The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-08

was inspired and dictated by God he dis
MISE. as "bibliolatry," professed only by
those who continue to dwell among bats
and owls. The divine authority he teaches
Is not in the style or the words, but in the
concept, and DR.. Briggs brings in mans
reason TO determine whether there be in
SEPARATION from God. If what is said is
true, 1t is inspired; If it is not true, divine
origin cannot be claimed for it. Accord
ing 10 DR.. Briggs, the Bible is 20 be
examined and criticized like any other
book of religion. He teaches that while
1t contains inspired truths it also
contains unexplainable errors; ne makes it
fallioie book and says that he finds the
revelation OF the Almighty not in the
Bible merely, but also in the church and
the reason" He claims for reason the
right to winnow 1.-The chat of human error
from the wheat of divine truth and
authority" He rejoices at 1.-The age Of
ratlonalisn with all its wonderful achieve
ments in philosophy, since it is preparing
men 10 use their reason" in Biblical
criticism. DR.. Briggs asks for rational
istic judgment of the Bible on its merits
solely and not as book singled out as
beyond criticism because it is the word of
God and the only word Of God. He de-
scribes the theory of verbal inspiration
as unworthy of reasonable consideration.
The authority il not in the individual
writers, for the great mass OF the Old
Testament was written by men whose
names are unknown, but in the divine
truth expressed" He dismisses the old
theory that the Scriptures are the recorded
word Of God written under the direct die
tation of the Almighty, and rejects the
Protestant doctrine that the Bible is the
supreme rule Of faith and practice, con-
tending that s'the fountain of divine
authority is not in the Bible alone, but
also in the church and the reason"
The Office Of liberal criticism is, says
DR.. Briggs. ''to tear up the weeds of error
that now choke the germ OF truth in the
Bible SO that the plant of truth may have
free and healthy growth" He says that
apart from the sacred writings Moses.
David, Paul and Peter are no more than
Contucius." This is the view taken of
Biblical inspiration and revealed religion
by DR.. Briggs, who is really the head of
the great Presbyterian divinity school of
the Union Theological Seminary, and
substantially the same view is taken by
the Lane Theological Seminary of Ohio;
by the Andover Theological School, and
among the conspicuous friends OF DR..
Briggs are several OF the directors
and most eminent graduates of Princeton
The Biological Seminary. Practically it
makes very little difference to DR.. Briggs
whether the Presbyterian General Assem-
bly,, which meets in May next, and to
which an appeal will be taken, condemns
him as hereto or not. He will continue
20 occupy his chair as professor of Biblical
theology in Union Theological Seminary.
The trustees are all his partisans; the
whole corps Of professors agree with his
teachings. On his account the seminary
has cut loose from the control of the Gem
eral Assembly, and it has received large
distinguished Presbyterian laymen of
New York in order to enable it the better
to support it's independence.
Even as Lane Theological Seminary
stands by its convicted hereto, the Rev.
DIR. Smith, and continues him as pro-
fessor, SO Union Theological Seminary has
decided to stand or fall with DR.. Briggs.
DR.. Briggs is the Luther of the Presby-
terrain church without having any cause
to apprehend any sort OF martyrdom in
case he is declared n hereto by the Presby-
terrain church. While it is of small
concern to DR.. Briggs personally whether
be is ultimately declared hereto or not.
it is very serious matter for the Presby-
terrain church. If Dr. Briggs is acquitted
or convicted the Presbyterian church is
morally certain TO split into an old school
and new school church. The drift is
steadily toward Rome or rationalism
! Logically, there is no middle ground be-
tween Rome and Parkerism. which is
really revived and adopted within the
church by DIR. Briggs, who is nothing bet
ter than a Unitarian, and quite as radical
nationalist as Theodore Parker, who
| stepped down and out of the Unitarian
| church as hereto in 1S45.
| DR.. Briggs attitude toward the church
| if he is declared hereto by the Presby-
terrain General Assembly in May next, is
| like that of the old and valuable English
servant, who, when his master said in an
| apologize way, John, you and I will
| have to part" answered, Indeed. sir ?
where did your worship think of going ?''
| If Briggs is driven from the church he
will take very powerful. able and wealthy
minority with him. and if he stays IN the
! church he is dangerously likely to convert.
the majority TO his views.
/ ------------------