Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-02
BRIGGS'S SENTENCE.
SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE AS 4
MINISTER or THE CHURCH.
Reports a. 20 Lane and Union ssminasiea
Teaching Professors Smith and
BrIggs-Asssmbiy Dissolution
IBy telegraph to the Dispasch.l

[Byteicsraph TO the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON. d. c., June 1.-Whon the Pres
byterian General Assembly convened - . court
at $50 O'Clock there was notable decrease Ia
the attendance. both on tho floor and In the
galleries. last nights vote having been the c'i-
max OF the meeting Of tho assembly. Tho NOM
befs OF The Prosecuting Committee we're In their
accustomed places. but Professor Briggss party
was represented BY Professor Francis Brown
alone.
The moderator first announced the committee
the appointments OF which was authorized last
night, TO formulate minute expressing the
sense OF the assembly As 10 the voto taken upon
the appeal from the Judgment OF tho New York
Presbytery. by vote OF the assembly Rov.
Thomas A. Hoyt, u. d., OF Philadelphia, was
made chairman. The other members arc as
follows: Ministers-H. W. Congdon. OF Now
York: James II. Broo,es. Missouri; Calvin w.
Stewart, Nebraska; w. w. Hafsha, Nebraska:
J. J. Lucas, Indiana; George ID. Baker, Penn
sylvania: Il. 7. Whallon, Indiana. and Thomas
ID. Ewing, Iowa. Elders-John Ran folph, Balti-
more: Thomas McDougali, Ohio; DAVID Jacks,
California; Edward L. Green, New jersey;
James A. Curry. Kentucky, aud f. ID. War'elc,
Pennsylvania. The committee we're given leave
TO retire for consultation, and the assembly as
court adjourned to DO reconvened at the call Oh
the moderator. .
The assembly then resumed consideration Of
legislative business. Chairman Baker, OF the Ju-
dicial Committee, reported upon the complaint
against the Synod OF Pennsylvania which was
not sustained by the committee and the report
was adopted.
Al 1910 the General Assembly took recess
till 2:30 =. NJ, previously adopting the report oil
the Committee on Bills and 0vertures reanirn-
ing the aehverance of the assembly OF 1897 on
tie Inspiration OF the Holy scriptures-
The PROFESSOR IEsEc0ScfLABLE.
At the afternoon session Of the Presbyterian
Assembly Moderator Craig convened the Assem- =
bly, as a court TO hear the report OF the commit-
tee appointed to prepare the explanatory min
ute in the Briggs case.
Rev. Mr. Hoyt, chairman OF the committee,
before making the report. called upon Dr
Baker. chairman OF q subcommittee sent 70 in-
terviow Professor Briggs In spirit OF copciIa-
ton, to report the result OF that interyies. Or.
Baker said the committee had hoped that Pro-
fessor Briggs would say something which might
relieve the tension OF the present distressing
situation. But this hope had not been realized.
Professor Briggs stated his irrevocable deter
mination TO abide by the declarations made IN
his address before tho assembly In hts defence,
and to continue TO teach the doctrines there
ayowed.
gave him the following autograph letter:
"WAsuINGToN, ID. c., June 1, 1898.
"Hep. George Baker. Chairman, ETC.:
my Dear Sir,-In accordance with your re-
quest hereby state that your committee called
upon me and asked me II had anything TO say
to them rospocting tho disposition Ol INC Case
~ therenpon said that adhered TO all tho
positions taken before the General Assembly and
had nothing further to cay save that the appel
lee reserves all rights and that the General As
sembiy should take the exclusive responsibility
for any further action. c. A. BRIGGS"
Whereupon DR.. Baker said tho committee took
the acton which Mr.. Hoyt would now report 20
the assembly.
THE JUDGMENT.
Tho report. after recitlng the proceedings In
the case, proceeds
ThIs itidicatory ENDS that said final Judgment
OF the Presby OF New York Is erroneous and
should be and Is hereby reversed, ana this Ten.
eral Assembly. sitting as iudicatory In sara
case, coming now TO enter Judgment on SAID
amended charges, finds the appellee, Charles A:
Briggs, has uttered, taught, and propagated
views, doctrines, and teachings rs SET iorth IN
charges contrary TO an essential doctrine OF
Holy Scripture and the standards OF said Pres-
byterian Church In the United States OF America
aud IN violation Of the ordination vow OF SAID ap-
pelee, which said erroneous views and doctrines
strike at the vitals OF religion ana have oceu m
dustriously spread: wherefore, this General AS.
