The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-30
DR.. PATRONS REPORT
On the Case of Professor Briggs
is Adopted
BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY
DR.. McKibben Says he Would Rather Have one
THUS Saith the Lord" Than all the
Scholarship the World Contains.

DETROIT, May 29.-This mornings ses-
sion OF the Presbyterian general assembly
began with the usual prayer meeting, in
the course of which the death Of Judge
breckenridge was often alluded to.
Debate on DR.. Briggs was resumed. DIR.
Halfway, of Jersey city, said he hoped
DR.. Logan's amendment would be
adopted
After several others had expressed their
views, DR.. Worcester, of Chicago, offered
substitute to the amendment of Dr.
Logan and to the committee report. II
| provides that a committee of eight ministers
and seven elders shall be appointed to con-
Ter with the directors of the seminary; that
the directors shall be especially requested
| to reconsider their action transferring DR..
Briggs; that they be requested that DR..
Briggs should not be allowed to perform
the duties belonging to said chair for the
ensuing year. DR.. Worcester then said
II stand not as the supporter of DIR.
Briggs, but as an advocate of peace.
have hoped and prayed our action might
| lead to unity, not bitterness, and make us
strong for our great fight with evil. l be-
lleve there are many on both sides of the
Briggs question who feel as 1 do and long
Tor some safe middle course. We have a
L
trustees OF Union Theological seminary 20
reconsider their action. This course will
not render the position of the New York
Presbytery more difficult in the trial of DR..
Briggs"
Discussion of Dr. Worcester,s substitute
| Tor Patrons report was continued at the
| afternoon session. DR.. McKibben said
Il believe we are taking part in the great
est crisis the Presbyterian church ever
| nQSGln ic NIB hi
| assembly will ever find justifiable occa-
sion for expressing disapproval of pro-
lessor If not now. If we do not approve of
DIR. Briggs and wait until an investigation
mas been gone through, and then if Union
| theological seminary is satisfied and the
church is satisfied, after the expert
ence through which he has passed, he
Will be not only sound but safe
preacher, and allow them to re-elect
him, they lose nothing by this disapproval
on every part as far as the law is con-
cerned. If it be said that this assembly has
| by its refusal to disapprove allowed man
to teach, l ask you by what principle OF
consistency you can say to your man
who comes before the Presbytery We will
license you tor holding what your profes-
sor, by authority of the power of the Pres
byterian church, has been teaching If
thought these things were only DR.. Briggs
idiosyncracies it would be different thing,
but they are the advance guard of a great
| tide. Some men may not take in as much
OF it as others, but it is going TO overthrow
the supremacy Of thus saith the Lord and
| tell you when am dealing with ques-
| ton that is needed to save ten, ]
| would rather have one thus saith the
Lord than all the scholarship
the world contains. l believe in my soul
| If DR.. Briggs is really IN harmony with the
confession of faith with regard to these
matters that the adoption of this report
will do more to bring him back than any
| thing else. Otherwise l believe that in
! five years some men will be apologizing
| for having asked this assembly to waive
those solemn powers entrusted it by AL
mighty God to protect teaching in its theo-
| logical seminaries. This report casts NO
| shadow, save that we do not feel that
Briggs is the best man to have in theolo-
gical seminary"
DIR. Carlisle, Elder Junkin, of Phil
adelphia; DR.. Smith, of Baltimore, and
others favored the report. DR.. Parkhurst,
of New York, opposed Patton's report, and
assured the assembly as director of
Union seminary that if they should adopt
Worcester's substitute and send the com
mittee recommended, the directors would
meet them in the spirit of the resolution.
United States Civil Service Commits
sioner Lyman also favored Worcester
amendment.
After further debate q vote was taken
on the substitute, and it was rejected by
an overwhelming majority. DIR. Logan was
! permitted to withdraw his amendment and
a final vote was taken, resulting for Dr.
| Patton's report 40, against it SO.