Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-02
LnRraas CASE.

A1EtAOAo NA1-s
DR.. BIZ as been pronounced by
vote otIgSIty Ct any Of the six charges
preferred against him, which in view Of
the charges and the questions involved
in them, is rather an ambiguous verdict.
1t leads an Interested exchange to argue
that that is NOT just exactly what the
Presbytery meant by its vote of not
guilty. With reference to the first
charge, for example, which was that he
taught that reason is source OF divine
authority, the natural inference it says
would be that the Presbytery did not
believe him guilty Of teaching anything
Of the kind. So with reference to'the
third charge, whichwas that he taught
that the Scriptures contain errors of his
tory and fact. The vote on its face seems
to denote that a majority Of the Presby-
terry thought he had not so taught.
Though this view Of the case is plaus-
ible, there is much room for doubt
whether it is correct. This doubt is
strengthened by an examination OF the
text Of the charges, which appear to
have been so framed as not to confine
the inquiry to naked issue Of fact.
To illustrate this take the fourth
charge, which relates to question that
has for many years been a subject OF
controversy in ecclesiastical circles,
especially in England and on the Cont
nent of Europe. In this Prof. BRIGos
is charged:
with teaching that Moses is not the au-
thor of the Pentateuch, which Is contrary
TO direct statements Of Holy Scripture and
to the essential doctrine of the standards
of said Church, that the Holy Scripture
evidences itself to be the Word Of God by
the consent of all the parts, and that the
infallible rule of Interpretation Of Scrip
ture is the Scripture itself.
1t is evident, therefore, that vote on
this proposition involves decision Of
at least three questions:
1. Has Prof. BRIGGS taught that
MOSES is not the author OF the Penta-
touch?
2. Is such teaching contrary to the
direct statements of Holy Scriptures?
8. Is such teaching contrary to the
standards of the Presbyterian Church?
In other words the fourth charge en-
braces not only a single issue OF fact,
but also questions as to what the
Scriptures teach and what the Presby-
terrain standards require, which may
not appropriately be called conclu-
slons of ecclesiastical law. This leaves
us somewhat in doubt whether the vote
of acquittal on this charge means that
DR.. BRIGGS did not deny that Moses
was the author of the Pentateuch, or
whether it means that he is borne out
in such teaching by Holy Scripture and
the Presbyterian standards. The
other charges are framed in similar
manner.
There has been a good deal of unin-
telligent writing In connection with the
case of DR.. BRIGGs and others about
"heresy-hunting." There was time
when an accusation Of heresY meant the
rack, the thumb-screw and the stake,
and a certain odium attaches to the
term on that account. The trial Of DR..
BRIGGS has nothing of this sort in it.
1t is essentially an inquiry as to the full
fllment Of contract. Religious bodies
authorize men to preach and to teach
upon the condition that they believe
and are willing to teach certain doc
trines. Money is contributed for their
support upon this conditions; colleges
and seminaries are endowed for the pur-
pose of propogating these views. 1t is
a simple matter OF business that the con-
dition should be respected by all the
parties to it.
al GSoOOIuliOu VI uduuldCbuAOIo1
says our contemporary forcibly, "who
put up money-aS they are constantly
doing-to support an organ of protec-
tion would make short work of the edi-
tor they employed should he commit
the paper to the cause. of tariff reform.
This would not necessarily mean that
tariff reform is bad thing, but that it
was not the view for the propagation of
which the manufacturers contributed
their money. There seems no reason
why religious associations should not
pursue the same course without being
exposed to the odium of heresy-hunting.
"If DIR. BRIGGS teaches the doctrines
of the Presbyterian Church his acquittal
was eminently proper, and q triumph of
the right. But if he no longer believes
the Presbyterian creed, he ought not to
claim to represent that great orgsniza
ton while discrediting the doctrines
which it seeks to propagate"
IN another column Hon. ]. n. CAM
DEN explains exactly how he came to
withdraw from the Senatorial race last
spring. A dispatch from Charleston,