The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-05-13
BRIGGS A HERETO.
So Decides a Majority Of the New
York Presbytery.
TILvAINEs DEFENSE OF BRIGas.


Supreme Court of the Country.
NEW YoRK, May 13.-The case of
Rev. DR.. Charles A. Briggs, professor of
Biblical theology at the Union Theo-
logical seminary, whose alleged heretical
utterances have been under discussion
by the New York presbytery, has at
tacted crowded audiences to the old
Scotch church, where the investigation
was held.
At yesterdays session. after some pre-
Hminary matters had been disposed of,
and the assemblage warned that ap-
klause would not be tolerated, Moderator
5herer announced that the business be-
Fore the meeting would be the reading
of the reports of the committee ap-
pointed to investigate the charges made
against Professor Briggs.
Thereupon DIR. Birch, chairman of
the committee, stepped TO the platform
and read the majority report, which de-
clares DIR. Briggs guilty Of heretical ut
terances.
Professor Briggs Objects.
The preliminary slEirmish of the day
occurred when DR.. Birch had finished.
A motion was made to admit Dr. Vance,
Of the Chester prcsbytery, the same
which condemned Professor Briggs some
time ago. as u corresponding member.
That would give DR.. Vance chance
to speak on the subject under discus
non. Tho moderator did not think it
would be fair to admit one outsider to
the privileges of the meeting and not the
many Others who were present.
Professor Briggs rose and objected to
the admission Of DIR. Vance, and the mo-
tion to that effect was lost when put be-
fore the house. When the matter had
been settled the report of the minority
was read by the Rev. DR.. McIlyaine,
who alone Of the committee signed the
minority report.
He explained that as DIR. Forbes had
objected 10 the use of the word judicial
In the majority report, the committee
was equally divided as to what manner
of investigation should he made by the
presbytery. Three of the committee
recommended II judicial investigation
and three u friendly investigation Then
he proceeded TO read the minority report
DIR. Edwards Explains.
When that was done DIR. Edwards,
who, it was expected, would sign the
minority report and did not do so, took
the platform to make n verbal report
ALAu allop lA tAllltlIil HIS DO1ltlOu III Lue
matter. lie did not approve of q Judi
:s=s-zss-.::-,EaaSis.ation, b.ailrnO the lnAtter
was now before the general assembly
He thought 1t would be better to wait
until the general assembly had disposed
Of the matter
When it came 10 the adoption Of the
majority report by the meeting, DIR. j.
J. Lampe arose and began an address
which was against DR.. Briggs. He be-
= - Nt,nA r
would he question the Christianity of
Professor Briggs, but he considered the
professors inaugural address to he anti
confessional
DIR, Lalnpe pointed out wherein the
utterancus of Professor Briggs conflicted
with the confession of faith. Dr. Lampe
Eald there were no errors in the Bible,
but only few difficulties He deplored
the fact that the present difficulty had
come TO the church, and said il would
not willingly part with Professor Briggs.
McIivaine's Minority Report.
DIR. Mcilvaine moved that his, the
minority report, he substituted for the
majority report. DR.. Mclllyaine asked
permission TO explain why he wished to
substitute the minority report for the
majority He assembled to the platform,
and after speaking for few moments
he warmed up in manner that reused
his auditors In the course of his re-
marks DR.. McIlvaine said he did not
know what Professor Briggs meant by
progressive sanctitication, and didn't
think DIR. Briggs fully understood it him.
self. DIR. Mcflvaine thought that if
God could have made perfect man in
tho beginning he would have done so,
without having him 30 through all the
process as at present. God could make
nm innocent man.
~ want time to think over this mat
ter" the speaker said. 81 don't know if
DR.. Briggs has brought to us great
truth or If he is heretic. l don't want
these things thrust upon me in that
fashion, he added "Now it is all tur-
moil and excitement Other prcsby-
teries all over the country are condemn
ing him, and probably not one-half of
them has read his address," Mr.. Nell
vaine warned the meeting that the great
est injury which could come 70 the
church was to have it to go out to the
world that the church was gagging its
scholars.
Briggs VIII Invoke the Law.
When DIR. McIlyaine concluded there
was burst Of applause, and the ap-
plause octasicned considerable of rum
pus. A threat was made that the audi
ence would be turned out of the church
and into the lecture room, but the mat
ter finally siInmered down and nothing
was done
DIR. Briggs protested against the ac-
uon OF the presbytery in connection
with the report of the committee.
He Thought he had been unjustly
treated, and said he would go to the su-
Preme court of the country to get justice.
From this time on there was chaos
OF mOtlUnS and n1npnlmanfc hut avanf-
aaly the minority report was voted
down by 60 to 35 and the majority re.
Port adopted by vote of "A to 81, and
the moderator was instructed to appoint
committee of five to act on the recon-
mendation OF the report.
:, DR., Briggs formally protested against
the action of the presbytery.
The presbytery then adjourned until
June n.