St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-02
Suspension From the Minis
try" the Sentence Passed
Upon Him.
The Professor Would Not Re-
tract Anything He Had
Said.
Strong Grounds Against the
Expressed Views Of the
Doctor Taken.
Briggs Men Formally Pro-
test Against the Action OF
the Assembly.

CGSt against Inc ACIlOU Oh
the Assembly.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-Having de-
cded by vote of 3S3 to 1l6 that they
had hereto on their hands in the per-
son of DR.. Briggs, the first thing for the
Presbyterian general assembly to do
when it met this morning was to con-
slider what should be done with him.
Accordingly a committee was appointed
to bring verdict, and its members
were requested to get to work at once.
After a long session the committee
brought in this recommendation: ''SuS-
pension from the ministry" and the
assembly adopted the report. During
the session of the committee motion
was made by DR.. Stewart to adopt
resolution admonishing DIR. Briggs for
his delivery of the inaugural, and re-
questing him to refrain from further
spread of his teachings. against which
the church has spoken. 1t was sug-
gested. however, by another member
that possibly admOnition would be OF no
avail, and it was decided that subcom-
mittee should wait upon DIR. Briggs.
and ascertain what position he would
take in the case. AS had been expected
from his speeches, they found that DR..
Briggs was
Not Disposed to Take Back
or modify anything which he had said.
Upon making this report to the full
committee it was decided that the only
other thing to do was to suspend him
from the further practice of the office
of a Presbyterian minister, and this was
agreed to by an unanimous vote.
DIR. Briggs is suspended indefinitely,
and can only be reinstated on his re-
cantation of the matter in his speeches
and writings to which objection has
been made. 1t Is unlikely that he will
ever do that. Prof. Briggs was not
in his seat when the closing scene took
place. All of the commissioners who
have given him their support and coun-
sci had gone, with the exception Of
Prof. Francis Brown, who waited to
hear the verdict and then left the
church. Drs. Birch and Lamb. the
members of the committee on proSecu-
ton, were also absent, Col. McCook be-
ing the only member in his seat. The
gallery pew which had been occupied
by Mrs. Briggs and her friends was
conspicuously vacant for the first time
since the assembly met.
After the appointment of the COM
mittee to formulate the Briggs minute.
Rev. John Dickson, chairman of the
committee on theological seminarles,
submitted the report OF that committee.
AS to
Lane and Union SemInaries,
the report SAID III regard to Lane sem
mary: In the list of professors the as
sem6ly finds the name of Rev. Henry Z.
Smith, D. D., who was in December last
suspended by the Presbytery of Cincin-
natl for unSOundneSS in the faith. JAM
81, 1893, Prof. Smith rendered his resIg-
nation to the board because OF that sus-
pension. The board declined to receive
such resignation, but continued him, by
formal action. in the duties OF his pro-
fessorship in the seminary. Where
minister is suspended, he is suspended
from all the functions OF his Office.
Among the most important OF such
functions is that Of training young men
for the ministry. However serious the
embarrassment to the seminary. the
board should have accepted the reslgna-
ton of Prof. Smith, or at least renewed
him from the discharge Of his duties.
LOYALTY to the church should have COM
PEELED them to take such action. But
they were further bound so to do by
faithfulneSS to the trust which they
have assumed with regard to that sem
mary. Its charter requires tnat "All
the professors shall be members of the
Presbyterian church in good standing"
The assembly therefore is constrained
to withhold its approval and commenda-
tion of Lane seminary until the board
has reconsidered its action in this re-
spect and remedied the error.
Union Seminary
From Union seminary has been re-
ceived the usual report. The board of
directors has sent special communica-
ton. In this was the report OF the action
last October Of the board of trustees in
withdrawing from the compact of 1870
with the general assembly. To the spe-
cial communication from the directors
of Union seminary your committee has
given careful and prolonged conSidera-
ton. While they would recommend
the assembly to recognize the fact that
the directors of union seminary have
declared upon their own motion or au-
thority that the compact of 1870 is void
and of no binding effect, and, while in
sistine that such action is wholly with
out warrant, yet they advise the assem-.
blv for the present simply to place on
record, by way of protest. its view of the
situation. Your committe would fur
ther recommend that the board of educa-
ton be enjoined to give aid to such stu
dents only as may be In attendance
upon ssminaries approved by the assem-
biy. Your committee would recon-
mend that the reelection Of Rev. Charles
A. Briggs. d. D., by the Presbytery of
Newark, as director of the German
theological seminary at Bloomfield, n.
j. be disapproved by this assembly.
After long and excited discussion the
report was adopted in its entirety by
large majority.
The next order of business was the
consideration of the report of committee
OH bills and oyertures, made last Satur-
day. in explanation of the deliverance
of the Portland assembly last year upon
the inspiration of Holy Scriptures, which
was adopted.
The Committees Report.
At the afternoon session DR.. Craig
convened the assembly as court to
hear the report of the committee ap-
pointed to prepare the explanatory
minute in the Briggs case. Rev. Mg.
Hoyt, chairman of tie committee, be-
fore making tie report, called upon DR..
Baker, chairman OF the subcoihinittee
sent to interview Prof. Briggs in
spirit of conciliation, to report the re-
suit of that interview. DR.. Baker said
| the committee had hoped that Prof.
Briggs would say something which
! might relieve the tension OF the present