New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-24
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
UNION SEMINARY DESIRES TO SEVER THE
COMPACT OF 1870


after pleasant trip The Union Pacific lie was
accompanied by Mrs Briggs and Is looking improved
In health by his Journey. lie prepared for anv
duty which may be required Of him in connection with
questions 10 come before the Assembly touching upon
himself.
This morning devotional exercises OF the Assembly
were led by Mr.. Buchanan, OF New York.
The Assembly efectuay disposed of the new Greed
agf dtiOn to-day by the adoption OF the following
answer to an overture sent by the Prcsbytery OF
Kalamazoo requesting that steps be taken Tor the
preparation and adoption OF a new Creed The com
mittee reports:
"Inasmuch as the question Of consensus creed Is
in the hands u q committee of the Assembly: mas
much as the revision OF the Confession 81 Faith mas
been before the churches, rrsby teies and Assembly
for three years and will necessarily occupy the atten
ton Of the whole Church for considerable time to
come, and inasmuch it is not cxpedcnt to intro
ducc another kindred question at this time. 1t is rec
commended that no action be taken upon the over
ture at this time"
The final report OF the Committee on the Revision
Of the Confession OF Faith presented. None Of
the changes proposed impairs the integrity OF the
Calvfnistc system Of the Confession. The report Of
the committee consists of twenty eight overtrcs. each
covering change proposed to the Confession The
report says
1t found impossible to meet the individual
preferences OF every presbytery without setting aside
what known TO be the views of large majority
Of the Church. There effort made TO secure
harmony sacrifice. The report is the very best
that the committee has been able TO prepare
after ~eeks OF labor. The division into wentyeight
sections will enable the church to approve single
alteration without endangering the whole revision
The report Is signed Internationally by twelve mem
Of the committee and with the exceptions by twelve
members. OF the twenty eight changes In the Confession
Ct Faith thirteen accepted. The points covered
are Divine degrees, preerition, the creation, the
covenant, the Holy Spirit, mans fall, the new chap
the gospel predestinaon cfectual call, infant
salvation, nOnelection and the Lorls supper the
expiration Of the hour caused the consideration of the
report go unfinished business. and may |
como up any time
DR.. Patton, chairman Of the Conference Committee |
appointed last year 10 confer with the directors OF
Union Seminary is absent. owing to Illness. His re
port read by Dr. Moore, the permanent clerk. 1t
narrated the steps OF the conference the papers sub
mitted and the action taken in October and January
last in New-York. The full report of that conference
appeared in The Tribune october 80 and January
"a. The resolutions then adopted are included in the
report submitted to-day, and the following resolutions
added:
Recognizing the fact that the General Assembly and
Union Theological Seminary parties 10 the agree
meDt. compact of 1870. as contained In the memorial
Of directors TO the Assembly Of 1870. and also the
that wide difference Of opinion in the matter
the Interpretation said compact. some
thing like the following might be done
Frst-Each party fully respect the opinion OF tho
other and conclude for the that the difference is
irreconcilatle.
SecoDd-Tbe Seminary might report to the next Gen.
eal Assembly substantially that their understanding OF
The compact differed from tina: the General Assembly
applied transfers. and that although the Assembly
had dsapproved the appointment Of Dr.. Briggs, the d.
rectors had not their clear Wow OF
obligations to do other than continue him in the active
duties Of his Office.
Third-The committee the other hand. might report
the facts to the General Assembly, and OF the
relations Of the parties and in
difference recommend status quo be recognized
In tho hope that action be taken which may lead
to harmonious adjustment of all the
SIX members OF the Conference Committee prepared
supplemental report which was submitted today b
II closed with this resolution p
Resolved That the General Assembly without surrender.
Ing In any way Its authority, its con-
troll Of all the agencies and institutions Church
hereby proposes and agrees the subject OF the In
depreciation Of the act and compact Of 1870.
pued point of transfers. to arbitrator specially :,
chosen by the General Assembly the Union Theoocica
Seminary
Ezra NJ Kingsley, secretary of Union Seminary, read "
two papers from the seminary directors the first CIV
Ing the directors Views OF the conference. In It these
statements occur:
We assured committee that our actlon OF June >
sustaining DR.. Briggs, wos, view perfectly con-
sistent with this resolution inasnuch as according TO
our laws and usage. there had been or aJ
polntment, but only transfer under the agree
ment of 1870 did not call for or admit Of action by
The General Assembly. AS Of parties to that ! :,
agreement especially the party proposed It, we
et that we had clear right 10 Interpretation OF Its
meaning according the OF this lnstu.
ton. We had transferred DR.. Briggs we had not ,
elected him. We had assigned him o duties for | .
he had been teaching Biblical theology for
years Only elections were subject, in vew
Assemblys dsappro,al The committee that
the distinction between election transfer he'd
been familiar one in the Board and
years and made. charged | h
the present exgency The Board therefore respectfully
reports TO the Assembly that ourselves
soiemny bound by Interpretation OF the agree !
ment and must discharge duties accord a
ngly. For, having heard and CAREFULLY consid red h
oil that said by the Committee Of
the General Assembly. we have
modify understanding OF the agreement. There
honest difference Of opinion matter 1870 this
Beard conceded one thing and only one, General
Assembly vz the right to dissppove the ap
pointment OF professor II DR.. Briggs had elected
or appointed 70 The chair Of Biblical Theology dsap
poyal Of the Assembly would decisive with u.s.
but professor be elected in this only
cordance with our laws, and according Dr.
Briggs was not elected His Inauguration
nonia technically but designed only honor
publicly the generosity Of the fuonder Of the Chair Of
Biblical Theology in which department Dr. Briggs has
been teaching for ten years
Thanking the General Assembly for sending o
soe ana so courteous committee Join with them
their recommendation That status quo be
n the hope that action may taken which may Il
lead TO harmonious adjustment the matters at
tssue." n
The memorial contained In addition to the history o.
the famous agreement OF 1870, this paragraph ask
Ing for Its abrogation and the restoration OF former Il
relations: n
As the appointed directors and guardians OF this school
enr'S'a" 'carhnp we deeply realize solemn obea
zion to act faithfully for its interests according TO our own
conscientious convictions under charter and cons
oon We are charged with handed down to
US from the past by noble whom the Presbyterian
Church has long delighted to honor keep that
trust nviolae There be conflict between real -
obligations Our loyalty alike Church and TO Union
seminary constrsns us to believe that would
0r both Church and Seminary that relations which III
existed so tremendously two for more than NJ
third OF century before 1870 b. restored -
The memorial ended with these words:
In conclusion. permit say that through oil this q
painful misunderstanding It to ia marvel in
expicabe that any o. be;hcn could Dos.bIv sun pa