New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-21
DIR. BRIGGS IN HIS ELEMENT
BIBLICAL THEOLOGY AS HE WILL TEACH
IT IN UNION SEMINARY


ALREADY UNDERMINED AND ARE SOON TO
RE BLOWN TO AToMs-FAULTs OF PROT
EsTANTIsM LAID BARE - BISHOP
POTTER SENDS NBLEssiNG AND
PRINCETON SENDS REGRETS.
Higher criticism had fair hearing last eVch'iiS
al the installation Of the Rev. Dr. CharieS A. b''s ~
his now chair in the Union theological SEMINARY .
REPRESENTATIVE theolocians from various schools Oh
reorninr Ienr dignity To the hour. while many adeS
added Grace 10 the enjoyable occasion. happy
feature WAS the presence of Charles Butler inc Eo
cradle and honored president OF the Board OF
one of The founders of the seminary and te soi0
founder of the new prOfeSsorshlp Among ''N WV -,
directors present were John Crosby Browh' w. -,
NcAIpln and the Rev DIS. J. NJ. Ludlow - H.
parkhurst +. c. Clark d. r. Frazer nleino'i' ~
faculty. the Rev Drs. T. :. Hastings. piesioeht, '"
g. r Shedd Philip SchaT, c. l.. PrentSS, T. a blis3''
y BROWN NJ r. Vincent; Dean Hoffman ana FRO
lessor Richey of the General Theological oe"Il'i'
Professor George P. Fisher. OF Yale University To
dent George Washburn. OF Robert Cohege' Non
stantlnople: Professor Henry NJ. Bard OF inc VI.
versitv of the City Of Ncw-York; President I. h
unox ~ the German Theological school. Bloomheh'
Y T Other cergymen noticed were secretary El''"
wood Of the Presbyterian Board Of Foreign Missions
Henry J. Van Dyke, Wilton Merle smith, haooi
Gottheil David G.. Wylic Willard Parsons an" |f''A
andcr McKevey. =. b. Tyler, Roderck Terry anu
I r. Foote Letters Of regret were receNeu i.o"
President Low, Of Columbia, NiceChahceIlo' nav
CracI,cn ~ the University Of the CITY Of New forK'
President Dwight Of Yale; President Green, OK ri'nco
ton seminary; Dr. McCosh. OF Princeton CniVcrslV
Dr LYMAN Abbott Of Plymouth Church. BfobNh'
and Bishop Potter, of New-York
AN APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION.
pishop Potters letter. addressed to Mr.. Butler was
as follows: 49,. an i'm,
peratye professional engagement will deprive me u t'
very great pleasure OF accepting your Inos
ytaton on behalf Of the directors OF Ohlo" 1po,o :,
seminary to attend the services OF the lhaueuN' -
the Rev Dr Briggs Edward Robinson professor "a
Biblical theology. ,>or
nr Riggs has certain amiable innrmitics, as l lear
some o., his more immediate brethren may reE9Fu Ne'
which especially endesr him to those "ho' IKE NY e'
arc glad and proud TO claim him as our oroh'r III Wv,
daar and tender bond OF the fellowship OF our co"non
Master But II he had not, we should sun r''oco AS
great and honored institution OF Christian learnlS s
honored itself in honoring him, and IN mus un''.s '.O
name o, Edward Robinson cherished by scholars IN ooh
hinheres with that Of Charles A. Briggs, has gwen
all reverent and earnest students ne" pledgo % u
arqo wisdom and courageous Gde!Ity with which IL wiz
contlnus administer great ana sacFeu uuSO -,
God prosper your school OF the pEophe'' anu give 9A
and wisdom ia noble band OF teacher -.
Professor Fisher offered prayer after which PreSi-
dont Hastings read the XIXth Psalm The Seminary
choir updcr the direction Of DR.. Gerrtt Smith. sang
two or three times during the evening Mter d.
Hastings had made statement explaining the louiut
ton Of the Edward Robinson professorshp OF Biblical
Theology by Mr. Butler the selection by the iouhuer
Of Dr. Briggs as is incumbent and the transfer by
unanimous consent of the Board Of Directors OF Dr.
