The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-27

NOMINATION. becomes an Illusion anC chprico.
oils should have done 10 be consistent and log
zeal. IL should have passed upon the overtures
a%endng the o ana
forlnitys with the present habits and dispositions
seded the Old Confession frankly and entirely,
and put the new in its place. There Is not room
In any church for two creeds; there Is not room
IN any church for two different dogmatic con.
fessions IL the old Confession were wrong IL
should have been either superseded or amended
II the new Confession differ from the old Comics.
sion, either IL 10 right or it Is wrong wherein II
differs. and where they differ they both cannot be
right and true. Hence, you see. you are Ovid
ing house against itself. The Presbyterians
that stand on The old Confession are not the de-
nominational brethren OF the Presbyterians that
stand on the new. There Is formulated differ
ence OF belief, ard that means difference IN the
long run OF denomination; and thus the church
has lost Is unity. IL has lost its distinctive char
i has s that o that snd ba s1as it,
crown and glory for more than two hundred and
fifty years.
creed ut the present time is undesirable because
it will involve the church in division and force
disruption. Personally, like the simple creed; and
but the majority of the presbyters of Indianapo-
lis, L should say at once. let us have
the simple creed. and the simpler .o, the
apolis represents only small element
OF the Presbyterian Church; and it is our first
duty 10 i've together as brethren In peace ana
good WILL and in order to do that we must be
considerate one or the other. Those who are
liberal in their tendencies must be granted the
right 10 think, By their conservative brethren,
who are for the old rather than for the new, who
are for the fathers OF $50 years ago rather than
for the professors OF to-day. Intellectually am
think they are behind the times; think that
they are governed by prejudice rather than by
light. But on the other hand, whilst insisting
that the conservative element must grant the
liberal element intellectual and theological free
dom, 1t Is just as incumbent upon the liberals TO
consider the ftghss OF the consergatives lou
ade; nor is it right TO crush the beliefs and
loves OF a great body OF men in sudden
and remorseless way. There are o great
minister Confession of Faith They think that it
Is very nearly nfallible truth; IL not entirely in
fallible at least very nearly infallble. They be-
leve that it expresses the mind of Christ nearer,
and better, and clearer than any other standard
OF belief 80 far come to light: and these conserva-
honor next TO the honor that they bear the word
OF God. Now, You force upon this c0nser-
yative element simpler creed, and you VIII not
bring peace but violence into the church. You
will force division and strife. These conserva-
tive brethren may be held in the power OF tradi-
ton, but they are neither blind nor foolish. They
may be conservative. but they are not simple
tons. They IN sy be rigid In their belief but they
are not billiards; and they know right we'll That
two creeds cannot exist side BY side; that the
Church, great as 1t Is. is not great enough TO
juggle with two systems or belief. and that,
broad IL is Ii IS not broad enough TO stand upon
that one must 20, and they know very well that
in the long run the simple creed will shelve the
complex creed that the new creed Will GUST the
old. And thus, fearing the inevitable result,
they will REBEL and instead or peace We Will
have disorder, and instead of concord, discord,
and instead OF unity, schism in our church.
ACTION IN THE BRIGGS CASE.
And now wish to speak touching the second
action that our presbytery took. an action as
wise as deem its first action unwise. an action
as prudent as beheve the first action to be I'M
prudent. You know that the New York Presby-
terry has passed upon the case of DR.. Briggs, ac-
cutting committee is intent upon appealing this
case from the presbytery, entirely over the head
OF the synod or New York. 10 the General AS
wise, that In our Church there are three units
of authority. first the presbytery, second the
synod. and third the General Assembly. The
prosecuting committed. however, says that it
will 20 at once from the presbytery 70 the assem-
bly,. omisiins, entirely the -, judgment
Is Is the prevent h. sSss tSs f PssD
terry of indianapolis overtures the General
Assembly that all Judicial proceedings move
General Assembly, and that the authority of
the synod shall be considered, and this action of
our presbytery, II seems to me, is most prudent
First, because 1t Is the normal procedure. The
Synod OF New York has right to ait In judy
ment upon this case, and Jig rights should not be
It is permissible and constitutional, perhaps. for
the General Assembly to consider this case in
the first instance without the intervening judg-
ment OF the synod, yet the normal procedure is
appeal by way or synod to the assembly. Never
in the history. I am told. of the Presbyterian
Church In this country, has q synod been ignored
in judicial matters. Never before has there
been such haste. such an fmpetuous and clamor-
as this prosecuting committee is howing against
DIR. Briggs. And in order that they may reach
their ends the more rapidly and efficaciously,
they propose TO ignore the synod of New York.
The Judgment of our presbytery ia that this pro-
cedure Is uDseemly and abnormal, and that Ii Is
deficient In respect to the Synod OF New York,
and that IL shows passion and prejudice rather
justice and right
But besides this it is the wise thing to submit
the case or DR.. Briggs TO the New York
Synod because this slower process will
make for light; and that is what church
needs. especially In its present crisis. It never
needed light more than it does to-day. The great
majority OF the ministers and elders in the Pres
byterian Church are absolutely incompetent TO
pass any Judgment upon the merits OF the Briggs
Gus TO the orbit OF the average intellect. It
sweeps into realm towards which the minister.
trammeled as he is by his daily employments
and by the limiting duties OF his vocation cannot
aspire. IL deals with questions scholastic and
technical. with questions that are entirely beyond
the grasp OF the average mind and the studies of
the average man.
Hence. any swift Judgment in this case Will.
by its very swiftness. tend forwards injustice;
the more light We get the nearer we shall ap-
proximate to what's right and just in this matter,
so perplexing and so confounding TO tho church.
Many of us may disagree with DR.. Briggs, but
our Disagreement Ia just as likely to be the
result OF ignorance as OF wisdom, just as
likely to be the fruit OF prejudice as Of serious
conviction. just likely to be the expression OF
darkness as OF light More likely. in fact In
deed. believe that outside OF the theological
sem inaries OF this country there are not forty
men qualified to pass Intelligent judgment
upon the theological deviations and pc
culiarities OF DIR. Briggs and 1 am
sure, to the point OF absolute certainty, that the
great majority of men who win convene IN the
assembly or In the New York Synod will be utter
ly unable to tell. out OF their own knowledge
or speculation, whether he Is right or wrong,
whether he Is orthodox or unorthodox, whether
he Is regular or aberrant in his views.
BRIGGS ENTITLED To JUSTICE.
The points involved are intricate. and we can.
not see them at glance The church will alb
sorb them bit by bit. ray by ray and truth by
truth, and only in the course of time will the
Judgment of the church be developed to the
point of passing with fair degree of justice
go the better, for Dr. Briggs is at least en-
tice. Every inan, every teacher. every preacher.
every elder, every communicate in the Presby-
terrain Church Is entitled TO at least one thing,
and that one thing Ia justice. He may not be
entitled 10 hold what dogma he pleases: he may
not be entitled to this regularity of BELIEF
that; he may not be entitled to experimentation
at his leisure or his fancy with the Confession
thought aud time; but he is entitled. every IN an
In our church Ia entitled 10 iustice TO have lus-