The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-06
BRIGGS HERESY CASE AGAIN
Being Considered BY the Fall Session Of
The New York PrsSbytery.
WHAT IS CHARGED IN THE INDICTMENT.
The Prosecuting Committee Specify Many
Reasons Why the Alleged Heretic Should
be Excluded for His Views.

New YoRv Oct. 5-The New York Presby-
terry assembled for the fall session to-day.
The case Of DR.. Briggs, Of the Union Theo-
logical Seminary. accused Of heresy. came
before the body. Tie Indictment against him
charges violation of the vows of the ordina-
tion taken upon his becoming Presbyterian
minister Utterances Of Dr. Briggs during
the present year and quotations from his
works alleged to be contrary to the confes-
sion Of faith are cited as specifications.
The meeting was called to order by Moder-
ator Shearer at I'D o'clock. Rev. John c.
! Bliss. pastor Of the Washington Heights Pres
oyterlan church. was chosen moderator. Dr.
! Bliss is said 10 approve Dr. Briggs IN so far as
| his resumption of his duties at the Union
| Seminary is concerned against which many
! Presbyterian bodies throughout the country
/ have protested.
The prosecuting committee appointed last
MAY 10 prepare papers in the trial of Profess
| sor Briggs formally presented its report en-
bodying the charges against him. They were
lald over however. and the first orders of reg
ular business were proceeded with. These
were church sessions and the election of dele
gates to the Synod.
RESOLUTION II THE BRIGGS CASE.
The report in the Briggs matter had been
lad before the meeting and routine business
was IN progress when DR.. George Alexander.
OF the University Place church. moved to sus-
pend the regular order that he might present
resolution IN the Briggs matter. This
caused excitement. and a dozen clergymen
protested that II WAS out of order. Alter the
discussion had lasted some time the modera-
tor decided the motion in order. Chairman
Birch, ofthe Briggs prosecuting committee. ap-
pealed, but the ruling was sustained DR. Birch
then gave notice OF an appeal to the Synod.
Dr. Alexander was requested to state tho
nature of his proposed resolution He said it
was 70 discharge the committee from further
cons leTati n Friends of Dr. Briggs pro-
tested that this was equivalent to trial by
speeches, and not by evidence After recess,
Dr. Alexander Withdrew his motion. but an
nounced that he would offer IA resolution 70
discharge the committee IS soon as their re-
port had been read. The report Of the COM
mittee was then read by Dr. Birch.
IMPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
The report Of the committee is very volumi-
nous and backs up the charges and specihca-
tiOns with minuteness. The report begins by
saying that the committee based its charges
upon what IS contained in Dr. Briggs inau-
gural address alone. This is done because
the inaugural address was the original subject
OF inquiry by the committee of presbytery
appointed on April l3 1891 because of the
recent publication Of the inaugural address
because tho inaugural ad lress may 10 re-
garded as the most deliberate and emphatic
expression of Dr. Briggs doctrine. and there
fore rep esentlng most fairly his position
with respect TO those dootrines upon which
the charges and specifications are based /
Since the inaugural address was delivered and
published 1t has been widely criticised but
IN spite OF these criticisms "a second editio'
has been published ia which all doctrines Sc, /
forth IN the first edition are presented with !
ont mOtltlcgffDF- Ipfrrf T.tNrr affirmed and |
emphasized IN preface and appendix
MANY CHARGES.
Because Of the vital importance with which |
the inaugural address deals: because the adj |
dress was delivered as an introduction t. a |
course Of lectures on biblical theology and is |
therefore to lie taken as a formal declaration |
OF the professors attitude with respect 10
some of the more important subjects in his |
department. the indictment goes on 1T
has been decided by your committee that il is
neither necessary nor advisable 10 embrace in |
the list Of charges all the doctr nal errors con
tained IN the inaugural address. Further
more your committee j. not unmind- |
full of the fact that the erroneous and
ill-adylsed utterances of Dr. Briggs in the
address have seriously dis
turbed the peace of the Church ami led 10
q situation full of difficulty and complications
and have pro luced such widespread uueasi.
ness and agitation throughout the Church as
y
the General Assembly with reference b. the
same vet we have determined not 10 include
this grave otense against the peace OF the
Church in the list of formal charges" Then
follows q long list Of charges and specihca-
tions based on statements IN the inaugural
address.
DIR. BRIGGS MUST STAND TRIAL.
At the reassembling Dr. Alexander with
drew his motion TO suspend the order of the
day. lie eaye notice that he would renew it.
however, ter the report. The committee
then read the report, While DR.. Briggs entered
and took q seat IN the irOnt row. At its con-
cusiOn Or. Alexander introduced his resolu-
ton for the dismissal Of the proceedings
A long discussion of this motion followed
and it was finally put TO the test Of a roll-call
TIE vote resulted as follows: Ayes. G2 twelve
elders and fifty cergymenl: noes. 81 twenty
elders and forty-four cierg' men : thus de-
feating the motion. Then the original mo-
non was adopted. confirming the recon-
nendatiOns OF the committee that Dr. Brig s
be served with a copy of the charge, and
stand trial. The two votes indicate clearly
hat a very small majority is in favor of try
NJ Dr. Briggs. The fact that a majority was
II favor of shutting OF trial and discharging
lie committee was very pleaslng 70 DIR. Briggs |
Dr. Briggs has now ten days IN which to make
is reply
After some routine business the Presbvtery
until tomorrow. The proceedings |
we're unusually turbulent. and several times
bara yyera calls for a lefter Christian cnirit