Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-13
THE GREAT ASSEMBLY.
General Program of the Meeting-Matt,
to BE Considered.

General Program of the Meeting-Matters
to BE Considered.
The one hundred and fifth general assembly
of the Presbyterian Church will consist of $50
commissioners from all the different presby-
teries of the church throughout the country
In Nav. 17SS, the first general assembly was
held and at that time it included altogether but
419 congregations. From that small beginning
it has grown until it has become one of the most
powerful of all religious denominations.
In some ways the Washington meeting Of the
general assembly is expected to be the most inn
portant of all that have ever been held in its
more than century of existence. This is on
account of the seriousness of the matters that
will come up for action and discussion. if not
for final settlement. First among all these is
the famous case Of DIR. Briggs of the Union
Seminary, whose trial on the charge of heresv
has occupied SO much of the attention and
time of the presbytery of New York and has
twice before been up before the general assem-
bly,. 1t comes up this time on an appeal from
the presbytery Of New York. 1t might just as
well have been sent to the synod OF that state
as the next in authority above the court APP
pealed FROM but in that event it must still
have come before the general assembly as the
place of last resort, and then, is urged by
those who favor the direct appeal to the assem-
bly,, the synod of New York. comprising up
ward of a fifth part of the entire church, would
have been barred from action upon it.
THE BRIGGS CASE.
The Briggs case is worthy of all the attention
it has received or can receive for it is admitted
by even the most conservative of Presbyterians
that it involves within it principles that are of
vital interest to the life and well being of the
church. When the charges of heresy were first
preferred against Dr. Briggs. who is a profess
sor in the Union Theological Seminary. for his
refusal to admit the divine authenticity of Ger
tam portions of the Scripture, the charges were
referred to the New York presbvterv. That
body dismissed the charges, but the last general
assembly referred the matter back with instruc-
tons to try the case. After "a long trial. that is
still fresh in the minds of the public DR. BRIGGS
was acquitted. The presbytery then appealed
the case to the general assembly for final adiu-
dlcatlon. The vote by which an acquittal was
reached was close one and 1t was decided to
be best to leave such a matter to the general as
semDly as the court OF last report. If it goes
back to the synod this year and is decided there
the chances are that it will be appealed again
by one side or the other to the general as
sembly.
Besides the case of DR.. Briggs there are
other matters that are of almost canal i'm
portance that must be acted upon bv the gem
eral assembly. Among these are the Question
OF the revision of the articles of faith and the
seminary question.
THE GENERAL PROGRAM.
The sessions of the general assembly will be
held in the New York Avenue PRESBYTERIAN
Church. They will last probably for twelve
days, as that is the customary time.
There are to be sessions In the morn
IN and Afternoon. and if it becomes
evident that this will not give enough time to
finish up all the business that must be attended
to then the evenings will be utilized for the
purpose. As q rule, however the evenings
VIII be devoted to holding meetings of special
character and devoted to special objects, such
as the matter of home and foreign missions,
church extension and erection. education and
temperance and affairs of that sort
The program for the sessions has not yet been