Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-01
CLOSE ON BRIGGS.
The Faction Lines at Last
Drawn, and the Doctor Is
Two Votes Short.
HE WINS OTHER TESTS.
The Crucial Question Is a Notion to
Strike Out as Evidence
SCRIPTURE AND THE STANDARDS.
Or. Smith Declines to Introduce Testimony
In Els OWN Defense.
HE WINS OTHER TESTS.
SCRIPTURE AND THE STANDARDS.
ARGUMENTS ARE HEARD IN HIS CASE


his favor Owing to the probabili ty that
to-day's session would be replete with still
more interesting features, the galleries OF
the old Scotch Presbyterian Church were
filled. DR.. Francis Brown read an op-
lection to the trial proceeding on tine
ground that there is no case, as the Presby-
terry had dismissed the same charges now
presented after a hearing November 4, 1881
DR.. Van DYKE opposed the objection and
the Presbyterv refused by vote to accept It
Moderator Bliss announced that the busl-
ness before the house was the co nsideration
of the obiecti ons filed by Dr. Briggs. OBJ
iections one and two were:
First-l object that the charges put in my
hands November 8, 1892, were finally dis
posed o. by the dismissal of the case against
me November 4, 1891, and that the Presby-
terv could not legally cite me a second time
to answer to charges which they had dis
missed.
Second-I object to the order and reg ular-
ity OF the proceedings in the Presbytery in
any and every action taken against me since
the dismissal of the said charges on Novem-
Der 1, 1891.
DR.. Briggs Valves One Point
These objections were voted on separate
ly and both were not sustained. Dr. Briggs
said that he would waive the third objec-
ton, and no action was taken concerning
it DIR. Brown, of the Union Seminary,
moved that the fourth objection be sus-
tanned. The objection is: 81 object to the
relevancy of all the proofs from Scripture,
Confession and Catechism." Colonel A. Z.
Ketchum, of Calvary Church, opposed the
motion, on the ground that the relevancy
of the proofs could only be determined
when the merits of the question were
argued.
A laugh was raised by DR.. Briggs, who
said that to sustain the objection was to
favor the prosecution, and he hoped that
vote would be taken. But the wish was
not realized. AT least dozen jurors argued
the question ad nauseam.
DR.. Brown offered an amendment requlr-
ing the removal of the proofs from the
specifications to the charge. The question,
rs thus amended, was carried-71 to 90
and another point was scored by the de-
fendant.
A Bit of Irony introduced.
DR.. Southworth moved that, in view of
DR.. Briggs objection to the offer of whole
sale evidence, that the clause in the eighth
charge offering the whole inaugural address,
the whole of Scripture and the whole of
the Presbyterian standards, be stricken out.
Dr. Wylie offered an amendment that
specific passages which are deemed heretl-
cal may be introduced In the debate, Mr.
Spinning asked ironically that the COM
mittee be allowed to introduce any theologl-
cal work in the Astor Library.
DR.. Briggs said, in answer to the state
ment that he ought to be familiar with the
Scripture and standards, that he had studied
those volumes for 25 years But am not
familiar with the intellectual processes OF
the Prosecuting Committee. You cannot
ask me to agree to answer to all the inter-
g 4l,aea hnol he xuh M
mittee may adduce. If this evidence is ad-
mitted, shall insist that the whole Scrip
ture, the whole of the standards and the
whole Of my works be read" Great ap-
plause followed this protest, and the Moder-
ator was compelled to rap for order
A Majority of Two Against Briggs,
DR. Wylie's amendment was buried by an
overwhelming vote, but on the question it
self the vote was extremely close. On
division, the motion was declared lost-69
to 65 Roll call was demanded When
Moderator Bliss asked how many were in
favor of calling the roll, 45 arose. The
Moderator considered that the roll call was
lost A count showed, however, that 134
members were present. The Moderator
then said he was in doubt, and asked an-
other division on the question of roll call,
and this time 60 arose
Great interest was taken in the calling of
the Moderator said several overcoats had
been lost al previous sessions, and advised
everybody to look out for his property. He
said this was not intended as a reflection on
any member of the Presbytery. The vote
showed that the motion to strike out the
clause referred to was lost by two votes.
DR.. Briggs asked that an exception be en-
tered In his behalf on the records So great
was the importance attached to the vote
that it was regarded as dividing the Presby-
tery into two distinct factions. The vote
stood thus:
The Yeas and the Nays.
Ayes-George Alexander, Anuoni Arreghi,
Anson P. Atterbury, W. W. Atterbury, f. G.
Beebe, Francis Brown, James Chambers,
Edward L. Clark, Ira S. Dodd, D. Stuart
Dodge. William Durant ]. H. Edwards F.
F. EIlinwood, william 7. Elsing, C. P. Fag
nam, Henry NJ. Field, Herbert Ford. c. R.
GfIlett II. L. Grandbenord, William R
Harsaw, Thomas S. Hastings, E. W. hitch
cock, j. S. Hoadley, James Hunter, S. NJ
jackson, NJ. 5. Littleheld, D. r. Lorenz
William Martin, F; H. .YI2aing Morling H T
Mcmillan, q. j. Mlngus, d. II. Overton
G. H. Parkhurst, G. S. Payson, G. L. Prentiss
r RI Ramsay, Daniel Redmon, S. B. Ros
sitter. a. q. Ruli1Tson, William Rice j. A
Saxton, Philip Schaf, J. B. Shaw, d. G.
Smith, w. NJ. Smith, g. L. Spinning, Z. L
Thompson, Henry Van Dyke, G: S. Webster
Elders A. r. Ledoux, William Mickeus Sam
Reeve, c H. Woodbury., Robert johnson, G.
G. King, II. L. Hawley, James E. Ware, G. e.
Law, r. Bond, Robert Gentle, William A
Wheelock Robert Jaffray and Z. P. Leggett
Nays-S. ID. Alexander, Nicholas Bjerring
PR Booth, Samuel Bowden. 7, s. Bradner
w ID. Buchanan, n. w. ConklinR, w. r
Crafts. Conrad Doensch, Thomas Douglas
Howard Duffield, H B. Elliott, w. B. Floyd
]. f. Forbes, James Hall, A. w. Halsey, j
r. Kerr A. B. King, A. ID. King, j. j. Lampe
s O. Law s. S. Laws, Theodore Lenhard, j
Towrie, C. P. Mallory, Alexander Mclean,
H. G. Miller, W. L. Moore, j. c. NizhtenRsle
George Nixon, l. II. Northrup, l. u. Parson
]. q. Patterson, E. P. Payson, U. Pritchard
q. s. Robinson, A. F. schauffier, G. L. Shear
ar w G, T. Shedd, Andrew Shetland
W, c. stitt, c. A, stoddard, J. T. Sutton, A. W
SnrouII. J. j. Thompson. Ii. NJ. 4yndeles, NJ
n Vincent, f. Z Yoegelin, T. G. Wall, A. L
p Waite W. 5. Watson, E. n. White, 7. J
Wiids. Livingston Willard, D. G. Wylie, Ell
ders James Tompkins, a. P. Ketchum, An
drew Robinson, james Mcdowell, H. E. Row
land =. McJmsey, John McWilliam, G. E
sterry, s. H. Willard, Joseph Moorhead, H
n NieolI. W. NJ. Onderdonk, Robert Hous
ton Joseph Anderson, j. l. Birdsall, w. II
WorraIl. c. L. Carey and Richard Drum
mond.
nL .orrt thcn adjourned till to-morrov