The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-31
BRIGGS ARGUMENT ENDS.
A Wonderfully Strong Presenta-
ton of His Case.
HIS DENIAL OF CHARGES.
An Impressive Scene at the Close OF
His Address.
The Case OF the Appellants Closed by
Colonel 1IcCook-He Asserts That
Briggs Avowa1s Are in Oppo-
sition to the Scriptures.

WASHINGTON, May 30.-At the opening
OF the Presbyterian general assembly this
morning the committee on bills and over
lures submitted substitute for the an
swer it made yesterday to the oyertures
regarding the deliverance of the general
assembly at Portland, Or, in 1892, on the
inspiration of the Bible. The substitute
reaffirms the deliverance of 1892, that the
original scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments being Immediately inspired OF
God are without error. This deliyerance
no new test of orthodoxy. The report
will be considered later.
The assembly then resolved itself into
an ecclesiastical court and DR.. Briggs re-
sumed his argument in his own defense,
occupying ali the balance of the morning.
For considerable portion of his time
Professor Briggs followed the same lines
of argument he used before the New York
presbytery with such omissions and addi-
lions as were necessary to make it timely
and pertinent. The argument was care
fully prepared and entered deeply into
the technical intricacies of the case. Con-
tinuing DR.. Briggs said:
s'Let me refer to the word spoken by
DR.. Lampe yesterday. He said, if
understood him rightly, 'We know moth
ing of Christ save what we get in the
Bible story CDR. Lampe nodded in
confirmation of the accuracy of the quo
tation.) He admits. Are you ready to
believe that commissioners? Do we learn
and know nothing of him through per-
sonal relations that we enjoy in the
Lords supper? l cannot subscribe to
that doctrine. 1t is rank heresy if ever
heresy was promulgated in the history of
q church.
''Now let me call attention to another
error made by DIR. Lampe. He said the
Bible is final authority given to us by
Jesus Christ and the apostles. Just
think of that. Brethren, did they give
US nothing but what they found in the
books of the Old Testament? DIR. Lampe's
statement is dreadfully wrong. Another
statement by DIR. Lampe in his argument
yesterday was that the faith of the Chris
tian church was based solely upon the
Scripture. Are you ready 10 accept that?
] am not. My faith is based on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and him alone.''
After recess DIR. Briggs continued his
defense. SCI now wish,' said he, ''to
bring forth my position. l shall adhere
to the policy which l have thus far fol-
lowed with regard to errors in the Holy
Scripture. refused to accept the dogma
that the original autographs were inter-
rent. / maintained that there were errors
in the texts which we have, and that it is
improbable that the original texts, if we
could discover them, would be much diff
ferent from those we have in that regard.
I refused to affirm that there were errors
in the original autographs, because it
was unscientific, and it was unscholarly,
and it was against the blowing spirit
of Christianity to make affirmations of a
dooyYoo NH GRO WIG houa N N 0ortoir, a1yidapoa
/ always refrained, as far as possible, from
pointing to errors in the present text of
scripture, but every biblical scholar adj
mits them.
When DIR. Briggs in closing solemnly
challenged the court to judge him Justly,
the scene was most impressive, and even
the most unrelenting anti-Briggs men in
the assembly admitted that the alleged
hereto has made wonderfully strong
presentation of his case.
Colonel McCook then proceeded to close
the case for appellants. The speaker
trayersed anew the grounds of the teach
ings of the defendant, and despite the
latter's avowals and explanations, they
were in opposition to the Holy Scriptures
and confession of faith, and, therefore,
gross errors in the eyes of the church. He
also asserted that the doctrines at issue
were essential, notwithstanding Professor
Briggs declaration of opinion to the con-
trary.
Before adiourning till evening Professor
Brown offered prayer for the President of
the United States and the great govern
ment he represented.
At the evening session q number of
commissioners spoke pro and con on the
Briggs case, and an attempt was made to
reach vote before adjournment, but
without success.