New-York tribune., 1891-05-24
SUNDAY EDITION.
MAY "a, 1891.
THE DETROIT ASSEMBLY.
np BRIGGS'S CASE TO COME BEFORE THE
! sEMINARIES COMMITTEE TOMORROW.

mn PATTON NoN-CoMMITTAL-sIGNIF
n OF COLONEL MCooK'S PRESENCE ON THE
coMM1TrEE-PRINCEToN' PREDoMI-
NANCE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rKIBUNE.l
Detroit May 29.-Professor Briggs is officially
before the General Assembly now, although his
name has not been mentioned This morning
the overtures from seventy-nine Of the 2l6 Pres
byteries in the General Assembly, relating to his
reaching in the Union Theological Seminary, were
referred TO the Committee on Theological Semi
naries and were handed to its chairman, President
Patton, of Princeton College No action will be
taken on them until Monday, when the committee
will be called together and organized The nrse
thing that will be taken up and disposed OF VIII NC
the paper presented yesterday by Dr. FRANCIS Oh
Cincinnati, relating to the announcement OF semi
nary professors After that the reports OF 'he
aeminaries will be taken up in their order When
the report from Union is read, the overtures re-
lsting TO DR.. Brggss appointment VIII come oelore
the committee.
DR. Patton said this morning that, while de-
,ining to speak in regard TO DIR. Briggs, he coulu
saw this regarding the subject abstractly: The
consideration by the Assembly of the appointment
vf a professor in one of the semnares and the
u
standing of the same man, are entirely distinct
suestions With the latter the Assembly has
lothing whatever TO do until appeal comes to
T. resulting from the Presbyterys action. lie
ldded that this point would be maintained II a
discussion arose regarding the appointment OF any
professor The Assembly deals only with the pro-
fessor the Presbytery with the minister When
Dr. Briggs's name mentioned. Dr. Patton re-
piled with a smile and wave Of the hand, addlng
"I have not written word in regard TO Or.
Rriqps's address: and from what have SAID 10
friends in conversation, do not recall sentence
expressing conviction regarding the question
which we are now to discuss"
Not so careless, however, are the majority OF
the Assembly In an experience covering hve
General Assemblies and several other religious
odies of equal size, never has so much lobbying
cen seen. There are three factions, if one may
Sc that term in referring to religious leaders.
,ne wants the appointment of Dr. Briggs vetoed,
because it thinks him an unsafe teacher; another
wants his election or transfer to stand. because
he is a safe teacher: and the third wants him to
remain in the seminary because he is a good
hearted man-too good to he bad, if not too good
70 be true. Another element in the argument
of the third party is that DR.. Briggs has not
had fair show, one man declaring that he did
not believe that fifty men in the present Assem-
bly-nOt one in a dozen of It's commissioners
had read DR.. BrggSs address. On the vote there
will be many who will stand with DR.. Briggs
because of their love of fair play, and in order
to preserve peace in the Church
This mofning, while DR.. Cattell, Dr. Smith,
Mr. Junllin and Mr.. Lyman were pleading IN elo-
ouent terms for the relief of aged ministers, scores
of commissioners and visitors were in the lecture
room downstairs, discussing the attitude of Union
An oil NpW-lOlk
bytery expressed his regret that Dr. Thompson
was not coming to champion DIR. Briggs. lie
asserted that the anti-Briggs men in great num-
bers were endeavoring TO prejudice the commits
sioners against the professor, and that he needed
@ stanch defender
"Dr. Parkhurst is coming next week" sug-
gested the correspondent.
And as soon as he says: Mr. Moderator,
half of the Assembly will say He's a Congre-
gationalist filling Presbyterian pulpit
The impression gained after conversation with
many men of each party is that this Assembly is
made up of men bound TO have the Confession
revised, and bound to have an authoritative voice
on the question of its theological school professors
Professors Schaf, of Union; Smith, Of Lane
and Johnson. of Mccormick, are quietly putting
n their words where they will prove the most
effective in educating the Commissioners on the
a
what that term means. DIR. Smith is as pro-
uounced on some points as DR.. Briggs, and some
of the critics say that his teaching is more adj
vanced than that of his friend. DR.. Johnson does
not want to see a man tried on false charges.
President Roberts. of Lake Forest University,
said today that Princeton Seminary, where he
was director for many years, could not retain a
professor in it's faculty who held the views ad-
vaRced by DR. Briggs without forfeltlng large en-.
0owlnents The princey gifts OF the Stuart
brothers. of New-York, would all have to be re-
surned to the Stuart heirs II such doctrines were
taught For many years Richard !. Halnes one one
of the early benefactors OF Union seminary; was
nn older i'm DR. Roberts's church, and he told his
pastor that the idea which he and his brotherin
law. Mr. Halstead, had in endowlng mon semi ,-
nary was TO form union CburnS HI rnS Ou anu ne"
The theory advanced yesterday by prominent
member of the Assembly, that Union seminary
Iyould not be allowed to Withdraw from uhe rIes-
byteran Church was emphaSizeu ot SIS I've most inn
,ortant legal firms in this country Is represenle"
"a the Assembly and on the cVhlnie.ee ON Hlol'.
20 prepare charges against Dr. bTgEs Il e th oIdor
ON DR. John Halls church. is son.ln-iaW oil
Ilsnry NJ. Alexander. and a member OF the nrn III
Alexander Green hicb VIII I9fTe be- Is seen if the case
,es 10 the civil courts. Another SUCCESSIVE
ature of the case is that no New-1Sik Sil
an is on DIR. Patton's committee 70 olsI
ress In fact, this is not New-io oIH AsSelm, Sa,i
nor is il a Union Seminary Assembly, from
enf nti apDea RANGES The city pupts will be sup
tomorrow by prominent members d OF 1oe me
.mbly and here again il is PrncctQh' ana hoS
On that RECEIVES the honOrs-New-JerSeX. ana
n New-York. that is advertised in the religious
M ces. DR.. Ramsay. of Harlem. one Of The seven
NJ Work clerical commissioners, Is the OILY ohe
fbis afternoon the commissioners and thelr
Siyes went 10 Ann Arbor TO dedicate Frespy-
terian hall at the Michigan University.