Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-01

Union Seminary, entered and prepared
himself for the days session.
THE TRIAL UNDER WAY.
began. Four and half hours we're
allowed the appellants to open and close
the case.
Dir. Briggs was allowed seven hours to
reply, and the New York Presbytery, from
whose Judgment tine appeal was taken,
were assigned the two hours to be used in
10'minutcs speeches.
RECESS UNTIL AFTERNOON.
Al 1880 p. m, DR.. Lnmpe who opened
sthe case for the prosecution, having con-
sumed two hours and quarter of his al
lotted time, yielded to motion for recess
and the proceedings were suspended until
80 p, m.
WAsHIHGToN, May 30.-One of the laity,
Elder Kctchum of New York, conducted
religious exercises at the opening of the
Presbyterian General Assembly this morn
ing, At $50 Moderator Craig opened the
business session with prayer.
The report of the committee on The
ChaIfh Al Home and ibroad the church's
missionary organ, was approved and the
recommendations OF the committee
adopted
The Rev. w. C. Magnes Of Mt. Morris
to the fact that this was Decoration Day,
and gave notice that he would ask the
moderator at some convenient point i'll the
proceedings to entertain q motion that Is
minutes be given to an appropriate recog-
milton of the day, by the singing of the
national hymn, prayer, or remarks
The moderator said he would bear in
mind the suggestion, and then convened
the Assembly as court, announcing that
the body is about to pass to the CON
sideratlOn of the business assigned for
trial. and to enjoin on the members to
recollect and regard their high character
as judges Of a court of Jesus Christ and
the solemn duty in which they are about
to act"
DR.. Briggs then, at go O clock, resumed
his argument in defence OF the charges
made against him.
DR.. Briggs occupied all the balance of
the morning session, going over sub,
stantially the same ground argued before
the New York Presbytcry. He was heard
without interruption or incident Of mo-
ment.
WAsHINGToN, May 3l.-Before proceed
| ing TO vote to-day upon the question Of
sustaining the appeal from the Judgment
Of the New York Ercsbytery in the case of
| Professor Briggs, the merits of which they
| had been considering the past Two days,
the commissioners of the General Assem-
| bly, OF the Presbyterian Church engaged
| i'll Il half hduf devotion.
| DIR. Briggs was absent. His faithful and
! devoted wife, however, occupied hen ac-
| customed place in the north gallery. di-
| rcctly over the space upon which, for the
| past few days the eyes of the Presbyter-
ian Church had been focused.
| After an opening prayer and the reading
of the minutes, Moderator Craig, at go
| Il. IN, convened the Assembly into court,
| and the last stage but one of the famous
| case OF Professor Briggs was entered upon,
Fifteen minutes were exhausted in Il de-
| sllltory discussion OF the order of proceed
| ure, the result of which was that the
| Assembly ordered the roll to be called. The
| commissioners as called were to give their
reasons ior their votes speeches to he
! limited to three minutes. While this pre-
limlnarg was being settled Dir. Driggs
| quietly came in and took his seat.
Under the call of the roll, the Rev ID.
y. Freeland OF the East Florida Presby-
terry, was the first to respond lie had a
deep regard for the hunored professor lie
said, who was a memberof his own parish,
but he could moi side with him III his
claim that the Bible was errant. He held
10 the old creed, and ii the truG blue flag
must 80 down he would go down with it.
Mr Erceland was followed by the Rev,
j. L, Smith OF Baltimore, who expressed
an intention Of sustaining the appeal.
DR., l.eftwich OF Baltimore said the ap,
peal should be sustained because the Pres
bytcry acquitted Professor Briggs Of the
charge Of error upon charge which he
had frankly and freely ayowed before this
Assembly, that of errancy' in the original
text OF scripture.
The Rev. j. ). Honk Of New Castle
Presbytery and the Rev. joseph I. Kelly
OF Washington City Presbytery said they
vote to sustain the appeal.
The Rev. Anthony j. Junkin of Los
| Angeles, said every doubt had been
| scattered to the wind by the admissions of
4 tine defendant. His error in the speaker 5
opinion, was the doctrine of naturalism,
out Of which grew most OF the errors now
aitlictlng the church.
Elder William Il. II. Hamilton Of Oak
! land l'resbytery said he had come to
! Washington absolutely unpreiudiced, but
| he was afraid the church would be in an
uncertain condition if the appeal were not
! sustained.
The burden of the remarks of the Rev.
j. n. Newell of san jose Presbytery was
that if DIR. Briggs We're sustained every
| preacher, professor and sunday school
teacher would be privileged to preach any
| views he pleased.
The Rev. d. J. Sanders of Catawba,
| n. O., Presbytery, was the first colorcd
minister who spoke. He said careful
i
could not do otherwise than vote to stls-
tain the appeal.
The Reys. William II. Single of Canton
and Gilbert Reid OF Shantung, both Of the
synod Of China. spoke in favor oil not
sustaining the appeal. Mr.. Reid CON
cilicd his remarks with the question. If
pr. Briggs is a hereto, where Is the Prince
ton theology Laughter. He found
no great difference, he said, between the
views of Dir. Briggs ana other teachers Of
Presbyterian doctrine.
DIR. BRIGGS GOT TIRED AND LEFT.
Shortly before noon, when Kansas had
been reached in the call OF SynodS the
moderator arose and said "Dr. Briggs is
very weary OF these proceedings and he
has asked that he he excused by the moder.
ator from further attendance as n party.
chCcrfllily grant his request.
Dr.. Briggs then lett the church amid a
buzz from the galleries. He looked tired
and seemed glad to get away.
ROLL CALL UNFINISHED At RECESS.
In the midst of the roll call, the General
| Assembly, at l2.30 O'Clock took its Gus
tomary recess until 80 r. M, The prob
ability now is that the linal vote will not
be reached until the evening session.
pyyE, IR EyTnEN II S.nErc EIsHTya.