The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-05-23


pearing in this issue from their old
favorite "Broadbrim." The ADVOCATE
appreciates the courtesy and hopes for
him many more years of usefulness.
--------
ONE FROM BROADBRIM,
The Sixth avenue and 14th street is
one of the busiest centres of New
York. On one corner stands the
Grand Bazaar Of II. H. Macy & Co., and
In the immediate vicinity are some of
the heaviest dry goods firms in the city,
other busy marts there are, none more
popular than this. Here aristocratic
purchasers from Fifth avenue and
Murry Hill, touch elbows with sans
culottes from Grand street and the
Bowery; for here they cater to wants of
the highest and the lowest, and here
Dives and Lazarus meet. Street rail
roads centre here, over which thous-
hnds of people travel at all hours of
the night and day. The elevated rail-
road rears it's unsightly head over all,
and the harsh rumble of its cars offend
the ear every hour of the twenty-four
A few yards from the corner of
Sixth avenue on 14th street stands q
quiet, respectable, sleepy old church,
ct the door of which you may see a
placard, with the legend "Gospel ser
vices every evening at half past seven
o'clock. Come inl ~ You pass out of
the roar of the streat and once within
Its portals all is changed. As a usual
thing quiet reigns supreme. The
prayers and exhortation are all sub
dued and low, and it seems as if the
great body Of the congregation in
dulged in the luxury ofsilent prayer.
Everything about you speaks of sub
stAntial comfort and eminent respect
ability. There is no attempt at modern
ecclesiastical foppery; no stunning
plush pews, or brilliantly ornamented
stained glass windows; no crosses or
eroziers, nor anything to distract the
attention of the devout worshipper; but
90 remarked all is solid comfort and
respectable Christian grace. John
Knox, or John Calvin would haYe felt
perfectly at home here; for here the
law laid down in the Westminster Con-
fession, has been preached in it's purity
for more than two generations. This
Is the old Scotch Presbyterian Church
the great body Of whose congregation
still delight in oatmeal porridge, and
WA0 A AS O011OA RAONAAO01 WO0A0 ~
ton miles through q snowbank to get
an auld Scotch haggis and a dish of
kali. But the sweet peace that has
reiRned there for nearly half century
was wildly disturbed this week when
the Presbyterian Council met for the
trial Of Professor George Augustus
Briggs, for heresy. The shock of this
trial will be felt from Andover to
Geneva, and from Geneva to the Cross
Of Edinburgh.
Three hundred and fifty years ago,
Michael Servitus perished at the stake
in the market place of Geneva, for less
eontumRcy than that of which Pro
fessor Briggs stands charged to-day,
and the grim John Calvin looked on
with sanity glee as the spirit of his
murdered friend won't up in the black
smoke of the sacrifice. It was a
strange scene that greeted the eye OF
the visitor to the Old Scotch Church
on Monday. The assembly was Presby-
terian to the core. Brains and scholar.
ship were there in abundance, and
there was an entire absence of com.
monplace men. don't know why il
Is, but years of constant association
seem to create type or class and this
fact was never more evident than in
the Assembly for the trial of Prof
Briggs We have had within the past
few months, Episcopal, Baptist and
Methodist coventions, but the men al
the Old Scotch Church we're as dis.
tinct from them jas Russian is from
Frenchman; not that they were al
alike, for they we're not, except in that
indehnable something which every mar
feels and nobody can describe. One
ShAaoaAnV.ieffn Ahy.A,,..k - -
Assembly; they were fighters from the
word 90; worthy successors of the grin
heroes who stormed the bloody heights
of Dunbar under Comwell, or turned
the columns of the fiery Rupert on the
field of Nasty.
Presiding over the august assembly
was Prof. Hastings of the Union Theo
logical Seminary, gaunt and wiry, will
his long hair thrown back of his ears
the grimmest type of the old fashioned
Puritan. Doctor Birch, well fed anC
round and solid as rock, was there
looking as If good rare roast beef, witt
green peas and asparagus, was init
mately mixed up with his faith in The
Westminster Confession. Marked meI
IN the assembly were the Revs. Lampe
NcilVain; Booth, Hastings, Paxon
Hastings. Van Dyke, Shedd and Robin
son. Prof. Briggs himself looked like
q sick man, but it Is certain as light
that If he dies he will die fighting
'rry me for heresy he cried in an ex
cited voice; try me for heresy, and try
me quick" Prof. Briggs was not with
out friends In that assembly, but hi,
enemies were intensely aggressive anC
when he felt the hunt was on he stood
like lion at bay.
Though on q smaller scale one coulC
not help thinking of Martin Luther be
fore the Diet Worms. But friend anC
Zoe alike served notice to all outsiders
20 keep their hands off. The council
Nt Chester, Pennsylvania, which de
nounced Prof. Briggs as a hereto, il
sharply told to mind its own business
and the whole Of the Presbyterian
Werld is given notice that this is
New York fight and that New York il
abpndantly able to take care Of itsel
and her own.
The battle now on is not merely
revision Of thew Westminster Confession
but IL the faith Of the old Presbyterian
Church is TO be shaken in the mos
vital traditions of the Bible UnioI
Seminary stands by Prof. Briggs
whom she has recently advanced t,
her most important Theological chair
She will not allow the stamp of heresl
to be placed upon her distinguished
son, till his case has been passed OF
By the General Synod. Whoever saw
the ecclesiastical gladiators in council
this week must feel assured that tn
fight viii be the most bitter that tn
Presbyterian Church has seen 10
many years. Shall Reason or Faitl
rule our Judgment of the BibleS That
the question of the hour-who cal
tellH
But church matters have not solel
occupied our attention; ah no, oil
Adam is strong within us and / fea