Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-26
BRIGGS AND HIS "BARR1ERs."

BRIGGS AND HIS CARRIERS"
In view Of the interest felt by the
public touching the alleged heresy OF
Dr.. Briggs, professor OF Biblical theol-
ogy in Union theological seminary,
and considering the intention to have
his case brought before the Presby-
terrain general assembly in session at De-
troit, something about the man and his
religious ideas may be acceptable. DR..
Briggs, born at New York in 1S4l, and
educated at the University Of Virginia
and later in Europe, is regarded as the
leading exponent in this country OF
what is termed higher criticism"
by which is meant the application of
the same rules OF criticism 10 the Bible
and religious traditions, their histor-
zeal accuracy, authenticity and relia-
bility, and so forth, that are used in
more profane inquiries and investiga-
tons. The doctors ideas in this direc-
ton crop out in several Of his pub
lished works, but chiefly in an address
delivered last January on taking the
chair of Biblical theology in the Union
seminary. His subject was THE Au-
thority OF Scripture, under which
head he stated his views boldly on
those questions of Bible criticism that
have in late years engaged the earnest
attention Of the foremost ecclesiastics
in the Protestant church.
AS one of the three great sources OF
divine authority, to-wit: the Bible, the
church and reason, he finds that the
first, the Bible. has been treated as if
it were baby to be wrapped up in
swaddling clothes, nursed and carefully
guarded, lest it should be injured by
heretics and slleptics. No one can get
at the Bible unless he force his way
through the breastworks OF traditional
dogmatism, and storm the barriers of
''ecclesiasticism." He was especially
severe on the dogmatists who con
structed barriers around the Bible,
shut ting out the light of God, obstruct-
ing the life of God, and fencing in the
authority OF God
The first of these barriers" which
he undertook to demolish was ''super-
stition,' saying: I'VE are accustomed
to attach superstition to the Roman
Catholic mariolatry, hagiolatry and
the use of images and pictures. and
other external things in worship. But
superstition is no less superstition if it
takes the form of bibliolatry. 1t may
be all the worse, if it concentrate it
self on this one thing. But the Bible
has no magical virtue in it, and there
is no halo inclosing it. 1t will not stop
bullet any better than a prOfane
book. 1t will not keep off evil spirits
any better than a cross. 1t will not
guard a house from fire half so well as
holy water"
Another barrier" was the ''authen-
ITCHY" of the Scriptures on which ne
said: ''It may be regarded as the GER
tain result of higher criticism that
Moses did not write the Pentateuch or
Job. Ezra did not write Kings or the
Lamentations. David did not write the
Psalter, but only few psalms. Solomon
did not write Ecclesiastes, but only a
portion of Proverbs. Isaiah did not
write half of the book that bears his
name. The great mass of the Old Tesla
ment was written by authors whose
names or connection with their writings
are lost in oblivion. If this is destroy
ing the Bible, it is destroyed already.
But who tells us that these traditional
names were the authors of the Bible?
The Bible itself? The creeds of the
church? Any reliable historical testi-
mony? None of these things. Pure
conjectural tradition. Nothing more"
He finds errors in the Bible that no
one has been able to explain away.
This alone disposes of the alleged sin
errancy'' OF the Scriptures.
He likewise rejects the idea OF judg-
ment Immediately after death, and con-
cludes by saying that criticism is at
work with knife and fire. Let us cut
down everything that is dead and
harmful every kind OF dead orthodoxy,
every species of effete ecclesiasticism.
all merely formal morality. Let US
burn up every form of false doctrine,
false religion and false practice, and
remove every incumbrance in the way
OF new life
In spite, however, of the seemingly
radical and un-Calvinistic character OF
his expressed notions on the Bible,
ideas that would make the Geneva re-
former turn over in his grave, the
directors OF Union seminary stand by
the doctor and support him against the
presbytery.