Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-22
Doctor DeCosta'S Sermon on
the Briggs Affair.
THE BIBLES AVAILABILITY
Has Been Attacked and He Comes 10
Its Defense--He Was Overcome
by Emotion In Church.

New York, May Prev. De Costa Of
the church of st. John the Evangelist,
prepared sermon in answer to Bishop
Potter's action in ordaining DR.. Briggs,
and started to preach it, but after he
had talked for about five minutes he was
so overcome by emotional feeling that he
passed over the bulk of his manuscript
and dismissed his congregation with a
lO-minute sermon. But after the service
he gave out his manuscript, with the am
nouncement that he was unable to deliver
1t entirely. The sermon said in part:
We live under new dispensation. We
have reached a new epoch. The work at
tributed for the last 1S centuries is now
challenged. Protestants are now en-
gagged in rending the Bible in pieces, de-
clarng that it is not infallible and that
the old and the new tastaments abound
iin myths and legends At the treshold
Of the twentieth century theological
teachers all over the land are declaring
that the Bible was not made infallible
by the guidance of God, the Holy Ghost
could not select text from any part
Of the Bible which would not be chal-
lenged by some Protestant. This system
of doubt and denial has entered the Epis-
copal church, and it's chief advocate has
been deliberately received into the min
stry. 1t is known as the higher criti-
cism.' This is evolution. I would fain
turn away from the issue, but the sys-
tenn Of criticism under consideration has
been recognized as allowable and within
the liberty of all by the official action Of
the diocese of New York. This precedent
must be accepted by the body at large.
There is now no question about the
future attitude Of the Episcopal church
IN respect to the Bible. The scriptures
are no longer to be enforced as an infalli-
BILE guide. The church has relaxed the
appearance Of authority, and its inter-
pretations may now be governed by in
dividual caprice. This result follows
from former issues, ending with the
literally forced upon the church, array
ing the students in two hostile camps.
Hitherto sacred places are ilumined by
the reflected light of pagan altar fire.
Belief in the Bible as the inspired word
Of God is fundamental doctrine If
this doctrine is impugned so are the doc
trnes generally of the whole church. 1t
is affirmed broadly in the general intro
duction to the study of the Holy Scrip
tureS CDR. Briggs book, that what we
call the Bible Is not really the Bible,
that the earlier manuscripts have been
lost and that the real Bible is yet to be
discovered. But l wish to show that the
scheme of criticism advocated by the
distinguished author of the above strikes
at what tho Episcopal church ever held
sacred and fundamental. We still have
the ancient authors but these are value
less for the reason that they relied upon
insufficient scripture writings, which, as
our author says, are covered over with
the debris of traditional interpretations
On this testimony we have no reliable
apostolic orders. all belief in which is
fundamental doctrine. Every funda-
mental doctrine and teaching Of the
church is undermined and stripped of au-
thor,ty The facts of the case are per-
fectly evident and it is in vain that any
man haughtily undertakes to bring the
charge of Ignorance mach less malice
the prayer-book declares, and we should
not fear to face the issue or point out
the nature Of this joint attack upon the
Bible and the church. 1t has been we'll
said that the higher critics are now
bivouacing around the smouldering camp
fires of Tom Paine"