New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-06
DIR. BRIGGS ON TRIA l. NOW
THE PRESBYTERY EXCITED.
EFFORTS TO TABLE THE CHARGES AND TO
EFFECT A COMPROMISE FAIL.

DIR. r.. r. BOOTH ACCUSES DR.. r. L, CLARK OF
FALsEHooD-ExcEPTIoNs TAKEN TO PREsI-
DENT HAsTINGs's ADDRESS - THREE
MORE VOTES WOULD HAVE SAVED
THE UNION PRoTEssoR-uN-
IsTERs AND ELDERS
OF RECORD.
Professor Charles A. Briggs, whose trial for
heresy was ordered by the Presbytery of New
York last spring, sat for an hour and hat yes
terday in the lecture-room of the Scotch Presby-
terian Church. listening TO the charges and speci-
fcations prepared by the Committee of Prosecu-
tion. The report. which was read rapidly but
dntinctly by DR.. G. w +. Birch, the chairman of
the committee, would fill page and a half OF
The Tribune il printed entire. After recital
of the work done by the committee during the
summer it is stated that the charges and specif-
cations are based upon what is contained in Dr
Brggss inaugural address alone. Several rea-
sons are given for this decision.
The two charges made against the professor
are ID that he is teaching doctrines which con-
fiict irreconcilably with and are contrary to the
cardinal doctrines taught in the Bible, and the
Standards of the Presbyterian Church that the
/
only infallible rule of faith and practice; and (2
that he is teaching a doctrine of the character,
state and sanctifcation of believers after death
which irreconcilably conflicts with and is contrary
to the Scriptures and the Standards. These
charges are followed by several specifications
numerous quotations from the address, ana page
after page from the Bible and the Confession OF
Faith and the Catechisms. The committee closed
with the recommendation that in compliance
with the provisions of Section 10 of the BOOK OF
Discipline a copy OF the charges and specifications
should be served at once upon Dr. Briggs. ana
a citation served upon DR.. Briggs, signed IN the
, name of the Presbytcry and the Moderator citing
him 10 appear at an early day TO plead to the
charges against him.
DR.. HASTINGS CALLED TO ORDER
The recommendation was adopted, but not untii
n parliamentary battle extending over several
hours, in which numerous speeches, nrlei ana
lengthy. pointed and pointless, mild and severe
were delivered. President Hastings, OF Union Sent
mary. was called to order by the moderator lot
terms used in the opening of his address, ana Dr
Booth called God and man 10 witness tlaI u; tle
| statement made by n fellow director in the semi
| nary was false. DR.. George Alexander oHeleu
resolution which was intended to lay the wn9ie
report the table but by vote by r4,Ca 5ntS S
be a peacemaker but his resolution, coinmenailng i
| the committee and disapproving the "lnludlclogs
and misleading language Of the l9aHgpn. ara ro %o
sented. and enoining DR.. Briggs not TO do so again
failed to please either DR.. Briggs's friends or op
ponents, and it was voted down me ne tcS. r;t' H2t,
| on Dr. Alexanders paper, showed that the maloIltS
of the ministers are with Dr. Briggs, ana the ma ma
iority of the elders against him: 1t stood siN'y
two to sixty-four against the professor -,
the Briggs case that the routine busl
ness Of the Presbvtery was not finished; M ant
after an all-day session an adj0urnment was .aKe,
until this morning at O'clock when tng ehaIg
| will be formally handed to DR.. Briggs. Inc ques
| tion of Revision, which was burning question
year ago, will also come up
! UNANIMITY IN CHOOSING THE MODERATOR.
Afer the devotional exercises which were lee
by Dr. G. L. Shearer, the retiring moderator Ut
D G.. Wvlie. of the Scotch Church, placed in nom
;rotion the name of DR.. John c. Bliss. the pasto
| Of the Washington Heights Church, Dr Bliss wa
elected unanimously, and after some preliminary
| business the Briggs case was opehcu'
| DR. ALEXANDER TRIES TO TABLE THE kfFohl
DIR. George Alexander, of the University Ilac
Church read the following paper before Dr
Birch began his report and subsequently oNere'
it as a substitute: - o.4
, +, MAY last on account of uttcInnces contained II
80 iroug,roI address delivered January 20, 1SOl, ap
nointcd committee 10 formulate charges against u
autbor of that address. the Rev Charles ~ brles'
n n and whereas since that action was tnken III
accused has supplemented these uterancs by RESPOND
ing to certain categorical questions ~
Thorcfore resolved, That the Pes5ytery' Withou
no,rcinc on the suniciency OF these later declare
iione N cover all the points concerning which the &C
u.ed has been called In question: ana WIN Hei'O
arprcciaton of the faithful a5ors of our conHl"e'
deems II eNpedent 10 arrest judicial proceedings h
erv discharges the committee from further coh9liei
| atons OF the case
DIR. BIRCH SPEAKS on THE SUBJECT,
Dr. Birch spoke as follows on the Rroposi'lon
Of DR.. Alexander; .o,.,,u n. pscg.
I n uy any friend OF Dr. Briggs afford to permit Il e
n9per to pass Tor, explain II as Atht AVm ,S tr,aI an
Virtual condemnation o Dr; bpige @ M Aside the Cardna
tinc,nls tin OF Prc-byeriansm. that no man nid ia -
pIinrHemRned even although the condemnation shou "
Mi i'm the slightest ceusnre NltlQu' ui,,, i,, cou
SUI" s"vor the charges presented by the pTOSeGutoi & i0
No"' cnny.v taI no personal censurc on DE- Brlgs
mttec cocvS occvSp,ed With that inaugural address, and
dneSS not even condemn that IL snolm's LI ih'io ~
for the Presbyery to determine; tGc a d,p"o1 S che Pre-
hvory makes of them Neither 90 ne neo'Et tt n CD n n
tlat tSa Who claim 10 represent the schoar'hi
pp The age "A scholarship which, atet noilSimfE "a ., y
trnmpe.' s havoc being made Of the historical lilb
eems 70 be afraid call out the pros ana CONS III "
question. our brethren may ii 'e Tet we mpy Dc
eTye II we are not able 10 carry on jnIirii' t T.
yestigaiIon without losing our character as tn dem
r ministry our brethren may feel that IL Is H
msnding loo much to ask the great scholarship WIZ
thav renresent TO waste its time with what lheE sly
omr ' biaotry prejudice and narrowneSs. Now, Now,
Yield TO none in my appreciation OF tne learning @
;hc circle of which DR.. Briggs Is the centre anu
it mmrvcllous width Of information, yet think tn'
nnr brethren will grant that We are mot 50 DisoVe' e
a,ndiced nor narrow minded as that we cannot 81
Ppr way clear to the vindication of the trntl.
mn. TuoMPsoN's MEMORY OF THE SWING TRlAl
DIR. Alexander denied that he was cancu
! man. he bad consulted with only one person
. DIR c. L. Thompson, of the Madison AVehu
Church. rose, and after saying that he was t
pcrson to whom DR.. Alexander had referred mao
an effective speech in favor of the substitute
lie said in part: ..,.,.
am not drawing my imagnat2in tioo nor ina taNii u
connseI of nv fears in this solemn outlook mo u
nossbilities of our present action. am ohy iecaull
not distant chapter OF PRESBYTERIAN INST lho m