The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-28
THE BRIGGS CASE
Comes Before the Presbyterian
General Assembly.
DIR. Patton's Report on the Same-The Deli
eacy of the Question Presented-It is
Jurisdictional Not DoctrinaL

DETROIT, Mich, May 27.-After devo-
tlonal exercises at the Presbyterian gen
eral assembly, DR.. Johnson reported favor
ably on the religious exhibit at the Worlds
fair.
DR.. Nicols read report from the com
mittee on increase of the ministry with
particular reference to the reception Of
ministers from other denominations Re
ferred to the committee OF church policy.
Inc standing committee on foreign mis-
slons reported The report notes the res
lgnation of John G.. Lourie, D. D., senior
secretary, and the appointment of David
Gregg, ID, to be member of the board
Also OF Field Secretary Rev. Thomas Mar
shall.
The treasurer report for the year end
Ing April 81, show expenditures of Sg73, 900,
which with shortages from last year leaves
deficit Of 100000.
An unusually large number of candidates
applied for foreign work last year and
seventy three were found qualified and
sent out. The aggregate addition to mis-
sion schools is ISIS. An increase in pupils
IN schools is shown, as is also growth in
favor of medical missions.
Work was hindered greatly by the war
between Guatemala and San Salvador and
by the present strife in Chill, but encour-
aging reports were received from else
where After the reference overtures to
the proper committee the recommendations
Of the committee on the report of the for
eign board were adopted.
A minute of regret on the death Monday
night of ex-Moderator Van Dyke, of Brook
Ign, was adopted. Adjourned.
At the afternoon session the standing
committee on church erection reported
Part of the year has called for caution,
owing to the exhaustion of the special
fund provided by l.. r. Stuart and of the
small working balance heretofore carried
from year to year. The steady advance of
the church requires an advance in church
erection. The amount of aid asked the last
five years has been 81 per cent. more than
for five years before that '.More than
half of our 1894 churches give nothing to
this board. Our income for the year has
been Sl26,6 The ggregate value of
church and manse property secured
by aided churches in the year was
almost $500, 000, for which boards hold
mortgages to the property If church
abandons it or dissolves. A careful esti-
mates of the total value of churches and
manses owned by churches of the assembly
in the United States is S15,000,000. About
two thirds of this belongs to churches in
the synods of New York, New Jersey,
pennsylvania and Baltimore. The board
wants $50, 900 this year and the formation
of large loan fund is recommended
DIR. Bartlett yielded the floor to DR..
Patton, who asked leave to read so much
of the report on theological seminaries as
bears on the case of DR.. Briggs, in order
that it may be printed and distributed to
the assembly when it comes up for action
tomorrow.
The committee reply to much of the re-
port OF Union Theological seminary as
bears on DIR. Briggs appointment or trans
fer to the chain of biblical theology. "Our
duty is delicate one, especially as the
Presbytery of New York is trying him on
the charge of heresy, and we must not
PREJUDICE case which at the same time
must come before US on appeal The ques-
ton before US is not that Of bis doctrinal
soundness, but that of the approval of his
election by the assembly. We admit that
In one view the trustees may have ground
for their denial of the right of the assembly
to veto the transfer OF professor from one
chair to another. The trustees of the
seminary consider that an original appoint
ment gives a status and that the
assembly has the right to forbid, but
transfer simply assigns duty and
with that the assembly has no right to
interfere. Now, while we think the assem-
bly, has control of both, yet, in view of the
cordial relations always existing between
1t and the trustees of the seminary, it
would be proper to appoint committee of
conference with them to report to the next
assembly,
In accordance with these views the COM
mittee recommended that the assembly ap-
prove of the appointment of DIR. Briggs to
to the Robinson chair of biblical THEOLOGY
of the Union Theological seminary. and
that a committee of conference with the
trustees of that institution be appointed
by the assembly to report to the next
assembly.
DR.. Bartlett resumed the report On
church erection and made a stirring adj
dress advocating the duty of helping Pres
byterian causes first and foremost, and
these through our boards instead of through
private channels.
There is a great deal of talk tonight
over Patterns report on Briggs. Briggs
has quite few friends who speak for him.
but it is thought the report will have a
two-thirds majority.
The general opinion as expressed by
groups in the convention, seemed to be that
the right of veto might be exercised or not
at all