The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-06-08
PROF. BRIGGS CONDEMNED.
The Appeal .f the New York Prtsbytery
Sustained

a WASHINGTON, May 81 In the Pre-
# bytcrlan General Assembly this morl
ii ing, alter tho opening devotions, fiftee
minutes were exhausted in a desultOr
t discussion OF the order OF procedure. tl
e result of which was that the Assembl
0 ordered, with an evident confusion an
4 lack OF understanding of Just what the
, were doing, the roll to be called. Tn
commissioners, as called, were to Civ
= the reasons for their votes. and tb,
speeches were to be limited To tire,
minutes.
This soon became monot1n0us ant
lrGsomc, and shortly before noon, when
Kansas ha" been reached in the call oi
NVnods, the moderator arose aud said:
| DE. briggs IS very weary Of this pros
: cecdIng and he has asked that he be
excused hV the moderator from further
attendance" as a party. chccrtully
grant his request"
a buzz lr"m TIVE galleries. lie looked
trrd and sal, and seemed glad TO ret
away.
AS there seems to be, even in the best
Informed quarters. some confusion as Lu
the present position Of the Briggs case
and the exact question before tho Cen
erai Assembly, Il sucCinct statement of
The position may be OF interest. Under
The rules II the church governing trial
such "A" the present, there are four par
llcA having right to he heard, viz: First,
lhc prosecution, which IN this case IS
the appellant; second, the defense.
Whlc' III thus case IS thc appellee, DR..
! brlGGH; thlrd, the commissioners TO the
General AS Cmbly from the judicatory,
whose ludgnanL IS being appealed from,
| which IN this case is the Presbytcry Of
New \ 0rk; fourth, members of the supe-
rior .ludicatorV trying The appeal, which
IS the General Assembly.
lhc first three parties have been
hcard, The fourth is now having its in-
nin"S. Ih0 General Assembly Is call.
ing the roll 10y Synod3 and those who de.
sire 10 be beard are making three minute
Sp""rhrS. Ii is cuuivo!rnt ~ Il CONSUL.
'"Ilon ntn"n% judges or jurors, which.
ever one may please 10 cali tic commits.
SiOncr$.
AZ thc recess To-Day twO-iith OF tn
NNn"d3 had been called and had OK
pressed their Opinions, and had occupied
TWO hours ana bait III so doug. When
u" roll Is completed the next siep will
DC Tie presentation Cl the motion to the
tt"uS", 'Shall the appeal be sustaincd?D
lhrlG are i've grounds Of aupt al and
thirty-Iour specifications. Each or these
specifications will be voted upon sinuly.
AT the end OF tlo voting OH these the
roll Wit be called upon the general uues-
ton, 'S!iall the appeal be sustuinea?n
| Should the appeal be not sustained,
HE voting on the specifications will 90
lor naughL. Should il be sustained, H.
VIII he equivalent to Al verdict OF Huilt Y
AGAINST )r. briggs. y committee will
lhen be appointed to prepare Il minute
Tor Submission to the General Assembly
| prescribing the punishment to be mctcd
cut. There are five things the General
Assembly can do in such Il case: They
can admonish; rGhukc; suspend; dcpose
hlm from the ministcry; or they can ex.
| pei hlm from the church. In case of
conviction, one OF the three last courses
| IS Ikc!Y to be followed. Some OF the
delc"at"s hope 10 cut the voting short
hy resting the dc cision upon the general
question, 'Shall the appeal be sus.
thlleo?" but Of this there is not much |
likelihood, SO far as canssbe judge at pres
cnt.
Al $40 tonight the voting beuan |
upon thc first specification, in substan &c,
lhaL the Irc"bytcry OF New YORK, on |
ohlccu"nS made Ivy Dr. Briggs, required |
TIC prosecuting committee TO amend |
thc amended charges and specifications |
ny striking out charge !. The sDcCiliCa-
llon was sustained by vote of 2S2 TO |
l?o. This vote showed that the attend |
ahcc was seVrnLy-ScVcn less than the |
number present when the vote was |
taken Friday on sustaining the apDeal, |
the Vrlc on which vas 4O5 ayes. Iii |
nave.