sembly of the Presbyterian Church In the United
States of Amer lea, sitting rs Iudicatory IN this
! case on appeal, does hereby SUSPEND Charics
A. Briggs, the said appellee, from the once OF u
minister IN the Presbyterian Church In the
United States OF America until such time as he
| shall give satisfactory evidence OF repenfence
| TO the General Assembly on the presbyterian
| Church In the United states OF America OF the
/ NlOlutlDu Dy ulifi Oi tut 1hih okuibohoh w" -
| herein and heretofore found
The report OF the committee was adopted,
| whereupon Rev. Dr. Sprague gave notice tnat a.
| tho proper time protest would DO onerou
! against the finding Of the assembly, as being
| 100 severe sentence for the offence OF the hon.
! ored scholar named, and as tending 20 restrict
the liberty heretofore enjoyed by onicc-bearers
In the Presbyterian Church
PROFESSOR shIru's CASE.
| In the report Of the Committee on Theological
Sam I'm arta fha
| Lane Seminary: " 10 the list OF professors the
assembly finds the uame Of Rev. Henry L.
| Smith, ID. d., who was In December last sns-
| pended by thePresbytery OF Cincinnati Tor un-
| soundness IN the faith. On the 3lst OF January,
| 1898 Professor Smith rendered his resignation
| to the board because OF that suspension. Ihe
board declined TO receive such resignation, Dut
continued him by formal action In the duties OF
his protossorship In the seminary. When min
lister Is suspended he Is suspended from all the
functions OF his Office. Among The most impor-
tant OF such functions IA that or training
young men for the ministry. However serious
the embarrassment to the seminary the board
should nave accepted the resignation OF
Professor Smith, or at least relieved him from
the discharge of his duties. Loyalty TO the
Church should have compelled them take action,
hut they were further bound 50 to do by faithful
meas 10 The trust which they have assumed with
regard TO that seminary. Its charter requires
that ali the professors shall DO meInperso OF the
Presbyterian Church in good standing. The AS
sembly, therefore, IL constrained To Withhold its
approval and commen,iation OF Lane seminary
until tho board has rcconsidered its action IN
this respect and remedied the error
UNION SEMINARY AND DIR. BRIGGS.
Asto Union Seminary long special report was
printed reciting the controversy WITH Thar SEMI
nary over DIR. Briggs's retention as teacher, and
concluding with these paragraphs:
"Because, then, OF tho strange and unwar-
ranted action OF the directors In retaining Dr.
Briggs after his appointment had been disap-
proved by the assembly. and because of the re-
fusal by the directors TO arbitrate the single
point In disputei between the assembly and the
board, and because OF the attempt oy the board
and on its own motion and against The expressed
desire Of the assembly 10 abrogato the compact
OF 1870, the assembly disayows ell Responsible
ty for the teaching OF Union Seminary, and
board until satisfactory relations are es-
tabllshed. The assembly, however, cher
ishes the hope and will cordially well
come any effort to bring Union Seminary In
TO such relationship with itself as will enable
the assembly to commend the institution again
10 students for the ministry. Your committee
would further recommend that the Board OF
Education be entoined 10 give aid 10 such stu
dents only as may be In attendance upon scmi-
nares approved by the assembly. Your com
mittee would also recommend that the re-elec-
tion OF Rev. Charles A. Briggs, ID. d., by the
Presbytery OF Newark as director Of the Union
Theological Seminary at Bloomfield. y. D., 10
disapproyed By this assembly,
FINAL CONTROVERSY
The consideration OF these reports brought on
another warm controversy over Dfs. Briggs and
smith. Friends OF those two gentlemen en-
deavored TO have the portions OF the reports
above quoted laid ON the table, bat wore unsuc-
cessful
The next order OF business was the considera-
tion OF the report OF the Committee On Bills and
Oyertures made last Saturday In explanation OF
the deliverance Of the Portland assembly last
year upon the inspiration Of the Holy scriptures.
The committee recommended the following !:
"This General Assembly reaff,rfns the deliver
anco Of the l04th General Assembly touching tho
inspiration Of the Holy Scriptures, and In 10 do
ing, declares that the said deliyeragce enunci-
ateg 40 new doctrine, but rather interprets and
gives expression TO what has ever been cher
isned and believed Ia as fundamental truth.
and what is expressly taught in our standards
Ibis was adopted after much objection, tho
minority vote being about sixty.
Protests were filed for record 81 tho evening
session against the action OF the assembly t1ro-
On ri To the Briggs caso ard the insDration Of