The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-28
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The Presbyterians at Portland,
Pittsburg and Hot Springs.
DIR. BRIGGS CASE STILL ON TRIAL
All Efforts Towards an AmIcable Settlement Of
the Matter Frustrated, and the Trial
Is Now Going On.

PORTLAND, Or, May 27.-At the opening
of the Presbyterian general assembly this
morning the report of the committee on
church extension was received and
adopted. The assembly then constructed
as g court for the trial of the case Of DR..
Briggs.
A resolution was introduced by Struvell
of Montana looking to the return OF the
Briggs case to the presbytery of New
York. Amendments were offered slightly
modifying this action, but with the same
object in view. The parties were allowed
60 withdraw to arrange a plan mutually
acceptable While they were consulting
the reading of the report on the revision
of the confession of the faith was taken up.
just before the closing of the reading OF
the revision report. the parties to the sp-
peal returned and the revision went over
as unfinished business.
Judge Struvell stated that there had been
no agreement reached, and Elder McCook
addressed the assembly again. He regretted
the failure to arrive at q conclusion and
stated that the committee on prosecution
cannot accept the proposal to return and
begin the case in New York.
The moderator then ruled that the as
sembly must proceed to hear the appeal,
the question being whether the appeal will
be sustained in part, in full or pro forma.
1t was evidently the desire of large
part of the house that the case be remanded
for q new trial, but this was thwarted by
the refusal Of the prosecutors to consent to
the proposition to sustain the appeal pro
lorna. McCook asserted that the question
was dismissal or full sustaining of the
appeal.
The case was postponed till 2 O'Clock,
while delegates from other denominations
were received.
At the afternoon session Elder Junkin,
of Philadelphia, offered resolution in the
interest of peace and order, to bring the
matter before the court to close. be
proposed to reverse the decision Of the
presbytery, send back the papers and di-
rect the presbytery of New York to try
the case upon lis merits without prejudice
10 either party. He declared the assembly
cannot try the case at This session upon its
merits The action of the presbytery has
have an opportunity TO stand before his
peers and assert and prove his innocence
of the charges.
Dr. Mcpherson of Chicago, in secondinR
the resolution, said he understood that DR..
Briggs would confess judgment upon two
of the grounds of appeal. These would be
sufficient TO allow the assembly to send
back the case. If the assembly receives
the appeal when no plea is entered in the
lower court and no sworn testimony heard,
it would invalidate the rights of every
member of the church and these are higher
than those of any individual
After brief argument DR.. Briggs stated
that be would personally be willing TO con-
less Judgment upon two points in the ap
peal and would do so after consultation
with members of the presbytery. DR.
Bliss, DR.. Thompson, DR.. Elisnor ant
JuoEe Sirong withdrew with Briggs.
Colonel AlcCook stated the appeal mus
lie sustained and the decision of the pres
uyiery reversed and the presbytery direct
cd 10 Try the case on its merits. On thest
lrcunds the prosecution committee would
lie GLAD TO accept the proposal.
Iron The return of the conferees Brigg
suited that tie agreed TO Junkin's resolu
len ouI objection was entered by tn
lroslcuyng committee and the moderate
luled that the case must proceed.
IAen DR.. birchell took the floor with
mass Of manuscript, the reading of whic
.rcupied an hour. It covered the ground
e tie appeal and the specifications there
lnder. When the reading was conclude
Jr. Briegs was heard for an hour in II
buttal and a recess was then taken unit
=. IL.