New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-28
A REPORT ON DIR. BRIGGS.
DIR. PATTON'S COMMITTEE TAKES THE AS
sEMBLY BY SURPRISE.
RECOMMENDING THAT DR. BRIGGs's TRANSFER
IN UNION SEMINARY BE DIsAPPRovEn-
BUT THAT A COMMITTEE BE SENT TO
DEAL WITH THE INSTITUTION AND
REPORT AT THE NEXT ASSEMBLY.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TnIBUsE.I

REPORT AT THENExT ASSEMBLY.
!Br TELEGRAPH TO THE TnrBUsE1
Detroit, May 27-If the General Assembly -
morrow adopts the report which it accepted to-
day from its Committee on Theological Semi
naries, Dr. Briggs, of Union Seminary, will not
he the Edward Robinson Professor Of Biblical
| Theology in that institution, and If IL fails to
veto the transfer Of Dr.. Brown, who succeeds Dr.
Briggs in the Hebrew chair, DR.. Briggs will not
be professor at all. That was the opinion Of
member of the Assembly whose advice is constant
ly taken by the Commissioners. There seems
little doubt that the Assembly will adopt these
resolutions read this afternoon by Dr. Patton
Resolved That exercise Of its right to yeto ths
appointment OF professors in Union Theological Seminary
The General Assembly hereby disaDprove OF the appoint
ment OF the Rev. Charles A. Briggs d. D.. TO the Edward
Robinson ProtessoshiD Of Biblical Theology in the Sem
mary by transfer from another chair in said seminary
Resolved. That committee consisting Of eight min
listers and ruling elders be appointed by this AS
embly confer with the directors OF Union Theological
Seminary in regard 10 the relations Of the said seminary
to The General Assembly and the next Gen.
era Assembly.
The report not expected until tomorrow
morning, and it came like thunder clap from
clear sky DR.. Bartlett, of Washington, dis
cussing church erection. He had read his
| port commencing the work OF that board and was
about to speak in the same line when DR.. Patton
obtained permission to report in order that 1t
might be put in print in time to be read by the
commissioners when they come together to-mor.
row. DR.. Patton prefaced his report with
an explanatory word. No notice taken by
the committee in reading their reports
of tue overtures from presbyteries that did not
specifically mention DR.. Briggs's name. The gen.
eral questions of inspiration and the higher crit
cisms to be considered later also will be the
general teaching at Union Seminary. DR.. Patton
spoke as follows:
rise to ask the privilege OF the house in respect to
the report committed 10 the Committee Theological
PRESENT SO much Of our report as may have reference
to the If the Rev. DIR. Briggs We desire to
order That sS the membe st The s HsemSy n may
H IN their hands mo9nn % r IN S%6 oer Ras s
evening, and be ready TO discuss It tomorrow morn
@ IS a the s order of the sa day & dow%ties wSTa like to
felt the responsibility that has been placed upon them
sponsbilty with any one. that they hIce studously
avoided consulting With any who nay be supposed 70
ton, and that, having reached orr conclusions, We
present them respectfully TO the Assembly for such
take. BY way Of further explanation would like to
say that some who represent presbyteres In the list
are not called The presbyerles included In the llst
that am abOut to name are only those presbyteries
! that have mentioned the name Of Dr. Briggs. There
are presbytelies that asked this Assembly to give
del sSs % general SusS mer Of % roms s as
araely There are pres0yteres that asked for deliv
n Ss s fey ae tho not %
nd are ire nsme c 20 Dr. res @ nave
DIR. Patton then read the committees report as
follows
The standing Committee on Theological Seminaries,
to whom were referred certain overtures respecting
fully to report that they have examined the same and
find that sixty;three PresbyterIss. to wit trea,dns
semby in reference to the utterances Of the Rev. Dr.
