Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-06-10

4 W aShnStOn, May 3l.-Ihe general as
semDly began voting on the Briggs
heresy case this morning and will prob
ably reach Il result before the adjourn
ment Of the session this evening. The
voting proceeds very slowly, as each
member is allowed three minutes i'll
which to give his reasons for casting
his vote. DR.. Briggs evidently feels
very much disheartened ut the outlook
and shortly before noon asked and re-
ceiYed permission TO retire from the
church. Kansas had been reached on
/ the role call when Moderator Craig in
terupted the proceedings to say:
DR.. Briggs is very weary Of this
proceeding and he has asked that he be
excused by the moderator from further
Attendance as party l cheerfully
grant his request
/ DR.. Briggs then left the church amid
a buzz from the galleries. He looked
tired and sad, and seemed glad to get
away.
! The proceedings were preceded by
/ half hours devotion, led by Rev. A.
Nelson Hallifield, of New Jersey, who
gave an exposition of the eighth chap
ter of Romans, the chapter describing
the interceSsion of the holy spirit. While
this exercise was in progress the princi-
pal actors in the trial drawing to it's
close made their appearance. The first
to appear were Messrs. Birch, Lampe
and McCoOk, of the prosecuting commit
tee; then came Moderator Craig and
Or. Baker, chairman Of the judicial
committee, who were just in time for
the last prayer and hymn; lastly, be-
fore the expiration Of the hour, came
Professor Francis Brown, the last friend
of the defendant. DR.. Frazier did not
take his accustomed place at the table
set apart for DR.. Briggs friends, and
the defendant himself was absent. His
faithful and devoted wife, however,
occupied her accustomed place in the
north gallery, directly over the space
npon which for these last few days the
eyes of the Presbyterian church has
been focused.
After an opening prayer and the
reading of the minutes, Moderator
Craig at $3.50 a. II. convened the as
scmbly into court, and the last stage
but one of the famous case of Profess
sor Briggs was entered upon The
commissioners, rs called, gave the rea-
sons for their votes, the speeches being
limited to three minutes While this
preliminary was being settled DR.. Briggs
quietly came in and took his seat
Under the call of the roll Rev. d. ~
Freeland, of the East Florida presby-
terry, was the first to respond He had
deep regard for the honOred profess
sor, he said, who was member Of his
own parish, but he could not side with
him in his claim that the Bible was err
rant He held to the old creed ond if
the true blue flag must so down he
would go down with it.
Mr. Freeland was followed by Rev
a. T. Smith, Of Baltimore, who ex-
pressed an intention Of sustaining the
appeal.
DR.. Leftwich, Of Baltimore, said the
appeals had been sustained because the
presbytery acquitted Professor Briggs
Of the charge Of error upon a charge
which he had frankly and freely
avowed before this assembly, that of
errancy in the original text of scripture.
Elder Purnell, of Baltimore, said if
the assembly indorsed Professor Briggs
1t would be entering upon strange
course, with a nationalist for a helms
man, bound for a no-man's-land. He
preferred the old ship of Zion upon
which to set sail for heaven
Rev John S Houk, of New Castle
preSbytery, and Rev. Joseph T. Kelly,
Of Washington City presbytery, said
they would vote TO sustain the appeal
Rev Anthony c. Juukin, Of Los An
geles, Cal, said every doubt had been
scattered to the wind by the admissions
of the defendant His error, in the
speakers opinion. was the doctrine of
naturalism, out f which grew most
Of the errors now affecting the church.
Rev. John r. Hopkins, also of Los An
geles presbytery, said he was obliged to
vote to sustain the appeal on account
of threatened disruption, and Professor
John VI. Coyner, of the same presby-
terry, said he would do the same. Elder
William III. H. Hamilton, of Oakland
presbytery, said he had come to Wash
ington absolute unprejudiced, but he
was afraid the church would be in an
uncertain condition II the appeal were
not sustained The burden Of the re-
marks OF Rev. j. w. Newell. If San
lose preshytery was that If Or. Briggs
was sustained every preacher, pro
fes>or and sunday school teacher
would be privileged to preach any views
7e pleased.
Rev. u. J. Sanders. Of Catawbac
~. a. presbytery. was the first colored
minister who spoke He said a careful
study OF the case showed him that he
could not do otherwise than vote to suS-
tain the appeal Captain Jocks, of san
Jose said that all over the land there
wer, Young ministers from Union Sem
mary stepped in the fearful doctrine
f4r1arhr nv Dr 7 -i-lsS If the DrnfpSSOr