The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-05
DIR BOLLE's PHILIPPIU.
Says the Heresy Trial VIII Work Great In
Jury to Calyinism.

Says the Haresy Trial VIII WORK Great In
jury to Calvinisun.
NEW YORK, Juno 4.-Dr. Edwin G. Bolle
preached to-day on the Briggs trial to q
large congregation at the Church of the
Eternal Hope tUniversalist.) The subject
Of the pastors discourse was, How Heresy
Trials Appear to Liberal" He began by
stating that he did not propose to abuse
the Presby terian Churoh. for its action was
logical and from it's point of view. right.
Tho teeth of persecution have been
drawn by time: in olden days DE. Briggs
might have seen the way to the sosffold or
the p.ison,n he said. The plain sense Of
the Westminster Confession seemed to
candid people just as the Presby terry had
decided it. Yet DR.. Briggs was perfectly
right The only trouble was that
DR.. Briggs was the right man In the wrong
place. He can regard his condemnation. ss
every man who has been ahead OF his time
could have done, as compliment, al.
though. perhaps. an embarrassing one. In
the first place, the whole matter may be re-
garded as great waste of time. energy
and enthusiasm. There is something bet
ter for the church to do than trying 60 set
tie points w which will not be settled, and
entering on q debate which Is only weary
ing and endless. The only reason for the
existence of church, Bible or creed OF ali
is TO make men better. and heresy trial
makes them forget the spirit of God and
neglect the golden rule about their duty to
their feiiow-men.
'It seems to me that such heresy trial
is manufacturer of infidels. Ii adds to
the scandals which make great many
intelligent men and women despise the
church, which has more danger to fear
from the conclusions of the world that she
preserves only the letter and not the
spirit of her Masters gospel than from any
attacks which can be made upon her from
the outside. The tone OF the great tber-
mometer of public opinion. the press.
indicates this feeling. and no one
coald 1, have n, read the many sharp
week without feeling that the
Presby terian Church has done much to
ALLEVIATE public sentiment from its respect
towards Christianity. This heresy trial
may be looked on hopefully as indicating
the power of the evolution of the world
toward the liberal ideas in religion. DR..
Briggs has tried to make the Westminster
Confession elastic. as II made OF ru Ober; the
assembly has decided that it is rigid as
cast iron. But the expansive force of rea-
son and common sense is cracking, since 1T
cannot stretch. its ancient shell. The as
sembly has drawn the lines, but IL has not
got the power TO put the butterfly back
into the chrysals or the singing bird into
it's old she'll.
.One thing is certain. It seems that there
is more need than ever of clear, vigorous
and devout statement OF the principles OF
the liberal church. 1t must be made clear
that men may see that relI gion is not neces-
sarily fossil from prehistoric ages. nor q
dangerous compromise between coneerva-
tism and progress. 1t must be vigorous, that
the world mav know that there are views
of God and of religion. and of human duty
and destiny where faith is grounded on
reason. and whore the lesson of Gods
eternal love is the beginning and end Of q
church creed"
DR.. Bolle, when seen after the service,
was enthusiastic on the subject. 81 have
been close student of this struggle" he
said, ever since Elliot K. Shepard wrote
that bitter attack calling on she presby-
terry to expel DIR. Briggs and abjuring peo-
pie not TO send their sons to Union SEMI
nary. DR.. Briggs was defeated by a num-
Der OF country bigots who have learned
nothing of the advance of theology during
the last quarter OF a century. Why, l as.
sure you, sir, that the leading Presby terian
Unitsrians or Universslists. or any 9TH
or people Of respectability into their
churches. According to the Presby-
terian notion of the infallibllity of the
entire Bible they would revere as saints q
lot OF men who could not be classed even
with the mon of Tammany Hall and Wall
street. Who cares whether, when O man
dies. he is at once made as good as possible
in the next world or only attains perfec-
tion By degrees. as Dr. Briggs teaches3
These questions are only fit for the middle
ages. / can tell you. sir. that the great
masses of the thoughtful people of this
country are with DR.. Briggs. Let those
bigots who are SO FOND of holding out OK
amples Of divine judgments ponder awhile
over what has happened since the first
TRADE was published against the Doctor.
Not that believe such nonse nse but they
can pro6tably take u lesson from their own
doQmas.v