Briggs contained in the address which he delivered on
| theology in Union Theological Seminary; New
some Of the Presbyerles recommend specific action on
the part of the Assembly but the majority OF them ask
in general that the General Assembly take such
action as, in It's wisdom It may deem best inasmqcn
as the theological training Of our candidates for tbs
ministry is matter In which all the presbyeres have
a deep and common interest, the Presbyteres aiore
the purity Of the Church, and their overtures should
have weight with the Assembly In tadne action upon
matter which would have come to the knowiedge 3t
the Assembly irrespective OF the overtures through
nary t. the 'enerai Assembly. The present report Of
your committee Is also report Of 50 mnen OF tas So RI
nary as refers to the appointment Of DR. Briggs to the
chair Of Biblical theo0ls in said seminary. IL aP
$50 the Edward Robinson ProfessOrshp Of Biblical
Theology was founded and endowed by Charles Butter
time Professor Charles A. Briggs. d. d., was trans
ferred to the chair from the Davenport ProiesSo
R 81 Of SGTM anHn am soi Dr. Bgrs deyeed an n
augura address the authority OF the Holy scriptures
wbcb is The occasion OF the recommendation which
your committee feel constrained to make TO the AS
In making these recommendations your committee fee
that they are acting in The diicharge OF dmclt ana
delicate duty. The matter with which they have been
called 10 deal bears in a Important way upon the
purity and peace of our church The interest OF the
considered and great regard shoud be had for tDe
Judgment OF those who. drectors and IS membe OF
rs faculty. are administering Its affairs The COMMITTEES
feel moreover. that while the Assembly has not been @
on the charge Of heesy that well known facts should be
so far recognized rs 70 secure from uIc assembly ,ne
proiectiOn OF the good OF Dr. Briggs In the dis
eusslon Of the question that will before the AS
presson of opinion on the part OF TINS Assembly that
could be Justly regarded preludgmeDt Ct the case
't indIdal process in the PresbytcrS Of YewYork II
cannot too carefully Observed that the question be-
| fore this Assembly is hot whether DR.. Briggs as
PRESBYTERIAN Minister has cCntravered the teaching
of the Westminster Confession Of fat 70 have made
himself liable to judicial censure bl whether view
ot the uttcrnnce contained in the Inaugural address al
ready referred TO. and the disturbing ehect which tey
nf DR.. BTiss to the chair Of biblical theology
in Union Theological seminary should be disapp:oyet
Your committee have examined the law OF the
church regarding the relation of the General AS
scmbly to the theological sennaries lnder IT'S care:
The relation Of the Assembly TO the Union Theologlcal
seminary so far as the appointment OF professors Is
concerned IS embodied In the following statement taken
from Page $50 Of the New Digest:
FirsThat board Of directors OF each theoioscal
seminary shall be authorized to appoint i professors
9ec0nd-That all such appointments shall be re
ported to the General Assembly and no such appoint
ment Of professor shall be considered as complete
election ii dsapproved BY majority vote oi the As
! semby.
| And be II further resolved That the Board Of
Directors Of Union Theological seminary In the city OF
! New-lOr persuaded that the plan proposed In the
memorial will the cordial approval OF the patrons.
donors and friends Of all the semnares and contribute
10 the peace and prosperity Of the Church. do hereby
agree IL the said plan shall DC adopted by the General
Assembly, that they will TO conform 10 the same,
The Union Seminary IN New York being In this respect
on the same ground with other theological semnarles
Of the Presbyterian Church '-General Assemby's min
utes 1870, pIp l4ol40. Moores Digest PIP. $50, 390
| The Assembly complied with this request aud
| recommended Tat all Semnaries controlled by tho
| Assembly should conform 20 the plan proposed by
Union seminary, and thereupon the Princeton Western
Danvie. Mccormick and other semlRares changed
their plan accordingly. See General Assembly min
| ute 1870. pp O2-t4.
on page 367 OF Moore's Digest there is the follow
! nj reSDcctinC limitations