The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-21
THE BRIGGS CASE.
Majority and Minority Reports Submitted to
the New York State Synod.

Majority and Minority Reports Submitted to
the New York State Synod.
ALBANY, N. Y. Oct. 20.-The principal
business of the Presby tcrian Synod to-day
WAS the report of the judicial committee.
Regarding the report of the New York
Presbytery. the committee recommended
the approval OF its report, with the excep-
ton of those portions touching on the
Briggs controversy. DR.. David q. Wyhe,
of New York, moved that the approval of
the minutes of that presbytery be post
poned until the meeting of the synod next
year. The motion was put and carried
with not one dissenting voice.
A resolution expressing sympathy for
President Harrison on account of the Ill
ness OF Mrs. Harrison. was adopted by q
rising vote. The report OF the judicial
committee to allow DR.. Mcleod, of Boston,
to withdraw his appeal was adopted. Tho
committee reported that the prosecuting
committee of the New York Presby terry
wished to withdraw its appeal from the
action of that presby terry in diminishing the
charges against DIR. Briggs. This the com
mittee could not favor. as all those who
signed the appeal had not signed the re-
u.
therefore, decided that the appeal was in
order. Elder Yearance, of New York.
moved that permission be given to with
draw the appeal. and after some debate his
motion was adopted.
The majority report of the committee on
the two complaints of DR.. Briggs and his
friends was then taken up. Before pro-
ceeding further the report of the minority
members WAS submitted. The latter
was signed by four minister, and the
for hvya oil Vho haf
the two reports is that tho minority report
makes no recommendations, but simply
brings the case before the synod for its
action. A hot discussion followed the re-
ceipt of the minority report but several
facetious delegates, with their timely
humor, kept the assemblage in q peaceful
frame of mind throughout. Both reports
were accepted. Elder Yearance then
moved the adoption OF the majority report.
Several other motions and a long discussion
followed. DR.. Brown, who ls professor OF
Hebrew in the Union Theological Semina-
~, and DR.. Briggs's special champion on
the floor of the synod, was one of the speak
ers. He said, In part:
ton OF great Importance Whether the errors
against DIR. Briggs are real errors are not now to
be discussed. The action of the General Assem-
bly, Is no bar to the entertainment OF this conf
plant by the synod. The prosecuting commit
tee had no existence or function apart from the
action of the New York Presbytery nor right TO
appeal to the General Assembly against de-
cison of the presbytery. The General Assembly
did not decide on the standing and authority OF
the committee. This question ask you 10
settle here. If you take action it would strike
q deadly blow at constitutional liberty in our
church. and leave the way open to Capitalization
and usurpatOn. L am anxious, in all calmness
and In all seriousness, not to persuade you TO ex
htbit narrow and petty feelings, but to urge you
to restore and maintain that just balance of rep
resentatiOn and powers distributed among our
different courts which recent proceedings have
Threatened IL not actually impaired. The COM
plant nos before you acts as stay until the
synod decides that the committee has right TO
exist.
In addition he gave a lengthy resume of
the case. The discussion will continue to-
morrow.