The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-12
DIR. BRIGGs,s "HEREsY.v

Brooklyn Eagle.


A heresy hunt. the Scotch sport which
Tan Maclaren' declared far exceeded in
eenness and excitement the English fox
hunt or n American form OF the chase,
is a rare thing in the Episcopal Church.
but some of the clergymen OF that demons
nation across the river are doing their besf
TO organize such a diversion at present.
The subject is DIR. Charles A Briggs. whose
ordination as an Episcopal clergyman u
pending and against whose views OF the
Bible the hounds of the high church pack
are in full cry. The pack is not very large.
but no one would guess that from the noise
Ii makes. The latest adherent OF the clen-
denim protest is Dr. Benjamin F. Da Gotta.
who has a church far over in West Eleventh
street, and who INDUCES in language about
his bishop which is most extra9ronnzay
are these:
81 have put a spoke in the whesi o.
any Ordination now, in my opinion. The
canon is absolutely binding. The oisnop
The bishop OF this diocese has no right.
morally or legally, 10 proceed with the or
dination of DR.. Briggs
DR.. Da Costa puts forth a statement re-
viewing the charges of heresy preferred
against Heber Newton In lsS and In 1881.
OF Bishop Potter,s action then the state
ment says thai ne ap psp saow am as .tbe
whitewash committee This COMMITTEES Is
alleged to have "crawled into a hole and
6 hauled dss the ~s sSle at tSis Sc scan anH u.s. pro-.
gramme be repeated IN the present case OF
DIR. BriggsT
II is amazing that any man with the
training and habits of thought OF a gem
tleman should allow himself to use sucn
language as this about a superior IN any
walk of life, but especially In a CHRISTIAN
Church. The wisdom OF the loose rein with
which Bishop Potter guides his diocNse ma
been apparent many times and en- TINS oc-
casion he will nc doubt follow the american
theory of government, when Allows the
freest kind of free speech as a sarety. <asNe
for excited feelings and which enables us
to control Anarchists and revoluionaf1es
by the simple process OF allowing them 10
talk away all their m~ischievous energy IN
the presence OF reporters. he wouia not
n the canons OF the church proviueo LOT
IL. but there is almost as little proDanlIlty
that he will allow his church 10 STAIN hsSll
with q heresy trial OF DR.. Briggs al the
behest OF DIR. Da Costa and his KIND. IN
the first place. the demand for such a trIai
is confined TO a few men. by no means aep-
resentatiye OF the weight, innuence OF hs.h-
bers of the Episcopal Churcn IN lns ia
rese. So far they are Drs. Da costa anu
clendenin Professor Thomas Ritcnel, OF
the General Theological Seminary. and Dr.
T.. II. Van Wrinkle. rector OF 81 SlemSnaS
AGAINST the proposition are SO taI ankneu
Or Huntingdon. of Grace, VINO - sofne-
thing of a high churchman himseu, tne
Rev DIR. Seabury. professor OF canon law
IN the General Theological Seminary. ana
DIR Rainsford. who uses language as un-
ompIimentar as DR.. Da Costa's. aitnousn
the note OF personal impertinence Is liack-
ne when he calls the opposition 10 Dr.
briggs ..au bosh and poppycock-
This Is not exactly a dignined phrase but
the chances are that IL VIII prove 10 DC =
sound diagnosis.