Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-29
ADEMURRER IN THE FIRST,
In Which the Defendant Objects to
What He Calls New Charges.
NO TECHNICALITIES TOLERATED
By the Presbyterian Court, Which Wants
to Wind Up the Affair.
DIR. SMITH LOSES ANOTHER sKIRMIsH

Into session as q court in the old Scotch
Presbyterian Church soon after 2 O'Clock
this afternoon they had expressed an almost
unanimous hope that when they adjourned
the case of Prof Charles A. Briggs, whom
they are trying on charges of heresy, would
be thing of the past Before the Moder-
stor, DR.. John c. Bliss, called the body to
order the divines and elders had discussed
in little groups the subject and it was clear
that every effort to prolong and delav the
final passing upon the case by quibbling
and evasion on technical points would meet
the unsympathetic opposition Of the jury.
The question of most immediate interest
was the line of procedure which Prof
Briggs would indicate in his first move.
The Nature of His Alleged Heresy.
The eight charges accuse Prof. Briggs of
teaching that reason is a fountain Of divine
authority which may savingly enlighten
men, even those who reject the Scriptures as
the authoritative proclamation of the will
of God, and those who reject the mediation
of God; that fountain of divine authority
apart from Scripture, savingly enlightens
men; that errors have existed in the origi-
nal text of the Holy Scriptures; that many
of the Old Testament predictions have been
reversed by history, and that the great body
OF Messianic predictions has not and cannot
be fulfilled; that Moses is not the author of
the Pentateuch; that Isaiah is not the author
of half the books that bear his name; that
the processes of redemption extend to the
world to come in the case of MANY who die
in sin; that sanctifcation is not complete at
death.
Moderator Bliss announced that the OBJ
lection of DR.. Briggs, and his expressed
purpose to carry his objections to the
Synod, should not be interpreted as obstruc-
tions to the trial, but as an honest conYic-
tion. He also said he believed the Prose-
cutting Committee equally conscientious
DR.. Briggs Reads His Demurrer.
At o'clock DR.. Briggs began to read his
answer to the charges as amended. After
stating that he had no personal wish to de-
lay the actual trial of the charge against
him on its strict merits, DR.. Briggs showed
that it was unnecessary for him to act as
his own counsel, and in this capacity he had
no right to pass over technicalities or to al
low the Presbytery to establish dangerous
or illegal precedents. Dr. Briggs then made
his first demurrer to the trial, because the
charges put in his hands on November 9,
1892, were finally disposed of by dismissal
of the case against him on November 4, 1891,
anu Iidl the freSDNteIN COulQ not legally
cite him q second time TO answer charges
which thew had dismissed.
The second objection was to the order and |
regularity of every proceeding in the Pres |
bytery in any action ia ken against him since
the dismissal of the original charges in 1891
He continued:
But il is not for me TO advise the Presby-
terry what course they should pursue. /
have done my duty in filing these objec-
finna Il have only this furthar word 10 If
the Presbyeery decide against me, shall
proceed under protest, and with the reserva-
ton of legal rights of securing such redress
in the higher courts as may seem necessary.
He Objects to the New Charges.
In the second citation of his protest, DR.
Briggs dealt with the irregularity of the
amendments to the original charges He
pointed out that amendments to charges by
law of the church are restricted to change
in form, and not to changes in substance.
He then said:
/ object to the amended charges that the
nature of the original charges has been
changed. The original charges called atten-
which, it was claimed, were in conflict with |
the standards. The only doctrine of the
Standards with which conflict was alleged, ]
was "the cardinal doctrine" "that the |
scriptures of the Old and New Testament |
are the only infallible rule of faith and |
practice" The amended charges allege con. |
fict with nine essential doctrines of the
Westminster standards as follows.
First that the Holy Scripture is most nec-
essary! second, that the Holy Scripture is
the rule of IaIth and practice: third, that |
the Holy Scripture is the word OF God writ |
ten; fourth, that the Holy Scripture is i'm |
mediately inspired; fifth, that God is true, |
omniscient and unchangeable; sixth that /
the Holy Scripture evidences itself to be the /
word of God by the consent of all the parts: |
seventh, that the infallible rule of interpre-
tation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; |
eighth, that the processes of redemntfon |
are limited to the World: ninth thar tine |
souls of believers are a. their dea th Mt onco
made Derfect in holiness
lie us consider she last charge first This
Introduces a new charge namely, that NV
Sr1ne "that the souls of believers are at their
death at on zee made perfect in holiness
yUy,u,, for Trial M, tba t,obth Con-.
,o,,a ~, oh,a,.,on 20 .. .aIl
WAIVE ny op1ee'ioh w ~ anu consent
s Charaas ona 81 80 ". =. ese
S.IeN a. ter en-. ..a.',..a1 sN,A ~ .n "r
IeslAs - Sa-,.".,. oS - A uoSsiine
oI sne nuty - SH-,.. " 'no e'anearus'
Aaus ~. .no no f.itt 90 LIS neoeSSary, a
anu 1ne ~ " -".. 80 p"e'ee' lne
of1glnal charEe was llni'eu 10 connect with
"the cardinal doctrine tnat the Holy Scrip
ture is the rule OF faith and practice"
II tnese ewo ttai Son,ri mai iiinneeu n,, enem,
selves to that essential doctrine. they would
De IN proper noi IN ~ "a, pus .hey insert
an .hes aaTSs Holv Scrintnre is most necassar
This changes the nature of the charge, and
you cannot legally allow it. 1t is my right
TO insist that TINS new charge be stricken
our; Az d vie sAe ~ .,is chsrre ensIey s wamnS
cSa ~ roe rU n the Presbytery SO desire. This
you may accomplish. either by breaking up
n g~,Az