Morning journal and courier., 1892-11-10
DIR. BRIGGS, TRIAL.

| D1ss A"AAAs
| Beginning of the Hearing Before the
| Presbytery-The Procedure-What
is to be Decided-The J udges-Right
Charges.
NEW York, Nov. 9.-The New York
Presbytery, in compliance with the order
| of the general assembly, began to day a
second trial of Professor A. c. Briggs of
Union theological seminary on the charge
of heresy. The trial attracted large
crowd to the Scotch Presbyterian church.
The duty of this session of the Presbytery
as outlined by the general assembly lie: u
To pass upon the suficiency of the charges
againstDr Briggs. C9 To allow an amend
ment of the charges If the furthersnoe of
justice requires it. 81 To try the case as
quickly as possible.
The charges referred to have already
been prepared.
DR.. D. 8. Alexander, pastor of Phillips
Memorial church, will serve as clerk of the
trial. The Rev. DR.. John G. Bliss of the
Washington Heights church, the moder-
ator of the Presbytery, was present and
will assist Dr. Briggs, who is going to
conduct his own case. The prosecuting
committee were all present. They are
Chairman Rev. G. w. F. Birch of Bethany
church, Westchester county. the Rev.
Robert Sample, Elder John ]. Stevenson
and Elder John ]. McCook.
The session of the Presbytery was opened
with prayer by the moderator. Great
petition, the burden of which was that the
court might be duly impressed with the
responsibility placed upon them. The roll
cali showed that only about two-thirds of
the ministers and elders composing the
Presbytery were present. Many absentees
sent letters explaining their non appear
ance. Moderator Bliss announced that the
court was in session. DR.. Briggs at
once arose and asked the privilege of
making his preliminary objections against
the status of the prosecuting committee,
which he claimed did not have the right to
bring these charges. DR.. Briggs read
from notes, briefly reviewing the history
of the case. He questioned the right of
the prosecuting committee to act as an
original party-their right to act as a pros
ecuting committee pending the decision of
a complaint to the syndicate-and ALEC
made other objections. He maintained
that the complaint to the synod acted as a
stay of proceedings.
Elder John J. McCook replied to Dr.
Briggs and said that the provision for a
prosecution committee WAS wise for only
in that way could the Presbytery act in a
judicial capacity. No reference had been
made at the last general assembly to the
status of the committee. The complaint of
the synod was fled several months after
the time allowed by the church rules for
such action had expired. The complaint
had no judicial value.
DR.. Briggs arose to answer, but Rev. |
DR.. Robert submitted that DR.. Briggs was
out of order, as a stay of proceedings |
would be an act of disobedience to the |
general assembly.
After much argument the presiding |
officer decided the point well taken. On |
an appeal the moderator was sustained by |
a vote of 70 to So. The amended charges |
and specifications against DR.. Briggs make |
thirty six pages of closely printed matter.
The charges are eight in number. The |
first accuses the defendant of teaching |
that the reason is a fountain of divine |
authority which may and does savingly |
enlighten men, even such men as reject |
the scriptures as the authoritative procla-
nation of the will of God and reject the |
way of salvation through the mediation
and sacrifice of the Son of God. The |
second charge accuses DIR. Briggs of teach
ing that the chu-ch is fountain of divine
which, apart from the holy
may and does savingly enlighten
men. The committee says furthermore
that DR.. Briggs has maintained that errors
may have existed in the original text of
the holy scripture es it came from its
authors. The committee also believe that
DR.. Briggs is guilty of heresy, in that
he maintains that many of the old tesla
ment predictions have been reversed by
history, and that the great body of predio-
lions has not been and cannot be fulfilled.
The fifth charge AYERS that the defendant
teaches that Moses is not the author of the
psntateuch. In the sixth charge it Is
stated that DR.. Briggs has taught that
Isaiah il not the author of the book that
bears his name. The seventh and eighth
charges declare that the accused has
taught that the processes of redemption
extend to the world to come in the case of
many who die in sin, and that saucti6ca-
ton is not complete at death. !
Citations from DIR. Briggs inaugural adj /
dress add passages of scripture with which |
the citations antagonize are appended to /
the charge.
After the reading of the charges DR..
Briggs spoke. Owing to the large number
Of charges made by the committee, he |
said, he would require ten days, allowed
by the church law, for the preparation of |
his defence. An adjournment was taken |
until November %.