Evening journal., 1891-05-29

CO. IN IN ttee con-
sisting of President Patton, DR. DiolSie, Of
Union college; the Rev. George p. Hays,
Of Kansas City, and George Junkin, Of
Philadelphia, took charge Of Judge Breck.
enridge's remains Phe Presbyterian ban.
quet which was to be held last night was
postponed Ia consequence, and memorial
prayer meeting held instead The cause
Of death was apoplexy.
The funeral committee accepted Gener-
al Alger's tender Of his private car to take
the body home and the remains were sent
to st. Louis last night
Dr. PAtton's Speech.
When the report OF the theological semi
naries disappearing Of DR. Briggs appoint
ment 70 the Edward Robinson professor
ship came up for debate DR. Patton, OF
Princeton, opened the discussion in sup.
port Of the report He said he would like
to eliminate from the debate the personal
element He would be willing To 20 OH
record with the report as it was, word foI
word. He recognized the Learning of DIR.
Briggs He was his friend So far as the
directors OF the seminary were concerned,
he could not zee how this report could b.
considered reproach. They elected DR..
Briggs IN good faith and could not b.
blamed for the mans subsequent utter.
ances The real question was, whether the
assembly had any constitutional right 70
veto a transfer Of a professor from one
chair to another
The inference was that the right existed.
The assembly was the supreme adiudi.
catory Of the Presbyterian church ana
could not shirk the responsibility OF put
ting construction upon that compact.
Union seminary could take the assembly
into the courts TO test the validity Of that
Interpretation Of the contract
IL Could BE Arbitrated.
The general assembly should not sur.
render any Of its rights. He pleaded that
the appointment of committee, as con
templated by the report, was recognition
of the rights Of the directors. The confer
ence Of committees might bring solution
Of the whole question by settling which
party was right in its construction Of the
contract. II that could not be settled then
it could be arbitrated. He pleaded the
cause Of the committee in extens0. II
might seem strange to see him in the role
of the champion of liberty, yet he was He
was professor and felt for his class. II
an appointment was not acted on at once
it should be put out Of the power Of the
assembly to hold threat over man for
years, Technical disapproyal must be ex-
pressed 1t was claimed that the report
gave no reasons for the action recommend.
ed. This was done in the interests Of the
church.
His Work for DIR. Briggs
In the interest OF fairness he wanted To
say that personally he had not put a line
in the way Of DIR. Briggs He would be
unwilling that a resolution should be
adopted at this time which should declare
that DR. Briggs was unfit to preach or
that he was an heretie He had opposed
in the committee the putting OF any such
thing in the report, not because it could
not be said, but in the interest Of DR.
Briggs. If the Presbyterians in New York
shall prosecute DR.. Briggs, no matter how
il shall 20, the case would finally come TO
the asscmbly-the court Of last resort
Sixty-three presbyteries had asked that
Mr.. Briggs uncertain position on dogmat-
ic points should be inquired into. Was
this the kind Of a man who should be con
tirmed by even passive actionf He was an
unsafe man to allow to be confirmed. The
assembly must absolutely veto now OF
never.
Their Theories Disseoted.
Keen, cold, merciless as a surgeon, Presi-
dent Patton dissected the theories OF his
antagonists, pushing his blade TO the bone
at every thrust. He has not a pleasing
voice and its carrying power was not equal
10 50 large an auditorium, but he dis
played the same self control the same in
tellectuality and grit which marked his
historic prosecution of Professor Swing
1t was noticeable, however, that he did not
commit himself
DIR. Dickie Attacks DR.. Patton.
At the recess following President Pat
toms speech the expressions were very
free. DR.. Dickie, of Philadelphia. who
had made one Of the most eloquent and
fiery speeches of the session thus far, was
standing in the vestibule. IF Patton
wants TO be fair, why don't he say so in
the resolutions, and not say one thing in
the resolutions and another on the plat
formW he said, with no little heat. III
DIR. Patton intends those resolutions as an
s.ive branch Of peace, and will say so in
them, ], as a director of Union, will re-
eeive him with open hands Only, why il
he so inconsistentY Why does he not say
In the resolutions what he says on the
platformP
DR.. Patton, in the basement, said nerv.