St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-05
BRIGGS is VICTORIOUS
Charges of Heresy Dismissed
at the Hearing in New
York.
The Case Will Not Be APP
pealed to the Synod OF
the State.
Chinese Insurgents Are Still
Bent on Maltreating the
Christians.
Triple Tragedy on a Holy
Mountain in Parkway
Japan.

NEW YORK, Nov. 4.-The New York
! presbytery assembled at 10 O'clock this
| morning in the Scotch Presbyterian
! church on Fourteenth street, near Sixth
avenue, for the purpose of beginning
the trial of Prof. Charles A. Briggs on
| the charge of hereSy, based upon the
| language used by him i'll his inaugural
| address in Union Theological seminary.
| DR.. john C.BliSs presided as moderator,
| and called the presbytery to order.
! There was full attendance. One of
the chief charges against DR.. Briggs is
| that he disputes the inerrancy of the
Bible.
Prof. Briggs read a paper Directing
| to the form of the charges preferred,
! stating that the report of the committee
which formulated the indictment
against him charges otfenses which are
not now proposed tor trial. The COM
mittee charges him with uttering doc
trinal teachings respecting the mira
cleS, original condition Of man, etc,
without attempting to prove the charge.
| This, DR.. Briggs said, did him a great
| injustice. and was apt to prejudice the
! decision OF the members. He said if he
| had caused widespread anxiety to the
| church he was sorry, but in his con-
science he felt no guilt as regarded dis
turbIng the peace and harmony Of the
church.
lie further added that the charges
were general and obscure and irregular
IN form throughout. There is nothing
in the specifications that can be tested
by the defendant. He admitted the eX-
cerptS from his address made on the
| occasion of his inauguration as profess
| SOr OF biblical theology in Union. TheO-
| logical seminary. The facts relied upon
! to sustain the charges are missing i'll
| the indictment. As for instance, there
was nothing to deny that 1.-The Bible, as
| book, Is paper, print and binding,
nothing more. 1t is entitled to reverent
| handling because it is the divine word
| of redemption for man ana not for any
other reason whatever" He said also
that the indictment contained insinua-
tionS wholly unwarranted. He denied
that he ever taught doctrines conflict
ing with the holy Scriptures as the only
iDfallible rule of faith and practice.
The question was raised whether the
committee of the presbytery which for
mulated the indictment was an original
party to the action. The moderator
ruled that it was. DR.. Henry Van
Dyke, one of DIR. Briggs supporters, en-
tered a protest based on precedent,
which was entered on the records and
will go up to the synod. The moderator
held that the committee of prosecution
represented the Presbyterian church in
the United States, and was the original
party. This decision was appealed from,
and the chair was sustained by vote
OF 81 to ga.
DR.. John ]. Stevenson, of the prose-
cutting committee, said that the commit
tee would in due time reply to DR..
Briggs answer. He maintained that
the CHI rges and specifications are i'll per-
fectiy proper form.
DIR. Van Dyke moved to dismiss the
case against Dr. Briggs and dismiss the
committee. The motion was received
with laughter. At the afternoon Ses-
sion great deal of debate enSued on
DR.. Van Dykes resolution. Rev. David
q. Wylie offered an amendment, which
was accepted by DR.. Van Dyke, setting
forth that while the presbytery did not
approve of Dr.. Briggs views. yet it dis
missed the case for the sake of peace in
the church. After further discussion
DR.. Van Dykes resolution was adopted.
as amended, by vote of "a to 80. DR..
Briggs was congratulated on all sides
when the vote was announced. Rev.
Dr. Birch, chairman of the prosecuting
committee, was sOrely disappointed at
the result. and gave notice of an appeal
to the synod. The presbytery adjourned
until next Monday.