Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1923-01-29
GRANT READY TO
USE SOAP BOX
Says He Will Continue
Preaching His View of
"Humanistic" Religion
. LAYS ENMITY
ON CAPITALISTS

. clergy was divided today over the
Dr. Percy Stickney Grant con-
troversy as evidenced by Sunday
=. sermons.
"A man has the right to go 10
hell II he wants to" was the COM
ment OF the Rev. !. NJ Haldeman. OF
the First Baptist Church.
IT'S a wonderful thing to get a
declaration Of Independence in the
church." DR.. william Norman
Guthrie Of st. Marks in Pouwerie
declared
DR.. Grant himself was milder
than on previous occasions and at
tackled the interests" He was fire.
quently interrupted with outbursts
OF approval from his congregation.
still awaiting the next move Of
Bishop william T. Manning whose
demand for recanting OF Dr.
Grants previously avowed stand on
the deity OF Christ or his resigna-
ton (the rector answered with
letter restating his views and max
ing no gesturt toward resigninD.
Drs Grant referred TO his theologi-
cal views today only to say they
were the same views he had been
expounding unmolested for forty
years.
He indicated broadly that he in
tended to continue preaching his
conception OF "humanistic" re-
ligion even 4: he had 10 exchange the
marbled halls OF this church for a
street corner soap box.
While he voiced he plea for
church that could talk 10 mankind
everywhere" before congregation
that packed his church as II has sell
dom been packed before. nine unem-
ployed sand witch men," marshal
ed By Urban Ledoux-the Mr. Ze-
ro' OF the 1921 unemployment
crisis-paraded In a driving snow
storm before the edfce with pla-
carde about their necks. calling on
the church TO espouse the cause OF
the unfortunate.
Bishop and rector" read one pla-
card. why Guibble about the gar
ment? Both unfrock and give US the
naked truth"
Another with the text OF Dr.
Grants sermon-"Under the Sur
face"-blazons in big black letters
across the top. read: III thou
wouldst be perfect, 90 sell that
which thou hast and give to the
poor"
I was a stranger and ye took me
not in read another. Solution
Of the economic problem try Christ's
advice to the rich young man" said
still another.
DR.. Grant Incorporated the pick
cts in his sermon, referring TO them
as those bitter minds that have
come to walk before this church.
from no ona knows where" a
DIT Copeland Omitted States SEN
stor-elect) told a gathering OF bank
ers the other day that there was a
great deal or unrest beneath the sur 4
face OF American life today" he
said. 1T wouldn't be hard 70 collect F..
q million men any time 10 give ex-
preston 10 II. Is this a time TO give
up the church's great commission
OF love for discussions OF theology?
These fellows outside say we
asked for bread and you gave us
nothing Are we likely 10 give theu ,
more by shutting up the churches 4
end silencing voices that are d. s
rected beyond the churches?" s
Or. Grant began his sermon with :
the assertion that il seemed worth q
while to call attention 20 other sides r
OF the present interesting discussion q
than those one sees In the newspa :
pers or gets from ecclesiastical per- q
sons" r
There is a great deal below the d
surface OF life" he said, but some
people seem TO live on the surface q
They are not always superficial; they
are sometimes naive. sometimes not {
aware of what is going on below the {
surface" r.
Mentioning for the first time pub I
llcly his twice-dfyorced fiancee. Mrs. Z
Philip Lydig. whom Bishop Manning 4
warned him he could not marry with y
out violating a church canon, DR.. v
Grant said:
Another point OF view taken by ,
some OF my critics IS thta my posi- !
ton is affected by a certain personal Z
That is absurd. for l =
have been saying the same things for =
40 years" Z
\ laugh swept the congregation as ,
he added: y
Fortunately for the other person r
involved the matter has not been r
Of 40 years standing"
Mrs. Lydig, who usually occupies a :
front pew, had taken seat near the
rear before the sermon began. o
We've got to live more by the u
laws Of reality" Or. Grant said a
We've go to get al the truth. We
can't 20 on camou1aging. q
Take the matter OF marriage and a
divorce. There is play on Broad t
way dealing with that subject It
keeps the audience laughing because p
Of the absurdities OF the subject. a
Will the church be able 10 with a
stand that laughter indefinitely? h
Women are rising. demanding a o
change in the marriage laws. They h
would broaden and unity the divorce h
laws. And they are the ones inter- il
ssted. for two-thiris OF the divorce
are granted at the request OF women. OF
You can't stop the stage from &C
saying what IL thinks. You cant b,
stop these two millions or more Of is
women. Why stop the p
'oices in the church that are simply XII
vomiting out that we are living i'm a Sc
age. and that we want to
ind out how to live before We die? is
There is no danger that science W
rlll overthrow religion" bi
DR.. Grant declared that since the tn
over him had risen he WI
ould not walk a block on the street is
without haing people come up and 70