Huntsville gazette., 1891-10-10
DR.. BRIGGS CASE.

The New York Presbytery Assembled in
Session-The Trial of the Charges Of
Heresy Against DIR. Briggs, of Union
Theological Seminary, Among the Most
Important Business to Come Before the
Body-The Case Will, in All Probability,
Eventually Go to the Synod.
NEW YORK, Oct. 6.-The New York
presbytery is assembled for the fall
session. The case of DIR. Briggs, of
Union theological seminary. accused
of heresy, will come before the body.
The indictment against him charges
violation of the vows of ordination
taken upon his becoming Presby-
terian minister Utterances of DIR.
Briggs during the present year al
legged to be contrary to the confession
of faith are cited as specifications.
DIR. Briggs will conduct his own de-
| fense. In the Presbyterian church the
rule is that the accused shall be the
interpreter of his own words, and if
any expression or word has two mean
| ings the milder meaning must be taken.
The presbytery exercises functions
similar to those of grand jury in
passing upon indictments of judge in
deciding disputed questions arising in a
trial and of petit jury in the render
ing of verdict
The meeting was called to order by
Moderator Shearer in the lecture room
of Old Scotch church at 10 a. m. The
attendance was large and included, be-
sides Prof. Carles A. Briggs DR.. j. W.
Birsch and Rev. Dr. Marvin R. Vincent,
who have been pitted against each
other in the charges of heresy against
the former; DR.. McGiven, DIR. John
Hall, DIR. William M. Smith, Col. j. j.
McCook and Prof. Stevenson. Rev.
John c. Bliss, pastor of the Wash
ngton Heights Presbyterian church,
was chosen moderator instead Of
the liberal nominee, DIR. Thompson,
of the Madison Avenue church DIR.
Bliss is said to approve Prof. Briggs, in
so far as his resumption of his duties at
the Union. seminary is concerned,
against which many Presbyterian
bodies throughout the country have
protested. The prosecuting committee
appointed last May to prepare papers
in the trial Of Prof. Briggs, formally
presented its report embodying the
charges against him. They were laid
over, however, and the first orders of
regular business was proceeded with.
These were church sessions and the
election of delegates to the synod. The
| report in the Briggs matter had not been
laid before the meeting and routine
business was In progress when DIR.
| George Alexander moved u suspenu
| the regular order that he might present
a resolution in the Briggs matter. This
caused excitement and a dozen clergy
| men protested that it was out of order
| After the confusion had lasted some
| time the moderator decided the motion
| in order. Chairman Birsch of the
| Briggs prosecuting committee appealed
| but the ruling was sustained. DR..
Birsch then gave notice of an ap-
| peal to the synod. DIR. Alexander
was reques ted to state the nature of his
proposed resolution. He said it was to
discharge the committee from further
consideration. Friends of DIR. Briggs
protested that this was equivalent to a
| trial by speeches and not by evidence.
Pending debate the meeting adjourned
until 2 p. IN.
The report of the prosecuting COM
| mittee bases the accusation against DR..
Briggs solely on his utterances in the
inaugural address, deeming this the
latest and most important of his decla-
rations.
| The report of the committee is very
voluminous and backs up the charges
and specifications with minuteness.
The report begins by saying that the
committee base the charges upon what
is contained in DIR. Briggs inaugural
address alone. This is done, among
other reasons, because the inaugural
may be regarded as the most emphatic
expression of Dr. Briggs doctrine, and,
therefore, representing more fully his
position, and because the address was
delivered as an introduction to a course
of lectures on biblical theology, and is.
therefore, to be taken as formal dec
laration of the professors attitude. The
committee has also decided to limit its
charges to few departures from the
teachings of the Scriptures which are
fundamental to the whole discussion,
without admitting. however, that DR.
Briggs teachings in regard to miracles
the nature of sin, etc, are departure.
from orthodoxy.
| A Fatal FIRE