The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-29
A HALT IN The HERESY TRIAL
Judge Breckenridge, Of ST. Louis, Dies Sud-
denly Alter Speaking.
ABLE DEFENSE IN BEHALF OF DR.. BRIGGS
President Patton's Statement in Reference
to the Committees Report-The Speeches
for and Against.

AOi anu Nktiihbts
DETROIT. Mich. May 2s.-When the Pres
byterian Assembly's opening hour drew near
this morning there was much more than the
usual attendance in and about the Front
street church. where the sessions are being
held. The interest in the Briggs case was
strong enough not only to bring about much
larger attendance Of commissioners at the
opening prayer service, but to fill the gale
ries with interested spectators by the time
the hour for the business session arrived tho
church was filed. There was no suppression
Of excitement The reading clerk ran over
the minutes Of the Assembly. but no one
heard him, because the church was full OF con-
versatOn, and when the minutes were read
the Assembly, squared away. for the battle
with heresy which has divided IN interest IN
this Assembly with the report OF the COM
mittee on the revision of the standard OF
faith.
FAVORED THE TEXT
The report OF the committee on theological
seminares had been printed and was IN every
commissioners hands when President Fat
ton opened the discussion. He spoke Tor the
committee on what he termed a few words Oh
explanation, but what was really an argument
in defense of the report favOring the veto or
DIR. Briggs appointment. lie felt ilaI an
were willing 20 credit the committee with the
desire 10 do what was best In the fullest
recognition of possibility OF mistake the
committee had been actuated by one desire,
to do what was demanded by the exlgen-
cies of the OCCASION and to do it in
kindness and with recognition OF the
rights of all concerned Different action was
not taken because the COMMITTEES was clear
that this was best. 1t was the least the as
q Il L. . #l...g Tett.l
was called upon to DO. They had tried TO
consider both present and future in making
up the report Ii the time came during the
debate they were ready % give the reasons
for every recommendation. II protracted de-
bate became necessary. It would be conducted
in the spirit which actuated the work OF the
committee.
DIR. BRIGGS DEFENDED.
Professor Henry p. Smith, of Lane Semi
nary. rose to the defense of Dr. Briggs the
moment President Patton had concluded. He
denounced the report as a proposition TO put
an end to the usefulness OF minister OF God.
The adoption of the report would put STAN
on a minister harm the Church and cripple
school already hurt by death. Professor
Smith was caustic III his reference to Dr.
Green of Princeton. Not every school, he
said. could hope TO have professors OF the
physical and mental stature of DIR. Green.
Dr. Briggs had been "A professor of the mon
for seventeen years. He had ability. Those
who knew him indorsed him 1t had been
said that he had been misunderstood and WAS
not sound in his doctrine. Would he be con-
demned on these grounds before he was
heard The religious press composed OF
papers supposed t. be published IN the IN
terest of the Presbyterian Church, had become
OmnpOtent and consequently magnlhed their
Offices \ large majority of commissioners
had received their impressions from these
papers In the nature of the case were the
papers competent as a jury TO decide the
case No man could be specialist IN this de-
partment Not even the editor of a religious
paper. These gentlemen had misunderstood
Dr. Briggs. They judged hlm on the popu-
lar plane and not on the plane OF theological
training.
THAT INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
The inaugural address of DR.. Briggs was de-
livered 10 a select audience. The next week
a religious paper published a syllabus or the
address and editOraly made AN onslaught
upon DR.. Briggs. In any court IN the land
would such evidence be received TO convict a
MANI 1t was upon what might be called
mere table of contents Of inaugural address
that many Presbyterians had acted. Should
he be judged on a syllabus of an adj
dress. a man who had published four
works? The second charge that he was
not orthodox. was the gTayer one. There
were number of assertions in the address
which. whatever might be said of their pru-
dence, could not be said TO the contrary 20
the tenets of confession. Continuing, Pro
fessOr Smith said that in the PRESBYTERIAN
Church a man was a hereto who violated the
system of doctrine The general opinion
seemed to prevail that a man charged
with an infractiOn was guilty. II the
verbal form of confession was 20 be
insisted upon most of those present would
have to leave the Church. There are three
charges against DR.. Briggs for his presbytery
10 copcfdov Thav were his claims of errors
in the Bible translation called itinerant trans
mission progressive sanctitcatlon and infant
damnation Dr. Warfeld of Princeton, pub
lished book showing that certain portions of
the New Testament were irregular.
PROGRESSIVE sANCTIFICATION.
The most serious point was that of pro
gressive sancthcatiOn. He did not fully
understand what DR.. Briggs meant on this
point Perhaps Dr. Briggs could explain
Tie Bible and the confession had been mis-
understood why not DR.. Briggs position?
The doctrine of the Presbyterian Church
meant that every minute of time thirty
human beings dropped into hell. This went
on for centuries. Did they ever reflect and
trace the problem and keep out of the lunatic
asylum? He thought that possibly God
might find some relief for them.
Rev s. c. Logan, ID. d., of Scranton. Pa.
wanted the action proposed by the committee
modified In the second resolution he wanted
a change made adding the name OF DR..
Briggs to those to be conferred with Not
only was professor to be tried. but a whole
system Of control of the education Of minis
ters for the Presbyterian Church. IL would
tend to the peace of the Church, and they
could postpone action.
PRESIDENT PATToN's REPLY.
President Patton of Princeton took the
floor in behalf Of the report of the commit
tee. He said he admired DR.. Briggs as a
friend. The committee would not put straw
in his way They had hired the man in good
faith and were not responsible for the utter
ances in his inaugural. The only difficult
point TO his mind was the Interpretation of
the compact between the Union and the
PRESBYTERIAN Assembly If that compact
permitted the exercise Of the yeto and lie
thought it did. the duty of the assembly lay
in the direction of exercising the veto or
stopping it once for all. He did not believe
in qualified or moral condemnation. The
assembly must make IFS condemnation direct.
If it made it at all
Dr D;ckie of the Union Seminary rather