Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-05-25
MAY GO INTO COURT
Dr.. Bnggs Opens His Famous
Hsfesy Case
3ef0RE the BIG ASSEMBLY
- Asxues the Lac oT Appeal sad
loisssiy issiassses That she Co~rts
MAJ Dpcsxte ID

Wssar-Gros. AAy 3t-The pressure
DC simstsAaes la the afternoon ~ the
general assembly was terrific and every
available inch of room IN the church
was occupied. At si5 Prof. Briggs
Ing him az eouns~l or fr.enis were Dr
Frazier Il NesaIk. trus,e. ~ Union
SEMINARY. Elder =. - Cutehaoa Of DE
treat. Prsd Francis BrowE. one 70 his
associates IA the seminary ln his
opening prayer Moderator Craig re
tgrn~d thanks for ne day. accepting il
a. token q the favor q the m-,iiatorial
king ~ then convened the assembly
a. a cougL the Rev. George u. iiak~r
chairman. reported that the judicial
suasniit-e reported that the prusocut-
ing coI-mitter bs allowed an hour Ia
open - case. that ase hours he given u
PF,d Briggs. and that the committee lie
given tao hours in which t0 close. IA -.
rNteufis'si = DESIRED % four hours. The
assembly thus hsving gwen Dr. hriggs
a. - had azxcd. the Rev. DIR W T.
Birch chairman - the prosecuting com
mlttts. box the hoor tie sand IL was
proper fcr the purpl-e IL -ansg time
AMI because - the moral legal and cc
cicslatfe standpoint 10 which the appeal
placed the appellant that b.i.f ab
-ira,t - the argument prepared should
b. -.vsn.
\ Eibi,cai Comparison.
After touching upon the history ~
The cas~. Dr. B,rch said that there Was
an eNcce,iingiy suggestive compar.son
between the action ~ The Apostolic
couucil. With respect - the appeal of
Paul and baruabas and this appeal IL
the committee II persecution. The
Av-s-fSiic council entertained the ap
peal % Paul and Baruabas. and sus
famed ~ ~ sending down decr-e to
the Church q Antioch. which defined
the hnits - christian liberty 10 those
g-ntiics who might b- admitted -
church membership The ~ neral aS
-~mbls entertained the appeal of the
commIttee q prosecution and sent down
a ds,;r~e to the pre>bytery 70 New York
defining the limits "a ~ liberty with r.
spcef o. this ease. The decree of the
general assembly ordered the presby
terry a. tgy rhe case Aupon its meriss.
aud gave Il liberty To amend rh. iudict
msnt iD accordance with the general
nature 20 the saDe. Thus the presby
tery Ma free only "a examine the
charges v~igh the testimony and de
clsis % sustain or not sustain. The de
cr-~ - the general assembly Vas not
ob-yel by the New York pr-spytery. IA
II trau$ceni.-l - own proper function
a. a trial cugrt by Iecor,hng its unwill
iuEuca. - express its approval ~ the
critical views which were the basis ~
the charges The pge-bytery acquitted
the defendant on the ground that n
though be might icny that Nnzcs wrote
the AN shieh the gentle christians oh
served. although there were cases where
church and reason could do what the
Eitic cnual not do. enable man to find
'fsi Vet shat such statements drd not
tr-.usgrpSs ,h.. limits 20 liberty allow, 4
ur irr tr, constitution ~ the preshyte
ran church - scholarship and opinion.
What Prof briggs Deserves.
The dscrr- - the apostolic council
Taught the xrutilr Christians that purity
wis .he absolute condition of peace. 80
thar when ,bc QUESTION vss between
purity aud lo-a - concord the former
wee - 10 preferred 20 the latter. The
detre- ~ the grusral assembly taught
'he >ea York pvoshy t"ry the same
thin- tutSh- ina judgment ~ the 10
fe~-or COURT "a the unscrlp'ural. uncon-
sitiationai sad iislt.ysi rTort o. reach
peace bY cuSnpruuliss With. AMI a tol
rratlon - error. We are here ~ invoke
ihf- -uprrac court O. ruf an cni % the
q d-sension ant lh-puiatiou which the
New Nark pf.--bytrry yatniy enaleavored
p rilenrn. fr~' by the 4 -mis~al = :he
sise srsrst br Hrgrs eri. Sscond by
- o..
hnih fhs t-rli s..ai a1d fhe ar1ulttal b.,
49, ptS.t.f~ at-riatlaer = any spprova
of fh- rartr.rrrfo-l statements % tho
lntnrlrsl ailrr~s. ss - critical 1r
fhfah.r.rai Tte.sS snt mtsn~r Of 90
prf-siou
NJ fern in .hsch the hnal igdgmen-
- fha prs-st.s terry vls returned gives tar
irsure=~ion that 'he alleged errors q
P.R Bfiggs eecs unimportant aad thst
r,s -s=,l. RAJ do.-trips bad tocn contra
diet.~i Fherr bal bern tendency -
ruf,riirl 20 The 'lli force - the infir'
meot The errors charged are fgnds
mental
What ws- Chsrgsi
Tha rhar,rrs -clsfes Firs'. 10 the
au.sf- ~ a. O. fhs supreme AMI only
authority n uafter- x faith snd prac
fifa
Secrn.l 20 'he q'tesfio0 "a - the IN
srraecy ~ trutbfu.ne~~ %, tho inspired
wart = t.at
rhiri - 'te historical validity . the
btt Testament
Fourth a % th~ fni'iia,ert - Mea
sisnir rrrHicfion a question - al
r~ruis Importance "a - hearing up. n
fae slev sheh - tssen q the truth
ft'a~~s - scripture ,nd n Tho truthful
nasa = g.-A
tfth AL 8-slY there the doc'riue
- r,s,isnlrtrsn. ,ssorerning Nhth q has
h.,-a alleged that pr,fs-s-lr Briggs
tcsshtnx~ have been especially erren
e~,la ar.i aar'fBi bat shich conI,i onlY
Ie parfiailv tried n the icver rpa.t.
fg.ra = a series . errors covering the
Whole fundamental structure 2 oar
fsfh II "a question: rurely hscfrfual
sra -hrr@f ire q unlveEssl imp"stsrsss.
o., fstf e. es'sy'erisri~fn . sTiHrrrnsd
It ar - finally setflef ~ nn prr-stv
ters ~ svn "a lsut requires che .i@eist g
~ t'-e p~e-hyrery sn3 church ln - h.eh
eet efirf
~ Rirrhs Reply.
IL frrly rs the srxtW~rt hat az
.~...al -sr 80 felan fa,fff a vFFfifct =