The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-24

% IRn11c Rev. Booth of
protest against an obvious attempt to
influence the judiciary committee by
pouring in upon it these overtures for
and against the case.
Professor Brown, Briggs co-laborer
and sympathizer, said: 'sWe have the
right to know the sentiment of the church
upon any subject before it, and the only
proper way to secure knowledge of that
sentiment is through committees of the
assembly,"
DR.. Herrick johnson of Mccormick
theological seminary, Chica go, one of the
foremost Briggs leaders in the body,
spoke briefly and Rev. Thomas G. Hall OF
Chicago said:
The presidents and practices in civil
courts have no weight with us. No court
would have taken up the prosecution OF
an innocent man. Ecclesiastical prece-
right OF petition. 1t is the right every
citizen possesses. Applause. The rec
ommendation of the committee was fin
ally adopted by decisive vote in the ma
jority.
The report of the committee on home
missions was read and adopted.
EX-Moderator Smith, president of the
United Christian commission, organized
for work in connection with the United
States army, submitted a statement to the
effect that the commission must discour-
age enlistment of the sons of Christian
families into the army unless some safe
guards now lacking are thrown around
them. Gambling in the army is not pro-
hibited either by law or regulation, and
is encouraged by the example of older
officers and soldiers; the post canteen af-
fords unrestricted opportunity for and in
ducement to drink. i he architecture OF
the barracks places Christian soldiers at
fearful disadvantage, exposing them to
the vice and indecensies of unreligious
members of the rank and file. Sunday
work is not called for by any exigency,
still it is required by army authorities.
Religious teachers in the army, for the
benefit of soldiers, do not receive ap-
prevail or consideration Of the authorities;
in fact, they are discouraged. The COM
mission recommends that the army orders
of August 9th last, on this subject, be re-
voked, and chaplains be appointed for
every regiment. The recommendations
of the committee were approved and the
report received.
The special order for the afternoon ses-
sion was the report OF the judicial COM
mittee in the Briggs case. Immediately
after the opening prayer DR.. Baker,
bly, as follows: 81 earnestly hoped
but one report would be pre-
scented by our committee, but in
this have been disappointed; but shall
we not all resolve that whatever be the
decision finally reached we will as loyal
Presoyterians abide faithfully by the de-
cision? Let US resolve that we will sternly
frown upon and utterly discountenance
any suggestion, from whatever quarter it
may come, of schiSm or division in our
dear church,
The majority report finds that the ap-
peal and specifications of error alleged
were filed in due time and su bmit resolu-
tions that the appeal be entertained and
three hours be allotted to the hearing and
one and half hours to each party and
the assembly then vote upon the resolu-
ton that appeal be entertained by the
general assembly and the case proceed to
trial in accordance with the provisions Of
the book of discipline. The report is
signed by Baker, chairman, Duffield,
Hays, Leftwich, Maxwell, Sanders, Pea
cocock, Randall, Green, McDougall,
Pershing, Fulton, Cummings, Graydon,
Orr.
DIR. Baker also presented a supplement
tai report giving the principal reasons
which influenced the committee in reach
ing the conclusions.
The minority report was read by S. j.
Nichols of st. Louis. He said he knew
that in making the minority report he
and his associates were under suspicion
already as appearing to oppose the ap-
peal. This was not their attitude. They
were not antagonizing the claim OF power
in the assembly to entertain the appeal.
The minority report recommends that the
majority report be amended by substitute
ing the following:
ssWe find the appeal in order and re-
commend that parties be heard in ac-
cordance with the provisions OF the book
of discipline. We ask this for the fol-
lowing reasons: The majority report
pre-judges the appeal by advising the as
sembly to do what the book of discipline
says shall be determined only after the
parties have been heard. This report
was signed by Messrs. Stebbins and
Nichols.
The majority report fixed for assembly
the very form OF verdict which it was
asked to reach. This the minority
thought was not regular nor lawful. The
minority did not deem it proper to pre-
Judge the cases, and therefore refrained
from bringing in their individual opinions
to influence the assembly. That the
case should not be entertained was then
adopted, when motion to pass second
resolution limiting debate to three hours
was offered. When Mr.. Cutcheon, of De-
troit, moved to strike out the limitation.
At this point DR.. Brigg arose to ad-
dress the assembly, and Immediately he
and the moderator engaged in an animated
colloquy upon his right to be heard.
Briggs finally yielded and then the mod
orator said:
81 would suggest, in the interest of
brotherly kindness and peace
Say, justice, +" exclaimed a voice from
the gallery which was said to be that of
Henry Preserved Smith of Cincinnati.
"You wait" retorted Moderator
Craig. 'sDon' you put words into my
mouth. speak for brotherly kindness
and peace, which are higher than justice,
for out of them comes justice. -
The moderator then announced that in
accord with the book of government the
assembly would be turned into judicial
court of the Lord Jesus Christ, and fol-
lowing the rules called for reading of