Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-30

seminary 10 reconsider their action. This
| course will not render the position of the
New ork presbytery more difficult in the
| trial OF Briggs. You give great help TO
! those who seek union of peace and justice
| in the board of the Union theological semi
nary. The only reason why it is impOssi-
! bic, is that il surreuderS our control of the
| subject. Cannot you trust such men as DR..
! Dicllic ana others who control 1t not to take
| the meanest and most dishonorable course
| they can in response to our generosity!
Besides, that board recently unanimously
voted that there is
a SHADOW OF DOUBT
whether the assembly has any right TO
forbid the transfer. They waive any right
they might have. Why not meet IN this
spirit. ana waive your right 10 them2'
Stated Clerk wanted TO know whether
such action of the board of the Union
seminary IS before the assembly.
Dr.. Worcester said ne could only give Dr..
Dickie'S assurance of the fact.
The discussion Of DR.. Worccster'S substi-
tutc for Dr.. Patton's report, was arrested
by adjournment.
Mchiobins having the floor at the
opening Of the afternoon session,
Heve that we are taking part
in the greatest crisis that the PRESBYTERIAN
church has ever passed. and the question as
20 whether this assembly Will ever find a
JGsritiable occasion for expressing its disap-
provai Of professor. After this investiga-
tion ha- been gone through, if the
Union rheolUgical seminary is satisfied
aud the church is satisfied with the
experience through which he has passed, l
believe THAT he VIII be not only sound but
. safc teacher, and viii allow them TO re-
elect him. They lost nothing by this disap-
nrovJl ON our part as far as the law is con-
ccrned. They could re-elect him after this
assembly adjourus. and he would hold
over. They have got all the power, and
Yet we are asked to surrender the
mere pittance of power which we do
possess. TO say that we disapprove 4
teacher, who Is notable. and il IS the power
which it assumed al the request of the
Union theological seminary is 10 say or in
SIuuate that power can never be exercised
without causing reflection upon the board
% a seminary or upon the professors,
concerning whom action IS taken. This
assembly did not seek this issue. If there
ever was an issue which was forced upon
Tie church. from which there can be no
evasion, il is this issue.
Now want to call your attention to an
OF her side of this matter If we do not APP
prove. suppose we veto, and in year or So
il Is found that Dr. Briggs has luatured his
views. has clarified his language
if not his conception. which, my
brethren. think | would 20 many
Il mile to Join in the celebration, I would be
willing to kill the fatted calf and all ami
mails On the farm-to welcome back that
man. God forbid that any man should
needless!y impair the place of the church,
ana wish that Briggs and some Of his de-
tenders had thought of that. 1t is
our duty 10 be peaceabie, but l tell
you that if there is one body
in this church that has been careful to pro-
tcct the rights OF DR.. Briggs, it has been
this theological seminary committee, and l
want To tell you about its chairman. Now
] am going to tell some secrets out of school
Positively he seemed to be hunting so hard
for some way to peaceaby settle this thing,
that began 10 find my own
faith in him weaken. 1t Just
seemed TO me that he was bound to 90
through the fence, if there was hole any
where. | thought that these things were
only Briggs idiosyncrasies. Now, Mr.
Moderator, what have We done? We
have offered a paper without reasons, but
Just recited in the preamble facts which
have come 10 our atten ton and we have
said: Hands off, the presbytery of New
York shall try him and we will not say
whether he is guilty, we cannot say that he
Is innocent
Now we might have said something
which we did not, and maybe some of our
friends will say that we ought not to have
said this.
Some men may not take in rs much of it
As others, but it is going to overthrow the
supremacy OF Thus saith the Lord and
tell you that when l am dealing with Il
question ,of what is needed TO save !
men, | would rather have one Thus saith |
the Lord" undisputed, than al the scholar |
ships that the world contains. Applause |
If you vote this paper down my responsi- |
bility IS ahsoived, but | for one am ready to |
stand by that paper without compromise |
If you want to say anything that viii go to |
soften feeling, do it, but will not vote for |
40 compromise that implies that this general |
assembly in its exercise Of the power |
that is secured by a solemn compact, is to |
be deprived of that power when it IS most |
needed TO exercise, because, forsooth, that
might cast shadow of some kind on the |
nan against whom il is exercised. II casts |
no shadow save that we do not feel |
that il is the best man TO have |
who would not tell what he |
believed or what he was trying TO do, and !
that YOU knew you We're to be responsible
for what he did, and what he said Now,
say believe in my soul that if Briggs is
really in harmony with the confession of
faith with regard to these matters,
hat the adoption Of this report