The record-union., 1892-06-18
IN RELIGIONS REALM.
Expressions From the Various Re-
ligiOuS Newspapers
The Religious Thought of the Day as
Expressed in the sectarian Press
Some Matters of Interest to Both
Ministers and Laymen.

The New York Observer (Pres.) is well
contented, of course, with the present
aspect OF the Briggs case. 1t says: 1.-THE
action of the General Assembly in the
case OF DIR. Briggs may be accepted as in
GSlcatlng clearly the mind of the church.
laken IN connection with the action OF
last year at Detroit, it shows that the
Presbyterian Church has little sympathy
with the teachings OF the Professor, and
does not regard him as a suitable in
structor for young men preparing for
Ihe ministry OF the church. 1t virtually
reproves the Presbytery of New York
Tor dismissing the case, in spite Of what
seemed to many to be good reasons for
SO doing, and returns the case to that
body for trial. 1t is evident that the ex-
pectation of the majority of those who
have directed this course is, that upon a
thorough trial Of the case the charges OF
heresy will be established. His heresy
is already so well settled in the minds of
his opponents, by the Professors inaug-
ural address and other addresses and
writings before and sinse, that no other
result seems possible to them. Impartial
men OF ordinary Sence cannot reconcile
DIR. Briggs views Of authority and in
spration with the teachings of scripture,
or with the standards of the church, and
the great majority Of Presbyterians are
men of that sort. They have not allowed
technicalities and objections to obscure
The main question at issue, and even if
they cannot read Hebrew and are not
experts in higher criticisms, they never
tneless know what they believe and what
IS hostile to their faith. They find that
the teachings of DR.. Briggs are opposed
to their faith, and therefore they demand
that he shall cease to be q teacher III the
Presbyterian Church. 1t does not change
their mind to call them ignorant, in
competent to decide questions of this
sort, bigoted and illiberal. Presbyterians
have been accustomed to hear such
charges from intidels, and are well ac-
quainted with the intolerent style of So
called liberals and unbelievers. The
only novelty is to hear this language
from those who are accounted brethren"
The New York Evangelist (Pres.) is
greatly disappointed by the action of the
assembly. "What viii the end be?' il
asks. mo man knows, for the intel
Iectual world is not governed by fixed
laws like the material world. Human
opinion does not come and go like the
tides, which can be calculated with cer-
tainty. Nor does human progress flow
on IN one broad, resistless stream; but
still, with all its eddies and counter-cur-
rents, there is progress toward the great
sea of truth. Material science has to
some extent modified our religious be-
lief. We can remember when that great
teacher, Professor Silliman of Yale Col
Iege, was subjected to grave suspicion
because his studies in geology had led
him TO question the creation OF the world
III six days of tWenty-four hours each.
lie was said TO be setting up science
above the word of God With eouaI
wonder may those who succeed us on the
stage recall the fact that we prosecuted
for heresy the man whom foreign uni
versities honored as the greatest Biblical
scholar IN America. But we have no
prophecies to make and no forebodings
to indulge. We believe III the fullest
liberty OF investigation, because we be-
lleye the end of such investigation will
be larger and grander views of truth, and
so an increase in the knowledge of God. !
And no hindrance to truth can be so
great as the frantic effort to repress the !
action of the human mind in the study of |
God works or of His word. But such
efforts will fail, because liberty has a
vitality in herself which throws off all
attempts to restrain her. And so will it
be proved in the future, as it has been in
the past, that
Freedoms battle, once begun,
Though often lost is ever Won"
''The history of this case is extraor,Ii
nary" says the New York CHristia,a
Union. mo accuser has up to date ap-
peared against DR.. Briggs and no one is
responsible for any charges against him
soundness, a Committee of Investigation
was appointed by the Presbytery, The
Presbytery, after hearing its report and
DIR. Briggs explanations, discharged the
committee, expressing itself satisfied
with the explanation. 1t was in order
for any one who thought DR.. Briggs a
hereto to restate the conclusions OF the
committee as charges of heresy, and de-
mand trial, or even to appeal from the
action of the Presbytery to the SYNOD.
and urge that the explanations were not
satisfactory. The assailants of DR.. Rripos
did neither. They ignored the Synod,
and appealed directly to the Assembly,
No one will pretend that this Assembly
is an unprejudiced body, or is in a Judi
clal frame of mind. The notion that de-
lay should be secured in order that the
trial may proceed before an unpreudiced
and judicial body does not seem to occur
to the majority. By an overwhelming
majority all appeals for delay and for the
admittedly ordinary course of procedure
have been set aside, and the appeal of the
Prosecuting Committee of the New York
Presbytery has been entertained and sus-
tained. The result is that DIR. Briggs will
not be tried by an impartial tribunal
upon charges presented by an accuser,
but on charges formulated by commit
tee OF the very court who is to try him.
and with at least public impression
that these charges have already been in
is to determine whether they are true or
false. By such methods as this the Pres
byterian General Assembly is making
ecclesiastical law dangerously like lynch
law"
The Cumberland Presbyterian of Nash
vile, Tenn, commenting on the decision
of the recent General Assembly at Mem
phis permitting women to hold the office
of elder, says: 1t is well for us to re-
member, in estimating the meaning and
force of this action, that the General AS
sembly has no power to change the or
ganic law OF the church. 1t may inter-
pret the law, but cannot, without the APP
proving vote of two-thirds of the presby-
teries, change it. The late action does
not purport 10 be legislation, but only an
Interpretation. The vote was a decision
10 the effect that the constitution of the
church is silent on the question at issue
Those favoring the majority report claim
that it is not silent. The decision carries
great weight as an Interpretation OF the |
constitution by the highest court of the
church, and will be accepted by many as
an authoritative declaration OF the law,
while others regard it as unconstitutional.
The assembly may at any future meet |
ing reverse the decision. The fact that
many are dissatisfied with the late action |
makes 1t probable that the question will |
be raised in a future assembly. The |
question is one OF interest and i'm
portance, and should be discussed with |
conflicting opinions"
SIT is very common to speak of this as |
an age of transition" says the Christina /
Register (Unit.) of Boston 1.-The term, /
indeed, has a wide application to both in /
telIectual and material things. There |
has been transition from the candle to |
the electric light, from the enlirrant train /