The herald., 1893-07-02
MuTTERINGs OF THE LAITY.


The action Of the Presbyterian general
assembly in deposing Professor Briggs
from the ministry has produced a most
profound sensation amongst the intelli-
gent lsity of that church. In this city
the discussion has not yet reached the
pulpit, although it is an unpublished
secret that the foremost divines of that
faith are very far from being in sympa'
thy with the action of the assembly in
arrsying itself against the Christian
scholarship OF today. One curious fact
has been the source of much comment,
and that is that at least one.half Of the
delegates sent from this state to the a.
sembly were underss TODD to be opposed
to the condemnation of Briggs, and yet
not a voice was raised from any OF them
protesting against the action that has
brought 80 much trouble into the Pres
byterian organization. An effort was
made in the presbytery of Los Angeles
to pass resolutions dsnuncistive of DR..
Briggs, but the effort brought out long
and acrimonious debate and failed to Sc
cure the endorsement OF the presbytsry.
w. @. Patterson, a leading member
and one of the trustees of the Emmanuel
church, has Issued circular letter on
the subject of the condemnation of DR..
Briggs by the assembly. 1t is a bold
and outspoken philippe against the
"sil,rian" attitude which that body
ha frta al As fh,u al
cular claims to reflect tho views OF
majority OF the members of the Pres
byteriap church, we consider it OF sufh-
cient public importance to lay before
our readers copious extracts from it. He
says he has been interviewed by large
number OF persons on the Briggs ques-
tion, and has told them that his senti.
ments were stated in brief in letter he
addressed to DR.. Briggs shortly after the
action of the assembly had been taken.
In that letter he says that in his opin-
ion the doctor was right and the assem-.
bly, wrong; that what it proclaims
as heresy today he expects to hear with
in his own lifetime officially pronounced
az sound, orthodox Presbyterian doc
trine; that the result of the action of
the assembly is bound to be hegira to
Congregationalism and to Unitarianism.
He then supplements this letter with
the views he has arrived at today. He
says:
In consequence of the arbitrary, in
tolerant and indefensible action of the
general assembly in euapending from
the ministry that eminent scholar and
godly man, Professor @. A. Briggs, and
by reason of the ridiculous and super
fuous delivsrances of the assembly, and
its evident purpose to Cyer-ride freedom
OF thought and freedom of speech, to
throttle human -eason, to- degrade
scholarship, to stids intelligent investi-
CATION, and to propagate bigotry. large
number OF people have become exceed.
ingly restive.
Within this category I should place
at least 70 per cent of the laity, and l
should also include a still larger per.
centage of the active intellectual por-
tion OF the ministry.
Intelligent thinkers find it difficult to
adhere to the church as now handi-
capped, and at the same tina preserve
their integrity and eelf-respect.
Half suppressed mutterngs have be-
come audible and the existence OF in
tense unrest is indisputable.
The suggestion that Immanuel church
withdraw from the domination of the
general assembly, and the idea OF the
establishment of an independent organ
ization. has been largely discussed. and
have beyond question threatened to
crystalize.
To many the thought is CALLING that
Emmanuel church was assessed and had
to pay $205 towards the expenses OF q
general assembly which will go down to
history odious and odorous. But while
it is difficult to zee how any think
ing, intelligent and really con-
scientious person can easily re.
sist the temptation to enjoy the
freedom which independence would
bring, yet were it not better that the
congregation err, il at ell, upon the side
OF patience and forbearsnce?
My own suggestion is that instead OF a
declaration of independence" the
membership accept the advice of Pro-
fessor Briggs in his recently published
interview, and continue within the
fold.
BY go doing we may assist in making
''the minority of yesterday to become
the majority"
Let US not desert the old ship, but let
us fight our battles within the organiza-
tion. Let each one do what he or she
can to accelerate the sentiment OF com.
mon sense which is daily gaining ground
and which will, l believe. ultimately
throw off the incubus which the recent
assembly has hanged about the neck oi
the church.
This ia perhaps the prelude to a long
and embittered controversy. When
good churchmen like Mr.. Patterson
feel compelled TO use such epithets es
''silurian" and "odious and odorous''
with which to stigmatize the highest
administrative body in the Presby
terian church, ii must be evident thai
there is much latent indignation amongst
the laity about the action of the late
assembly.