Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-29
DIR. BRIGGS CASE
Comes Up Before the Assembly-A Very
Spirited Discussion.

Spirited Discussion.
DETROIT. May 2S.-The Fort Street
Church was crowded this morning when
che Presbyterian General Assembly re-
>rmed its session.
The interest in the Briggs case was
strong enough not only TO bring out a
much larger attendance of commission
,rs at the opening prayer service, but TO
81 the galleries with interested Specta-
tors, and by the time the hour of the
business sess. on arrived the charch was
Sled.
There was no suppression Of excite
,a-t while the reading clerk ran over
minutes of The Assembly, which no
one heard because of the hum Of cOnVer-
,ariaY. and when the minutes We're read
-he Assembly squared away for the
battle which has divided interest IN this
Assembly with the report OF the Com
rrir,ee oa Revision. The report of the
Committee on Theological SeminarieS
had been printed and was IN every com
ms,.oDer'S hand.
After devotional exercises DR.. Patton
SAID DE wished TO speak a word OF eX-
pauation. Our report is unanimous;
w. could see no other course but that
We took: we are ready TO give reason
for every decision we have made, but
the propositiOn 20 terminate the useful
ness of a minister should be discussed
carefully.
DIR. Briggs is guilty Of some offense.
We shall cast reprOach on good
name. and a great school already Strlck-
ON by the act of God will be crippled
for at least the Immediate future. l
.new my side is unpopular, therefore
oe patient as l try 10 show that the
committee have erred.
10 Is doubtful whether such an assem-
byi able to Judge of other than doc
uinal qualifications. DR.. Green has set
avery high standard; shall we keep our
chairs vacant because we can not reach
,bs, mark. Many of Or. Briggs col
leagues saw he is a man of ability and
scholarship, u teacher, spiritual and
u.ous This Assembly. TO whom he is
stranger. ought not To be i'm haste. The
srggmcnts against him are two:
First he is misunderstood: second, he
l0t sound in doctrine.
I' Is said i'm QuarrelS that both sides
are wrong: why not in miSuuderStand-
lUse Has not the opinion OF the relig-
ious press biased the commissioners?
These editors have used me well, but
are they qualified for this? II may be
that they have misunderstood DR..
Briggs Fault has been found with his
Idea that knowledge OF God could and
has been reached by reason. Schleier-
macher did, Hodge says. II pr. briggs
can Historically Justify his position he
has right To hold it.
BY last point is this: a man must
oe proved unSOund il need DE in ali the
Calrch courts But in cases Ike TINS,
uaa is. II charged with unsOUndneSS,
considered unSOund frOm tbs first do
not see that his ideas of errancy OF
the Bible, the redemption of the race.
and progressive SanctihcatiOn after
death, are uOt according 10 the stand
ards Confession has many points that
are often misunderstood. The doctrine
OF the Presbyterian Church i that every
minute so human beings drop into the
Gu>peakable and unending tOrmentS OF
hell. Think of this awful belief. You
can't 90 il aud keep out OF the lunatIc
asylum. Most of Us have secret hope
that in some way God will find way
coutof this. If DIR. Briggs can 6nd this
Ia the Bible, let us be glad.
On strict construction OF the Con-
leS>ion Of course he is wrong; but will
you, who mean to make such radical
change Of our Confession as 10 say that
@ii infants are saved, not leave a little
margin for Or. Briggs Prejudice is
easily raised, but not alayed. The theo-
logical stomach is delicate and Squeam-
i>b
h- Logan, OF Scranton. Pa, suggest