The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-10
TO STAY IN THE CHURCH.
Because the Assembly Cannot
Expel Good Members.
LIKELY TO CAUSE TROUBLE.
Action Taken at the Cleveland Cons
ference That Bears Upon the
Case of DIR. Briggs.

CLEVELAND, Nov. 9.-The Presbyterian
Conference closed its sessions in Calvary
Church this afterno DON, and the conclusions
reached made the gathering an historical
one. The liberal gentlemen who composed
the conference have taken a determined
stand against their more orthodox breth-
ren and will fight for their rights in the
church of their choice. The sessions were
secret, and no one seems authorized to
TX. but the committee appointed by the
conference this evening gave out procla-
nation. The committee consisted of Rev.
DR.. Patterson of Chicago. Rev. DR.. Egbert
OF St. Paul, Rev. DIR. Brown of New York.
Rev. DR.. Fisk of Ithica, N. Y. Rev. Mr.
White of Columbus, Ohio, Rev. Mr.. Mil
lard of Rochester and Rev. Mr.. Hayden
of Cleveland.
The proclamation states that the minis
ters, being seriously concerned in view of
certain facts and tendenc cies in the Pres
byterian church, make a statement that
the General Assembly has no right 10 i'm
pose upon the church a new doctrinal
statement, and that the Interpretation Of
the doctrines by the courts of the church
ought always to be strictly within the
standards and with sacred regard to the
broad and generous terms of the reunion
of 1870. The committee believes that the
most scrupulOus care should be used IN all
trials for doctrinal Emergencies, and views
with great concern the interpretations Of
the standards strained beyond any just re-
gard for the compact of reunion. No court
of the church has a right to suppress re-
spectful action by the judicatories below II
expressing apprehension concerning any
thing in the church. The right of petition
ana remOnstrance must not be denied in
the church of Christ.
The Interpretation of one or two phrases
of the book of discipline as meaning that
a prosecuting committee is independent OF
the court which appointed 1t and capable
of prosecuting after the judiciary had
acquitted is a strange Interpretation. lead
! ing logically to many absurdities, and pos
sibly to miscarrlages of justice. If the
phrases are susceptible of such interpreta-
| tlon they ought to be eliminated,
The committee, contin uing. says: 1--WE
believe it is no part of the constitutional
power of any court of the church to warn
honest and God-fearing men to withdraw
from the ministry because they cannot
accept interpretations of doctrines which
are outside of the letter of confession and
which have never been settled by the sane
tion of presby teres in legal way. The
withdrawal from the church enjoined by
the resolution Of the court is not provided
for in the book of discipline and carries no
obligation of obedience. The com mittee
believes the church is broad and strong
enough to abide by the spirit Of the COM
pact of reunion and embrace all forms and
schools which accept the essential and
necessary articles OF our common faith
acknow lodging the Lord Jesus as the
Divine Master and Savior and the Bible
as the only infallible rule"
The proclamation calls upon Presbyte-
rians to stand together in defense of rea-
sonable liberty of opinion in the church
and of the constitutional rights of indi-
vidual members, and heartily approves
the protest of DIR. Herrick johnson, DR..
Nccolls and others at the last General
Assembly.
In closing the committee says: "We
most urgently counsel our brethren who
may be perplexed to abide in the commun-
ion and service of the church, assured that
in doing so they are within their constitu-
tional rights. Only profound sense OF
the peril that besets the church leads us to
make this declaration of what seems to US
fundamental PRINCIPLES.