New-York tribune., 1891-05-17
DIR. BRIGGS MUCH GRA1IFIED
PLEASED BY HIS COLLEAGUES STAND
PRESIDENT HASTINGS THINKS THE PREsBY-

PRESIDENT HASTINGS THlNhS 1iiH
Terry ACTED TOO SUDDENLY
,r, ,o,ter given 10 the public yesterday oy inc
tacuty Of Union Theological seminary, III .-pP ~, A.
Professor Briggs, into whose case 'no
presbytery on Tuesday decided to begin luo'ii ,'i-
vesticaton, was of great satisiacuon " '"o
nan in whose defence 1t was written froieS'or
priops was III and could not be seen whcn ii'uuo @
ror,.d called al his home yesterday afternoon ms
"a, bowever told Of the pleasure that the let'er u
otvon him. With the support Of his coleages III .iie
eaminary he feels that he is In secure postum Du
be s,Iu wants his trial to go on II IL is consiueieu NJ
ossarv IN setting him hight before the ohur0" ~
bas not vet entirely recovered from an aVtioA Vi '
min u,th which he was seized when the disease was az
It's height in this city, Ims 'roupie' .ao, he
rocent mental strain, has somewhat shattereu MS
- ond he has becn confined 10 his home since
-. u,odresdav He is now much improved, now
ever. ,, u.s,ds,t ~ the
-, rheoIoocal Seminary, said yesterday, In speak
Too % tb. letter which he and his Colleagues hao wuen
al believe that the charges against Ut. D'Iee' aie
tha rosult OF certain people mistakng the meanius
20 some of his utteranccs. These who are oppoSo1
- a.. ,uo,srneut for revision that has been going on
~ ,he church lately have been very much on ,i'o
To-, 10 dIscover departures from the Westminster
Cotession OF Faith and In their zeal they have ms
construed some OF DR.. Briggss remarks ~.
pr,crs really did believe is charged should .lh
On. matter an exceedingly serious one, but uo''s
holiova that Dr. Briggs solds any such opinions
beeve IN the right Of scholarly investigation Oh uio
RibIe simply because have such faith IN tile Ooo
that I believe our views Of 1t cannot oe o'"ei"''
than improved by intelligent investigation
~Dr Briggs has way of saying Things tha' ID az
times Irritating TO his colleagues, and ne mas gwen
oee,ce nv clothing some of the resus OF MS Blohca
rosoorchcs in rather dogmatic language we nave
spoken OF this In the letter We nave gwen I" 'no
nrbuc and some Of the papers have gwen norc
nromnence TO that part Of letter than seemed 10
ne to be necessary 1t is really true, as we sad' Una.
Dr Briccss utterances and writings are sometimes VI
this irritating character, and in writing OF MS case W.
,e,t u only inst TO give both sides; but the daGe t ot
this necullartv of DR.. Briggs does not Ill '''o i'
lessen our faith IN him as man. .oos ~ men who
came under his care with their minus use05 s I e -,
recard IN RELIGIOUS matters, and WHO lit 1,s o ill.,
viii their minds completely at rest DeLlonJ 1c to
the presbytery altogether too sugaeu III Id tho
~ " concinsion 10 try Dr. Briggs. IhOse OueHG s eo
preShvtery probably feel that Dr brlSss.S naI
wnre backward about speaking for hln put 'e 1iv i
foct e. that affairs brought 10 Crisis 30 ny
set,nS & of the Presbyery and went to the seminary
ia when after / had been there about an hour,
%as informed that the PTesbytery had decGeu 10 "
,o. nv Rrieqs I was astonlshed The PresDyery
hSs now gone go far that II must either try MN OF
acInowledge that its accusations agaihst MN "Gro
sroundless Which course it Will take IL Is no" ini
possible 10 say