Evening star., 1923-01-22
GRANT CONFIDENT
HE WILL Be TRIED
New York Rector Declines,
However, to Say When He
Will Reply to Bishop.
CROWDS CHEER SERMON
Instead of Retracting, Clergyman
Emphasizes "Heretical"
Doctrines.
CROWDS CHEER SERMON
BY the Associa ted Press,

BY the Associa ted Press.
NEW YORK, January 22.-The Rev
Percy Stickney Grant, rector Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of the
Ascension, expects to be tried for
heresy. He declined today, however.
to Indicate when he would make for
NAL reply to the ultimatum of Bishop
William T. Manning that he either
recant pulpit utterances that Jesus
did not have the power of God" or
resign. He said that his sermon yes
terday. in which he reiterated that
Christ was human while on earth and
was not possessed of miraculous pow
ers, should not be construed as his
reply to the bishop.
Il Will make my reply TO the bishop
formally in the manner in which he
addressed me-" DR.. Grant said. Those
things must be done deliberately and
carefully"
Expects to. BE Tried.
He indicated that he expected a
trial for heresy. by telling reporters
who sought his copy of the sermon
that he wanted it back, as sin case
this thing goes to trial I will need
all documents"
DR.. Grants stand was condemned
other New York churches yesterday.
Bishop Manning preached at New
Haven to Yale students. His text was
BE Thou Faithful Unto Death"
& speaking from the pulpit of the
has been rector for thirty years. DR..
Grant failed yesterday to retract a
single one of the statements which
caused Bishop Mannings action and
led churchmen to discuss the proba-
bility of trial for heresy. Instead
OF retracting, DR.. Grant repeated
Your son comes home from college -
DR.. Grant said in closing. you say.
Son. let's go to church Do You want
me to listen to all that bunk?
Rector Denounces Grant
At the same hour, members of st.
Simeon's Episcopal Church in the
Bronx passed a resolution calling
upon the bishop and the ecclesiastical
authorities to take steps to enforce
the law and "canons of the church in
such cases made and provided"
The resolution charged that DR..
Grant had cast reproach on the sane
tity Of holy matrimony: had made
statements tending to the encourage
ment of the violation of the ordina-
tion vows of the clergy: had denied
the miraculous elements OF the Gospel,
the divinity of Jesus Christ, and the
Christian faith as contained in the
Apostles Creed.
Even the aisles Of the Church of the
Ascension, one of the fashionable
places of worship of the metropolis.
were crowded during DR.. Grants ser
mon The divorced wife of the mil
lfonaire w. L. II. Stokes, Mrs. Philip
Iydie flancee of Dr. Grant. sat in the
first pew. DR.. Grant announced their
eneagement several months ago:
though the canonS of the EnlScopal
Church are against the remarrlaGe OF
divorced persons.
Crowds Block Aisles.
An hour before the services were to
begin the entrance to the church was
Mock ed with some who were curious,
soue who were members of the regu-
lar congregation. and some VINO were
OF Observation-Disclosures tendencies. 70
lice kept order near the door. ohe
woman tainted
The close of DIR. Grants sermon
broush sudden applause, then great
burst of applause. Silent spots
sprinkled in the spaces of the church,
marked the pews of those less en-
thuiastic. or perhaps antasonlstlc.
The applause ceased for a. moment,
then vas renewed as forcibly as be-
fore, DR.. Grant hesitated. and then
left the pulpit. :.
"Jesus Christ was perfectly human.
Dr. Grant explained in affirming his
disbelief in she portion OF Episcopal
doctrine concerning Christ's life.
Whatever we say of him must be
in accord with his humanity. l chose
10 take my Interpretation of Christ
from his companions. and not from
st. Augustine, or the latter-day theo-
1ogians; and surely it is in the teach