Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-30

preiudiced against him. but as things are now
DIR. Briggs said he considered the tribunal be-
fore which he was now speaking was as fair a
body as any before which he had yet appeared.
THE CHARGES CRITICALLY EXAMINED.
DIR. Briggs then discussed at some length the
criticisms against the final judgment of the
New York presbytery. Most Of these criticisms
he left to the members of the presbytery to
answer. but others he treated himself Incl
dentally he advised the assembly to give clear
| and careful attention to their decision in this
case, for if in their verdict they approved the
charges brought against him he would under
| take to bring forward an immense amount of
heresy that had been asserted in the charges
and arguments against him.
The prosecution, he considered, had no right
| of appeal in this case, for il there was an ag-
| grieved party it was the defendant and not the
| members Of the prosecuting committee. The
| appellants have no case, he said the grounds
| of their appeal are trivial and In many cases
| childish. The appellants might be disappointed
at not securing verdict of conviction against
the defendant. but Just the same there was no
case against DIR. Briggs and all the charges had
faded away before the touch of the defendant
like fog before the summer sun.
He argued that it was wrong to convict men
OF eminence in the church on the charge of
prejudice without giving them hearing. 1t
was equally wrong to charge prejudice against
those members of the New York presbytery who
had voted for him without. at the same time,
charging prejudice against the men who had
voted to convict him.
DIR. Briggs said that having disposed Of the
charges OF entertaining hereticaf beliefs, he
would now go on to show briefly Just what he
did believe in the premises. quoting largely
from his defense before the New York presby-
terry and his own writings.
brief recess was taken at this point to rest the
audience; and Dr. Craig retired from the chair
and DIR. Young presided.
After the recess DIR. Briggs went on to speak
OF the position of the prosecution in making
the Bible divine auth ority instead of God
speaking through the Bible, as he believed.
EVIDENCE FROM THE CONFESSION.
He then requested DIR. Brown to read from
the printed copy OF his defense before the New
York presby terry what he had then said on the
point of the reason as a fountain Of divine au-
thority. He claimed that the confession dis
tinctly recognized the reason as great foun-
tain OF divine authority.
DR.. Briggs then spoke earnestly extempore,
saying that they would find that his views were
on the line of higher Christian life. He then
disc dssed the case of Martineau as quoted in his
inaugural, and asserted that he did not cay that
Martineau rejected the way of salvation re-
vealed in the Bible but he did say that Marti-
neau could not find certainty OF divine au-
thority in the church or the Bible. He might
II
the side of Christian love. The prosecution
trenches on Christian love il they deny that
Martineau found God enthroned in his own
soul.
DIR. Briggs asserted that the prosecution had
not confined themselves tn the opinions he had
advanced. but had wandered over the wide
field of theology. He trusted that the as
sembly would not commit themselves to such
cratic guides.
He quoted from DR.. Lampe's address in
which he said that he had no knowledge of God
except through the Bible. He characterized
this statement az the rankest heresy. Christ,
he said. came to us through the sacrament.
Oftentimes it was more potent than the Bible in
giving divine certainty. He appealed to the
religious experience of the church in the COM
munion hour.
THE CASE OF STURGEON.
DR.. Briggs then spoke of his reference
to Sturgeon and asserted that the prose-
cution harp upon it in their argument to
excite prejudice against him. He said that
what he said about Spurgeon may not be
pleasing to the court But is it not strictly true?
he asked
He said that he did not assign Spurgeon a
lower place than Newman or Martineau, but he
did say that the average opinion Of the
Christian world would not assign him a higher
or Newman. Suppose that he made a
mistake. Is such mistake heresy?
Where do the prosecution find author
ity in the Scriptures for exalting
Spurgeon above Martineau and Newman. He
had said before and said now that he would
choose the company for time and eternity Of
Martineau and Newman rather than Of such
loveless persons as would cast them out of the
congregation of the faithful.
He protested against the introduction of
snch concrete examples in the charges. He
had used the names merely to explain and
prove what he had said. 1t was his views. and
not his illustrations. that were on trial
DR.. Briggs took exception to the statement
that faith was founded entirely on the Bible.
His faith was based on Christ and he had been
brought to Christ through the Bible.
The hour for recess having arrived DR..
Briggs suspended his argument, stating that he
expected to conclude shortly
IN HONOR OF DECORATION DAY.
Rev. DIR. Graham presented a motion that
when the assembly adjourn it be to meet again
at 7:45 p. m, emitting an afternoon session out
Of respect for the nations dead, in whose honor
this day celebrated.
1t was remarked that this would need q re-
consideration Of previous action. iuasmuch as
the program for a session had all been provided
for.
At this point Judge Wills moved an adjourn
ment until 2.30, and the motion was carried.