Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-29
Rev. DR.. Briggs in New York, and
Prof. Smith in Cincinnati.
TRIALS ABOUT READY TO BEGIN.
Arguments as to the Correctness,
Legality and Suf1ciency Of the
Charges in Both Cases, Under
Way-The Teachings Of DR..
Smith Which Ars Deemed He
retical-The Eleven Charges
Against Briggs.

New YORK, November 2s.-When the
members of the New York Presbytery
went into session as court in the old
Scotch Presbyterian church soon after
! two o'clock this afternoon they had eX-
pressed an almost unanimous hope that
when they adjourned the case OF Prof.
Charles A. Briggs, whom they are try
ing on charges of heresy, would be a
thing of the past. Before the Moder-
ator DR.. John c. Bliss called the body
to order the divines and elders had dis
cussed, In little groups, the subject,
and it was clear that every effort TO
! prolong and delay the final passing upon
| the case by quibbling and evasion OF
technical points would meet the oppo-
sition OF the jury, The church
was somewhat more crowded than at
the last meeting of the Presbytery.
There were no more ministers and elders
present in the forward part of the
church. However, as at the last meet
ing it was decided that only those pres
ent there should have the right to vote
in the court.
Prof. Briggs was present with his
counsel, and sat just under and at the
left of the pulpit. The prosecuting COM
mittee, consisting of DR.. w. C. Burch,
COL J. J. McCook, DR.. r. e. Sample,
DR.. J. J. Lampe and Prof. J. j. Steven
| son, sat In front Of the first pew at the
right of the pulpit; DR.. Bliss, DR.. Alex
| ander, the stated clerk and the clerks
assistant OF the session, sat apart upon
the platform. The galleries were filed
and the pews on the side aisles and
back of those occupied by the Presby-
terry were comfortably crowded with the
friends Of the court and the
! accused and others interested in the
case. The session was opened with
prayer ard the roll call was read be-
fore the minutes of the preceding meet
ing were approved. When the presby
terry was ready TO proceed directly with
the trial :he question Of most immedi-
ate interest was the line of procedure
which Prof. Briggs would indicate In
his first move. Just as the court con-
vened q prominent divine said to re-
porter: Every objection possible as
to the regularity Of Jurisdiction, suffi-
cheney Of charges in form or legal effect
in the regularity of the proceeding
itself Is expected by the court
because OF the spirit which
had been previously shown by
the accused at every former session
where the question at issue had been
considered. As for the charges, they
were submitted at the last meeting OF
the Presbytery as amended. They are
not materially different from the origin
al mi
even if Prof. Briggs attempts delay on
the point Of new charges, the trial
should not be postponed on that account,
for the Presbytery has the power TO de-
termine all preliminary questions like
this and may permit amendments not
changing the general nature OF the
charges for the sake of furtherlng JUS
tice. "Then IL the proceedings are
found in order and the charges necessi-
tating the trial, the accused will be
called upon TO plead guilty or
not guilty. II the former is the plea,
Judgment will be Immediately pro-
nounced; If not the trial will continue,
witnesses examined and all testimony
taken, which the Presbytery will vote
separately on each charge and give
Judgment upon It," The charges,
eight in number, accuse Prof. Briggs
of teaching reason the fountain OF
giving authority, which may savingly
enlighten men, even those who reject
the scriptures as the authoritative pro-
clamatlon of the will Of God and
those who reject the mediation Of
Christ; that fountain Of divine
authority apart from scripture, savingly
enlighten men; that errors have existed
ia the original text OF the holy scrip
lures; that many Of the old testament
predictions have been reversed by his
tory and that the great body OF Mess
ianic prediction has hot and cannot be
fulfilled that Moses is not the author Of
the Pentateuch; that Isaiah is not the
author of half the books that bear his
name; the processes Of redemption ex
tend TO the world to come In the case of
many who die in sin; that sanctifcation
is not complete at death. The court
now trying DR.. Briggs on the heresy
charges consists Of ia ministers and "a
elders.
Moderator Bliss asked for the privl-
lege Of making an announcement. He
said that the objection of DR.. Briggs
was his expressed purpose TO carry his
objections to the synod and should not
| be interpreted as distractions to the
trial but as an honest conviction. He
also said that he believed the proseeut-
ing committee equally conscientious.
At o'clock DR.. Briggs began TO read
/ his answer TO the charges as amended.
/ The response was a most exhaustive
summing up of his defense and ID re-
ouired two hours for him to deliver 1t.
After stating that he had no personal
| desire to delay the actual trial Of the
| charge against him on its strict merits,
DR.. Briggs showed that IL was unneces-
sary for him 10 act as his own counsel,
and in this capacity he had no right to
pass over teehnicalities or 10 allow the
| Presbytery to establish dangerous or
| illegal precedents. DR.. Briggs then
made his first demurrer to the trial, be-
| cause the charges put in his hands on
Novemer 9, 1892, were finally disposed
OF by the dismissal OF the case against
him on November 4th, 1891, and that
the Presbytery ceuld not legally cite
him a second time to answer charges
which they had dismissed.
The second objection which DR..
Briggs raised was 10 the irregularity OF
every proceeding in the Presbytery in
any action taken against him since the
dismissal of the original charges in
1891. ssBut il is not for me. he said,
10 advise the Presbytery what course
they should pursue. have done my
duty IN fling these objections. have
only thls further word. that If the Pres