The herald., 1893-05-27
THE APPEAL ENTERTAINED.
DR.. Briggs Will Be Tried
Again for Heresy.
The General Assembly Takes a
Vote on the Question.
1t Is Decided 409 to 145 Against
the Alleged Heretie.
Exciting Scenes During the Debate-The
Defendant Bitterly Denounced by
Some of the Venerable Doc
tors of Divinity.

w ''a01A4At0AS-t3 4tAOJ 6Os-4)I u NObC VI
90 to 145 the Presbyterian general as
sembly this afternoon declined to enter
tain the appeal in the case OF DR.. Briggs,
and the assembly will proceed with the
trial tomorrow morning. Roll call on
the resolution was taken amidst almost
painful silence, during which the de.
fendant watched with feverish anxiety
the progress OF the vote. All over the
house and in the galleries the vote was
followed intently. While the roll was
being called, Moderator Craig yielded
the chair to ex-Moderator William @.
Roberts, D. D., and himself voted
''aye."
Throughout the long debate of the
morning there were many evidences of
feeling and several of the speakers took
advantage of the opportunity to arraign
the defendant, shake their fingers stern
ly at him and otherwise express their
condemnation.
AS one brother expressed it, "They
forgot for the time being that they were
members of court OF Jesus Christ"
1t was an interesting spectacle and a
scene never to be forgotten.
CHANGES IN COMMITTEES.
At the request OF Rev. DR.. Nicolls Of
st. Louis and Elder Pershing, on the
reassembling of the general assembly
this morning, they were retired from
the judicial commission in the case and
Rev. r. w. Reynolds of Minnesota and
Elder Law OF California appointed in
their places. Rev. Hoyt was added to
the committee to visit President Cleve-
land on the matter OF traffic in firearms
in the Western Pacific.
THE BRIGGS CASE TAKEN UP.
The main question. ssShall the appeal
by the New York presbytery to the gen.
eral assembly direct, instead OF first 60.
ing to the synod, be entertained p was
then taken up.
DR.. Ketchum of New Jersey favored
sending the case back to the synod, and
said at the end of the debate he would
make motion to that effect.
Elder McDougsll of Cincinnati stated
that by an arrangement with the chair
man of the judiciary committee, he was
charged with the duty of opening in
support of the motion to entertain the
appeal, and took the platform.
storm OF protests arose against this,
led by Herrick johnson of Chicago.
McDougall was allowed to proceed.
Elder McDougall referred to certain
remarks which Briggs made in his own
defense, and said he offered, If the case
wac sent back to the synod, to waive a
constitutional right.
NO" said Briggs. interrupting.
"Ah, | thought so," said McDougall
tfXCft mi hor l. L. i
and then you will insist on all the con-
stitutional rights that you can think
Of"
The elder continued in a bitter strain
and now and then q murmur of sur
prise swept over the assembly.
BRIGGS MAKES A BRIEF REPLY.
Briggs asked for moment to reply to
McDougall, amidst cries OF mo, no, y
and Hear him."
Briggs was given one minute, and ex-
planned that he had not offered to waive
any constitutional rights, but said he
would leave the settlement of those
rights to the decision of the synod.
DR.. Fulton of Philadelphia was per-
sonally sure, although the assembly
might have a majority in favor of trying
the case here, that public opinion was
overwhelmingly against such course.
DR.. Hays of Danville, Ky, made a
strong argument in favor of present con-
sideration of the case.
DIR. Heinrich Johnson of Chicago said
the only Interpretation of the church
was to send it back to the New York
synod.
DIR. McGaw of Toledo said the uues-
tion was what course should be taken to
secure peace at the earliest moment; ;
that course was surely to send it to the
synod.
Elder Thomas Kane of Chicago favored
sending the case to the synod.
Elder Hinckley of Philadelphia dis
cussed the views held by DR.. Briggs and
denounced them.
Rev. Thomas @. Hall OF Chicago made
an earnest appeal in behalf of DR..
Briggs
Elder Cutcheon of Detroit was the first
speaker of the afternoon. He ie one of
Professor Briggs's warm supporters and
insisted that the case should be coneid-
cred on the single question of appeal,
The venerable DR.. Dufield OF Princeton
college said he had great personal ap-
probation of the scholarship and Chris
tian character of DIR. Briggs. If his
logical faculties we're equal to his schol-
arship, he did not know his equal in the
intellectual world Of America, at least.
A SENSATIONAL SCENE.
When DR.. Duffield had finished the
most sensational scene of the day in the
assembly ensued. In the course of the
venerable DOCTORS remarks his state
ment of DR.. Briggs's teachings was
questioned by several commissioners.
and the professor himself gave utterance
to an expression which could not be
understood by the reporters. But. as
DR.. Duffield stepped down, he came al
most into direct contact with Professor
Briggs, who with flashing eyes had
sprung to his feet demanding to be
heard.
A storm OF dissent and cries of "nrdar,,