New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-27
DIR. BRIGGS'S APPEAL DENIED
HE MUST STAND TRIAL IN THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY,.
FROM IT'S DECISION THERE CAN BIZ NO APPEAL
EXCEPT TO THE CIVIL CoURTs-sTRENGrH
OF THE CONSERVATIVES SHOWN.


Portland. Ore. May 26.-Between 500 ana
GOO commissioners TO the General Assem-
bly,, and twice as many friends have spent sohu
day in listening 10 arguments. motions. points oil oruet
and knotty points from the Book Of Discipline The
formal speeches have been made by DR.. Briggs, the
Union Seminary professor, and DR.. Birch and Coonei
McCook, members Of the Prosecuting Committee.
Parliamentary acti& have been indulgcd in By nearly
every man who could obtain copy Of the Book OF
Discipline. and the end is not yet. Is it In sight
Commissioners who had engaged sleepingcar ac-
cOmmOdatiOns have resclrded their orders. An ex-
CURSOR to the Pacific Ocean planned for Saturday has
been given up. although steamer for that day mas
been chartered The orders OF the day are pusAcd
forward and great of work Is laid aside TO give
and time for the most important hercy trial Ill
half century. DR.. briggs does not seem fearful oil
The result although a test vote to-day seems to in
dictate that the present Assembly IS as conservative
: the one nj Detroit which disapproycd his
transfer 10 the new chair in the seminary.
Two table, In front OF the ncderatOrs desk have
been assigned 10 the two parties In the trial, DR..
BIfcg and his friends and the prosecuting committee
Directly In front Of Dr. Briggs. he faces his table.
sits hi, loyal friend Err VI. Kingsley the secretary
Of the Seminary. AZ his right Sits cxJudc" strcvell.
Of Montana, who acts Us his friend. but not rs his
counsel. He told The Tribune correspondent today
that he would not take nickel. the smallest coin
west Of the Rockies. TO- defending Dr. Briggs.
Next TO Mr.. Kingsley sits Mr.. Frazer In the
front II the cutlery l. Mrs Briggs listening intently
to every point made: DR.. rirch short and thick set
DR.. stevenson, the scholarly university professor Of
New York. and Colonel ok, Of the firm of AcS-
andcr & Green 1T waiting for the order Of the day.
Dr. Charles l.. Thomp,n, Dr. william :. Roberts
and Dr. William L. Moore. three oN.M,dcrators; Dr..
Christie, viccmplcratOr; DR.. r. " Chambers, cor
responding member from The Reformed Church. and
Dr. W. H. Roberts stated clerk ut at the side or be
hind the moderator.
Tho steps Of the pulpit crowded and the galleries
could scarcely hold another person Hour after hour
the crowd. unable TO find scats stands anxibu>v wait
ing. The suspense Mt lines is Intense and painful
Point, Of order from every part of the room are
heard The Moderator rises. boiling the applet
gnvel. adorned with native liver and gold His
heavy brow, are knitting. and silence falls on the
hou,c some one offers II suggestion, but l. waived
or. The Modcrator's forehead Is corrugated Quick
II, ligtnlng and with the power OF electric shock.
the decision Is given. Sometimes 1t is recalled II
Hight breaks upon him. No one can
tell rom his rulings where his svmpathes
are NJ will accuse him OF
being under the control Of any man or party OF men.
pr. Birch begins the argument with a twenty
minute address reading In distlrc tones. He justi
nco the committee In bringing the case to the Assem-
bly,. and sits down. DR.. briggs rises to answer. His
nervous manner his voice high pitched at times.
III HlNrh@ COMMUNIST 10 hl@ IfHoW p'Npyl'rs its
speech. read from typewriter manuscript occupies
n hour more than DR.. BrchS paper but it Is Dr.
H;isr, only chance, while his opponents have more
than an hour 10 answer him. Colonel McCook uses
the hour. standing erect with the air Of lawyer. II
is not The committees bnt the Church rs whole. he
claims that j. the prosecutor.
