New-York tribune., 1891-05-23
WORK OF THE ASSEMBLY.
THE FIRST CRISIS IN ITS HISTORY SAFELY
PASSED.
THE REPORT on THE CONFESSION OF FAITH
ACCEPTED AND REFERRED TO THE PRES
BYTERIEs FOR CoMMENT-CHUEcH
UNITY-DR. BRIGGs's CASE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEiBUSE.l

TBY TELEGRAPH TO TUE TkiBCSEsl
Detroit, MAY 22.-The first crisis In the Gen.
eral Assembly has passed safely and the comms-
sioners are anxiously awaiting the second. The
report of the committee appointed last year TO
revise the Confession of Faith, which was printed
in The Tribune on Wednesday. has been accepted
with slight verbal changes made yesterday by the
committee, and now the Assembly will be COM
paratively quiet until the Union Seminary report
is received The Revision report was adopted
with scarcely any discussion, the only speech OF
Importance being that made by President Patton,
Of Princeton, one of the committee and he did not
discuss the merits of the question, but simply
made personal statement. He repeated his as
sertion made at Saratoga last year that until the
voice of the Presbyteries had been heard he was
opposed to any change in the Confession Of Faith.
but that after listening 10 the voice OF the Church
he was committed to Revision. The only question
in his mind now was, How far should this re-
vision go? DR.. Potter said he could bear most
cheerful and willing testimony to the har-
mony that prevailed during the session Of
the committee, adding that it was the
harmony of gentlemen, who. whatever their
differences. were determined to do their best to
carry out the instructions of the Assembly and to
act in the spirit of the Assembly that appointed
them. He was frequently interrupted with ap-
plause. especially when he said:
wish to bear my testimony to this truth that,
Notwithstanding the many changes and alterations
proposed in this report. so far as my knowledge
Of the Cavinstic system goes and so far as 1
feel competent TO express an opinion respecting
what is the essence of Calvinism. not single
doctrine in the Calvinistic system has been
touched in the report of the committee.
Again applause greeted the speakers remarks
when he said And | do not hesitate to empha-
size that am not ashamed Of the word Calvin
ism. That is what it is. and that is what this
Presbyterian Church means to keep it,"
Without specifying the changes made by the
committee, he said he was in favor of some OF
them since Revision was demanded by the Church,
and some he did not regard as called for and
that another class of corrections, he believed ought
not to have been made, if made, not in the
way the committee proposes. fourth class he
considered wholly unnecessary.
While DR.. Patton speaking DR.. Poor wrote
this definition of the adherents Of Calvinism:
"Calvinist, Calvinistic, Calvinistical and CAL
vinisticalish"
The recommendation Of the committee was
adopted and the discussion Of the Revision Of
the Confession of Faith will not he resumed until
the Presbyteries meet in the fall. The Briggs
matter has not been before the Assembly except
incidentally. In discussing the revised Con-
fession Elder Graham, Of Nebraska, an octogena-
ran, said that he would not cross a or dot an
in the old Confession" that it was the ministers
and not the elders who caused the split in 1887,
and that it was the ministers who were making
all the trouble now. There are, he said, amid
great deal of applause, great many Briggses
throughout the country at present.
DR.. Francis, of CINCINNATI, presented paper
which may have bearing On the Union Seminary
case. 1t was to the effect that the appointments
Of professors in seminaries should be reported on
the first Tuesday afternoon of each Assembly. IL
was expected that this would be acted upon in
time to affect the discussion this year. but 1t
was referred to the Standing Committee on Theo-
logical Seminaries, and it may not he reached in
time to affect the present case.
This is pre-eminently conservative Assembly;
more, it is Princeton Assembly. The Moderator
is Princeton man, the senior professor in that
seminary; the Stated Clerk is a Princeton man.
having been for lons time librarian of that
Institution; the chairman of the Standing Com
mittee on Theological Seminaries, Dr. Patton, ID
president cf Princeton College, and it is TO this
committee that the report of Union Seminary is
to he submitted. Friends and opponents Of DR..
Briggs are already forming their opinion as TO
what action this committee will report in regard
TO the New-York professor.
Dr. Green announced the standing committees
this morning. There is no special significance in
the appointments except in that of the Committee
on Theological Seminaries. This is composed as
follows: Ministers-Francis L. Patton, Princeton
William McKibbin, Cincinnati; John Lapsey,
Danvile; S. Bowden, Rochester; j. d. Hewitt,
Emporia J. X Wright Florida; T. r. Buber,
Philadelphia, and NJ. A. Brownson, Detroit. Ed.
ers-S. NJ. Breckenridge. st. Louis; p. McDevitt
Chicago +. w. c. Humphrey Louisville; r. G.
Totten, Pttsburg; p. DOremus, Montclair, n. j.;
NJ J. Frick Fort Dodge, and r. McConnaughy,
Nebraska City. 1t was said by those protesting
to know that this was decidedly anti-Briggs
committee but DR.. Patton, its chairman, assured
The Tribune correspondent that he did not know
how the members stood any special question
that might come before them. They had ap-
parently been chosen by DR.. Green because he
knew their fitness for the work before them.
In the New-York Presbytery few days ago
DR.. Briggs announced that he would have justice
If he had to go 10 the Supreme Court to get IT,
member Of the Assembly well versed in law,
nary matter could probably not be kept out of the
courts now. The Assembly will undoub btedly vote
DR.; Briggs's appointment and then will come the
fight"
The seminary may withdraw from the As
sembly," suggested the correspondent.
There are men in the Presbyterian Church
who will prevent that, if possible"
How can this be done ?"
They think il is about time to have the
Church control its seminares % In lsei i we had
Nhu0na s'iuSge 10 speIi !Na,ioh Win capioaii
y There is tendency, in these days to spell
Church with a capital g."
The quarrel ever the Board of Publication came
up this morning with report by Judge Hand,
of Scranton, the chairman OF the committee ap-
pointed last year ~ consider the reports of the
Special Committee of Assembly and the Business
Committee of the Board. Judge Hands conclu-
slons were OF. remarkably conciliatory nature
and not at all in sympathy with the finding Of
the special committee but this report has not
been adopted and Elder Simmons, of New Jersey,
trisA ta- Had h
pondent that he would have few words to saw
when the report came up for discussion next
Tuesday. He had this 20 say by way OF preface
that the report of Judge Hand was practically
whitewashed report and this was not the pur.
pose for which the committee was appointed
DR.. Herrick Johnson had a report on the in
crease of supply OF minister's a modification of the
plan proposed last year, which embodied many OF
the changes suggested during the Winter by the
Presbyteres. This report is TO be discussed to-