The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-06
Ia DR.. Briggs Tending to Rome ?


whose higher criticism Of the Bible
caused his withdrawal from the Presby-
terrain Church and his entrance into the
ministry OF the Episcopal Church, seems
to be preparing to go step further in his
search for authority and to render ad-
hesion to the Pope.
In the last North American Repier DR..
BRIGGS has a significant paper on Re
form in the Roman Catholic Church.
The present Pope he, looks on as essen
TALLY "reforner. Great reforms are
in his mind which ere long will become
evident in fact; and the fundamental
principle OF reform" with Plus Y. is ito
make JESUS CHRIST Himself the center
and handspring Of reform, and az this
is exactly what the most enlightened
Protestants desire for their own Churches,
what more. asks DR.. BRIGGS, can they
ask for the Church of Romeo" Then
comes this significant paragraph:
The more advanced Protestant scholars have
Christians back TO JEsus CHRIsr. and have only
Of the Roman Catholic Church. owing to the rever-
ence and obedience glven him ny tina. whole Church
a. the successor Of st. PErKs and the living repre-
sentative OF our Lord. succeed In raising up
Catholics throughout the world 10 this exalted posi-.
ton OF reforming everything in CHRIST. there will
be ere long the greatest revival and reformation
known to history. and the Protestant Churches Will
have to bes,ir themselves to keep psce with IT,"
Here are other remarks by DR.. BRIGGS
which seem to indicate his drift Rome
ward:
There are many Protestant theoloxians who
think II the dogma OF the Immaculate Conceptionl
an inevitable conscd OF the doctrine OF original
sim"
1t was purely academic question whether in.
falnbty is 10 be ged In the Council or the Pope
The infaillbinty OF the Pope. as defined BY the
Vatican Council. limits lnfanib,lity and 10 hedges
with conditions that infable decisions In the pas,
arshard md and not likely occur In the future
except In great emergencies
The Roman Catholic Church made an ,npor,ant
reform In dogma when LEO XIII. directed that
THOMAS AauIsAs should be used as the standard
authority In all Roman Catholic colleges and semi
nariss"
~ is doubtful. to say the least, ~ there would
have been such antithesis between Protestant and
Roman Catholic dogma THOMAS Aeu1HAs had
been the universal standard OF doctrine In the SIX
tenth century"
a more thorough study OF the Bible has shown
that the Reformers were. all OF them. greatly mis-
taken In their interpretations Protestant theology
has, for the most part. abandoned the high Angus
tinianism OF the Reformers The common doctrine
of the present Protestant theologlans would not be
recognized by any OF the Reformers. Tho dogmat,c
differences with Rome either longer really e1ls.
or arc In different forms, and concerned with dlner-
cnt questions"
There is authority In tho ancient Church for
bishops, parochlal. diocesan and provincial. and
even for the Pope, In tho judgment of many his.
torans.-
The Intrusion of the Curis into civil Affairs.
which was chief Aston Of the Reformation, has
been rendered more and moro Impossible by the
Providence of COP In History"
1T Is of the highest importance that the reform
movement has been renewed with 50 much promise
under = Pope OF such spirituality. simplicity and
openmindedness = man who impresses those Ad
mitted to his presence and converse as being pos.
sessed OF unusual grasp of mind, ins,gh, and real
moral power"
Utterances like these seem to suggest
that the Rev. CHARLES A. BRIGGS, now
of the Episcopal Church, is turning his
thought in the direction of the Church
of which the Pope is the head on earth.
All along it has appeared evident that
if he did not follow the lead of his
teachings into square rationalism he
was bound to fetch up at Rome.