The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-06
the more important subjects in his new

the more important subjects in his new
department.
The report goes on to ssy that it has
been decided by the committee that il is
neither necessary nor advisable to embrace
in the list of charges all the doctrinal er-
| rors contained in the inaugural address,
| and while its teachings respecting mira
cles, the original condition of man, the
| nature of sin and race redemption are not
| in harmony with the Scriptures and are
| calculated to weaken confidence in the
word of God and to encourage presump-
tion on the clemency and long-sufering of
! God, yet ''in order that we may
avoid an undue extension of the trial
and the confusion of thought that might
| follow an atJempttO compass all the errors
| contained in said address, we have deemed
| it best to conhne attention to few de-
| partures from the text of the scriptures
which are fundamental to the entire dis
cussion." The report adds that the COM
mittee is not unmindful of the fact that
the erroneous and ill-advised utterances of
DIR. Briggs have seriously disturbed the
peace of the church, but they do not in
clude this grave offense in the formal
charges, which, practically, are as follows:
Charge l. The Presbyterian church
of the United States of America charges
Rev. Charles A Briggs, being a minister
OF the Presbyterian church and mem Der
of the presbytery of New York, with
teaching doctrines which conflict irrec on
clliably with and are contrary to the
cardinal doctrines taught in the Holy
Scriptures and contained in the standards
of the Presbyterian church - that the
Scriptures OF the Old and dNewTestaments
are the only infallible rule Of faith and
practice; that these hurtful errors,
striking at the vitals of religion and con-
trary to the regulations and practice of the
Presbyterian church, were promulgated in
the inaugural address which DR.. Briggs
delivered at Union Theological seminary
in New York, on January %. 1891. on the
occasion of his induction into the Edward
Robinson chair of Biblical theology, which
address has, with Dr. Briggs approval,
been published and extensively circu-
lated and republished in a second edition
with preface and an appendix.
The charge includes seven specifications,
each followed by quotation from DR..
Briggs address on which the specifica-
ton is based. There is formal declaration
that these statements are contrary to the
Scriptures" and quotations from the
scriptures are given in support Of this.
At the close of its report the committee
recommended that a copy of the charges
and also citation to appear and plead be
Immediately served on DR.. Briggs. This
is the normal procedure in such cases.
After heated discussion an aye and nay
vote was taken on Dr. Alexander's sub
stitute discharging the committee and
preventing practically the service of
the charges against DR.. Briggs. A good
deal of excitement attended this.
While the teliers were making up the
count Rev. w. w. Page asked that his
name be dropped from the rolls, as he was
about to leave the Presbyterian church
and enter the Episcopal.
The vote on The Alexander substitute
showed that he had been defeated by two
votes, as follows: Ministerial vote-yeas,
so; noes, a; lay vote-yeas, 12; nays, 90
Total vote-yeas, 62; noes. o. The substi-
tute was declaredIlost. The papers were
ordered served on DR.. Briggs and the
presbytery adjourned.