Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-08
DIR. BRIGGS. CRITICISM.
The Charges Based Upon His Famous Inau-
gural Address.

The Charges Based Upon His Famous Inau-
gural Address.
The trial Of DR.. Charles A. Briggs before the
New York presbytery on charges Of heresy was
resumed yesterday afternoon.
The Rev. DIR. Birch resumed his presentation
Of the case for the prosecution, taking up the
third charge. which was under consideration
when the court adjourned Tuesday. He quoted
from many distinguished writer's, whose asser-
tons were that less than one-sixtieth Of tho
words in the New Testament, as read in our
churches. is correctly translated from the
original text. He said that the English trans.a-
ton is near enough to the Hebrew and Greek
to enable the most ignorant Presbyterian to I'M
derstand fully tho plan OF salvation. He said
that the Bible of the inaugural address was not
jesus Christ as shown in the ''word-written"
Bible.
Referring to charge four, originally charge
five, by which DR.. Briggs is charged with teach
Ing that Moses is not the author Of the Penta-
touch, he said that Christ. when in the world,
referred to the belief Of the Jews in Moses and
that He was the author Of these books to prove
His own divinity. In the gospels Jesus refers
to these books sixty or more times. Therefore,
II DR.. Briggs is correct the Christ did not know
with His divine knowledge what 'the science Of
higher criticism" had since discovered ''that
Moses did not write the Pentateuch.'
DR. Briggs biblical study" said DR.. Birch,
had not ghost Of an excuse for publication.
he maintains that one must study the Bible in
the original. but II the authorized version is
insufficient what are unlearned people to be-
heve4 The only authority on the authorship
OF the Pentateuch," said DR.. Birch, directing
his attention to the specific CHARGE sis the
Bible itself. If Moses did not write the Penta-
touch no jew can be blamed for rejecting Christ.
II Moses did not write the Pentateuch Christ
himself is dishonest But the proof that Moses
did write these books is as clear as a mathe-
NAUTICAL demonstration"
DIR. Birch then took up charge FIVE, originally
charge six. charging DR.. Briggs with teaching
that Isaiah is not the author Of half the books
bearing his name. He quoted from the New
Testament to show that reference was made to
all parts OF Isaiah as the writings of Isaiah.
Referring to charge six, originally eight,
charging DR.. Briggs with teaching that sancti-
fication is not complete at death, DIR. Birch held
that Scripture taught that as death found us
eternity left u.s. II the teaching Of the inau-
gural address was correct then there was rea-
son for prayer for the dead, for IL there was
reason to believe that a righteous man made
progress after death certainly there was reason
to believe that man who did not die in the
faith might also progress toward Righteousness
after death. He concluded by saying that the
inaugural address was menace to the teaching
Of Presbyteriansm.
Col. McCook OF the prosecution committee
followed and said that he proposed to consider
the charges In their order and then consider
the tendency of such utterances as contained in
the formulated charges.
At D clock q recess WAS taken until today.