Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-01
AGAIN I'm SESSION.

Intense Interest I'm the Proceedings o.
the Presbytery Consideration o.
| the Objection Filed by DIR. Briggs
The Defendant Secures Another
Point.
NEW York, Nov. 30.-The galleries OF
the old Scotch Presbyterian church or
West Fourteenth street were filed with
men addswomen long before the hour eel
for to days session of the New York Pres.
| bytery. As the hour drew near and the
hands on the clock advanced toward the
figure Q, at which hour the Presbytery was
| to sit again, the interest of the host of
spectators became intense. When DR..
Briggs entered the room a rustic went
through the great assemblage.
Finally, when all the ecclesiastical and
lay members directly concerned in the
controversy had arrived, the moderator
rose, prayer was offered; hush fell on
the assembly; the Presbytery was again in
session.
Moderator Bliss announced that business
before the house was the consideration of
the objections filed by DR.. Briggs. Objec-
tions / and were:
IL object that the charges put In my
hands November 8, 1892, were finally dis
posed of by the dismissal of the case
against me on November 4, 1891, and that
the presbytery could not legally cite me
they had dismissed.
81 object to the order and regularity
of the proceeding in the presbytery in any
and every action taken against me since
the dismissal of the said charges on No
vember 4, 1891.
These objections were voted on separate
ly and both were not sustained.
DR.. Briggs said that he would waive the
third objection, and no action was taken
concerning it.
DR.. Brown of tie Union seminary,
moved that the fourth objection be sus-
tanned. The objection is:
Al object to the relevancy of all
the proofs from scripture, confession
and catechisms.
Colonel A. P. Ketchum, of Calvary
church opposed the motion, on the ground
that the relevancy of the proofs could only
be determined when the merits of the
question were argued.
A laugh was raised by DR.. Briggs, who
said that to sustain the objection was to
favor the prosecution, and he hoped that
vote would be taken. But the wish was
not realized.
At least dozen jurors argued the ques-
ton without throwing much light upon it.
DR.. Brown offered an amendment, requir- |
ing the removal of the proofs from the |
specifications to the charges. The ques-
ton as thus amended was carried by the |
vote of II so Sc, and another point was |
scored by the defendant.
DR.. Southworth moved that in view of |
DR.. Briggs objection to the offer of whole |
sale evidence, the clause in the eighth /
charge offering the whole inaugural ad- /
dress, the whole of scripture and the whole /
Of Presbyterian stands be stricken out. |
DR.. Wiley offered an amendment that spe-
,i6c passages which are deemed heretical
may be introduced. DR.. Briggs, In answer
70 the statement that he ought to be famil-
ar with the scripture and standards, said
hat he had studied those volumes for
years. "But am not familiar
With the intellectual processes of the in
committee. You cannot ask
ne to answer to all the interpretations of
hose books which the committee may ad-
luce. If this evidence Is admitted shall
insist that the whole of scripture, the whole
# the standards and the whole of my works
10 read"
Great applause followed this protest.
DR.. Wylie's motion was buried. On the
notion itself the vote was extremely close,
md it was lost by SO to 65. A roll call
vas demanded. Great interest was taken
n the calling of the roll. The vote showed
he motion to strike out the clause referred
O was lost by two votes. DR.. Briggs
sked that an exception be entered in his
,ehalf on the records. The vote was re-
,arded as dividing the presbytery into dis
met factions.
The court adjourned dividing until