Evening star., 1923-12-17
TRIAL FOR HERESY
THREATENS SPLIT
Episcopal Rector in Texas Is
Backed by DR.. Parks in
Virgin Birth Doubt.
By the Associate Press

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. December 17.-An is
sue has been raised between the mod
ernist and fundamentalist factions OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church
which some churchmen believe viii
develop into one of the greatest theo'
logical controversies of recent years
The storm center is Rev. Lee w
Heaton, rector of Trinity Church
Fort Worth, Tex, who will be tried
for heresy soon after January l fol
his denial of the virgin birth as 6
physical fact
Rev. Stuart Tyson. vice-president OF
the Modern Churchman's Union, has
characterized the developmet as the
most important matter in the gen
Grafton. He quotes Bishop Moore OF
Texas as considering ii the beginning
of a concerted movement to cleanse
the Episcopal Church of modernism.
Supporters of Rev. Mr.. Heaton say
the modernists will not stop at de-
fense, but will push vigorous coun-
ter attack to the next general con-
vention of the church. Organization
of defense committee and subscrip-
tion of a defense fund have beer
undertaken.
Rev. Mr.. Heaton and Dr. John r
Covert, senior warden of his church
started for Fort Worth last night
after comforting with sympathizers
here during the last week.
DR.. Leighton Parks, rector of st
Bartholomew Church, during serv-
ices at his church yesterday do!fed
surplice and stole, symbols of his
priesthood, and announced his rejec-
tion of the recent pastoral letter Ct
the Episcopal house of bishops which
adJured the ministry to stand behind
the catholic traditions" of the
church and the Nicene creed.
Welcomes Heresy Trial.
He challenged both the doctrines OF
the virgin birth and the bodily resur.
rection and welcomed a trial fol
heresy.
For many years. said DIR. Parks
81 have been preaching just what the
bishops condemn and l have published
all these beliefs in a book. / am ar
old man Che is seventy-one). and il
is time perhaps that l departed But
/ should not consider it any disgrace
to be deposed for what / have saiG
from the pulpit; 1 should consider il
an honor"
is the target of the pastoral letter
in DR.. Parkes' opinion, but he added
Bishop Lawrence had not been cited
for heresy. because to do so would
shake this church to it's foundations
Instead, DIR. Parks asserted, "a poor
unknown minister has been ordered
to trial" He predicted the trial
would not take place.
Grant Sees Reaction.
Rev. DR.. Percy Stickney Grant
rector of the Church of the Ascen.
sion, who last winter engaged in a
controversy Nth Bishop Manning
said in his sermon yesterday:
There are many in the church
English and America. who still be-
lieve in an authority almost papal and
wish practically to return to medieval
ways. They have little sympathy
with Professionalism"
Rev. DR.. William Norman Guthrie
explained to churchgoers at st. Marks
1n-the-Bouwerie that his critics have
misunderstood the symbolic Greek
dances which parish girls have given
at church festivals and which have
led Bishop Manning to admonish DR.
Guthrie.
Everything one says and does is
so terribly misconstrued," said DR.
Guthrie, even the word dance is 81
misinterpreted that certain person:
can only think of 1t as some idea OF
evil, or even sex suggestion"
Miss Amy Lowell recited poems a.
the afternoon service at st. Marks.