Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-30
AGAINST PROFESSOR BRIGGS.
His Appointment to Chair in Union Theo-
logical Seminary Vetoed
DECIDED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
His Next Appearance Will BE Before
the Next York Presbytery on
the Charge of Heresy-
The Debate.

session OF the presbyterian general assembly
began with the usual prayer meeting, in
which the death of Judge Breckenridge was
| often alluded to.
The debate on DR. Briggs was resumed
DIR. Hathaway of Jersey CITY said he hoped
DR.. Logan's amendment would be adopted.
After several others had expressed their
views DIR. Wooster OF Chicago offered
substitute to the amendment of
DIR. Logan and to the committee
report. 1t provides that a committee
of eight ministers and seven elders be APP
pointed to confer with the directors of the
seminary; that the directors DO especially re-
quested to reconsider their action in trans
ferring Dir. Briggs; that they be requested
that DR., Briggs should not be allowed to per-
form the duties belonging to said chair for
the ensuing year. DIR. Wooster then said ~
stand, not as supporter DIR. Briggs, but as
as an advocate of peace. l have hoped and
prayed that our action might lead to unity,
not bitterness and make us strong for our
great fight with evil l believe there are
many on both sides of the Briggs question
who feel as | do and long for some middle
course. We have a right to do as | advise =
to request the trustees of Union theological
seminary to reconsider their action. This
course will not render the position of the
New York presbytery more difficult in the
trial of DR.. Briggs"
The discussion on DR. Wooster's substitute
fer DR.. PattOn's report was arrested by adj.
journment, DR. Mclibbon having the floor
At the opening of the afternoon session
Mr. Mckibbon continued, saying: II believe
we are taking part III the greatest crisis the
Presbyterian church has ever passed
through, and the question is whether this as
sctnbly will ever find a more juStitiable occa-
sion for lrnSSlDp its UiSuDDrOVll of
fesSor than now. / consider that n
most subtle attack has been made
upon the power of this assembly, power
for which he gave consideration, a power
which it assumed at the request of the Union
theological seminary. To say or msinuato
that that power can never be exercised with
out causing q reflection upon the board OF a
seminary or upon the professors concerning
whom the action is taken is TO deny that that
power exists. This assembly did not seek
this issue. If there ever was an Issue which
was forced upon the church, from which
there can be no evasion, 1T Is this issue. Now
l want to call your attention to another side
of this matter If we do lot approve OF DR..
Briggs and wait until this Investigation has
been gone through, and then if the Guion
theological seminary is satisfied and the
church is satisfied that after the experience
through which he has passed, that he will
be not only sound but "a safe teacher and
allow them to re-elect him, they lose nothing
by this disapproval on our part as far
Us Jnt law Is tOuteEuDu Lucy COulu re-elecJ
him after this assembly adjourns and he
would hold over They have got all the
power. And vet we are askad to surrender
the mere pittauce which we do posseSs-to
say that we disapprove teacher who is not
able to make himself understood. But sup
pose we veto and i'll year so 1t is found
that DR.. Briggs has matured his views has
clarified his language If not his concepts,
why, my brethren, think would be willing
to go many mile to join in a celebration. |
would pe willing to kill the fatted calf and
all the animals on the farm to welcome back
that man. God forbid that any man should
needlessly impair the peace of the church,
and | wish that Dr. Briggs and some
of his defenders had thought of thai.
1t is our duty to be pcaceable.
What have yoJ got to face on the
other side! Presbytcries have got to act;
students have to be licensed, and this Ques-
ton will he coming up, and if it be said that
this assembly has, by its refusal to dsap-
prove, allowed man to teach, ask you by
what principles of consistency you can say
to young man who comes before the pres
bytery, We will not license you for holding
what your professor, by authority of tho
power of the Presbyterian church, has been
teaching YOU. Why, brethren, you are going
TO turn the church into kind of series of
that gricved me very much. DR.. Wooster
said we did not give any reasons. How he
has miscouceived this theological seminary
committee. How utterly he has misapprc-
vuded our silence. Why did not we
puc our reasons direct! We did
give you reasons. We recited facts We did
not call them reasons. Why! Because the
brethren came and said, Now, whatever
YOU do, don't prejudice the case ia New
York and so we said how Cal we do the
least possible damage! We will recite these
facts-and offer those reasons and then when
the asSembly's record Is appealed TO there is
not word to show that the assembly had
anything against the soundness of Dr.
Briggs. Sec how we are charged with not
giving reasons because we were against
HIM Charged with straining our authority
to reach him when we had strained it in fact
so as TO give as little as would possibly bear
upon his case; see the Inconsistency of say
ing, Don't give any reasons for fear you will
damage him. and then having said that we
damage him by giving no reasons. Brethren,
this is n scheme to defeat disapproyal or any
ground. | ask you to bear in mind
that with the exception of a fow
expressions which have fallen, believe in.
adverteutiy, from the lips of those who are
supposed to be DR.. Briggs cnemieS-I think
they are his best friends-that every personal
discussion of DR.. Briggs has been introduced
by his friends. We have tried TO keep still
We don't want TO say anything against DR.,
Briggs. We want simply to conserve tho
power of the assembly In view OF the fact
that he has failed to make himself under
stood in II special inaugural upon principles,
my brethren, which | believe are vital not
merely to Presbyterans, but to Evangelical
Christianity. | have heard some say that
DR. Briggs friends ought to be saved from
DR. Briggs, but | have found my heart warm
ing out 20 DR. Briggs and saying save DR.
Briggs from his friends. Why, that paper
of DR.. WOostor's gives his whole ease away.
Now, MIR. Moderator, if you pass upon the
pepper of DR.. Wooster you pass upon the very
mntters which are in litigation in the
presbytery OF New York You say this man
is of such Il kind that we only want to keep
our hands off him TO SEQ whether the Union
theological seminary will run him down.
Tiat is not Pres esbytorianiSm. That is not
fair play. ana plead, in the absence or DIR.
Briggs, that you must not let his friends mis-
represent him and destroy his opportunity to
have Il fair trial before the Pres bytcry of
New York Why, ii voted for that paper
would put him under suspicion. would say
that we have regarded him of such danger.
Gus character that the only reason we don't
call upon the militia is that we hope the sheriff
will be able 10 put the riot down. And this
is what you are invited to to do. This is
grand, tender, this loving exhibition of tho
Presbyterian regard for the rights of an in
dividual Now, MIR Moderator, what have
we dOnei We have offered the paper, with
out reasons, but just recitod in the preamble
the facts which have como to our attention.
We Laye said hands off. Tho presbYtery of
New York shall try him. We viii not say
whether he is guilty. Wo dare not say that
he is innocent. Now we might have said
something which we did not, and maybe
Of ~, fria ,,ili. Onpht