Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-03

TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED
AND sETTLED-THE MATTER OF THE REVISION
OF THE CONFESSION OF FAITH AND THE CASE OF
DIR. BRIGGS.
Next Monday Rev. Dr. William A. Bartlett
leaves the city on the long trip to Portland,
Greg, where the general assembly Of the Pres
byterian church meets in session. He goes as
the representative Of the presbytery Of this
city to take part in the deliberations of the
highest body in that denomination. The as
sembly does not convene until the 10th of May,
but Dr. Bartlett has an engagement to deliver
an address next Tuesday evening before the
Presbyterial Union of Chicago, which, like the
Presbyterial Alliance in this city. looks after
the material progress of the church in the
windy city. Mrs. Bartlett will meet him in
Chicago and from that point they will 60 to
Portland. About the same time some five or
SIX hundred representatives OF the clergy and
laity of the Presby terian church will be travel
ing toward the same destination. The lay
delegate from this presbytery is Mr.. Francis
II. Smith.
INTEREST IN THE COMING ASSEMBLY.
The sessions of the general assembly are al
ways full of interest not merely because it is
the highest body in that influential denomina-
ton, the Presbyterian church, but also from
the fact that there Is brought together u body
of men who are clergymen and citizens, and as
a rule representative men in the communities
from which they come. While there are
general reasons which give public interest
to gathering Of this character, there
are just now special reasons which
will make this meeting of the assembly one Of
the most important that has ever been held.
1t is expected that the final settlement of two
questions which have agitated the church for
some time will be reached. One Is the re-
vision Of the confession OF faith and the other
Is the Briggs controversy, as it is termed. To
some extent the action of the assembly has
been anticipated on both OF these questions by
the proceedings of the Presbyterians. All the
Presby terians have come to the same concu-
sion in regard to both issues, and in their
choice of delegates to represent them in the
general assembly men have been selected who
hold the views Of the majority. A canvass of
the delegates elected shows that there will be
large ma ority in the assembly in favor Of re-
vision and opposed to DIR. Briggs.
STATUS OF THE REVISION QUESTION.
The status Of the revision question is simply
this: At the last meeting of the general as
sembly the committee appointed to consider
proposed changes in the confession of faith
made their report. During the interval this
report has been acted on by the Presby terans
and their action will be reported to the assem-
bly,. As is familiar to those who have followed
the discussions, the report of the assemblies
committee recommend as the principal changes
new ehapter IN regard 70 the love
OF uod anu ihodlncatiohs IN the language IN
various sections. IL Is stateu that tnis report
mas met Win the aPpro'ai OF majority OF the
presbyteries and it is claimed for it that it
9oes not impair 'ne integrity OF the Caivlnlstic
uocIihes Al any rate there mas Deen
harked cnanse IN the sentiment OF the chufch
relatlSe 10 revision, whlch Is Deiieved TO be
que 10 the discovery that the purposes OF those
favoring revision we're not as radical as at first
supposed Inc reports OF the presbyteries IN
regard 10 revision Will Do referred TO COM
mittee ana report pased upon them VIII be
made TO the assembly. In the event that
report recommending changes Is adopted this
action will be final and In the future the re-
vised copies OF the confession VIII form the
doctrlna standards OF the church. These re-
visions, as a question agitatlng the churches.
VIII be SET al rest ana peaceiul solution Will
be reacheu IN a controversy which appeared at
the outset 70 threaten the unity OF the denom-
'n"''on'
THE BRIGGS CASE
SUM qu"i 'e,S .ne o,hef Important ih"'.er
800 "Ai' oo"A0 oeioio 'ho "''euioi!' u"iicis'
the Briggs case Is regarded as OF equal import
ance as that OF the revision of the confession of
faith. DIR. Briggs is a professor in the Union
Theological Seminary III New York city He
has been advocating views in regaId to the ill.,
spiratlon of the Bibla and the authenticity of
its facts which are not considered orthodox.
He is said, however, TO represent the school i'll
theology which is spoken of as the higher
criticism, and 1t has been held that he expresses
the views Of large body of the clergy of the de-
nomination. At the last session Of the assembly
the question came up over the approval of the
appointment of Prot. Briggs to chair in the
seminary, such approval being made necessary
under the terms of the agreement between tine
seminary and the church. Tho assembly dis
approved Of this appointment, and the direc-
tors of the seminary have refused to accept the
authority OF the assembly, and have decided
to retain Prof. Briggs. In sense the semi
sembly of what is known in legal parlance as
contempt. The present assembly must decide
S Tnas 10 uo. rin general op.a,on Una. .ne
that exist with the seminary Tn that event
the seminary will be an independent ins.itu-
ton. and no longer under the care OF the
hurch.
EXACTLY WHAT THE SEMINAR FRIENDS DESIRE
1t ID said that this Is exactly what the
friends of the seminary desire. 1t will
continne in its work NJ educatino man
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