The sun., 1891-11-16
PRESBYTERIAN DOCTRINE.
rsor BRIGGS PREACHEs a PLAIN SER
MON ON THE MIDDLE STA7E

n Charles A. Briggs, against whom charges
i, haresv wero brought. which the New York
y, hvtery dismissed on Nov. 4, preached last
Iii in tho West End Presbyterian Church.
sns.h street and Amsterdam avenue DR..
,,.,,,es Is n member Of that congregation. and
~ ,ook this means Of defining his position.
The church was packed People came from
III over tho city. Among the congregation
~ 81 ~ any number OF Presbyterion clerGymen
chose views do not agree with Dr. Briggss.
wa tbey kept close track Of what hc said.
",,no SUI copious notes. DIR. Briggs talked SO
,o;niy %' that no one could fall to understand
him. ...,,a .. .,.
,,...rina of the Middle State. It was aues-
~. he said, that has been rising in promi-
80 80 before tho Christian public In recent.
po. .rs after long neglect There Is great con-
so ,,sion in the minds Of the people on
" subiect, he said. because tho people
w. Wv. not thought much on II. The said any
H.. novel to the congregation. he asked them
=. ,smember thatit was not novel to him. He
~ .r,roaohed the point OF view from diner
10 v.ys after long years OF research and
study r,... m,.,
-. 9Th chapter. 23d verse: And the very
God ~ peace sanctify you wholly. and 1 pray
cod your whole spirit and soul and body be
srsseryed blamcless unto tho coming OF our
Iord Jesus Christ"
"This passage." DR.. Briggs said. teaches
,unortapt lessons on the doctrine OF sauctif-
son First it sets forth God strs as tie II Srs sa1s
fan sanctifcation ,is is not partial, but whole;
scRRs,f rhFd MSsn Il oempstea tss sas fSt ss t6a 81
scT cTSn bncter said that he did not have time to
take G up ali these things and would pass pass over M
tSnsss4esaton the n5ss aaa % might understand the third
eonffh M doctrine set forth In this passage" he
s9s3Ss sSs @ort s GsFFsd On ss Hs
Tsis is what :. w, coll coll progressive
:.ss.'satiiGnt :.ss'9s IN this state. but 1f middle
asfe It goes on in the world Of the 2 LIVING IN IN
he world o. the dead ., Il reaches It's fr"iton
nm In recent times in the matter Of Christian
S1 saatTne Or fn @ One
Hme 4 me-, q regeneration. That is the doctrine Of
the fnsGSainHnStii nssaGnSsnSation had been immediate St
Paul would not have written the words Yt the
tsT christian saneaieattSSn. aUSordiIg N to
tsas 1sss a0 then and goes on until
il tsf sGstsss s gs
@ pssssnt iiie. This is an error which our Meth.
o&a 6rethre1 have made; .,! They ss teach that that
s.s. ;i a.sn % s'n 70. :$s Ssa, sss. tssss
Soshs Sosssss % '!baHs Bnt + % that that
Sot Christian sanctincation: 1t Is merely
ssssn e. iD e ~ any such low ideals
God Hmss ts ths fne 81 Hs
The belief in immediate sanetifMeation M 4 st t
& Of
%s 8 2, tie zSIy septt'SressS 5pt' a. men Ss.S sTs
pSs 1sso1S 1eresi'tth oi the bSdy wSen die
dust. The spirits enter into the middle state t:s
Soss SSss n not ?se taFs place p until the day q
doStrine Of Immediate sanctiacation at death.
!s S reaares The Of true
ana ,Isss %5st ;osE hSy
Sss Ee; sndo%mens S%n s1 Fhis reaeirss ti@s TSsss
fore there can not be Immediate sanctihcation
THE doctrine Of Immediate santincation at
death oyerlooks the importance Of Jesus
Gnss S.ps Se% s1a
thing Ms NOR more is needed. We haveto .gothrough
inss i%sks 9esns Gh Is "
place by Immediate sancttfcation? Shall
death moment sstafish more %a than the
m %ent mt I than fi the Bible. the Church, and The
ssns IL EaE esnisa
to human exper!enee. We have eonseie'nsess
lead Christian lives lives It is little by little.
P BY ssD Ae dsssRf dsSRRf to rSs Pdee
consistent @ :. with the moral eoXern%asnt YER asn
trne oi the 81 immediate nee s.netifcation at death
saps the foundations and destroys the whole
structure 9i the goxernnent OF Sod ~, IN s fhiss
70 create free moral agent perfectly sanctt;;
fed. II is necessary for 2 free moral
psnE az sSeaon g. sfonsh asa6s hs
Immediate sanctiacaHon at death; 50 long as
this doctrine 4, held do not think the Chris h
dueemept is there to struggle for ,sanctiacs-
ton in this life when we can have 1t at death
without stt,ugse2 ,.e,.t;o, o,,.r ds.th "a
distinct from the Roman Catholic doctrine
q This dootns + f,na has Sopsss
wish " YOU to "s ebserSe seds tSat this soctpns 8;
progressive sanctifcation is Q doctrine OF
NJ heTe snys Of and G9ss On MoFsng until
Christ. Is this not better than sleeping.
life? The higher we rise here
20 much the. higher we will be
there; There are degrees Of excellence In this
world: there are vastly higher degrees Of OK:
eellence In that which is to come. II we could
once tx our minds on this what an incentive
tEould be to holy endeavor."
said: when I WAS a student In Berlin
trine ] first became relieved Of my doubts
~ the doctrine Of progressive sanctiflcati9p
10 the Middle State. This applies to the
heathen as well. The infants and the heather
who have not known Christ In this world. CO.
Ing to the school Gt the Apostles In the heaven
Dr, Briggs closed by saying that II there was
anything that was not clear to any OF the con-
gregation he begged them to study the sub
lect and be charitable with him. After the
services the people gathered around him to
THE BIBLE AND MODERN THOUGHT.
The first Of the series Of Sunday evening
aMeifiy,sred last night by the Rev. Pr. = II
snd Medilyaine. hn., bis subject being The Bible