The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-05-19
BRIGGS HERESY CASE.
DR. Philip schaR Thinks oonvic.
ton Would Split the Church.
THE PRESBYTERYS INCONSISTENCY.
The DiGiculties to Be Encountered in
the Coming Trial of DR.. Briggs---An
Attempt to Enforce Extra scriptural
Theory Would Be Disastrous.

IsheS tDe following letter from DE-
Philip schaff, on the Briggs heresy case:
The Presbytery Of New York, the
largest in America, has resolved to in
Z stitute judicial proceedings against DR..
Briggs, professor of biblical theology in
the Union Theological Seminary, A
committee has been appointed to for
mulate charges Of heresy. This will
require several weeks. The trial itself
cannot take place before autumn. II
Dr.. Briggsi is acquitted. as is probable,
that will end the matter as far as the
Presbytery is concerned, though theo-
logical discussion will continue. II he
is found guilty he has the right OF
appeal from Presbytery to Synod and
from Synod to the General Assembly.
In this way the case. may be pro-
tracted for several years. Much de-
ponds upon the action OF the General
Assembly which is to meet at Detroit
May q, and has the veto power on the
appointment Of new professors OF the
Whether 1t will exercise 1t or not in
the case OF DR.. Briggs remains to be
seen. Possibly the action of the Pres
bytefy Of New York may prevent any
action Of the Assembly.
A heresy trial is rare and danger
GUS thing in Protestant church. It
rouBes all the theological passions and
preiudices, it alienates friends from
friends, II disturbes the peace OF whole
denomination and may end in split.
Great is the responsibility OF those
who originate such trial. But 1t may
also clear the atmosphere and result in
the promotion Of truth and freedom.
God rules and overrules all things and
brings good out OF evil.
INCONSISTENCY OF PREsBYTERY.
Itseems to be a glazing inconsistency
that the same Presbytery of New York,
which eighteen months ago passed a
resolution, by avery large majority, in
favor Of the revision of the Westminster
Confession Of Faith, should now, by a
majority Of ID votes Alto 30), resolve to
try DR.. Briggs for departure from the
very same confession (which is justnow
undergoing thorough revision by q
committee Of the General Assembly,.
But the apparent inconsistency is
partly explained by the fact that DR..
Briggs himself expressly stated in Pres
bytery his desire Tor q Judicial trial and
itidicial decision, and that not few OF
his friends voted for a trial in accord
aiice with this desire, and in the expec-
taHon of his ultimate acquittal, which
WIN give him greater influence than he
eyerihad. 1t will be very difficult for
any committee, however learned or
able, to make out solid charge OF
heresy on the ground Of the published
works Of DR.. Briggs.
he is one OF the most learned students
and greatest admirers of the Westmins-
ter standards, and in many points more
orthodox than some Of his bitterest OPP
ponents.
We propose to discuss in an independ-
emit and impersonal way the chief topics
Of doctrine which now agitate the Pres
byterian church and on which DR.. Briggs
will be tried. They are topics Of general
interest to all Protestant denominations,
and have therefore challenged the at
tention OF the secular and religious press
in an unusual degree. They involve,
moreover, the great principle OF liberty
OF teaching, which is closely connected
with the prosperity and Success Of all
theological schools OF learning.
ORTHODOXY AND HEREsY.
These are relative terms. What is
orthodox in one church or sect may be
heterodox or heretical in another.
Heresy is novel and arbitrary opinion
and wilful departure from public stand
ards Of doctrine or recognized creeds-
Bnt there are as many doctrinal stand
ards as there are denominations and
aects. :,
The Roman Catholic teacher is bound
tothe decress Of the Council Of Trent
and the Council of the Vatican, and is a
hereto il he denies transubstantiation,
or the sacrifice Of the mass, or the i'm
Inaculate conception OF the Virgin Mary,
or the infallibility Of the Pope, or any
other dogma taught in those standards.
"a Lutheran must be judged as to his
orthodoxy blythe Augsburg Confession;
an Episcopalian by the Thirty-nine
Articles Of Religion and the Book OF
Common Prayer; o minister Of the
Dutch or German Reformed Church by
the Westminster Confession Of Faith.
X SUBSCRIPTION TO cREEDs.
Subscription to any of these stand
ards can never be as rigid in Protestant
churches as in the Roman Catholic, for
the reason that Protestants do not be-
iieye in the infallibility and inerTancy
Of the Church, but always subordinate
human cfeeds and confessions TO the
Bible as the only absolute rule OF faith
and duty. In this they are agreed in
theory. Ghilftn0worth puts IL in the
extreme form: 1.-THE Bible, the whole
Bible, and nothing but the Bible, Is the
religion OF Professionals"
AS to Presbyterian usage, it has al
ways been understood that subscription
10 the Westminster standards means
only subscription to the necessary"
and fundamental article" or to the gen;
eral Ssystem OF doctrine" contained
therein, as being taught in the Bible
Considerable latitude is, therefore, al
lowed in subordinate articles, and room
is left for the peculiarites OF old and
new school theology.
How could It be otheFwise2
Tho American Presbyterian church
has herself materially changed the
Westminster Confession hundred
years ago in all those articles which re.
fate to Church and State. When old
and new school were united in 1870,
neither of them was required to re-
nounce its antecedents or to surrender
It's liberty. A few years ago the Gener-
nj Assembly struck out the prohibition
ofmarrying q deceased wife's sister.
The Assembly Of 1890 appointed
large committee on revision, which will
ia II, Tho y1axk Assembly in Detroit