Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-29

the usefulness Of minister should be dis
cussed carefully. Whatever committee
may say-no doubt couscientiouSly-it viii
be inferred DR.. Briggs is guilty o. some Of
Tense. We shall thus cast reproach on his
good name. and Il great school, already
stricken by an act of Goo. will be crippled.
This IS reason for caution. |
know my side Is unpopular Therefore,
hear me caruidLy and patiently try 20 show
that the committee have erred.
l. II IS doubtful whether such an assem-
bly, is able to Judge OF other DIAN doc;riEal
qualifications.
:. DR.. Briggs IS not new man, for
he was elected seventeen Years ago.
Many of his colleagues and students
say he IS man OF ability,
scholarship, al able teacher. spiritual and
pioUs. This assembly. 10 WHOM he IS :.
stranger, ought not he in haste. The pres
| byteries ought to act in our wisdom in the
premises. May not this be to continue him,
The arguments against him are two.
/ he is misunderstood.
. That he IS not sound in doctrine
The first. il IS said III 9Uarre's. both sides
are wrong, why not III MISUNDERSTANDING
DR.. Briggs published four books Of az
knowledged weight. Why try him by
Syllabus
The second charge, that he is unsouud.
may be based upon mjsuEdel-
standing. Some say he indorses
spiritua! conGit.on Of MartiEeau. IN i
toot-note iii Hodges Theology : similar
testimony IS U2-Le 10 the spiritual status
of Schleit lIna.i.-J-a noted Northumberland
the expectation OF meeting him in heaven.
But faLiIt is found with his idea that the
knowledge Of God could and has been
reached by MS reason. Schleiermacher
did. Hodges thinks.
II DIR. Briggs can historically Justify his
positions he has right u hold hem. 1
don't know what he could do l.. that line.
Ny last point IS this-a man
must DC proved uq5ound after care
ful tria-, ii need be in al church
courts, but in i case like this man is, if
charged with UusoundneSS, considered
unSourd from the first. ! don't see chat
his ideas OF errancy on the part of Bible
redemption, of race and progressive sane
LITIGATION after death are not according To
the standard. Confession has many
points that are often misunderstood The
doctrine of the Presbyterian church IS that
every minute thirty human beings drop mo
the unspeakable and Unending torrents of
he'll. Think of this awful belief, You
can't do it and keep ont of the lunatic
asylum. l think that most of us have Sc
Cret hope that III some way God VIII
find 4 way out OF this If DR.. Briggs
can find this in the Bible let us be glad. On
At strict construction of confession. of course
he IS wrong, but will You who mean 10 make
such . radical change of our confession as
to say that all infants are saved not leave
little margin for Dr. Briggs? Prejudice
is easily raised, bat not allayed, The theo-
logical stomach is delicate, made squean-
ish'
Or. Logan of Scranton, Pa. suggested
editication Of the action proposed by the
committee. They say they have given
their best judgment: what is the least the
assembly can do in the premises,
DR.. Dic6ey said Spare the tig tree; let
ii alone this year; We will dig around il,
and II it bears fruit, well; If not we Will
help you to cut it down
DIR. Evans charmed the ear and saddened
the hearts of his hearers for two hours by
his defense of DR.. Briggs. The
eighty presbyteries that have over
tured you have not acted without de
liberation - he said. They have discussed
the matter for weeks and months. To de-
lay will risk more than the loss Of the serv-
ices of one man or iniuring the sensi-
bilitieS OF the trustees of the Union theo-
logical seminary. Almost every pastor voted
81 to Against DR.. Smith. We demand
prompt and decided action.
In view of the death of Judge Brecken-
ridge President Patton asked to be excused
because of fatigue.
The special committee TO go TO st. Louis
with the remains were announced as Rev.
Drs. Hayes, Dickey Erskine and Smith,
with Elders Rankin and Montgomery
DR.. Nichols, the pastor of Judge Brock
euridge, is absent, but will return in time
TO take the train.
There was 10 opportunity TO see the re-
mains, and after announcing that there
would be prayer meeting in Fort Street
church at O'Clock this evening, the meet
ing closed with prayer by the moderator.
Many will recall the similar and sudden
death OF Ex-Governor Washburn at the
great meeting of the American board 1T
Springfield, Mass, which SO greatly sOf-
tened the heated discussion which was
there, as here, going on over doctrinal
matters.