The herald., 1893-05-28
BRIGGS TRIAL DELAYED.
More Time Needed to Get
Ready for 1t.
Action in the Case Postponed
Till Monday.
The Geary Law Denounced by the
General Assembly.
A Protest Against the Act Filed with the
Secretary of State-The Episcopal
Church Dubbed the Back
Door to Rome.
By the Associated press.l

WASHINGTON, May 27.--At the open
ingof the Presbyterian general assembly
this morning the chairman of the judici-
ary committee announced that it had
been unable to get ready for the trial of
Professor Briggs at such short notice,
and asked that it be put over till Mon
day morning. The request was
agreed to.
The postponement is said to be largely
due to the inability of the parties to de-
eide upon the time they shall ask to pre-
sent their case.
The leading feature of the morning
session wa bitter attack on the Epis-
copal church by Rev. N. A. Hollitield OF
New Jersey, incidental to the discussion
of the report on church unity. He de-
clared that the Episcopal church was
the "back door to Rome" An express
sion OF regret at this by another delegate
was applsuded.
The question of the Geary law was
then taken up as q special order, and
discussed till the midday adjournment.
At the afternoon session the assembly
adopted resolutions declaring the Geary
law in contravention of the treaty OBJ
legations and in violation of the funda-
mental principles OF our government,
and urging its repeal. Copies were Or
dered sent to congress and committee
appointed to present them to the presi-
dent.
Rev. DR.. W. @. Young of Kentucky
read report with reference to an
overture from GAINESVILLE presbytery on
the part women may take in public pro-
miscuous assemblies. The committee
reported that it regarded all the
prohibitions OF the Bible still in
| force, but recommended that all such
| questions be left to the discrimination OF
| the pastors. Adopted.
In regeFEah fa t1Jt the 9yssytHre L! looking &c to to
committee recommend that no action
be taken. Adopted.
Rev. DR.. Joseph T. Smith of Balti-
more, chairman OF the committee on
| church unity, recited the progress made
| in the conferedce with the Episcopal
commission, stating that while organic
unity could not now be expected, there
was basis OF cooperation upon which
they could work.
DIR. Harsha, from the committee on
church polity, reported action on num-
Der OF overtures. With regard to two of
them, recommending revision of the
book of discipline so as to define and
limit the authority of the prosecuting
committee, it recommended, in view Of
| the present condition of the church,
that 1T was not advisable to legislate on
these subjects at the present time.
| Agreed to.
DR.. Young, from the committee on
| Dllls and overtures, reported on over
lures from 67 presbyteries, requesting
| the preparation of a new, short form of
the confession of faith and other revis-
ionary authorization, unanimously rec
ommending that the matter be post
poned in view OF the recent action of
| the presbyteries not to legislate on these
| subjects at present. Adopted.
The report of the committee on sys-
| tematic benefcence stated that fears
felt in some quarters that the disturb
ances in the church over judicial trials
would injuriously affect the benevo-
lences of the denomination, had, fortu-
nately, not been realized.
The condition of all the boards was
most satisfactory. The total receipts
for the past year were $2,799, ,562, a net
increase of $17S,765 over the previous
year. This was high-water mark in the
history of the benevolences of the Pres
byterian church. The report was re-
ceived and adopted.
DR.. Young, chairman of the commit
tee on bills and overtures, submitted
recommendations for consideration in
answer to overtures from the presbv-
teries of Newark and st. Louis, with
reference to the deliverance of the last
assembly on the inspiration of the holy
scriptures. 4
The committee appointed to wait
upon the president in relation to the
enforcement of the Geary exclusion law,
reported at the evening session through
Elder Cutcheon. He stated that as the
committee learned that it would he i'm
possible to have an interview with the
president next Tuesday, it was deemed
better to send communication to Sec
retary Gresham, respectfully directing
his attention to the deep interest and
concern felt by the members of the
churches for the welfare of their minis
ters laboring in the mission field in
China, and saying: Information re-
ceived from our representatives in that
country leads us to believe that they
may be in peril of their lives, and we
therefore pray that every possible pro-
vision be made to insure their safety in
case this danger is realized"
The assembly voted authority to the
committee to forward the communica-
ton to the secretary of state.
The report OF the committee on young
peoples societies, presented several
days ago, WAS discussed and then
adopted.
Upon motion 10 continue the COM
mittee DIR. Young delivered a blow at
the practice of continuing committees
which seemed to strike the popular cord
and substitute proposing vote of
thanks was adopted unanimously.
Consideration of the report of the COM
mittee on home missions was then re-
suned. The question under DISCUSSES
was whether the board should be in
structed to pay missionaries monNhly
instead of quarterly.
The result was that the matter waa "