Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-05-11
REV. DIR. BRIGGS BOOK
Rev. DR.. DeCosta Likens the Writer
to q Professional Infidel-Th
Episcopal Church Does
Not Want Him.

New YORK, May 4.-The Reverend
Doctor Benjamin p. DeOosta, Rector
Of the Church Of st. John the Evan
gelist, has prepared areyiew of Prof
Briggs latest work, charges Of heresy
based upon which threatened to pre-
vent the ordination of its distinguish
ed writer to the Episcopal priest
hood. In his review Doctor DeCosta
accuses Doctor Briggs Of vanity and
declares he has ''gone daft in his wild
ambition to rule the realm Of crici-
cism.n He says:
"Dr. Briggs is usually spoken Of as
very learned man, yet his oppor-
tunities for study and reflection seem
to have stimulated personal vanity
instead Of clothing him with the
humility that often appears the rich
est reward Of students and great
scholars.
'sIf the kingdom of Heaven is typl-
fed by the little child, DR.. Briggs lie
not in It,. No man, except the pro-
fessional infidel, has ever approached
the Bible exhibiting such astounding
assurance.
"One does not exaggerate in saying
that the eminent professor of the
Union Theological Seminary quite
completely does away with the Bible,
even though he sets out with pur-
posely misleading statement = 'The
Bible lie the sure way of life, wisdom
and blessedness.' Under his guidance
nobody will find it so, perhaps. New
ertheless, this done, he proceeds to
show MS that what we call the Bible lie
not really the Bible, and that the Bible
itself is thing yet to be formulated;
while he kindly offers his services as
competent guide to that end.
SIN this field he will tolerate no
brother investigator who is not pre-
pared humbly to sit at his feet. His
contemptuous treatment of Doctor
Kommell, the eminent German writer,
illustrates this vicious phase Of bis
thinking. II is not enough that one like
Kommell should reject the scriptures
as inspired, but any student, to win
his favor, must squarely deny the
historic character of such book as
Genesis. Prof. Cayce, with all his
recognized scholarship, cannot have
any fair place In his list Of scientific
investigatoFs,' while men like the
late heretical Bishop Colenso are
boldly convicted Of invincible ignor-
ance.
"Like one of the critics of the Ice
lander Sages relating to America, who
attempted to dispose of records
on the ground that they we're prose
renderings OF poetic originals, so DIR.
Briggs discredits the gospels as being
merely reflections of rhythmic COM
positions that have now passed from
sight. As the critic of the Sages was
obliged finally to acknowledge his
error, SO DR.. Briggs, either In person
or through his successor in the pro-
fessional chairs, will at last find II
convenient to relinquish g theory
based simply upon skepticsl imsg-
nation.
"What Is very noticeable in this
connection is that the man of the
world, coming to an impartial reading
of DR.. Briggs book, win see easily
that on known literary principles no
sober scholar could recognize any
real logical sequence in the professors
reason.
"He has simply gone daft in his
wild ambition to rule the realm of
criticism, by exhibiting his power to
destroy the authority of venerable
and loved book.
"He would play the part OF a Sam
son in pulling down the pillars that
support what all along the churches
have regarded as the word of God.
"His ambition is to stand In the
world as the supreme censor and
critic of the ancient Hebraic and
Christian writings. With all his pro-
fesslons to the contrary, he does not
like the Bible, and, evidently because
he did not write It,"
NO PROTEST FILED YET.
NEW YORK, May 4.-The Episcopal
clergymen In the diocese of New
York, who have been guiding q move
ment to protest against the prospect
i've ordination of Rev. DR.. Charles
Augustus Briggs as priest in their
church, will probably not take any
immediate actor, as Bishop Potter has
not yet revealed his intention.
They are waiting to see whether DR..
Briggs will withdraw his application
to be ordained, or whether Bishop
Potter win refuse to ordain him be-
fore taking any active steps as 3