St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-29
IRREpREsslBLE CONFLICT.

1--WE are here to invoke this supreme
court to put an end to the diSSenson,' -
| declared Mr.. BIRCH in presenting to the
general assembly of the Presbyterian
church the case of Dr.. BRIGGS, whose
the Bible.
The general assembly, which seems to
be intent on complying with the demand
of Mr.. BIRCH, that is, as far as its edlct
will go, will decide that Mr.. BRIGGS is
in error, and must either retract his con-
victlons or leave the church. And then
it will settle down comfortably to enjoy
the satisfaction of having stopped the
dissensionS.
What are the merits or dement's of
this rumpus in that church, which has
for so long disturbed the public as a
noise at d distance disturbs the neigh
borhood which cares nothing for the
cause of tive happily know nothing of,
and thankfully care nothing for. LII a
vague way the public knows that Mr..
BRIGGS has been doing some studying
and thinking, and has arrived at certain
conclusions which are matters Of deep
conviction with him, and that these
conclusions are opposed to some rule or
dogma or creed of his church, and that
this assembly is to decide if he be here.
tic or not.
What is interesting, though, is this
evidence that the general assembly OF
a great church in this last decade of
the nineteenth century wotS so little OF
the irrepreSSible nature of thought
that it Imagines it can end its activities,
its search for truth, its insistence on it
or what it believes to be it, when found.
by its simple fiat. If so, it only shows
that general assembly in these later
days has learned nothing from history
and experience. States and churches
before this, sometimes singly, some
times conformity, have tried to stiile
thought and thus prevent the dis
sensions which it bred, but the world
has reason to be thankful that they
could not do what they would do. If
pagan Rome, with all her imperial
power, could not smother the thought
which inspired the first Christains; if
papal Rome could not prevent the
thought that brought forth the Ref
ormation; if that Reformation could
not suppress the thought which has
split it into the hundreds of sects DOT
ting Christendom, how can this as
sembly hope to do it now? Is thought
less viriIe? is the church more power
full?
Suppose the assembly decree the
heresy of the doctor, will that stop men
from thinking? Will it establish be-
yond all doubt the inerrancy of the
Scriptures? 1t will decide, OF course,
what the Presbyterian church believes
about it. and settle it for all those who
would rather let church do their think
ing for them; but will it do anything
more than to serve notice on all that
there is no room for them in that church
unless they accept this as infallible
doctrine, and yield their right of indie
pendent Judgment? And if nothing
more is accomplished. will not the re-
suit be that stated by LEONARD WOOL
sEY BACON in the Forum in accounting
for ''the lack of largeness and progress
iveness among American Presbyteri-
ans" noticed by Scotchmen of that sect
visiting America? I'm any religious
sect in America" he says. "those affect
ed with less strict and high views be-
come easily and quietly detached from
the sect, leaving the residuum more
strongly impregnated with the charac-
teristic Sectarian flayorS."