Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-20
REV. DR.. BRIGGS BELIEF.
DISCUSSION OVER IT AMONG PHILA-
DELPHIA PREsBYTERIANs.

The Opinion of Well-Known Minister
and Prominent Church Lawyer-The
Latter Says They May as Well Close Up
if Briggs Is to Be Followed.
PHILADELPHIA, April 19.-Philadel-
phia Presbytery's overture to the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, con-
demning the doctrine of Prof. Briggs, of the
Union Theological Seminary, has brought
out an ingenious and purely legal
plea from Henry Day. lawyer,
and an elder in Rev. DR.. John
Halls Church in New York, defending
DR.. Briggs status with the church. The
paper incidentally declared that the stand
of the Philadelphia Presbytery. and the
other bodies of that denomination in this
city, indorsing it were virtually prejudging
the case without hearing. PresbyterIes all
over the country, are taking one by one,
similar action, disappearing DIR. Briggs
utterances and the topics is likely to be most
prominent matter of argument before the
General Assembly this summer. As already
printed, Prof. Briggs in an address at the
seminary, declared doctrine, which shorn
of externals, distinctly advocates the use Of
individual judgment in deciding what por-
tions Of the Scriptures are actually inspired
by God, and what are not to be believed.
Rev. j. D. Paxton, pastor OF the West
Spruce street church, gave his views of Mr..
Days defense. He said:
There were three points covered BY Mr..
DAy in his presentation OF the case, First:
he regarded the action OF the Presbytery as
a prejudgmept of the case. Ithink this was
scarcely true as it had mildly called attention
to the case, and referred the whole matter to
the judgment of the General Assembly
"Second Mr.. Days position, that the New
York Presbytery alone has jurisdiction in the
case, regard as manifestly incorrect; the
Presbytery has right to adjudicate when
minister is heretical, but a theological profess
sor occupies different ground. His views are
of interest to the whole church, and the Gen.
whole church. The New York Presbytery
could not try Prof. Briggs as professor. They
might try him as minister, but minister's
views are tar less Important.
"As TO DR.. Briggs having before occupied
professors chair. 1t should be remembered that
the chair of Old Testament Literature, where
Hebrew was taught is quite unimPortant COM
pared with the chair of Biblical Theology, I'M
mediatey concerning doctrines.
Third the third point that Mr.. Day makes
is that the Directors of Union Seminary cannot
give their authority over to the General
Assembly; that they cannot bind the directors
Seminary, in common with all other semi
naries, has already delegated these matters to
the General Assembly and cannot take it
back"
One of the most prominent lawyers of the
Philadelphia bar, himself theologian by
taste and study from his youth up, and
lay delegate to former General Assemblies,
in which he has made his mark as national
figure in Presbyterianism. was asked for his
opinion CONCERNING the legal aspect of the
case. e
"There is no legal aspect" he. replied
with some warmth, no, Il don't care to see Mr..
Days paper, nor any summary of its points,
nor to discuss his views in favor of Pro-
lessor Briggs at all.
.If DR.. Briggs is to be followed, we Pres
byterians might as we'll shut up our
churches. We teach and believe that the
Bible is Gods word; not that it contains it.
as pile of grain on barn floor may contain
wheat, but is not wheat until it shall have
been winnowed.