St. Paul daily globe., 1892-12-05
THE BRIGGS CASE.
Resumption Of the Trial or the
Charge of Heresy.


NEW YORK. Dec. 4.-The trial Of Rev.
DR.. Charles Briggs on the charge OF
heresy will be resumed tomorrow. 1t
Will continue through the first four days
OF each week so long as shall be neces-
sary to conclude it. There is posi-.
bility of interesting developments to-
morrow. The present stage of the trial
is this: The preliminary objections of
Prof. Briggs have been disposed of.
Charges four and seven have been
stricken out. 1t has been decided that
separate vote shall be taken on different
points on charge and the Script
ural citations are to be placed under the
charges instead of under the specifca-
tions, where they figure in the indict-
ment of the prosecuting committee. AS
these are all points for which the ac-
cused contended, their concession by
the sutfrageS of the Judiclatory must be
regarded as victory for Prof. Briggs.
and necessarily encourages those who
Indorse him in the position which he
has taken. To the formal preferment
mended Prof. Briggs pleaded mot
guilty. at the last session of the judi
clatory. AS soon as he entered this plea,
Col. McCook, of the prosecution, sub
mltted the evidence upon which this
committee, the representatives of the
Presbyterian church In the case,
relies for proof of its charges. This
evidence is Prof. Briggs inaugural ad-
dress in its first and second edition,
which will figure as Exhibit A" and
exhibit B." All the works of the ac-
eused quoted therein, in so far as they
bear upon the case, the whole Of the
Scriptures, the whole of the standards.
All these things were declared by vote
to be competent" evidence.
Prof. Briggs was then called upon to
submit his evidence, and protested
against this until the prosecuting com
mittce had more fully set that evidence
forth than by merely offering the docu-
ments mentioned by giving their names.
DR.. Booths motion to adjourn until
Monday left the matter at this interest
ing stage, and here is where it will be
taken up when the judiciatory convenes
tomorrow. How it will be taken up 1t Is
impossible to foretell.
1t will be seen that the prosecuting
committee, if it follows its course, which
has been conceded to it by Tie judicia-
Tory, will put DR.. Briggs in the position
of a theological athlete, whereas, since the
chargee are that he has committed Ger
tain specific offenseS, why, he asks.
should he not know beforehand what he
has to meet in the way of proof.
The clauSe''in so far aS:thay bear upon
the case" affords much less skillfui
master Of fence than the accused wide
opening for evading much that poSSl-
bly, may be brought in.
All the actions of both the prosecutor
and defendant up to this point have
been OH tecbnicalities concerning the
conduct of the case. Tomorrow it may
be that the case will be reached.
The Union TheoloSical seminary is
strongly in favor of DR.. Briggs, who
represents the modern progressive spirit
in theological inquiry.
AS DR.. Briggs admitted at one of the
sessions of the judiciary last week, he
does interpret some of The Scriptures
differently from the old and shallow
methods of Presbyterian tneolOglans.
The seminary has taken positive ground
| in the matter, and has even gone to the
point of severing one of its relations
with the general assembly, the supreme
authoritative BODY in the Presbyterian
church. Rev. DR.. John Hall, the prom
inent Presbyterian divine in the New
York PresbYtery, is not enrolled III the
Judiciary.
When asked if he belonged to the
more modern, advanced school of Pres
byterian theology, of which Prof. Briggs
| is so prominent an exponent, Dr. Hal
! replied, with emphasis, mo, do not