The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-19
BRIGGS ON THE WAY.
Famous Presbyterian Hereto
to Face His Accusers.
THE ASSEMBLY MEETS TODAY
fortiand Crowded With Churchmen-
important Questions to BE Con.
sidered by the Delegates.

%.
ing 10 lay before the general assembly re-
,ati"S 70 the seminary's attitude in the
Drlggs case and its own future standing.
PORTLAND, May ls.-The 10th session of
the general assembly of the PRESBYTERIAN
church Oh the United States. which is to
commence in this city tomorrow, will be
one OF the most important in the history
VI the church. Various questions are to
come up which are of vital importance to
number of interests Each session of
.he assembly is opened by a sermon by
the retiring moderator This year it
should have been delivered by Professor
William Henry Green. of Princeton, who
mas been detained by illness. The form of
government provides that in the absence
OF the last moderator 'some other minister
shall open the meeting with sermon, and
PRESIDE until new moderator is
chosen" The plan to be pursued
THIS year IS not in strict accord
with the rule, for Dr. Green has pre
pared a sermon which is read by
DIR. William H. Roberts, the stated clerk.
whiie the "other minister" who is to pre-
side, is the oldest commissioner in attend.
ance, Rev. J. G. Riheldoffer, d. D., of
Redwood Falls, MINI. This is a contin-
gency which has rarely if ever occurred
before.
The preliminary question to be settled
IS VINO shall be moderator. Various men
nave been discussed and their qualifica-
tlons and predictions canvassed. Among
those named are DR.. s. ]. Mcpherson, of
Chicago. and DR.. Mutchmore, of Philadel-
phla, but by many it is not believed that
either of them will stand for election. The
names more prominently mentioned are
those of DR.. Young. of Center college,
kentucky, and DR.. Wallace Radcliffe, of
Detroit, in whose church the as
sembly was held last year and
who won golden opinions at that
time. sDr. Young is said to be related
intimately with one of the Princeton
faculty, and it is supposed that the ex-
tremists will stand by him. DR.. Radcliffe
is conservative in theology, Prlncetonian
In training and man of varied accom-
plishments and of great executive ability.
lie IS well known on account of his labors
in Pennsylvania and Michigan, and
through his excellent work of last year.
Another man has also been mentioned in
this connection as a special representative
OF the Pacific coast, Rev. William Alexan-
der, ID, OF the presbytery of Benicia. Cal.
lie is conservative of the conservatives
and professor in San Francisco Theolog-
ical seminary. He will draw his support,
If nominated, from the Pacific coast but
he labors under the disadvantage of not
having been considered and canvassed
during the long overland journey.
One OF the questions to come up is that
as to the relations of the Union Theolog-
ical seminary, of New York, to the as
sembly. This will be brought up on the
report of the conference committee ap-
pointed year ago. and on the report of
the seminary directors. 1t is rumored
that request will be made that all rela-
tions be severed. and in fact one synod of
the church has overturned the assembly to
cut the seminary off any way. There is
general feeling that if such request is
made it ought to be granted, but as yet no
one can say what the result will be- The
question is complicated by the fact that
active discussion is in progress affecting
the relations of the two other seminaTies
to the church, and it is in their power to
dissolve their relations with the general
assembly by the mere appeal of a bylaw.
This is a consideration which may influ-
ence the assembly to more moderation of
spirit than that which was exhibited at
Detroit.
Another question to come up is con-
nected with the appeal of the committee
of prosecution of the presbytery of New
York in the case of Professor Briggs.
Upon this question there is a very de-
cided conflict of opinion. But it is mat
ter much broader than the case of DIR.
Briggs, tor it involves the decision of i'm
portant constitutional problems. Alb
stractly an appeal may be taken to the
assembly over the head of the synod of
New York, but such course is unusual
and is open to grave objections. The mat
ter hinges upon the questions whether the
motion to dismiss the case of DR.. Briggs
in the presbyterv OF New York was q final
decision in a judicial case, and whether a
committee of prosecution is invested with
| the power to appeal. These are technical
| question which will be argued at length.
| The answer of either of them in the mega
| tive will throw the case out of court, and
| the matter will have to be made very plain
| in order to secure such judgment. At the
| same time the decision will have to be in
| strict accord with the letter of the consti-
| tuition of the. church. or the question may
| be carried into the civil courts for adiudi-
| cation 1t may be assumed that there
| will be much careful study of the consti-
/ tutional questions involved, and that a con-
| clusion will be reached satisfactory to the
| church at large. in spite of the extreme
| claim of some that the assembly is the
! supreme court of the church and as
such the maker of its own laws and amen
! able to no other power. But this claim
| can scarcely he made seriously. If the
| constitution recognizes the power of a
| presbvterv to dismiss n case without
| thereby rendering a final decision in a
technical sense, the case of the appellants
is gone. The assembly. however. may
| send the whole case back 10 the presbytery
of New York, or il may refer appeal 10 the
| next lower court, the synod OF New
| York. 1t is idle to speculate upon the
final view Of the assembly. for as yet no
| oprortunitv has been presented TO canvass
| the views of the commissioners, but il
NAV ne assumed that the discussion has
| heen active on the trains during the long
| ion-ney westward.
| The third question of general interest is
| that az revision OF the Confession of Faith.
| The final report OF the committee on re
| vision is TO be presented this year and the
| n-ohleru 70 be solved is whether the assem-
| Div will adopt il as 1t stands and send il
| down 10 the preshyter:es for adoption OF
| rs;ertion as whole or. in Difference 10 the
| strong objections OF some influential men
| and n-eshvteries refer it back 10 the com
| niittee for further consideration In some
| Quarters the revised confession to be re
| na-ted is as unsatisfactory as the old, and
| much will derend upon the temper OF the