The New York herald., 1879-10-23
TALMAGE AND THE SYNOD.

THE DECISION OF THE BROOKLYN PREsBYTELy
TO BE REVIEWED IN observation-disclosures
or THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEES REPORT.
The play of Hamlet" with that parsonage absent
had its counterpart yesterday when the Synod OF
Long Island discussed the Talmage case in the alb
sence of the central figure. The motion pending at
the close of Tuesdays session was renewed yester-
day morning-namely. to adopt the report of tho
Judicial Committee of the Synod That report threw
out i've and retained two of the reasons which
twenty-five members of the Presbytery OF Brook
lyn. acting as compliments. presented as the
grounds of their appeal against the action
of the majority of that Presbytery In ac-
quitting DIR. Talmage. The entire morning
session consumed in discussing this motion.
The twenty-five complainants, as they repre-
sented yesterday by DR.. Van Dyke think that great
wrong has been committed by the acquittal of DIR.
Talmage. and that this wrong consists of two
kinds First. in the process of trial. and second.
in the decision of the case. And this wrong they
have described under seven heads every one Of
which they think would be sustained by the evil
dence in any civil court But they will be quite salts
ned to have the reviewed by the Synod under
the sixth head or reason. They only ask that this
Court shall possess itself Of all the facts and render
decision accordingly. Three reasons advanced
by the other side why it should not be taken up
namely. voluminousness of the testimony and
tho memory required by the Court to adjudge
it, the time consumed in u review OF the testimony,
which might involve several days. If not weeks.
and the injury that religion will by reopen
inp the case But the compainapts saw nothinr in
these deter the synod from seeking get
ut the truth. The Synod. they held. ought to hold
that the testimony was correct until IT was i'm.
u question OF the Presbytery Of Brooklyn the
compliments. but the Presbytery versus the I4ord
Jesus Christ and His truth and the purity of His
Church. TO disabuse members minds concerning
prolonged session DIR. Van Dyke proposed that the
entire testimony should be printed and placed in the
hands OF members, and that at some future meeting
the whole could be decided without argument.
He was willing to bear his share of the expense
This was deemed by many presbyters generous
proposition and they were inclined to accept it, but
DR.. Spear would not consent thus to pledge himself
or the Presbytery beforehand not TO speak the
Besides. Mr.. Halsey did not think that the
Presbytery Of Brooklyn should be expected to pay
for printing this voumnous testimony after it has
already paid S1.7OO i'll the prosecution of this case
LET US HAVE PEACE.
Arguments made by Drs. Rockwell, Shillnd
and others favor of stopping the just where
it was. No was injured by 1t, they thought. us
it stood. The presbyters who appeared as com
painants had done all that necessary for tho
purity of the Church and defence of their action
in the first instance. Twothirds of the Presbytery
OF Brooklyn voted that DIR. Talmage was not guilty
OF deceit and tasehood as charged against him.
Now the complanants are not the men to be injured.
they argued. Dr. Talmage is the man and his
church the society whose peace is involved i'll tho
reopening Of this case. The Rev. Mr.. Ernshaw was
should have gone to the opposite extreme in their
decision. they having been prejudiced when they
began the case. And they had better say nothing
about the case. According to Mr..
Halsey the complanants think that the
jorty who voted to acquit have disgraced them
selves. and they want to save them from this dis.
grace. He was anxious that tho Synod. If it should
go into the merits of the case. would decide also
whether this majority have disgraced themselves.
After much more discussion in the afternoon also
the report of the Judicial Committee was adopted
unanimously. DR.. Knox then presented resolu-
ton providing for the printing Of the testimony and
the placing copies in the hands OF every member
Of the Synod. and for adjourned meeting in
Jamaica the evening of the second Monday in
December (Sth). Discussion was prolonged on side
issues here to what the word testimony in
cluded what the expense of printing would be. DIR.
Crosby relieved the minds OF members by assuring
the Synod that the cost would provided for. and.
after agreement had been obtained the testimony,
this resolution adopted. On another motion to
have the printing done under the supervision of the
temporary and permanent clerks the discussion
was renewed as to their discretion In tho
matter. This called out Mr.. Crosby. who
stated that there 2.100 pages. S1.5O0
words, of the testimony, but that this
facts 400 pages. The Rev. Alfred Taylor insisted
on having the reasons which led the Presbytery to
its decision printed along with the testimony be-
the complanants accuse the Presbytery OF one
of two th!ngs-ether of idiotic incompetency
rupt dishonesty. and those reasons only deter
mine which ia correct, If either be. Elder @. N.
Brown. of Sag Harbor, thought the Presbyters OF
Brooklyn were playing sharp on each other to see
which shall have the best in this With few
salies Of wit and the transaction OF minor bus
iness including thanks to the Jamaica Church. the
abundant hospitality. the Synod adjourned with
nrav