The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-30
The General Assembly Overwhelmingly
Veto His appointment.
THE GREAT THEOLOGICAL BATTLE ENDED
The Vote Taken Amid wild Excitement
which Changes to Solemn stiffness
The Speeches Pro and Con.


church Of America DR.. Yermilye, was intro
duced and presented greetings.
The Briggs case was then resumed by Rev
l. W. Hathaway. of Jersey City. who urged
dlsapproyal of the Briggs appointment for a
year rather than permanently If the Assem-
ply dlsapproved for year it would give time
Tor such investigation as was Necessary. He
yielded TO no man in admiration for the wis
dom OF the committee which had formed the
report, yet he felt that each must think for
himself. The argument Of DR.. Patton was
bulded upon a suppOsitiOn that il was mpos-
slble TO postpone action and he had said that
he would be glad if there was any
way to postpone action. 10 would be
a sad day for the Church when they
allowed a technicality of law 10 defeat justice.
II the point that the action could be postponed
was sustained DR. Patton's argument toppled
to the ground. He pleaded not Tor Dr. Briggs
but for the best interests of the Church. The
Assembly was making history Let 1t not
make history FOR which their children might
nave TO apologize. IL would not do 10 say that
the world had no part in this affair The mission
OF the Church was 10 save lost world There
foreit would not do things which would give the
world grounds for calling the Church unjust.
The Church had to apologize for Calvn's al
lowing the burning Of Seryetus.
NOW OR NEVER AS TO THE VETO"
Rev. G. Bowden, of Genesee, n. Y. hoped
that the Assembly would not permit itself to
be deluded from dealing with the compact in
technical manner. The language Of the
compact itself. which they must Be guided by,
had been considered by the committee. and
every phase discussed TO see if some other
mode could be devised. but none could be
found The Assembly must dsapprove or let
the appointment be confirmed by default. 1t
was now or never as 10 the veto. II
arfal.l ia L Ia La.
thing was finished. No action could be
taken except that proposed by the commit
tees report. The amendment of DR.. Logan
delaying the veto nullified the report and Dr.
Briggs appointment was settled. This would
be held by any Judge before whom the COM
pact should come. The Assembly must pro-
tect all its rights It was the highest court Of
the Church. and when a case came from a
lower court it must be reversed or affirmed
Who ever heard Of a supreme court reversing
or affirming an appeal for the present" The
approval must not be allowed to creep in by
indirectiOn.
Colonel J. J. McCook. of New York, wanted
TO burn it into the hearts of the commissioners
that they had assembled TO deal with the
grave interests of the Church. They had to
render duty, not only to their presbyteries,
but TO God. Suggestions had been made
about the lObbies warning the Assembly to be
careful. Careful of what? OF doing their
duty? II they did that they would send out
TO the world report of the only honest action
they could take. He declared that he had
procured copies of the legal opinions and
of the action of the committees Of the
seminaries on the question of Just how long
the Assembly should have TO act III the matter
of vetoing appointments He had done this,
as even in an assembly of the saints il was
well to be armed He did not like 10 see ex-
moderators take the platform and say that the
Assembly was not obligated by the action of
any previous Assembly. If they performed
their duty they could not now take any action
which meant pOstpOnement.
CRIES or SHANE" SHANE"
Rev NJ. Hathaway had shown his opinion
of the Union by deciding 10 send his son to
Princeton after he had arranged for him at
the Union, rather than place him under the
influence of a man who atiecked the Bible.
This brought out cries Of hame, shame
and the speaker sat down
Rev. DR.. ). G. Logan, the mover Of the
amendment pOstpOning the vetC for a year
made speech in its favor. He I'D that the
Church had power TO suspend the veto. Sup
pose DR.. Briggs was confirmed to- ay and in a
year he utterly denied the authority
of the word of God, did they mean
TO assert that there was no remedy for
the Assembly DR.. Patton made a beauti-
full point. in that he asks that action be taken
at once on the appointment of "A professor.
so as not to keep man in sus-
pense. Under the ecclesiastical law. which
DIR. Patton has been teaching, once
man was confirmed he could 60 his way and
the Assembly had no further control over him.
This report was not only a blow at DR.. Briggs,
but at the seminary. Cries Of NO" No. "
Should this seminary be driven ont of the
Church by pTecipltate actiOnsI IL could be
taken up when the Assembly met next year if
there was trouble in Union College. That
was good fundamental law OF the Church. and
would be sustained by the highest civil courts.
The report attacked the characters of the
board of directors as well as that of DR..
Briggs. That was the reason he had presented
his amendment.
AGAINST THE REPORT.
Rev j. S. Ramsay. OF New York, spoke
against the report. He thought New York
should be heard in the matter and was entitled
to little courtesy by the house. 1t was un-
pleasant 10 speak against the following of the
whole house The New York Presbytery had
at times been called beer garden but it was
not He had two reasons for begging the in
diligence Of the society; first as a member Of
the prosecution in New York and second that
the amendment was sound proposition. II
the nations of the world could arrange
a modus vivend at the and of an ex-
plred treaty why could not the
Assembly? He could not vote for
the prosecution of DR. Briggs in the proper
place. He objected to the report on the
ground that he doubted whether the bly,
had the power which 1T was SO anxious and
so certainl to exercise before it had sent it
down TO the Presbyteries. and he would like
to know if any consenting overtures had
come up. even if they would make such action
constitutional. This proposed action in
fringed ON the rights of DR.. Briggs.
Rev. j. II. Worcester, Of Chicago, proposed
a substitute for the report of the committee
and the amendment of DR.. Logan. IL read
that inasmuch as the relations between
Union College and the Assembly had grown
ont of concessions of its rightsi certain
THINGS should be done. Ii provided for COM
mittee to confer with the directors of the Union
Seminary as TO the relations of the Seminary
To the Assembly TO report next year that the
directors be requested TO rescind the transfer
of DIR. Briggs, and that in any event DIR.
Briggs be not allowed TO give instructions in
theology. DIR. Worcester spoke in favor of
his substitute, consuming the time up TO the
noon recess.
THE ISSUE PoRcHD UPON THE CHURCH.
Rev. DIR. McKibbin. of Cincinnati, opened
the afternoon session. He said the As
sembly did not seek the issue. IL had been
forced upon the Church. IL was "A serious
thing for man to strike at the foundations
of the Church. When eighty presbyteries
ware moved IN ask the AssmblV to mass