Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-30
REVEREND DOCTORS IN THE DOCK
Trial of Presbyterian Divines
for Heresy.
Prof. Briggs Is Making Successful
Defense.
Two OF the Charges Against Him Dis
missed by u Decisive voto-PrOf.
Smith Not Faring so
Favorably.
By the Associated Press, |

| By the Associated Pressl
New York, Nov. 29.-The preebytery
this afternoon resumed the trial of Pro
feseor Briggs. The floor was at once
accorded to the prosecuting committee
to state its position on Professor Briggs
objections to the charges and demand
that numbers four and eeven be stricken
out.
| Colonel McCook read the opinion oil
the committee on the motion, and ar
gued that the two charges could not be
dropped. In relation to charge seven,
Colonel McCook said Briggs answer
was irrelevant, because although
he had affirmed before the professor re
and the faculty of Union semi
nary that he believed one who died
unpenitent was forever lost, he had
since promulgated his theory of pro.
gressive sanctiication in his inaugural
address, and it was on the address that
the charge was founded. The fourth
charge could not be dropped because
DR.. Briggs's denial of the fulfillment OF
the details Of prophecy was denial of
the truthfulness of the Bible and an
| impeachment of the omnipotence OF
| God.
After further discussion DR.. Alexan-
| der's motion to strike out charge three
was taken up. Professor Brown of the
Union seminary, and the foremost OF
| Briggs supporters, said the committee
acted unfairly in quoting part of Briggs
statements, and taking them out OF
their proper connection. "Any minis
ter" he said fervently, could be proved
heretical by this COURSE"
DR.. Hastings, the venerable president
of the faculty, with which the defend
ant is connected, did not mince words
in claiming that the charge contained
| new matter. Said he: "The change
made in the charge is radical. 1t gives
the lie direct to DR.. Briggs, and there is
no getting around it,"
A vote was taken and the motion
was carried by the decided vote of 70
to 40.
The seventh charge suffered the same
fate by about the same vote.
Colonel McCook asked that an excep-
tion to the courts action be entered on
the record on behalf of the prosecuting
committee. Adjourned until tomorrow.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 29.--The entire fore
noon session OF the presbytery was
spent in discussing the sufficiency in
form and legal effect of the third charge
and specifications against Professor
Smith. No vote was reached up to
recess.
At the afternoon session vote was
taken on the question of sustaining the
sufficiency, in form and legal effect, OF
| the third charge. 1t was sustained-4C
to %, but the vote showed that two
members of the court, Rev. Hugh Gil.
christ aud Rev. E Walker, had come
over to the side of the accused. Walker
in discussing the matter eaid if all the
ministers holding Smiths views are to
be subjected to trials, the presbytery
will have enough heresy trials to keep
it busy for three years.
The committee then asked that the
first specification be amended by inaert-
ing an additional citation from Smiths
pamphlet. Smith objected that this
deprived him of the right to ten days
notice of the charges and specifications,
and after hot debate the amendment
was disallowed and the specifications
approved. The charge is now ready fol
formal trial.