St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-06
EXCITED MINISTERS,
The New York Presbytery
Has a Day Of Warm
Debate.
Reverend Gentlemen Pass the
Lie Direct and Turmoil
EnSueS.
an Attempt to Block the Pro-
ceedings Defeated on a
Close Vote.
Charges and Specifications Of
the Committee Against
DR.. Briggs.

KEW YORK, Oct. 5.-Great interest
was manifested to-day in the meeting of
the New York presbytery in the Scotch
Presbyterian church because the charge
Of heresy against Rev. DR.. Briggs was
expected to come up. The interest in it
is not confined 10 the Presbyterian
church, but has spread until the eyes
of churchmen and iaymen throug hout
the land are centered on the proceed
ings at the little church in West Four
teenth street to-day. The offense with
which DR.. Briggs is charged has made
him more prominent of late than any
Other Presbyterian in the land.
For seventeen years he had the pro-
fessor of Hebrew in the seminary, and
has been recognized authority on
criticism in this country. 1t has long
been known that his views were con-
trasted with those of DR.. Greer, of the
Princeton seminary, and Dr.. Patton, of
the college of New Jersey, who repre-
sent the conservative element in the
church, but he was never regarded
hereto. Last winter he delivered an IN
augural address Oh the Authority of
Scripture" in which the Bible and the
church and the reason were named as
the sources of divine authority and the
barriers of the Bible superstition, YER
bal inspiration, authenticity, inerrancy,
violation of laws of nature and little
prediction were demolished. The adj
dress
Precipitated Matters
ers in the same way that the publica-
ton of Rev. Howard MacQueary's book
brought about the trial and subsequent
change of denomination of that divine.
Rev. John c. Bliss was chosen mod
orator. This was declared to be a vic
tory for the anti-Briggs men, although
there was 10 division. The Briggs men
would have liked to have Rev. DIR. C.. l..
Thompson elected moderator. After
some preliminary business of minor i'm
p0rtance had been disposed of, the
question of hearing the report of the
committee of prosecution, which was to
present the indictment against DR..
briggs came up.
Immediately there was a turmoil.
When DIR. Burch. the chairman of the
committee, got up and prepared TO read
tie report DR.. Alexander also arose and
said he had a resolution to offer before
the reading of the report was begun.
This was practically a motion to SuS-
pend business. Many of the presbyters
feared that the resolution had bearing
Oh the report, which would do away
with its effectiveness. There was much
Impotence to have it read, but Dr.
Alexander was not to be put down.
A compromise was effected. by which
DR.. Alexander consented to read his
resolution. after which the preSbvtery
was to decide whether 1t was of suffi-
cient Importance and relevancy TO delay
the hearing of the report of the commit
tee. The resolution DR.. Alexander
proposed 10 offer was as follows:
Whereas, The presbytery of New York at
its meeting May last. on account of utter
ances contained i'll an inaugural address de-
liyered Jam %. 1891. appointed committee
TO formulate charges against the author of
that address, Rev. Charles a. Briggs d. D.;
and
Whereas. Since that action was taken the
accused has supplemented those utterances
by responding TO certain categorical ques-
lions; therefore.
Resolved. That this presbytery, without
pronouncing on the efficiency of these latter
declarations to cover all the points concern
ing which the accused has been called i'll
question. deems 1t eXpedient to arrest judi
ciHl proceedings and hereby discharges the
committee from further consideration of the
case.
a dozen presbyters were straightwav
on their feet talking excitedly. a
dozen different motions were made at
once, and Dr.. Alexander took his seat in
a Perfect Turmoil.
after moving to suspend the order of
the day to let in his resolution. Dr.
Briggs sat unmOved on a chair in the
rear of the room.
Rev. DR.. Birch said that no friend OF
DIR. Briggs could afford to vote for the
motion offered by DR.. Alexander with a
view of diSpOsing of the real question at
Issue IN the manner proposed by HIM.
lie SAID that the report aid not condemn
Dr.. Briggs. 1t simply reported charges
against him and it would be for the
preSbytery to pass Judgment on him.
Rev. DIR. {. l.. Thompson was on his
feet when DR.. Birch sat down. and he
urgen that far greater interests were at
stake at this time than the outcome of
the proposed trial Of the New York
presbytery. The New York revision,
for instance, of the confession OF faith,
which was now approaching happy
cOnSnmmation, would be seriously en-
dangered by prosecuting this matter at
this time. An ecclesiastical trial now
meant ecclesiastical trouble aSWide as the
latitude of the church. The peace of the
church had not been 50 menaced since
1887 as 1t was this minute. He made a
strong appeal for liberty in the church
and urged that the course suggested by
DR. Alexander be adopted,
BY the time DR.. Thompson finished
speaking the hour for recess had ar
rived, and the question therefore went
over, vote not having been taken on
Dr. AleXander'S motion to suspend the
order of the day. J he members were
much excited when the session adj
JOurned. and the room was a hubbub of
reverend gentlemen shouting at the
top Of their voices and waving their
hands frantically.
When the Presbytery was reconVened
DIR. Alexander opened by Withdrawing
his previous motion 10 have the con-
Sderation OF his resolution precede the
hearing of the committees Indictment
against DR.. Briggs. He said he would
put it OFF until after the report had been
read. The reading then followed.
The report goes on to say that it has
been decided by the committee that it is
neither necessary nor advisable to en-
brace in the list of charges all the doc
trinal errors contained i'll the inaugural
address, and while its teachings respect
ing miracles, the original condition of
man, the nature of sin, race redemption
and DIR. Briggs scheme of biblical the
ology in general are not in harmony
with the Scriptures, and are calculated
TO weaken confidence in the word of
God and to encourage presumption on
tie clemency and long-sufferIng of God,
yet in order that we may avoid an I'M
due extension of the trial and confusion
of thought that might follow an attempt
TO encompass all the errors contained in
said address, we have deemed it best to
conline attention TO a few departures
from the teachings of the Scriptures,
which are fundamental to the entire
discussion.
The report adds that the committee is
not unmindful of the fact that erroneous
and ill-adyiSed utterances of DR.. Briggs