Higher Criticism and Protestantism’s Drift
The “great” example and advocate of the “higher criticism,” Prof. Charles A. Briggs, D. D., has said that “if the Roman Catholic will recognize the authority of the Bible, as he ought to; and Protestants will recognize the authority of the church, as they should, the two will find themselves so near together that they can shake hands.” The truth is that the Catholic does now recognize the authority of the Bible precisely upon the principle represented by Dr. Briggs, only with the pope instead of Dr. Briggs as the grand representative of the principle. And Dr. Briggs is doing perhaps more than any other person to draw Protestants into accepting the authority of the church. And whoever follows his lead will very shortly find himself shaking hands with the Catholic Church. And on the popular tide of science, falsely so called, of which the higher criticism is but the logical outcome, professed Protestantism is fast approaching the point where she shall clasp the hand of the Roman power.