The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-02

oo ioio'er punished. by tnls rlBlu IN
depreciation no act of the non elect will
save MIN. In the language of st.
Augustine his ''most beautiful virtues
become but glittering vices" AS
q student however of the Westminster
confession, its contemporaneous and
critical literature DIR. Briggs has per-
haps no equal among modern scholars.
Certainly no one of those who tried
him can equal his mastery of the sub
ject. He claims that he as an indivi-
dual has equal authority to interpret
the confession with the other stu
dents. Taking this claim as his ground
he brings proof to show that its gener-
ally accepted Interpretation is not right.
he attempted TO show that unchange-
able predestination is not compatible
with mercy and justice of God.
He maintained that there is a
period of probation after death
Ia kind of purgatory as it were)
where at least certain kinds of sins
can be atoned for and the soul of the
transgressor, even though he is one of
the non-elect, can be ultimately saved.
While perhaps not going so far in his
reaction against the dogma of predes-
tination as to accept the theory of free
grace, which constitutes the foundation
of Methodism, yet he does interpret the
Westminster confession as not meaning
that certain souls are unalterably des-
tined to eternal punishment. This
theory is fundamental in the church
and the vote acquitting DR.. Briggs on
the charge of heresy for this liberal be-
lief shows that he is by no means alone
in his teaching.
The third point is one which scarcely
needs more than the statement already
made. DIR. Briggs is not prepared to ac-
cept the text of the Bible as the only and
infallible guide and authority for Chris
tian religion. He maintains that God
gave man reason to use upon theology
as well as upon science, and that theo-
logical doctrines which are not reason
able to him are not to be- accept
ed as truths. He believes in the
traditions Of the church which
as matter of fact was established a
hundred years before the books Of the
Bible were collected. In fact the church
through its leaders collected, collated.
from among the great mass of
religious writings the books of the
Bible as it now is accepted. Is it at all
probable, says DR.. Briggs, that. the
church which antedated and complied
the Bible is not collateral authority
with the Bible as source of religious
truth? Those who selected some
and rejected Others certainly
what Christian truth was.
They selected the books of the Bible |
which most nearly conformed to that |
truth as they learned it by practical ex-
perience with Christ himself. The
church and many of its traditions and |
teachings were founded and taught by |
Jesus long before the Bible existed i'm
is present form. Therefore, says DR..
Briggs, the church and reason are cor
elative authorities with the Bible as
ources of religious thought. The vote
# the Presbytery shows that this theory
4 DIR. Briggs is not heresy.
This is the essence of this great trial.
% great extent DIR. Briggs represents
ot an individual opinion, but he COM
ines in himself those IN ore liberal be-
efs which are shared with thousands
others in his church. The old dog
iatic theory of Interpretation has ap-
arently had its day. The new theolog-
,al Interpretation of DIR. Briggs crys-
llizes the spirit of unrest which has
cen rife in the Presbyterian church
II the past few years. That is now set
rest. Liberalism is not heresy. The
Id and the new Interpretation have
arted company, and the new is full of
rn,oiaa