The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-29
FRENCH TAKE OVER GERMAN RAILROADS
CRISIS NEAR IN CHURCH AS CLIMAX
TO DIR. GRANTS STORMY MINISTRY
BY ALEXANDER HERMAN.
NEA Service staff Writer.

New York, Jan. 29.--What is ahead
in religion?
A militant ministry patterned
! after the spectacular and revolution-
airy leadership of DR.. Percy Stickney
| Grant?
Or must this meteor among preach
ers stand trial for heresy---for his
declaration that Christ did not have
the power of God?
| These questions grow enormou sly
, in interest as the religious world
waits to see whether DR.. Grant re-
cants. resigns or is tried according
to his Episcopal bishops ultimatu,r.
DR.. Grant hls held the center +
the snotlight through tempestuou
career - lighting church doctrines,
and fighting a personal fight to marry
Mrs. Rita u. deAlba deAcosta Lydfr,
twice married and twice divorce. He
is noted for radical sermons; and he
is the author of poems and ESSAYS
of such books as Socialism and
Christianity" and Fair Play for the
Worker"
His notable book of poems, "a FIT.
Avenue Parade and Other Poems"
published last year by Harper G
Bros, had this deication: "To Rita
de Alba deAcosta, an ambitious and
stimulating intelligence gifted with
knowledge of the beautiful, a Tan
agra figure come to life, captivating
companion"
The sequel to these chapters OF his
life remain to be written:
Chapter I.
Percy Stickney Grant was 26 year.
old when he graduated in 1886 from
the Episcopal Theological school ut
Boston, his home. Assigned to Fall
River his ideas about running the
church were somewhat different from
those of the vestry. But his socia
service work attracted attention ami
he earned a call to the Church of the
Ascension. New York. He came in
1893, but only on condition that pews
be free and that the church be open
every day--two revolutionary idea.
at that time.
Chapter IL. J
In New York Dr. Grant became |
known as the friend of the working |
man. in 1907 he organized a public
forum in the church. BY 1919 he
had had clashes with conservatives
in the vestry, who organized com
mittee to investigate his "teaching
doctrine contrary to the doctrines Of
the church" There was talk of
heresy trial. Nothing came of it.
Chapter III.
Storms multiplied. He compared
the deportation of Russian anarch-
lists to the Pilgrims, their ship to
the Mayfower. He attacked legisla-
tive plans to curb radicals. Bishop
Thomas F. Gailor called him "a pam
pered pet of agroup of rich men and
women who poses as a friend of the
poor" Grant shrugged his shou.-
ders and went on.
Chapter IV.
Talk came of putting him on trial
in an ecclesiastical court for cele-
brating communion improperly for
permitting laymen to speak at r..
lEious services, and for performing
the marriage of guilty divorcee
But the case was, dropped-with a
rebuke and a warning for DR.. Gram.
Now came the time when he was
to fight personal fght-and lose.
Chapter v.
Mrs. Rita M. deAlba deAcosta Ly-
RI oil Vol .t1 -: l
sque woman" long friend Of DR..
Grant, announced her engagement to
him in 1921. She was AZ, he was 61.
She had been twice married and twice
divorced; first w. E. d. Stokes, next
Philip NJ. Lydig. 10
Under Episcopal church rules DR..
Grant could not marry Mrs. Lydig
without the bishops permission.
Bishop William T. Manning refused
permission.
Incensed, DR.. Grant attacked the
church's attitude on divorce. Result:
Passage OF more vigorous amend
ment to the divorce canon.
Chapter vi.
Publicity spotlights now bathed DR..
Grant in new way. A baby girl was !
found on his doorstep, abanoned
He took it into his bachelor house
hold, established nursery, hired a
nurse, and announce he would raise
the waif. He baptized her Faith
One of her four godmothers was Mrs.
Lydig. Soon the baby became i'll.
She cried at night. The rector paced
he floor with her in vain. The fad
ng infant was taken to the country
% save her life.
But she died in the Presbyterian
,ospital. The body was buried in
he graveyard of DR.. Grants church.
Chapter VII.
Sorrow stilled DR.. Grants pulpit
'oice for time. Soon he renewed
lis fight against the church's stan I
N marriage and divorce.
He said: "If marriage is founded
N the affection of two persons for
ach other. as marriage in America t
s supposed to be, with the disap. r
'earance Of such sentiment disap- l
'ears the only groud for the mar. S
iage."
He had been advocating easy di- r
'orce since 1915. b
Chapter VIII.
With 1922 came the explosion. O
Dr.. Grant said, in sermon Jan. r
a, that Jesus Christ did not pos !
less equal powers with God; that t
lis miracles can be explained today n
" science; that conservation Of c
hurches is custom inherited from \
;he age of witchcraft, magic and T
aboo: that the clerpvlis a suppress n