New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-03
HERESY AND REVISION.
WHAT DO THE PREsBYTERIANS BELIEVE ?
DR. BRIGGs'S TRIAL AND oFERTURtS ON THE
REVIVED CREED TO COME BEFORE
THE PEFSBYTERY TODAY.

for more business on Its docket than can be disposed
a, in a single day. Besides the election OF oncclS lor
h coming winter. commissioners TO the synod of New
York which meets ut Albany on October IS. are to |
- chosen The ever recurring revision question must
,so be taken up. THIS now comes before the Presby
ory in the form OF twenty nine ovcrtures sent
dovn by the General Assembly. reading In substance
,hps. "Shall section blank of chapter blank be so
changed As TO read folows?" uiere follows the re
,,sed section as recommended by the Revision Com
mittee and adopted by the Portland Assembly, The
poshv,ery has it In its power to answer Yes TO
part of them ana NO" 10 inc rest vi i'> u NJ
to the entire number.
DR. r. II. Booth. the member OF the Revision Com
uittee who is member Of the New-lork PresOytery
nprcves the entire report, except that he desires the
omission of section of Chapter three, which re
lates TO preterition and reads as follows
The rest of mankind God saw fit according to the
counsel of His WILL whereby He eXteldeth
or vithodeh mercy as lie pleaseth not to elect unto
everlasting life and them hath He ordained TO dis
honor and wrath for their SIM to the praise OF Ills go
rios Justice yet hath He pleasure in the death OF
the wicked is it His decree but the wickedness OF
their own hearts which restraineth and hindereh theD
from accepting the free offer OF Ills made in the
Gospel"
Another question which may up Today IS the
,iritual condition OF NewYork and the duty of the
Presbytery 10 meet 1t. committee was appointed
lax, year 10 see whether the Presbyterian Church was
doing all that 1t could to reach the masses. since
hot time two downtown churches have decided TO go
npown two more have agreed TO consolidate, awaiting
.mply the formal action of the Presbytery to make
mo union complete, and two more are conducting
oriet filtration. The needs OF the chapcls In The
lower part of he city and the need OF churches in the
INNER part of the city will also receive attention.
THE HISTORY OF THE HFRESY TRIAL.
But important as all these questions are they take
secondary place his fall, the heresy trial of Dr.
nv fhp prll \
This case came up last October, when charges and
specifications based upon his inaugural address the
nrevious winter submitted to the PFesbytcIy
In November DR.. Briggs made a response 10 inc
charges which consisted of series oil ob!ec ions 10
rho suiccncy Of the charges and specifications III form
and legal effect After listening 10 this response The
prc,bytery by IL vote of "a 10 80 without approving
- the poston stated in his inaugural address, at the
same time desiring earnestly the peace ana quiet Oh
the church. and in view OF The declarations maze 10y
DR. Briggs touching his loyalty 10 the Holy scriptures
and the Westminster standards and OF his disclaimers
n, interpretations put on his words, deems il
hest TO dismiss the and hereby does dismiss IT,
From hts decision the committee appealed TO the As
semblv with the result already stated and sixyteven
members Of the Presbytery present ana Young "hen
tho decision was made and fortyseven other members
If he PRESBYTERIAN MINISTRY and eidership nave sent
= complapt TO the synod against the action oil The
prevterv in sustaining rule OF the moderator ina
Tho committee appointed to prepare the charges against
Dr Briggs was a committee Of prosecution, Una II
was an original party" and that was virtually ana
practically independent Of the Presbytery members
Of the Presbytery opposed TO Dr.. bnssS nave "i'o
carried the 10 the synod.
The Assembly entertained the appeal Of the Prose
cutting Committee then sustained it, though DR.. BrlgSs
made strong arguments against both entertaining anu
sustaining il. Having done this, the Assembly IT,
versed the judgment of the Presbytery dsmisaihS 'e
case and remanded it 10 the lresbyteIy lor d he"
trial with directions 10 said Presbyery u prOceeu
10 pass upon and determine the sufhciency OF the
charges and specifications in form and legal effect ana
IN hermit the Prosecuting Committee TO amend the
specifications charges, not changing 'he eene'a'
nature of the same, if, in the furthernce OF JUSTICE
Il be necessary to amend, so that the case may be
brought TO issue and tried ON the merits theIcoi a'
speedily as may be practicable"
Acting under this direction OF the AsseihOS' INC
Presbytery will take up the case again, and II Is
probable that time will be set to-day for the trlai
Ms quickly possible. The synod OF New" 10TH HeeV'
at Albany on October Is, and 1t is possible though
not probable, that Issue can be reached mere III
time 10 carry the directly TO the synod ana nave
the trial continued there, either at the regular sc'-
sion or at an adjourned meeting held for the purpose
in order that the case may go to the next "chci'i
Assembly which meets at Washington III May. Shouu
IA. synod adjourn without having the case Drought
before IT, the Committee Of Prosecution or Dr. b1es'
can carry the matter directly from the PIesby'ery
tho SYNOD altogether. The regular course, however,
is a trial first in the Presbytery, then In The SYNOD
and afterwaId in the Assembly. The compliant winch
Dr. Briggs and his friends made al Portland was ta'
The committee, without any cause Jusuiylhs Us
oc,ion went NJ once from the Iresbytcry To the As
sembly. The reason given by the committee Tor '"i'
action WIS that it was anxious 10 expedite matters
The decision in New-York will not settle matters
definitely II the Prcsbyery decides TO dismiss the cas'
again. as IL did year ago the Prosecuting commune
will continue the trial before the higher courts ohou
Dr. Bi1ggs lose his here, he Will 90 To the oyoi
and IL will 60 TO the Assembly ultimately. Nheh DE
Patton now the president Of Princeton College, leu lhe
prosecution against Dr. swing, Of Chicago. some twenty
wears ago The Presbytery dismissed the cOinpHh''
Dr. Patton carried it to the synod oil IIIlhoS' Du'
before the case was called for trial there Dr. o"li's
had Ift the presby eran Church and assumed the nde
pendent position which he has maintained ever si''
II l., not thought that DR.. Briggs Will terminate lila"
tiers in hi, way but that he will defend the case uhu
the General Assembly gives It's decision Should IL Dc
adverse TO him. there Is feeling on the part Oh nhnS
~ his friends today that a goodiy number IN tle
PRESBYTERIAN ministry will enter some other church
THE REAL QUESTION AT ISSUE.
The question Is not one Of dele'iuis Dr' hiieo''
said graduate Of Union seminary last "eeh ou' II !
mplv this Is there liberty within the Presbyterian
Church for freedom Of thought? II Dr. Briggs Is turned
nm, NJ the PRESBYTERIAN Church. IT will be simply on
the question OF verbal inspiration Of the iio'' iiu
those who do not believe In that form Oh lh'piatlon
will have IN 90 ont too IL they honest men, ll''
whole movement is attempt to commit inc rrc'oS
t,riao Church T. tie Princeton theology
On the other hand those who favor the oai Vi '''
Union professor, assert that it IS not Il qu'9.'o" VI
Princeton against Union at all, but the matter - m
rowed down 10 this Are the views when ~ hiiNH
hold regarding the great questions fundamental TO ti'
PRESBYTERIAN sy stem OF doctrine in harmony WIN '
standards of the Church and the scriptures Inv
question whether he Is safe teacher Is "noiN ,''
other matter for no can be tried Tor pc'c'S "
cause he has the misfortune Of being nionhu'''V'o
his friends or the public. That question might ue''
mine whether or not the Seminary directors "o''
retain him in the faculty. but not whether he "