The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-10-06
THE BRIGGS CASE
Genes up before tho Now York Prcsby.
tery-Tho Indictment Presented.

NEW YoRK, Oct. Sat tho semi
annual meeting Of tho New York Pres
byterY, held this morning in tho Scotch
Presbyterian church, in West Four.
teonth street, Rev. John G. Bliss, pastor
OF tho Washington Heights Prcsby-
terian church, presided rs moderator.
The prosecuting committee appointed
last spring to prepare papers in tho
trial OF Prof. Charles 4. Briggs, pre-.
scnted its report cmbodying the charges
against him.
The charges arc in brief as follows:
Disbelief in tho Bible us the only true
source OF divine authority.
Disbelief in the verbal inspiration
and incrrancy OF the scriptures.
Disbelief in tho immediate sanctitlca-
ton at death OF the souls OF those dying
in the faith.
Tho prcsbytcry must now decide
whether Prof. Briggs shall be tried. 1t
has tho power to quash the indictment,
but there is little probability Of this
course pursued. Discussion OF the in
dictmcnt will not be in order for some
time. Prof. Briggs must have 10 days
to prepare his answer and tho trial, il
one takes place, will probably be set
down in the latter part OF this month.
Prof. Briggs moved that his case be
taken up the first thing in the after
noon, but the motion was defeated.
The indictment bases the charges
against Prof. Briggs solely on tho
inaugural address because it Is the
most deliberate and emphatic express
sion Of his doctrines.
The report had not been presented to
the meeting and the routine business
was in progress when DR.. George
Alexander, OF university place, moved
to suspend the order OF the day.
10 present n resolution in the Briggs
matter Immediately the meeting was
thrown into state OF ferment. A
dozen clereymcn jumped to their feet
to protest against DR.. Alexander's
motion.
The chair finally ruled that the mo-
ton was in order. DR.. Alexander was
called upon to state the nature OF the
resolution which he intended to offer.
He said it was to discharge the commit
tee from further consideration and rest
the Judicial proceedings. This, OF
course, would have the effect OF bring
ing up general discussion OF the Briggs
case with little or no reference to the
report. DR.. Alexander, in giving his
reasons for asking for 4 suspension,
said the resolution was to the effect that
the Presbytcry, in view OF later declara-
tions OF Prof. Briggs, deemed it cxpedi-
ent to arrest further proceedings and
discharge the committee from further
consideration OF the matter. Several
members protested against DR.. Alex
ander's resolution, and at O'Clock an
adjournment was taken until 9 o'clock.
When the Prcsbytery was recon-
vened DR.. Alexander opened by with
drawing his previous motion 10 have
the consideration OF his resolution pre-
cedc the hearing Of the committees
indictment against DR.. Briggs. The
reading OF the report then followed.
r. Then the aye and nay vote was taken
on DR.. Observation-Disclosures (discharg-
ing the committee and preventing prac-
tically the service OF the charges on DR..
Briggs. A good deal OF excitement at
tended this. The secretary then an
nounccd the vote on Dr. Alexander's
substitute. 1t showed that DR.. Alex
ander had been defeated by two votes.