Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-26
BRIGGS CASE TO-DAY.
The Issue Now Fairly Joined, as Well
as the Question of the
RELATIONS OF UNION SEMINARY.
A Majority Report Would Hold the School
to the Compact of 70.
MOST OF THE DAY GIVEN TO MISSIONS

MOST OF THE DAY GIVEN TO MISSIONS
PORTLAND, ORE, May 25.-This is the
day in the session of the Presbyterian
Assembly known as "Foreign Mission
Day." but it will be more memorable as
that on which resolutions were introduced
looking toward the tightening or the loosen
ing of the bonds between the Assembly and
| the Theological Seminary at New York.
Action is deferred until a supplementary
report can be presented by the standing
Committee on the Theological Seminary
based upon all the papers relating to the
case, which have been referred to that COM
mittee for the purpose of reducing the con-
iicting propositions to more harmonious
| resolution.
One resolution declares that the Assembly
insist upon the Interpretation of a year ago;
another proposes to submit the question at
issue as to that Interpretation to arbitration,
while third looks to peaceful withdrawal
of the Union Seminary from its relation to
the Assembly, and the formation of a new
| compact.
| The Briggs Hearing Is Commenced.
The other thing for which the day will be
memorable is the commencement of the
| hearing Of the parties in question of an ap-
peal from the action of the Presbytery of
New York, in dismissing the case against
| DR.. Briggs for heresv. Thus far papers
| have only been read The case is to proceed
| tomorrow to finish.
The statement is made by one of the most
prominent men in the Assembly that he
and large number like him are in favor of
remitting the case to the Synod of
New York, according to the recon-
mendations of the minority report.
The same man is authority for the
statement that the Committee on Prosecu-
tion is anxious that it be sent back to the
Presbytery of New York for retrial on an
order of the Assembly. His words were:
'sThat the committee prosecuting finds that
it cannot manage this Assembly as it did
the last"
There is great deal of ill-suppressed ex-
citement, which threatened to break forth
at any moment when the Moderator, shall
allow it. The ruling of the Moderator that
only the parties to the appeal can be heard,
has cut off many speeches which would
have taken days to deliver. 1t seems prob
able, with the limitations of time, that q
vote will be reached early in the afternoon
session tomorrow.
Covering the Missionary Field.
Devotional exercises were led this morn
ing by Dr. Roberts, of Pennsylvania. The
regular order of the day was "Foreign Mis-
sions."
The report was presented by DR.. Allison,
of Philadelphia. The years work was re-
viewed and appropriate resolutions were in
troduced looking toward furtherance of the
boards efforts. The principal facts are as
follows The Board of Foreign Missions
last year asked for 81 900, 900 and made its
appropriation on the basis of $1,000,-
900. The receipts amounted to over
$500 The board maintains 21o or
dained American missionaries; 165 ordained
and 255 licensed active workers, sustaining
3S4 churches with 80, 497 communicates
Additions to the mission churches have ag-
gregated 8, 430; lay workers number /, 494.
Schools are also supported, containing 29,-
600 pupils, with 167 candidates for the min
istry. The contributions from native |
churches have amounted to nearly SAC, 900. |
The missions of the board are located in Is |
different countries. |
The Record of the Briggs Case Distributed. |
During the reading of this report and |
subsequent speeches, attendants were busily |
engaged distributing an octave volume of |
272 pages, containing the "record of the |
Prosecuting Committee.
Dr. Gillespie, Secretary of the Board of |
Foreign Missions addressed the Assembly, |
to his recent visitation trip around |
the world. The Commission recommends
tions were adopted, calling for 81, 100, 900
for this particular branch of the church's |
work next year. Special attention was
called to the fact that the cost of administra-
tion of this board amounts to less than per
cent
Resolutions disapproving of the recent
Chinese legislation by the Government were
referred to a committee.
At the afternoon session the report of the
Seminaries Committee was
first ordered. Chairman Mutchmore read it.
With reference to the Union Seminary,
it stated that in view of the Detroit Assem-
bly,, the retention of Prof Briggs in his
chair must be regarded as not only failure
10 comply with the expressed action of that
but also with an agreement in
the compact of 70, and in view Of this, the
Chair of Biblical Theology is still "de jure"
vacant
The Minority For a Release of the Compact.
Resolutions were also offered that the
Assembly regards the maintenance of the
existing supervision by the General
Assembly of the character of the instruction
are of the Presbyterian Church.
The minority report, signed by Messrs.
Taylor, Baldwin, Strong and Shepard, was
presented. 1t approves the report of the
majority as correct representation OF the |
acts viewed in the light of the last
Interpretation of the Compact
If 10, but expresses the conviction that
'ome relief from the present difficulties
hould be had AS the directors of the Union |
Seminary express desire to be honorably
released from the Compact of 10, the re-
port suggests that 1t be allowed to with
lraw from the compact, and, further, that a |
committee be appointed by this Assembly
o confer with all the theological semi
laries under its supervision touching
heir views of the Compact of 70 and
my new compact that might be devised,
nd to formulate q new compact with |
Jew to happily uniting all the seminaries, {
he same to be submitted to the next Gen
raj Assembly.
The Committee to Be Reformed.
After some debating it was decided to re-
orm the Committee on Theological Semin- 9
ries, and that the committee retire for i
After hearing the re- :
ort OF the Committee on Publication and
unday School Work, the consideration :
the report of the Judiciary Committee :
n the appeal of the Committee on Prosecu-
ion from the action on the New York
'resbytery in dismissing the case of
Dr. Briggs was taken up. There
as a long wrangle over the matter, t
nd motion was finally adopted that an q
our and a half be given each side. A ]
roposition that but one speaker be al