Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-06
MERITS OF THE BRIGGS CASE.
They We're Discussed in Yesterdays Session
of the Presbytery.

They We're Discussed in Yesterdays Session
of the Presbytery.
For the first time since the ecclesiastical
court before which Dr. Chss. A Briggs is on
trial for alleged heresy convened the
merits Of the case against the defend
ant we're discussed yesterday. When
the arguments we're ended Col McCook snid
he had some additional eviden ce to offer on
behalf of the prosecution. This evidence in
eluded the third edition Of the inaugural ad-
dress, with its preface aud appendix, extracts
from chapters l and of Newnau's Apology
and tracts from Martinez aus Seat Of Authority
in Religion. To this offer DR.. Briggs inter-
posed no objections and the evidence was &C
cordingly received.
DR.. Briggs was asked by the moderator to
submit his evidence. II was even more vol
luminous than that brought against him. The
defendant, like his adversaries. offered in evil
deuce the whole OF the Holy Scriptures. But
DIR. Briggs was not satisfied with putting in
Only the King James version. He offered in
addition the Hebrew, Greek and revised
English versions. The defendant also put in
tie whole Of the standard of the church and
the whole Of the inaugural address in all its ad-
ditlons, prefaces and appendices. copy Of
the last addition Of the address was placed in
the hands OF each member of the court.
The accused said that he wonld read for the
present only extsaote from the evidence
though he reserved all bis RICH in the matter
After reading for fifteen minutes from those docu-
ments, Dr. Briggs offered as additional evidence
the confession of faith edition of 1850; the min
utes of the session OF the Westminster assembly,
l644-t9; all the records OF the Presby terrain
Church in the United States; all the minutes
Of the presbvteries between 1884 and 1892; Or.
Schaff's Creeds Of ChristendoIn ard several ar
ticies published in the Presbyterian Review and
q score o; other works.
Rev. Dr. Birch OF the prosecuting committee
went to the reading desk with mass Of type
written manuscript about as big An IN
abridged Nebsters Dictionary and began to
read the argument Of the prosecution. At 5
o'clock he had succeeded in reviewing the legal
history Of the case up to date. He had just be-
gun to assert that the writings and teachings
of DR.. Briggs struck a. the very foundation Of
the Presbyterian faith when Adjournment was
taken until this afternoon.
PROF. SMITHS TRIAL.
The trial upon charges Of heresy Of Prof.
Henry Preserved Smith Of Lane Theological
Seminary is nearing its end Al Cincinnati.
Prof. Smith said yesterday in the hearing Of
his case that the prosecution having offered In
Evidence portions Of his printed response and
re1otndsr TO the charges against him, be desired
permission to offer the entire document. DR..
AcKibben insisted that If he did he must go
upon the stand, be sworn and submit to a cross
examination.
The prosecution COMMITTEES, after a discus
sion, withdrew the citations they had made
from the document in evidence, and the mod
orator then ruled that Prof. Smith request
could not De granted.
The testimony for the prosecution was read
to sustain the second and third charges which
accuse Prof. Smith of denying the inspiration
Of the writer's of the Scriptures to the extent
of making their utterances free from error
when interpreted in their natural and intended
sense, and VI denying that the Scriptures are
Inspired in the sense i'll which the Scriptures
themselves define inspiration as il is defined
By the confession OF faith The reading was
from Prof. smiths pamphlet and from. the
Scriptures. Elder Shields and DR.. Lowe began
the arguInen. for tie prosecution. vote upon
the charges may be reached today.