Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-06-06
PRESBYTERIANISM.
Proceedings of the 1o3d General
Assembly of the Church.
Foreign Missions-The appointment of DIR.
Briggs Vetoed by Vote of 40 to 80
An Open Bible Chosen ms
Device for the Seal of ...
ls the Church.


mornings session Af the assembly, DIR.
HerriclS johnson reported favorably on
a religious exhibit at the worlds fair.
The standing committee on foreign
missions reported through Rev. DIR.
Haydn, of Cleveland
The report notes the resignation OF John @,
Lowrie d. D., senior secretary, after fifty years
of faithful service, and the appointment of
David Gregg; d. d., TO be member OF the board,
also of field secretary-Rev. Thomas Mar
shall. An unusually large number have ap
three were found qualified and were sent
connection with the board ON account
OF health etc" and eight have died.
Pupils in schools, 1850, an increase over last
year of 4ee although many schools have been
closed for lack Of funds. We have in boarding
schools, including many men In training for
number last year, while OF girls and women un.
der similar training there are l,715-increase
nearly half more than last year. Our
medical missions grow in favor; we have
thirty;three physicians = seven OF them or.
hospitals and fourteen dispensaries, and
many native physicians trained by our doc.
Guiding some 5000 surgical cases. Our mis-.
sion presses have been more than ever busy
and the great plants at Shanghai and Beirut
having sent out this year 6i,0l3335 pages. over
400oOOoO OF them scripture: The total receipts
from all sources were S9i2, 600. 81. gain of Sl4S
OSi.SU SunUuy SCHOOLS uuu leBHCleS HlOnB nav
ing fallen below last year Womens boards
and societies. with characteristic energy. have
pushed their receipts higher than ever-s55'.
559.g7 more than last year. Missionaries sent
out 1890 9i-Dakota mission, Q; Mexico, 0, 3 re.
turning Columbia, 4; Brazil, 8; Syria, 8 re-
turning Persia, a; Siam, z; Laos g. / returning;
Korea, a; China, IL g returning Japan. 3, 3 re.
turning; Africa, 49, returning; India, II, 4
returning. Total sent out SO, 2s returning,
year, ending April 30, 1890 s6o. 975 90; expendi
lures for year ending April 30, 1901 s97S b17 os;
from churches, $34G 77979;. women's boards,
7S; Sunday schools, S3i,60s.3S; Y. p. S.
G; E., S;4o5.4l; legaces. $50, 937; annuities
donors deceased), Sl7375; In trust individual
and miscellaneous, Sil5 Os7.9l; total, s9i2 e9Oe a.
In the thirteenth different missions there
lordainedJ, i7s; native dicentiates),, 1893;
total $40. Lay workers, American, male, 40;
American, female, 3iS; native, l,055; total
eommunicants. 2S49i. Number added, 2Sz5;
contributions from mission churches $40. 423;
boys e,l75; girls, LIB; day; boys, 1880; girls
74o3; total 27sls; pupils in Sunday schools.
25,99o; students for ministry lco; total gifts OF
home churches (all objects, sls,5S9si Amount
given to foreign missions S9i2 690q
After the reference of overtures to
the proper committees the recommends
tions of the committee on the report of
the foreign board were adopted.
AT the afternoon session, after the
reference of a number of bills and over
lures to the appropriate committee, a
committee on religious exhibit at the
Columbian fair was appointed. DIR. Pat
ton asked leave to read so much of the
report on theological seminaries as
bears on the case of DIR. Briggs, in
order that it might be printed and dis,
trlbuted to the assembly when it
comes up for action.
Three presbvteries whose names he read
have overturned the assembly as to the utter.
ances OF DR.. Briggs Some ask specific action
but the majority leave to the assembly what IL
shall be. The committee reply TO so much OF
the report OF the Union Theological seminary
as bears son on Dr. Briggs Briggs appointment @ of transfer q
TO the chair OF biblical theology Our duty Is 2
New York is trying him on the charge of heresy
AS we must not PREJUDICE case which at some
time must come before us on appeal.
The question before us is not that OF his doc
trnal soundness, but that OF the approval OF his
election by the assembly We have examined
the constitutional requirements as to the duty
and power OF the assembly in asserting to OF
forbidding such appointment or transfer. DR.
Patton quoted from the records rs well as from
appointments OF professors that have convinced
his committee that the assembly has power &c
forbid the transfer. We should have been will
ing to recommend the reference of the subject
to a committee to report to the next assembly
but the control of the assembly over the matter
ceases with the present session, and so we
must act now II at all.
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 u professor
from one chair to another Besides, the assem-
bly, is one party TO compact with the Unior
Theological seminary and music be cautious II
acting on 1t. Acting trustees of the seminar,
consider the original appointment gives status
and that this assembly has right to forbid
but transfer simply assigns duty and witt
that the assembly has no right to interfere
Now while We think the assembly hal
tions always existing between it and the trus
tees OF this seminary, II would be proper to ap
point committee OF conference with them Il
report to the next assembly.
In accordance with these views the commit
Tee recommend that the assembly disapprov
of the appointment OF Dr. Charles Briggs to tn,
Edward Robinson chair OF biblical theology o
Union Theological seminary, and that u com
mittee OF conference with the trustees of tina
institution be appointed by the assembly to re
port 10 the next assembly.
DR.. Proudfit, of Baltimore, moved TIN
acceptance of the report The motion
was carried and the report was accepte,
and the stated clerk was directed t.
have the report printed for circulation
DETROIT, May 2s.-When the Presby
terian assembly's opening hour drey
near this morning there was muc
more than the usual attendance in an
about the Fort street church. where tn
sessions are being held. The interes
IN Ine brlPSs case was suronB enoug
not only to bring out a much larger at
tendance of commissioners at the open
ing prayer service, but to fill the gal
leries with interested spectators.
When the minutes were read the as
,sembly squared away for the battl
with heresy, which has divided interes
in this assembly with the report of tn
committee on the revision of the stan6
ard of faith. The report of the commit
tee on theological seminaries had bee
printed and was in every commission
,ers hands when President Patton. c
Princeton, opened the discussion Fl
spoke for the committee what II
termed few words of explanation, br
what was really an argument in de
Tense of the report favoring the veto c
DIR. Briggs appointment.