Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1923-01-27
LIBERALS With
RECTOR GRANT
New York Priests Reply to
Bishop Brings Progress
sives TO Aid
BISHOP SILENT
AS TO TRIAL

peared tantamount to rebellion
has burst forth in the Protestant
Episcopal Church as a result OF
Bishop Manning's demand that the
Rev. Or. Percy Stickney Grant, rec
tor OF the Church Of the Ascension,
recant his disbelief in Christ as God
and accept the Apostles Greed or
set ont OF the ministry.
While Bishop Manning was d.
resifng Dr. Grants reply. merely
stating he might have another
word TO say today. the seeds that
had been sown by the liberalist
movement in the church came out
n fun Bloom.
It.was even limited that the Mod
ern Churchmen's Union, organized
in October and containing some Of
The most prominent clergy and lalty
in the country. including the Rev.
DR. Roland Cotton Smith, the Rev.
DR. leighton Parks. OF ST. Bartholo-
news Church. and George Foster
Peabody would support DR.. Grant.
when asked II this. was 80. DR.. Cot
ton. formerly of St Johns Church
IN Washington, the Church OF the
Presidents" said no official stand
behind DR.. Grant had been taken. |
but ihat there might be individual
opinion. DR.. Cotton is president OF |
The union.
Mt. Peabody. who Is. treasurer OF 1
the union, wrote letter in defense /
OF Or. Grant TO the Rt. Rev. Rich
ard y. Nelson. Bishop of Albany.
il also became known that prom
inent theologians had set about
preparing defense of Dr.. Grant
should Bishop Manning carry the
case to a heresy trial and that their
argument would he one OF modern
thought. with science as the basis
Of truth. DR.. Grant Is not a MEM
her Of the union. and could not have
been the mouthpiece Of the Mod
ern Churchman group, who SEEM
ingly have grasped the opportunity
for showdown with the conserva-
tives.
In addition. the churchman, the
oldest OF all the church papers,
which has represented the liberal ,
wing Of the Episcopal Church for i.
five years IS coming out strongly in
support Of DR.. Grant. It was learned
authoritausely, and the Living
Church. the recognized organ OF the J
so-callsd high church." which is
published IN Milwaukee. has taken
sides with Bishop Manning.
Peabody Defends Grant
In his letter TO Bishop Nelson. Of y
Albany, Mr. Peabody referred 10 re- G
marks OF the Bishop in condemna-
ton OF those using the pulpit TO de-
stroy faith.
'Inasmuch as the issue missed by
Bishop Manning's letter 10 DR..
Grant and DR.. Grants statement
respecting his faith is vital for all 9
who would follow Christ" Mr.. Pea e
body wrote. Il beg to be allowed as 7
a parishioner in the Diocese OF Al a
hany for 20 years or more. to ask u
you whether n Is your belief that 7
the Roman centurion's faith in
Jesus Christ was based upon any r
acceptance Of the doctrine OF the +
Virgin birth. ! am under the i'm p
preston that the development of
hat doctrine did not occur for many a.
ears after the death OF Jesus 20
-hrist. IN
IF Jesus Christ commended faith 70
lnce of doctrinal interpretations de- hi
'eioped thereafter. is there any
christian basis for requiring OF those
o whom Christ is preached today oil
hat they shall not be allowed "a ~
walk in simple paths which the Ro- r,
man centurion and others who ac- p
-epted Christ from His own teach ct
Inzs did7 =,
Held Vital to Church. 40
I presume TO intrude upon this \,
question because it seems TO me ~
most vital that the church, whose in
only reason for being is to present n,
Jesus Christ and His call to men. h.
should not put burdens upon the a,
faith. I feel further warranted in
presuming to deal with this ques-
tion because had occasion to give
much attention to the subject OF y
freedom of thought in the church III
at the time that my very dear friend. | ~
the late Hon. Edward NJ. Shepard ~
was engaged as counsel in defense -
Of the Rev. DR.. Crapsey Mr.. shep- %.
ard did not share Or. Crapsey's in a
terpretations OF certain doctrines U
especially the doctrine of the Virgin y
birth, but he did believe that the in -
heritance OF the Protestant Episco-
pal Church from the Church OF
England was one OF complete free
dom TO both layman and clergymen -
10 interpret in accordance with their !,
conception OF the facts of history :,
and their understanding OF the y.
teachings of Jesus Christ the de-
nands OF the Greed and the articles y
OF the church. ~
Il believe no greater service to q
the church can be rendered than to
have its leading minds follow the
history OF the Liberty OF Prophesy- Z, y
ing in the Church OF England and q
the Protestant Episcopal Church of ~
the United States. There are. / ~
know, great numbers of earnest. de- :.
vout and consecrated men aid wo-
men in the EBscopal Church who do &c
not believe that DR.. Grant, speak
ing the truth as he understands il, "
destroys faith They believe that
he offers the basis for building up
faith on the broadest foundations OF y
The truth as Jesus Christ himself ~
preached it when He was on earth -
and drawing disciples TO him. ~
Bishop Nelson made public a re- -
~, in which he said he had strong =.
personal regard for Mr.. Peabody T.
and recognized his right to his views. =
II am, however. strongly con- c
WINGED that a clergyman of the Epis- W
copal Church is under obligation TO al
hold and to teach these docfrfnas .,