The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-23
DIR. BRIGGS.

DIR. BRIGGS.
correspondent IN our last issue does
shihk We have done Justice to DR..
ISIS In saying that on his own state
en. OF his views he was clearly not a
sesoyterian, tested by the technical
.sanoards of that denomination. and that
= seemed more like clerical LAWYER striv-
oy clever dialectics to battle his ac-
sssers than like large man. who had
tly outgrown the garments or rather
-o cerements of his church, and was
1saay to step down and out
ne observation-disclosures did not saw
mat Dr. Briggs belonged in the Catholic
snnrch; 1t did say that logically he must
moose as Cardinal Newman did between
aso'ne ana rationaiism. for logically he is
.ot an orthodox Protestant, much les. a
ifesoyterian. The origin of the Protest
.ns church was revolt against the au-
aolity OF the church, and resort to the
ploie rather than the church as the in
'aiiioie supreme source of divine author
~. DR.. Briggs makes the church. the
pioie and reason coordinate sources of
IRVINE authority. This is not Presbyter-
lsnism or Professionalism at all. DIR.
priggs belongs either with Rome and Car
elnai Newman. the supreme authority of
.nc chnrch as the infallible guide
e things spiritual and moral and
ne interpreter of the Bible. or he
siongs with reason and Francis Newman
g the private so-as-you-please Interpreter
q the Bible. AS logician he must go
WITH Rome or reason the moment he quits
Ine orthodox Presbyterian position of the
westminster Confession. As clever
c'ericai diaIectician he can continue to dis
sract his denomination, but he is certain
g last to meet the fate of Rev Dr. Smith.
Aprofessor in Lane Theological seminary
o. Ohio and a prominent. minister of the
Presbyterian church, who has just been
found guilty of heresy and con-
demned to suspension from the Pres
byterian ministry until he renounces and
recants his heretical teaching. The charges
against him were substantially the same
- those on which DR.. Briggs was accused
and tried. DIR. Smith taught that there
we're errors in the Scriptures; he rejects
the Mosaic authorship of the first five
books OF the Bible, upon which. according
70 the Rev. DR.. Birch, the authority of the
Gospel rests. and generally in his teach
ings he has been in agreement with thus
modern school of Biblical criticism. The
Cincinnati presbytery pronounced such
doctrine to be contrary to the doctrine of
the Bible itself and of the Westminster
Confession. 1t is true that he was con-
victed by but small majority. but there
Is no room for controversy that his teach
ing IL opposed to the Westminster Confess
sion III both its spirit and letter and
utterly subversive of the Presbyterian
faith in the Bible as held for generations
past. 1t is true that DR.. Smith has many
sympathizers in the Cincinnati presby-
terry, Just as many leading Presbyterian
ministers and laymen agree with DIR.
Briggs.
But it is not simply the truth or error
Of DIR. Briggs views that is on trial; it is
whether man holding such views is or
terian doctrinal standard. If the Bible is
not the perfect and absolutely true word
of God received by inspiration from
heaven, Presbyteriansm has no founda-
ton of divine authority; it rests only on
the human reason. DR.. Briggs comedies
that the Bible contains the word of God !;
but the Presbyterian doctrine is
that the Bible is the word of
God. DIR. Smith will appeal to
the Ohio synod, and thence to the general
assembly. The great majority OF the gen.
aral assembly has been strongly opposed
10 such views as his and those of Dr.
Briggs for two years past. and Smith and
Briggs are sure to be pronounced heretics,
snr the Presbyterian church cannot do
otherwise than hold their ministry to the
seachings of their doctrinal standards.
This NAV cause division IN the denomina-
.;on but to do otherwise would be to invite
,he complete shipwreek OF the denomina-
lion. The Westminster Confession is
hard and merciIess kind of cast
iron creed: even Cromwell told its
fr.mers that he thought they went too
.r Init il stands for the fundamentals of
presbyterianism. The manly thing. if it
!. really obsolete, is to drop 1t; TO stop
4-v;ry TO suckle the modern Christian
~or,d on a creed outworn; but DR. Briggs
!. not willing to drop the confession, and
:. ia not willing that the church should
a.or nr. Briggs, so he stands in the false
and untenable position of trying To recon-
IN. Rr;rysism, or modern light, with the
r~omweIlian creed.