The sun., 1891-04-13
DIR. BRIGGS'S FRIENDS READY
If he rs ATTACKED IN PREsBYTERY
TO-DAY HE WILL BE DEPENDED.

A Mild Motion for Committee 70 Report
Whether HIS TeaehinGs Arc Heretieai
or Not Would Probably Go Threaeh-
Talks with Hls Sympathisers.
Prof. Briggs has the grip and. unless he 10
cured so suddenly as to revive his belief In
miracle he will not 10 able to confront his 10.
cusers at the meeting OF the New York Presby-
terry In the Scotch church to-day. One OF his
friends said yesterday that. on that account,
he thought the arraiRnment Of PROT
Briggs for alleged heresy might be post.
poned. 1t lie the regular annual meeting.
aud Presbytery will have other yhings to do,
Delegates to the General Assembly are to b
appointed. and other annual business 10 tn b
transacted. 1t may depend somewhat on the
degree OF hostility manifested By Prof. Bri0gss
accusers whether or not Prssby.ery will
find time to appoint a committee to consider
the reports Of prof. Briggss heterodoxy. Tho
friends OF Prof Briggs will rally to his defence
IL ithosilities are too openly begun. and rather
than have prolonged argument the Presby-
terry may postpone consideration OF the matter
until its MAY session.
On the other hand, II the appointment OF the
committee is urged on tho ground that Dr..
Briggss position is possibly misunderstood.
and that an opportunity should be given him
to set himself right. his friends cannot very
we'll oppose 1t. Should they oppose It. they
could do so successfully: that 10, providing
every friend OF the revision Of the Westmn ster
Confession is friend Of DR.. Briggs As last
winters vote showed. the revisers are in q
large ma ority in the New York Presbytery But
all Confession revisers are not Brigesites. The
Rev. DR.. R. R. Booth. for example. is q revissr.
but not q follower OF DR.. Briggs IN his mode of
interpreting Scripture. There Is. indeed. NO
reason for revisers being BriGGsites for Dr.
priu a n raallv n That l. hA
not originally: He wanted the Westminster
Confession left intact apparently more for
sentimental than religious reasons. while he
which would Be broad enough Tor other Prot.
estsnt bodies to unite In. Such creed would
Prot; Briegs's friends. more logical than he.
finally persuaded him to agEes to revision OF
One Of these friends said yesterday that Dr..
did not o. !, son,s with sSs ooniess,on. s.ssps
taught proionsei instead q insssntsneous rs:
his friend seemed 70 think. did not CONFLICT
INIT h could ,a "and the
=, SoI a know n that the sou' controls the body" y"
muh In the
min f. What the spirit Of God
for heresy. They believe that Prosbyterianism
81 II ai Ss 81
gural Address By an author calling himself
Sixtus." II the authority Of Holy Scriptures
be bel assaled then Presbyterian doctrine is as
That Prot. Briggs has following is shown
even by the rather negative utterances OF
another friend OF his. who said: Tho troublo
l. Dr. Briggs is too dosmatic and outspoken.
Very likely he q right es to 80 views Of Bible
sch?larship. We working clsreymsn cannot fol-
low him. We have duties to perform which
i. nearly ali this trO%bls Iiks the opposition %
gymsn without charges who are old.
e 'hss siahiSB:
Presbytery and also votes. as well as tho minis.
ters with parishes. 80 that they at all times
can initiate q movement in furthsrance OF
aIsliks. asi Il. however. tie matter tn regard &
DR.. Briggs comes to a vote l think they will
be beaten. as they were IN regard to revision.
don't mean tina. committee to investigate DR..
ed. but that It will mo- be appointed unless It is
advocated in conservative spirit with . view
tion."
Sun. SO his friends did not wish to be quoted.
Those who were interv iewed only knew Of the
proposed presentment against Dr. Briggs
Were. therefore. ali taken By surprise. but
were not a bit scared on that account One
had come from the bedside Of DR.. Briggs. with
whom be ha doubtless talked the matter over,
even a modern version OF tho fate OF Servetus.