Ircgs from the Hebrew chair TO that oil BIBLICAL
Theology Mr. Butler asked DR.. Briggs TO SUBSCRIBE
tn the constitutional statements regarding his oel
in the Bible the Westminster Confession OF Fatn ana
the Presbyterian Form Of Government Dr. BnsSS
subscribed I'm a hearty manner ana repeated MS
promise made many years ago not to teach anything
that seemed to him to be opposed to the FUNDAMENTAL
principles of PreSbyterianism.
Dr. d. II. Frazer, the pastor OF the First Presbyterian
Church Of Newark a cassmate Of DR.. Brigss's in the
seminary In the class If 1864 delivered the charge In
behalf Of the Board II Directors. The address was
full Of congratulaton for his classmate and OF good
advice, regarding the new duties that devOlved upon
him.
THE BIBLE AND HOLY WATER COMPARED.
DE- Brigg. is a favorlte with the students and their
appau,c when he rose TO begin his inaugural address
prevented his speaking TOR some time several tunes
during the hour or that he spoke they sppauded
him loudly as when for instance he avowed his loyalty
10 the directors faculty, Denefactors and former IN
srctor, Of the institution and when he ended period
with the ,,ertion that The Bible 10 no better than
mas book for stopping bullet, and l. not rs goo1
a., holy water for putting out fire. Well deserved
,uul,u.e ci,cted hi, announcement that Professor
Frinc., brown, his pupil aud friend, his right
arm would succeed HIM in the Davenport professor
hip 81 Hebrew. DR.. Briggs chose for his theme
DO The Authority Of the scriptures" and exposed the
barrier, 10 the bible which he declared had been
undermined in these latter daySc We have under
mined their brca~tWor-' he sad. let us blow them
To atoms" Dr. ehcId. who at on the platform, sat
apparently deep in meditation a the students APP
paudod the speaker The following Is the outline OF
Dr. Briggs, adircs,:
l. Divine authority s the only authority 10 which man
can yield implicit obedience There are Historically three
great fountain, Of divine authority: l. The Bible.
The Church B. The Reason.
I'D The majority Of Christians from the Apostolic age
have found tod through the Church. II we
ha,o 10. seen God IN Institutional Christianity
It &, because the Church and Us institutions
have cnveoped themselves with human conces and fol-
lies, have the divine authority In the authority
u popcs and councils prela's priests and theoogians
and these medators OF redemption have obtruded them
,ciNc, In IN, way Of deyout seeker, after God
~ Another mean, used by God 20 make Himself known
Of reason. the metaphysical cacgor!es the
conscience and the religious feeling There are those
VINO would Ea'ioaats place in the company Of
the faithful cannot DO But they forget that the
essential thing Ind tod and II these men have
found cod without the mediation q the Church and the
Bible. Church and Bible are means not ends; they are
avenues to tod. God. We regret that these Ration
a-t, have deprecated The grace.
IL. but warned lest We commit the
and Gtprec ca and The Christian Consciousness
o. Protestant Christianity builds is life and faith
Ia, divine authority contained IN the scriptures. and too
often doprccatc, the Church and the Reason. Men
Influenced by tmperam'ut- and their environment,
which Of the three WJ5, Of God they may pur
sue There ob7ru ;.ons thrown up by the olies u
men In each Of these aycnr,, aad Il j, duty
servant, Of the living God to the stumbling blocks
out Of the way.
barriers TO TIE BIBLE.
IL Barrcr,-No 81 these ways has been Oh.
,tructcd as the Holy b bic The ancient Jews made
fence about the law AMI Enclosed 10 with circle upon circle
Of Traditional interpretation The Christian Church
rcacd Word Of tod bend the authority OF popes and
councils. fathers and ,choolmcn. The scholasucs and
occo-a.tic, protestantsm cnycloped the Bible with
rIccd c,c siGstca decisions and doguotc ystems. The
Bible has been treated II IL were baby, To be wrapped