St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-29
ABLE CHAMPIONS.
Prof. Smith and Drs. Logan and
Dickie Give Their Views.

DETROIT, May, 2S.-After DR.. Patton
had made the opening statement on
behalf of the committee. Prof. Smith,
of Lane Theological seminary. said:
'The proposition to terminate the useful
ness of a minister should be discussed care
doubt conscientionsly-it will be inferred
DR.. Briggs is guilty of some otfens We
shall thus cast reproach on his good name
and great school already stricken by the act
of God will be crippled for at least the imme-
diate future. This is a reason for caution.
1 know my side is unpopular, therefore hear
me candidly and patiently as | try to show
that the committee has erred: First it is
doubtful whethere such an assembly is able
10 judge of other than doctrinal qualifica.
Gons. Second, DR.. Briggs is not a new man.
He was elected seventeen years ago,
think, to the chair of lexegesis in
Union, Theological seminary: Many of
his colleagues and students say he is man
of ability, scholarship, an able teacher,
spiritual and pious. The arguments against
him are two: First he is misunderstood;
second, that he is not sound in doctrine. AS
to the first OF these, it is said in uuarrels
both sides are wrong; why not in misun-
derstanding?' Continuing, Prof. Smith said
that in the PRESBYTERIAN church man was
hereto who violated the system of doctrine.
The general opinion seemed to prevail that a
man charged with an infection was guilty
If the verbal form of the confession was to
be insisted upon, most of those present would
have to leave the church. There were three
charges against DR.. Briggs for his pres
claims of errors in the Bible transatIons,
called 1nerrant transmission, progressive
sanctifcation and infant damnation. DR..
Warfeld, of Princeton, published a book
showing that certain portions of the New
Testament were irregular. Should not he also
be proceeded against? DR.. Briggs desired
only to find theological grounds for the doc
trines set up in the confession of faith
Enrln1C TUa hot nf
sive sanctificaton. He did not fully under
stand what DIR. Briggs meant on this point.
Perhaps DR.. Briggs could explain. The Bible
and the confession have been misunderstood.
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 face the problem and
keep out of the lunatic asylum? He thought
thai possibly God might find some relief for
them.
Rev. S. G. Logan, D. D., of Scranton,
Pa, wanted the acJion proposed by the
committee modified. In the second res
olution he wanted a change made, add
Ing the name of DR.. Briggs to those to
be conferred with. Not only was a
professor to be tried, but a whole sys-
tenn of control of the education of min
listers for the Presbyterian church. Ii
would tend to the peace of the church
dent Patton, of Princeton, took the floor
in behalf Of the report of the committee.
He said he admired DIR. Briggs as a
friend. The committee would not put
straw In his way. Nor would it make
the position OF the directors of union
embarrassing. They had hired the man
in good faith, and were not responsible
for the utterances in his inaugural. The
only difficult point to his mind was the
Interpretation of the compact between
Union and the Presbyterian assembly.
If that compact permitted the exercise
of the veto. and he thought it did, the
duty of the assembly now lay in the di-
rection of exercising the veto or stop
ping once for all. He did not believe i'm
qualified or moral condemnation. The
assembly must make its condemnation
direct, if it made it at all.
DIR. Dlckle, of Union seminary, rather
disappointed the assembly by his failure
to back Briggs as strongly as he had
been expected to. DIR. Dickie said he
saw no sense in condemning DR.. Briggs.
any way. The assembly might in its
haste do something that would be re-
pented at leisure. The claim of the re-
port was that, according to the contract
with Union seminary, the power of
veto could not be exercised if withheld
year. The assembly might Interpret
the compact its own way, DR.. Dickie
said. DR.. Briggs had been elected most
informally. The speaker had not been
present either at his election or inaug-
ural, but supposed if the professor had
not tried to air his scholarship, but had
paid attention solely to the subject of
the authority of the Bible, all would
have been we'll. AS it was, he asked for
years delay, and if he were alive
through that time, he would do all in
his power to bring about reeoncilia-
tion,