Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-21
A FIGHT FOR PLACE
In the Presbyterian Assembly Will
Be the Opening Feature.
THEN WILL COME BRIGGS CASE.
The Recantation of the Doctor May Quash
the Heresy Trial,
IF HE HAS BACKED DOWN AS REPORTED


: ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH,1
DETROIT, May 2O.-The General Assembly,
which is to perform the apparently incon-
sistent acts of yetoing the modernization of
the Bible on the Briggs plan and voting for
the modernization of the Westminster Con-
fession on the plans proposed by an anti
| Briggs committee will convene in the Fort
Street Presbyterian Church tomorrow with
all the ZIG Presbyteries represented. The
Bible modernization will come to the front
at the very opening of the convention when
the Moderator is chosen. The new Moder-
ator will be selected with regard to his
views on the Briggs question and not with
reference to his views on the revision of the
| Westminster Confession as last year.
So completely has the new issue over
shadowed the old, that of the candidates in
| the field, but one, the Rev. DR.. C. A. Dickey,
of Philadelphia, is affiliated in any way with
DR.. Briggs. He is q director in the Union
Theological Seminary. He is also connected
with the Board of Publications of the Pres
byterian Church. Both connections will
tend to defeat once more his ambition Che
has been a standing candidate for Moder-
ator for many years), for the Publication
Board is nearly in as much bad odor as the
Union Theological Seminary, although for
dlnerent reason, pecuniary one.
All Unfriend1y to Brigg1.
The other persons spoken of as candidates,
Prof. W. H. Green, of Princeton; the Rev.
DR.. Baker, of the First Church of Philadel-
phia, and the Rev. Ebenezer Easkine of
Hartford, Pa, are all unfriendly theologi-
cally, if not personally, to DR.. Briggs. DR..
John Hall, whose fears of the effect of
making an issue of DIR. Briggs opinions is
greater than his fear of the opinions them
selves, would almost certainly be selected as
compromise candidate if it were not be-
lieved that he had resigned his commission
ship to his alternate, the Rev. DR.. Wylie.
Accordingly, it is likely that the Union
Seminary director will be defeated because
he is director, and one of the others
elected because he is opposed to DIR. Briggs.
The Briggs matter will formally come be-
fore the General Assembly after the appoint
ment of the standing committees on Friday.
1t will come up in two shapes. One will be
the the m OF his to
ology in the annual report of the Union
Theological Seminary. This will be referred
to the standing committee on theological
seminaries.
The Course of Action.
The other shape will be the action of the
Is Presbyteries which have asked that his
appointment be not confirmed by the Gen.
eral Assembly. Ordinarily, all overtures are
referred then to the committee on bills and
overtures; but,as the standing committee on
theological semfnaries will also have the same
matter in hand, the overtures may be turned
over to it. If, however, the Committee on
Oyertures is stronger than the other COM
mlttees, the overtures may follow their
usual course.
In that event the Briggs question would
come before the General Assembly in a
shape to be voted on at an early date, for the
Committee on Bills and Overtures always
has precedence of all other business. 1t can
even interrupt the speaker who has the
floor, and it is apt to dispose of the matters
entrusted to 1t as soon as possible.
II, however, the Committee:on Theological
Seminaries takes charge of the overtures, as
well as the report announcing the appoint
ment of DR.. Briggs, the case will probably
not be discussed by the General Assembly
until the middle of next week. When it is
discussed, there is but little doubt of the
action of the Assembly, unless the announce
ment which has reached here by telegraph
OF DR.. Briggs practical recantation of his
heterodoX views be confirmed officially.
Fearing the Fate of Seryetus.
If be officially brought to its knowledge
that, fearing the fate of Servetus in some
modernized form, he has performed, the
part of Calico; if as the report sets forth.
DR.. Briggs has told the committee appointed
to examine him with regard to his religious
opinions by the directors of the Union Theo-
logical Seminary that he does not consider
the Bible, the Church and reason as co-ordi-
turb the Bibles historical infallibility; that
his theory of progressive salvation does not
prevent him from believing man who dies
in the faith enters in the middle state regen-
Grated, justified, slnleSs, and that men who
die impenitent have no further opportunity
for salvation, the General Assembly can do
nothing to him.
This THE DISPATCH correspondent has on
the authority of an ex- Moderator and the
ologian of fundoubted eccleSias tical earning.
DR.. Briggs, according to this authority, has q
right to hold his peculiar views, if he can at
the same time declare that he believes as
above.
The Way to Save Him.
This informant thinks that the directors
of the Union Theological Seminary have
only to send an official report of DIR. Briggs
recantations here to have his app ointment
as Edward Robinson, Professor of Biblical
Theology, confirmed. Other dignitaries of
the General Assembly share the same view.
In doing so, however, they reckon without
DIR. Birch. There is little doubt among
those who know him that he will hear in DR..
Briggs apparent recantation the sit does
move, though" of Galileo.
In all events, he is expected to fight with
all his might and main to bring about DR..
Briggs official decapitation, in spite of the
latter's weakening at the last moment.
There will accordingly be fight to a finish,
and DR.. Birch may yet win. While the As
sembly may, in spite of all, veto DR.. Briggs
parently cannot interfere with his contin-
uing o professor in the Union Theological
Seminary, if by chance he has not resigned
formally his former professorship, the
chair of Hebrew, and the vacancy has not
been filed.
Money Under False Pretenses.
He would still be able to draw 5000 from
the Seminary, as its professors cannot COM
pensate for what would be O declaration by
the entire Presbyterian Church that he was
q hereto. His critics declare now that he is