Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-29
HAD DONE HIS DUTY.
A Tragic Event In the Pres
byterian Assembly.
Judge Breckenridge Drops
Dead After Speaking.
He Had just Finished Speech on
DR.. Briggs Heresy.
Great Excitement Caused By the Incl
dent-The Assembly Immediately
AdJourns.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
DETROIT, May 2S.-After the usual pre-
liminaries at the Presbyterian general
assembly this morning, DR.. Patton spoke
q few words in explanation OF the COM
,mittee on the Briggs case. He said
"You are no doubt ready to credit our
committee with desire to do simply
what is best. Recognizing our liability
to error, we have had only desire to do
what is demanded by the exigencies of
the case, in spirit of kindness, and rec
ognizing the rights of all persons con-
cerned. If the discussion brings new
light, we will welcome it. We are ready
to give reason for every decision we
have made. We hope there will be no
long debate, although we are prepared
for it.''
PLEA FOR DIR. BRIGGS.
Prof. Smith, of the Lane theological
seminary, said: "The proposition to
terminate the usefulness of minister
should be discussed carefully. From
whatever the committee may say, no
doubt conscientiously, it will be inferred
that DR.. Briggs is guilty of some offcnse.
Weshall thus cast reproach on his good
name, and great school already strick-
en- by the act of God will be crippled
for at least the immediate future. This
is the reason for caution. / know my
side is unpopular, therefore hear me
candidly and patiently as try to show
the committee they have erred. First,
it is doubtful whether such an assembly
Us able to judge of others doctrinal
qualifications. Second, DIR. Briggs is
not new man; he was elected seven
teen years ago, think, to a chair in the
Union theological seminary. Many of
his colleagues and students say he is a
man of ability and scholarship; an able
teacher, spiritual and pious. This
assembly to whom he is stranger ought
not to be in haste. The Presbyteries
ask us to act incur wisdom in the prem
ises. May not this be to continue him?
s'The arguments against him are two.
l. He is misunderstood. 2. That he
is not sound in doctrine. 1t is said in
qsarrels both sides are wrong. Why
not in a Misunderstanding I have
because / have had more interest than
most. The religious press goes into all
our homes; the editors magnify their |
influence. Has it not biased the COM
missioners? / desire to say. nothing !
against these editors but are they quail
fed for this? Even a religious editor
cannot be specialist in all |
departments, and he is liable to |
err. It may be they have |
misunderstood. The second charge,
that heis unsound, may be based upon
Misunderstanding. Some say he indorses |
the spiritual condition of Martineau. If |
DIR. Briggs can historically justify his
position, he has right to hold them.
'My last point is this: A man must
be proved unsound, after careful trial,
if need be, in all church work; but in
case like this man is, if charged with
unsoundness, considered unsound from
the first. don't see that his ideas of |
the Bible, the redemption of the race
and progressive sanctifcation after |
death, are not according to the stand
ards. On the strict construction OF the |
confession, of course, he is wrong: bat |
will you who mean to make such radi-
cal change in our confession as to say
that all infants are saved, not leave a
little margin for DR.. Briggs?
DIR. LoGAN's AMENDMENT.
DIR. Logan, of Scranton, Pa, suggested
a modification of the action proposed by |
the committee.
He said: 81 agree with them, with
these two amendments: l. The assem-
Ibly disapproves for the present the APP
"a eight ministers and seven ruling
elders be appointed to confer with Pro-,
lesser Briggs and the directors of the
seminary"
Later he made q motion to this effect
and il was seconded
Continuing DR.. Logan said: "We
must, of course, refuse to confirm him in
that chair. The whole church asks:
Shall we not have word of God that
we can trust?' We are bound to say
that we cannot sustain him in that
chair; but having refused to confirm
him, let us wait before taking irretrieva-
BILE action"
A PLEA FOR FAIR PLAY.
Charles A. Dickey, D. D., of Philadel-
phia, member of the board of direc-
tors of the Union theological seminary,
Briggs, but will, if l stand alone, plead
that any man shall have fair play. / do
not defend his views or attack them. /
wish to ask only what is expedfent,
what is best--not merely lawful-iff
time when the strain is so severe and
the situation so delicate.
"We are told by this committee that
there is but one risk that compelled this
and faithful committee to ask
for this decided and irrevocable action.
4 know they would have brought prop
osition to wait if it could be done. This
is the point: can we wait? Their only
reason for insisting on veto now is
that it must be done now or never.
will presume to differ with them. Has
not this assembly the same right to in
terpret a compact as the assembly of
1871, whose view is quoted in the re-
port? They say we lose the power of
the veto if we do not use it now; yet
they propose that we have a committee
of conference over this action after it is
consummated. Would it not be better
to trust US than to act Immediately and
then confer through a committee ?"
THE DANGER OF DELAY.
DIR. Francis of Cincinnati said: "The
Psesbyteries that have overted the |