A second allegation suggested that a website promoted by the bishop-elect indirectly linked to homosexual pornographic pictures.

Supporters of Canon V. Gene Robinson, who appeared certain to win the approval of the House of Bishops of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church of America, accused “homophobic” opponents of introducing dirty tricks and lies to what had otherwise been a passionate but well-mannered debate.

The House of Bishops was about to consider whether to endorse the decision on Sunday by the House of Deputies, which is made up of clergy and lay people, approving Canon Robinson as the new Bishop of New Hampshire.

Then a print-out of an e-mail setting out the allegations began to circulate in the conference. The Primate of the Church, the Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold, consulted Canon Robinson, the appointment committee that had recommended him and the retiring Bishop of New Hampshire, Douglas Theuner. The Primate then announced that the vote would be deferred until the allegations had been investigated.

That investigation will be conducted by the Right Reverend Gordon P. Scruton, the Bishop of Western Massachusetts. It is unlikely that his work will be concluded before the end of the convention at the weekend, thereby depriving Canon Robinson of the endorsement needed for his consecration.

The e-mail was sent by David Lewis, who gave his details as “David and Rose Perfect Lewis, PO Box 373, Manchester, Vermont”, to a number of bishops. He alleged that two years ago at a religious convention he was sexually molested by Canon Robinson.

The e-mail suggests that if the encounter had been between heterosexuals it would be enough to prove the canon’s unsuitability. The message signs off: “Now I thank you for your prayerful consideration before you vote.”

In a second allegation to surface yesterday, it was suggested that a website providing information about gay and lesbian issues published by Outright, an organisation based in Maine and co-founded by Canon Robinson, contained indirect links to pornographic sites. The Concord Outright site offered a link to bisexual.org, which had a link to two explicit websites.

When raised at the convention’s morning press conference, the website links were dismissed by the Bishop of Michigan, Wendell N. Gibbs, as part of a campaign to stain the reputation of Canon Robinson. “Given the amount of propaganda that has come across the computer to me since the election of Canon Robinson, I would doubt the veracity of such information,” he said.

The Right Rev Scruton’s investigation will consider whether Canon Robinson should be held responsible for indirect web links to pornography on a site over which he had an association but no control.

Opponents of Canon Robinson’s elevation were crowing behind the scenes at what the day’s events, which they considered to be a knockout blow to his hopes of becoming a bishop. “He’s finished,” said one who declined to be named. “He’s out of here.”

David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council, which has led the opposition to homosexual clergy and the promotion of Canon Robinson, said that he had directed the press towards the pornographic web-links.

Dr Anderson had been suggesting all weekend that he had a “surprise” in store and on Sunday night, when the House of Deputies confirmed the canon’s election, promised that “tomorrow will be ours”. However, he fiercely denied that he was behind the allegations of inappropriate sexual touching.

“This is a surprise that none of us wanted to have,” he said. “The surprise I’m hoping for is if the middle group of bishops wakes up to the disaster of electing the first openly homosexual man as a bishop.”

Canon Robinson, who the previous evening was quietly confident that the confirmation of his election would pass the House of Bishops, could not be found.

One of his closest colleagues, Michael Watkins, president of Integrity, a homosexual clergy pressure group, expressed regret at the allegation. However, he said that only a full investigation could lead to Canon Robinson’s exoneration.

“Of course I have suspicions (about the accusations),” Mr Watkins said. “Last-minute allegations always cause suspicions. Several months ago I asked Gene: ‘Is there anything in your background which I should know?’ And he said: ‘No.’ And I believed him.”

Anglicans in New Hampshire were quick to suggest that homophobe opponents of the canon had stage-managed the arrival of the dramatic accusation. Robyn Cotton, from St Paul’s Church in Concord, Maine, said: “I think it is those who are clearly upset and clearly worried that he would become bishop that are trumping up allegations.”

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