"The condenser does 2 things. It helps the coil generate higher secondary voltage because it speeds up the collapse of the magnetic field in the coil by providing a path for primary current to flow to ground, since the condenser is in parallel with the points which are now open. Second, it reduces the arc across the points contact which reduces wear on the points and extends their life."

The first part of the first sentence I agree with. The second sentence I agree with totally. The wire going into a capacitor is NOT connected to ground in any way internally. The key to getting a good spark is the speed of the field collapse.

It would be fun to sit around and discuss this personally, not as much fun doing it here. I am sure you would agree, when Charles Kettering invented this system, there was a lot more engineering going on than most people realize. This system, among a few others, made Charles Kettering a rich and reasonably famous person.