The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-27
BRIGGS ON THE BIBLE.
The Famous Divine Speaks About the
Fountains of Divine Authority.

The Famous Divine Speaks About the
Fountains of Divine Authority.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
NEW YoBK. Nov. 22.-Prof. Charles A.
Briggs delivered this evening lecture on
The Bible and the Church as Fountains OF
Divine Authority" He said in part:
at ought to be a recognized fact that
there are three great fountains of authority,
the Bible, the churth and the reason. When
1t Is said that the reason is a source OF divine
authority, it is because God enters the
reason to speak through the conscience to
men.
THE churchmen have exalted the church
above the Bible and the reason, the ration
alists have exalted the reason above the
Bible and the church; the evangelical party
has exalted the Bible above the church and
the reason; but no party, so far as know,
has made the Bible, church and reason CO.
ordinate, yet the Bible alone is the infallible
rule OF faith and practice. The conscience
alone speaks the categorical imperative
within the man.
THE church alone administers sacra-
mental grace. God is the only divine au-
thority.
The doctrine of the independent sovereign
authority Of holy scripture. sufficient Of
itself to convince. assure, and give infal-
lible certainty as regards its own authority,
is one of the most precious ones of the refor-
nation. God himself speaks to man through
the Bible. The Roman Catholic party has
claimed that the church is divine authority
In the Interpretation Of holy scripture; the
Westminster confession teaches that the
infallible rule of Interpretation is scripture
itself. The reform party did not seek to
destroy the church, but to reform it.n
Here the speaker quoted from the West
minister confession to show that it was held
that there is divine authority in the church
it is Christ's kingdom; he relgns over it. in
habits it by his spirit and makes its institu-
tions eff1oacious. He grants access to him
self through his church.
THE late Cardinal Newman was a repre-
sentative churchman of our days, man Of
the highest culture, of deep insight into the
government Of God, a sanity man, IL there
ever was such. II it be heresy TO take such
a man at his word, and say that he found
divine certainty through the church. /
glory in such heresy. l would rather fol-
low Newman into the presence OF my mas
ter than risk the companionship OF those
uncharitable men who would exclude him
from the kingdom of God.
81 do not say that the ceurch Is superior
in authority to the scriptures, or that the
church is coordinate with their scriptures,
but do say that in the order of time God
spoke through the churdh before he spoke
through the Bible. Those, therefore, who
deny that the church is great fountain of
divine authority strike at the vitals of the
Bible itself, and imperil the authority OF
these very scriptures which they design to
exalt and to honor.
81 hold the middle ground OF the
Protestant reformers that the Christian
ministry, the holy sacramento, and all the
other sacred historic forms of the life anc
experience Of the church are of divine in
stitution and authority, and bear in them
and with them the authority of God, the
presence OF Jesus Christ, and the power of
the divine spirit.
sit is true that the church is far from at
tanning its ideal, and yet Gods spirit has
guided it in the development of its institu
tions, its doctrines and its life. The church
has never failed to fulfill In measure her
high callings. The divine spirit is present
in the church as never before. She will
rise to ali her grand opportunities She will
consolidate her forces. The holy spirit
will inspire her with love of humanity
that will ere long fuse the Christian min.
istry into one organism Of redemption; q
new and holy Christ-like life that will
transform the society of our great cities
from cellar to garnet; that will solve all
social national problems; that will bring
about the peace and holiness of the world,
to accomplish which the Bible and the
church were instituted, the church with
divine authority and power"