The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-05-24
FOURTH EDITION


DIR. Briggs and DIR. Sunderland,
Now York Times
Readers Of the public prlnts are al
ready aware OF the surprising observa-
lions made on Sunday by the Rev. DIR.
sunderland In the First Presbyterian
Church OF Washington. The sermon
was preached by the Rev. DIR. Smith,
OF New York, and was devoted to a
consideration of the decline OF Chris
tianity in general and Of Presbyterian
ism In particular. or this the preach
er gave some startling illustrations.
The topic was an entirely natural ono
to choose for the occasion OF the meet.
ing In Washington OF the Presbyterian
General Assembly, und the sermon
concluded with an eloquent plea for
union In the church."
Alter II was ended the pastor made
his astonishing remarks. TO wit: Il am
sure we have all enjoyed DR.. Smiths
sermon this morning. But there Is one
important omission. He neglected to
state the cause OF tie dissenslon and
distraction In tho Presbyterian Church
ut this time-the reason why the
church hns failed to accomplish what
1t ought to. l want here and now to
state tho cause. That cause Is DIR.
Briggs. l would not be in that mans
shoes to day for oil the world. Let us
sing hymn No. 533."
This was the Rev. DIR. Sunderland's
eloquent plea for union In the
church and his contribution to that
end. In considering 1t, one is quite
at loss to know which Of the qualities
revealed by 1t most to admire. There
Ia fret the graceful tact OF such an
utterance, at limo when the case
OF DIR. Briggs Is about to be brought
before tribunal Of which the speaker
Is presumably member. Then there
is the Christian spirit in which one
Christian minister considers the pro.
cedures or another. Finally, there is
the strong good scpse evlnced IN
| attributln4 to Dr. Briggs tho decline
OF Presbyterlanlsm and 1.-The dlssen.
sion and distraction In the Presby-
Church at this time"
All these are tempting themes OF
comment. but the former two are
rather awkward to handle, and we
need only remark upon the last. the
sweet reasonableness" Of nttributiDg
TO DIR. Briggs not only the division in
the Presbyterian Church but the de.
cline OF that church. The truth lie
that tho decline began before Dir
Briggs was born, certainly before he
was admitted to the ministry, md
that before he began to make any pub
lie utterances about the Bible OF
about the Calvinistic doctrines tshac
become very Urgent question In tht
Presbyterian Church how tho decline
was to be averled.
Mankind. outside the Presbyterian
ministry found the doctrlnes OF Cal
win as set forth in The Confession o
Faith, revolving and Incredible, and
educated young men abstained II
yearly increasing numbers from enter
Ing It's ministry. II lost year by veal
many OF these who had been bred II
its communion, and 1t gained no com
pensating aecesslons from the out
side. Yet all this while 1t was unitrt
and harmonious, as we'll as stagnan
or declining. II was absolutely plalI
that some new line must be taken |
the church was TO prosper, and that
must DO brought moro into ronformit!
with the spirit OF the age and with thu
opinions OF the educated moderl
world.
For Presbyterian minister to op
pose this was necessarily to introduce
''dissension and distraction In tn,
church, instead of the unity and har
mony OF which the church was Ian
gushing. DR.. Briggs is ono Of tLi
men who have ventured 20 say insid,
the ministry OF the Presbyterian
Church whit all educated men wer,
saying outside OF that ministry. Hi
attachment to the traditions and tn,
name Of the church made him anxiou:
to remain in its ministry and to pro
mote its progress by aera,inR and lib
eraIlzing and mudernizing such OF it!
doctrines as are obsolete and fantastic
That suen man abstracts" the
church may 10 true enough; but 81
fur from contributing to Its decline
he is taking tho only means posslbl,
to check that decline. II the senti
menis OF tho Rev. IN Sunderland pro
vail, the harmony Of the church may
te temporarily restored by the expul
sion of Dr. Briggs, and the consequeD
suppression of other like-minded bu
less courageous pastors; hut the de
cline OF tho Presbyterian Church vii
continue ut an accelerated ratio.