Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-10-06
MUST STAND TRIAL
Briggs indicted by the New
York Presbylery.
Is CHARGED WITH HERESY,
Motion 10 Discontinue Further
Proceedings Los.

uual meeting OF the New York presbytery
| held in the Scotch Presbyterian church
| the prosecuting committee appointed last
! spring TO prepare papers in the trial OF
Professor Charles Briggs presented It's re-
| pogl embodyng the charges against him.
! These are in brief:
! Disbelief in the Bible AS the only true source
! Of divine authority; disbelief in the verbal in
! tp'atioa and inerrancy Of the scriptures; dis
/ belief IN tie immediate sanctihcation at death
| Of tlo souls OF those dying in the faith.
! The Indictment presented by the COM
| mittee bases the charges against Professor
Briggs solely on the inaugural address be-
cause it is the most deliberate and en-
phatic expression Of his doctrines. The
committee on indictment gave these rea-
sons for basing charges on Professor
| Briggs inaugural address alone:
Foundation Of the Charges.
Because the inaugural address was the orig
! inal subject Of inquiry by the committee OF
trasbytcry appointed on April l3, 1891; be-
cause OF the recent publication Of his inaugu-
fsl address, because the inaugural address
may DC regarded as the most deliberate and
| emphatic expression OF DR.. Briggs doctrine,
and therefore representing most fairly his po-
| sition with respect 10 those doctrines upon
which the charges and Specifications are
/
delivered and published IL has been widely
criticised: but in spite Of those criticisms, n
second edition has been published, in which
all doctrines set forth In the first edition are
pre- euted without modification, being rather
| rcanrmed and emphasized in a preface and
I'm an appendix.
Because of the vital importance Of the doc
trines with which the inaugural address deals.
Because the address was delivered as an in
PRODUCTION 10 n course OF lectures on Biblical
theology and Is therefore 10 be taken a a
formal declaration Of tho professors attitude
with respect 10 somo Of the more important
subjects in his new department.
II has been decided by your committee that
@ IS neither necessary nor advisable 10 en-
brace in the list OF the charges all the doctrine
errors contained in the inaugural address.
Furthermore, your committee is not unmind-
ui of the fact that the erroneous and ill
advised utterances of DR.. Briggs havo seriously
Disturbed the Peace Of the Church.
but they do not include this grave offense In
the list Of formal charges
Then follows long list of charges and
specifications based on statements in the
inaugural address.
The report had not been presented to the
meeting and the routine business was in
progress when DR.. Alexander moved to
suspend the order Of the day to present n
resolution. Immediately the meeting was
thrown into a state of ferment. a dozen
clergymen jumped 10 their feet TO protest
against DR.. Alexander's motion. The
moderator ruled that the motion was in
order.
DR. Birch, chairman OF the Briggs prose
cutting committee, appealed from the de-
cision of the moderator, but the moderator
was sustained. DIR. Birch then gave no.
tice OF an appeal to the synod from the de-
cision.
| DIR. Alexander was called upon to state
the nature of the resolution which he in
tended 70 offer. He said it was to dis
lcharge the committee from further con-
sidcraton and rest the judicial proceed
| Iings. This, Of course, would have the ef-
feet al bringing up "A general discussion Of
| the Briggs case with little or no reference
| to the report.
| After a long discu sion DR.. Alexander
Temporarily withheld his motion to
suspend the order Of the dav DR.. Alex
Iauder has large following who do not
deem it wise to ventlate the Briggs case
lany further at present. They are
| Afraid of the Consequences
TO the church. Dr. Birch then read the
long report Of the committee containing
the indictment against DR. Briggs.
DR.. Briggs entered while the report was
being read The committee recommended
that copy of the charges and spec:fca-
| lions he served upon DR.. Briggs, allowing
| him at least ten DAYS in which to appear
| b ore the presbytery and reply to the
rges.
r.Alexauder reintroduced his resolution
for the dismissal Of the proceedings. \
long discussion followed. DR. Hall said
| iu view Of the declaration Of DR. Briggs TO
| tie seminary directors disclaiming nten-
| oual heresy the matter should be
dropped, but only after DR. Briggs was en-
| joined from teaching his doctrines TO the
pupils in the seminary. lie thought, how
ever, the committee should first be thanked
for its conscientious labors. lie offered an
amendment to that effect. DR.. Halls
| amendment was lost.
| The vote on DR.. Alexander's motion re-
suited rs follows: Aye, G2 Twelve elders
and fifty clergymen); Nay, 64 (twenty
elders and forty-four clergymen); thus de-
ferring the motion.
| Then the original motion was adopted,
confirming the recommendations of the
committee that DR.. Briggs be served with
a copy Of the charges and stand trial.
| Tho two votes indicated clearly that a
very small majority is in favor Of trying
DR. Briggs. The fact that majority OF
the clergy was in favor of shutting of a
trial and discharging the committee wa,
very pleasing to DIR. Briggs. DR.. Briggs
now has ten days in which to make his re-
! ply The proceedings were unusually
| turbulent.