as it has sel- dom been packed before, an army of nine unemployed sandwich men, marshaled by Urban LedouS-The MT. Zero of the 1891 unemployment crlsis-paraded in a driving snow storm before the edifice with placards about their necks calling on the church 10 espouse the cause of the unfortunate.
 "Bishop and rector" read one. "why quihble about the garment? Both unfrock and give us the naked truth"
 pr. Grant incorporated the pickets in his sermon. referring 10 them as those bitter minds that have come 10 walk before this church, from no one knows where"
 "Dr. Copeland United States sena- tor-electD told a gathering of bank CTS the other day" he continued, that there was a great deal of un- rest beneath the surface of American life today.
 Tt wouldn't be hard to collect a million men any time to give express sions to it. Is this time to give up the churchs great mission of life for discussions of theology?
 .These fellows outside say we ask ed for bread and you gave us noth- ing Are we likely to give them more by shutting up the church and si- lencing voices that are directed be- yond the churches?"
 Dr. Grant began his sermon with the assertion that it seemed worth while to call attention to "other sides of the present interesting discussion than those one sees in the newspapers or gets from ecclesiastical persons"
 "One or two of the clergymen who are writing for the press have said that my interest is publicity. It hap pens that while these sweet-minded parsons were saying this, newspapers were calling me up and complaining that they could not get any news from me. The newspaper pigeonholes are not filled with stuff I asked them 10 print"
 Mentioning for the first time pub |icly his divorced fiancee, Mrs. Philip Lydig. whom Bishop Manning warned him he could not marry with put violating church canon, pr. Grant said
 "Another point of view taken by my critics is that my position is af- fected by certain personal relation ship That is absurd, for I have been saying the same thing for forty years"
 A laugh swept the congregation as he added:
 Fortunately for the other person involved, the matter has not been for 'orty years standing"
 Mrs. Lydig who usually occupies a 'ront pew of the church, had taken ,eat near the rear before the sermon began.