The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-29
standards condemn me. he might say, the
fault Is with them and not with me.

standards condemn me. he might say. the
fault Is with them and not with me.
The trouble with him is that he has NOT
dared to say that From the first he mas
pursued a disingenuous course by ar
guing with n fimsy casuistry that the
infallibility Of the Bible Is not essential 10
the consistency OF tho Westminster con-
fession. though the perfect and absolute
truth OF the Bible as the Word OF COP is the
very foundation ON which the whole OF that
structure OF faith and doctrine is built he
has attacked the pillars on which Protes.
tant theology rests. yet he has pretended
to be defending 1t. He denies the authority
OF the solo authority to which Protessant-
ism appeals. yet he assumes to be an
apostle OF the Protestant faith. he
follow cd out his argument honestly. ne
would either go over into roman
Catholicism, taking tho Church as the SOLE
fountain of authority or hc would lana III
the inlidelty which rejects all claims 10
supernatural authority. AS 1t Is now no
Is nowhere. He is admired by his partisans
as courageous and independent, but really
nc Is timid and timeserving.
Hence DR.. BRIGGS is made OF poor stun
for n leader. He travels round In circle.
He dare not push out into the straight road
to which his teachings guide him. He Is
nothing moro than n critic. He cannot
build himself, though he may tear down the
work of others. He has shattered the OLD
faith OF many Presbytcrinns. but he can
pivo them no other In its place. for he has
none himself. In essence his teachings are
irreconcilable with any religious faith. un-
less 1t be the faith Of the Roman Catholc
Church. His continuance In the Presby-
terrain household has been discreditable to
him. Instead OF waiting to he turned
out, he ought. in all honesty. to have
gone OF his own accord. His motive
in remaining as a protested believer when
really he is q downright unbeliever Is said
to be LOYALTY to his friends and supporters.
but it is dsoyalty to his own conscience.
and deservedly takes from him the public
respect which he would gain by an uncom-
promising course.
Ultimately DR.. BRIGGS must be con-
demned for hcresy. for the integrity OF
Presbyterianism requires that he should
be driven out of 1t: but the party he leads
of with him will have no principles
upon which to found an opposing
church. He has sown in their minds
the seeds Of dlsorganizing infidelity
and he can gather no other crop. If he
were a bold and an unfliuchingly honest
man he might be a dangerous enemy. but
his timidity renders him inoffensive except
to the cause to which he has committed
himself. but which he is afraid to champion.
The question whether the Bible is the
Word OF COP or the word Of man will remain
even after the disappearance of DR.. BRIGGS.
and it is sure to cause increasing trouble
in all Protestant churches as time goes
on. for 1t is the one great and vital question
with them. He has simply called popular
attention to it by making public the results
of scholarly investigation and vainly seek
Ing to reconcile them with the old belief
which they have destroyed in himself. and
must destroy in all those who. like him.
accept them as true and final.