The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-11-29
DR.. BRIGGS HIT HARD
His Demurrer to the Allega-
tions of Presbytery.
ATTACKED THE HsREsY CHARGES.

He Declared That the Indictments Ac-
cused Him of Teaching Doctrines which
H. Had RepsatedIy DisoIaimed - An
Adjournmeut saves BIS 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 of into side issue and confused
them with his arguments. he mixed
them up so 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.
Ia 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.
stitution of the new indictment for the
old DIR. 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
in 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. 1t 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 a 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
| siauic prediction has not aud 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 Interchangeable, ~
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 the essential doctrine of Holy Scrip
ture and the Standards of the Church,
that the processes of redemption are linn
tied 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 justifca-
tion from anything taught in his inaug
ural address. They misrepresented aud
misquoted the doctrines of the address
He considered this an offense against
Christian courtesy and an imputation on
his veracity
The Court heard these heated words in
absolute silence
The clerical and lay jurors listened
with the closest attention as he went on
to show how he mad disclaimed any such
teaching as second probation, or that the
prophecies relating TO the coming o.
Christ were not to be fulfilled.
The motion to quash counts and Z
was laid on the table and adjournment
taken.
What the committee will do cannot be
said. They may muster up courage Il
stick for the two charges. These charges
are the most serious, for they touch the
gravest questions at issue in the higher
criticism and the new theology, namely
the force of the prophetic writings anC
the future state OF tine dead,
The case continues to-day from
o'clock to o'clock