Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-29
DR. BRIGGS HIT HARDI
His Demurrer to the Allega-
 tions of Presbytery. -
ATTACKED THE HEREsY CHARGES,

He Declared That the Indictments Ac-
 cused Him of Teaching Doctrines Which HI, Had Repeatedly Dfsclaimed An
 Adj.'urnmeur Saves His InquIsitors.
 NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-In the Presby- terian heresy trial Dr. Briggs is ahead up to date. His was the victory yesterday, and he owes it to his logic He led his accusers off into side issue and confused them with his arguments. He mixed them up 50 that they failed in their an- swers. The merits of the case were not touched.
 In a demurrer he attacked the two most essential counts in the indictment h another moment Presbytery would have voted to strike out these two counts, but Colonel McCook saved his committee from total defeat by calling for time.
 The issue yesterday was upon the sub stituton of the new indictment for the old Dr. Briggs was in his seat beneath Moderator Bliss chair. The court was assembled in the great auditorium of the Old Scotch Church.
 Then began the response of Dr. Briggs to the amended charges. He objected to the amended charges as being insufficient ill form and legal effect, and also to the regularity of the prOceedings He stated his objections in clear, concise, compact form.
 Dr. Briggs laid bare the legal aspect of the case. But this did not stir up the audience. It was when he reached the evidence and the charges that inter- est was awakened. He found the indict- ment was radically changed by the amendments proposed by the committee, and that the evidence proposed as proof of the new charges was also radically changed.
 The two counts picked out by Dr. Briggs as centre of attack are num- bered and in the indictment.
 They are, respectively, that his address teaches that many of the Old Testa- ment predictions have been reversed by history, and that the great body of Mes siuuic prediction has not and can not be fulfilled, which is contrary to the essen tial doctrine of the Holy Scripture and of the Standards of the Church, that God is true, omniscient, and unchangeable," " and that "the processes of redemption extend to the world to come in the case of many who die in sin, which is contrary | to he essential doctrine of Holy Scrip ture and the Standards of the Church, l that the processes of redemption are linn | ited to this world"
 | He warmed up in stating his objections to these charges. Not only were they en- tirely new, but they charged him with teaching doctrines which he had repeat | edly and expressly disclaimed. They were entirely without justfica- | tion from anything taught in his inaug- ural address. They misrepresented and misquoted the doctrines of the address, l He considered this an offense against | Christian courtesy and an lmputation on | his veracity.
 The Court heard these heated words in | absolute silence.
 | The clerical and lay jurors listened 1 with the closest attention ilS he went on | to show how he had disclaimed any such | teaching as second probation or that the prophecies relating to the coming of | Christ were not to be fulfilled. | The motion to quash counts i and
 was laid on the table and adjournment | taken.
 l What the committee will do cannot be
 said. They may muster up courage tc | stick for the two charges These churges
 are the most serious, for they touch the l gravest questions at issue in the higher | criticism and the new theology, namely,
 the force of the prophetic writings and
 the future state of the dead, The case continues to-day from { l o'clock to o'clock.