Professor Briggs, in his defense before the presbytery, makes this remark: "Yes; and I would deliberately choose the company for time and eternity of Martineau and Newman, rather than of such loveless persons as would cast them out of the congregation of the faithful." This means that he would choose the company of those two men rather than that of his Presbyterian brethren; for certainly any Presbyterian church would cast out of the congregation Martineau, who denies the divinity, the resurrection and the miracles of Jesus, and Newman, who was an apostate from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism. Doubtless the Presbyterians will gratify the Professor in this choice so far as they can, before they get through with him. I say, so far as they can; for, although they can let him go to the Unitarian Church where Martineau is, he can never get where Newman is, unless 'Newman died under a great delusion; for it is a fixed doctrine of Newman's church that no Unitarian or Presbyterian can ever go [14] where Newman has gone. According to this, there is a poor chance for Briggs to get into company with Martineau and Newman both. Perhaps, though, he can overtake Newman before the latter gets through purgatory.

[SEBC 14-15]