New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-22
A POINT IN THE BRIGGS CONTROVERSY.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: In the account given on Thursday OF the re-
opening Of the trial Of DR.. briggs there are expires
lions upon an important preliminary point winch H'a'
", misleading. Since the case is TO be lefore inc
public II Ia right that 1t Should nave iir s'"'' III
The public apprehension.
Tie first matter 10 be settled In meeting the co.
iectons Of Dr. Briggs TIE Standing OF the lrose-
cutting Committee, concerning which complaint III
lis teholi had gone up 70 the synod. iour report
saws The complaint filed BY Dr. Brown and llo
ministers and elders OF the Presbytery--" DR..
Brggs, In his formal objections says; The com
plants being according to the number Of slenors In
,he complaint, u majority OF the Prcsbytery" DR..
Brown in his argument before Synod, said a num-
Der equal 10 muority OF the enrolled membership
Of the Presoytery and an enormous majority OF the
members OF the Prcshytcry actually present at
a meeting OF the body, careful language Ii both
Instances, but Liable to misconstrucuon-
The natural Inference and impression from the. e
references would certainly be that the compliments
ar. all members N the Ire-hytery, and constitute n
rostlye majority Of that body. such an impression
was made by many public statements during As wei
rs before and since the meeting Of synod tut does
not accord With the facts. vrcsbytery consists Of
all the ministers and one ruling elder from each con
creation within the district IN hat II New Y rk
there are about 100 ministers and sixty elder. ~
this number ia would, ot course, lie more han u
ma olliy q all the slencls Weg" actually members
Eut only one elder from each church can b" member
Ye, IN the memorial r.rntcd n synod there were
Included ten from church, eight nom another I've
from another three from another, three nom sull
another and possibly other surpu ages which have
not verified Undouble eddy thee had 4 perfect right
10 gu ! complaint the rule Of The book gives that
liberty 10 persons subject and submitting 10 the
Jurisdiction Il the Indicator which IS tn position o
all elders and indeed. practically OF all members
II Presbyterian churches, and the heading Of the
complaint was In accordance with the rLc. The
synod may, therefore, have und rsiood II CORRECTLY
but luany members Of the Pr,s1ytcry. as they had
tAc .Ull0r Df the circulating o. such document o.
not so understand II ard were not awar OF rs prih
iiilc. Many articles IN the newspapers nave a1,o
Been based upon misunderstanding. ! do rot OBJ
fec, the accuracy ~ The d9ctu' M nor 10 The IN
tenton Of the Trainer, and ,i.ncr7, but d. object
10 the general misconep ion cauScl b. Is atVpa r'
and 90 the suppos'u arising thcreron tat th'
Prcshvory has far reversed II, formerly cN.r'as Vi
0piuiOn. aud thus changed It's IN lDuti. SINH. r
canva~, ~ church sessions by the % her party IN gt
have secured counter memorial Win much lag r.
number ~ signature. sine" there arr" ID elders. IN
addition 10 the pastors upon IN scs nal rbl b t
In neither uld The position OF the me n'cr' of
the prcshytcry have been vindicaied. II VIII be
desirable 10 bear these facts In mind in any fu'urc
appeals to popular judgment, whether from the II or
II the house or The columns % the pres.
New lOrk Nov. II, l-92. II. b. ELL OF.