The glvel fails Shall the vote be taken without
debate That question Is settled. and
no taking is allowed shall the report
~ tha
mlit.c recommending that the appeal he not
entertained br substituted for the majority
p,ri. recommending that the appeal be entertained
\ yoi. va, taken and the minority report tabled.
The dee ion /, doubted. the divdon Is callef for and
;,c7 men rise und stay cll counted. OF these, $50
ARE In the affirmative and i22 in the NEGATIVE.
Tho ies, lad come and the Conservatives for
the first time show their strength DR.. Briggs must
answer ~ the bar Of this Assembly, from which there
T. no appeal. except In the civil court. lie threw
ont .uggc,tion IN his address this morning that he
could APPEAL to them II IF, rights were violated
Nor than an hour spent Ia reaching the d.
ci.lon that again; Or. Briggs protest. tie stem
oer,ph.r', notr> which said 10 be Imperfect oi
he pr. cc,i1s, I'm New York should be accepted Ia
The Assembly, Then the hour Of adjournment hah
arrived aud a prayer closed the days proceeding.
Dr. E-!rr, made a fine argument acnln,t the ap'
peal being entertained by The Assembly. bat was not
sustained. carry Ing Ic,- than one fourth II the Assem-
~, with him tie objected 10 the report Of the
N,wY or, meeting and WAS voted down again. Tn"
next -iaec I'm the procoedisgs VIII be taken up to
marrow when tie members Of IA" Prcsb' tcrT viii be
heaivl and later The members Of the Assembly.
In hi aldr,-s hi. moralnr Mr. Birch sail In part
Your appcll1nt is Tho Committee OF Prosecution the
case ~ the Presbyterian Church In III" Untd States 81
America against the rev Charles ~ Bri2gs, D. ID. In
opening the pc,dng- PERTAINING u the appeal In bhaf
Of ,aid connit,e, help but feel that We appear
neil ed
rata. t. l,y tLrr car>c before the frat Council OF the
Christian Church at jerusalem They were there because
III, Church 40 Antioch could settle the question which
made IL, membership Ike the troubled They werc
tsr, boclu-. they onecd the end o, the dsscnson
and sanitation whose oodgats had been opened by those
false brothers who hndcrci the progress oil Christianity
by the bonds Of cnct Judaism.
So Mr. Moderator fathers and brethren, We are here
because Picsbytry Of NewYork has not seemed 10
b. settle the question raised with respect to the
relation u the Inaugural address OF the Rev Charles A.
Briggs d. D. Tho appellee, delivered at the Union Iheo
Seminar the cty Of NcwYoik. January 20 1871
to Holy scripture, aud the Standards Of the PrcsLy
terrain Church. We here Invoke this Supreme Court
Of the rrcsyeflpn Church the United states Of America
To put an the discussion and dspuaton which the
Prc.tery OF NcwYok ,any cndcaN to silence with
tho dismissal Of the against Dr. Briggs qualifying said
dismissal by that IL did thi, without APPROX
Ing Of the positions stated la his Inaugural address
~ matter Of cour.c your appellant is met by tho
question WAY overlap the synod
/. such a proceeding /, constitutional
:. The ease witch che pro ccutns committee asks this
General i,onbly adJudcltc a natter Of intense IN
tecst To all Theological professors. religious
editors preachers Of the gospel private member Of the
Church everywhere In every denomination and IN all tho
lands anNousy it the dpo>dl Of the the part
OF this venerable court
g. This case involves the very fundamental OF
Christianity and especially the doctrines Of the rrcsby
Cnur h. disguise the fact. Mr. Moderator that
the history OF Christian Church records exciting
and important controversy than that which T., before this
court.
mbcr, ~ this honorable court Is enforced By the pres
bytrrs who mhlc here In you. who have to the
number spoken with trumpet tongue
concerning the inaugural address,.
The Presbytcry OF Scw-York caused your appellant 10
appear the lar Of this by the commission Of
error law manifest justify immediate relief
the part OF this Assembly. The refusal to grant this
relief now aQtate the Church for years to
49,