The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-01
|1HE APPEAL SUSTAINED.
Action of the Presbyterian AS
sembly in the Briggs Case.
A VERY WARM SESSION.
Elder Thomas McDougall Precipitates
Lively Scene.
He Asks the Assembly s'Whom VIII You
Believe, Christ or DR.. Briggs
And Is Called to Order
Number of Times.

WASHINGTON, May 31.-Before proceed
Ing to vote upon the question of sustain
ing the appeal from the Judgment of the
New York Presbytery in the case of Pro-
lessor Briggs, the Presbyterian general
assembly this morning engaged in a half
hours devotion. Rev. A. Nelson Holli-
field OF New Jersey conducted the exer-
cises, giving an exposition OF Romans,
chapter viii, describing the intercession
of the holy spirit. Then the assembly
convened as an ecclesiastical court. Fiji
teen minutes were exhausted in desultory
discussion of the order of procedure, as a
result of which the assembly ordered
| with evident confusion and lack of I'M
derstanding of just what they were doing)
that the roll be called. The commits
sioners as called were to give the reasons
for their votes, and speeches were limited
to three minutes. While this prelimin-
airy was being settled, Professor Briggs
quietly came in and took his seat.
| Under call of the roll each member
rose in turn and stated whether he voted
for or against entertaining the appeal
from the New York Presbytery, which
acquitted Professor Briggs and his reason
| therefor.
Rev. Anthony G. Junkin of Los An
geles, said every doubt had been scat
tered to the wind by admissions of the
defendant. His error, in the speaker 8
opinion, was the doctrine of naturalism
out of which grew most OF the errors now
affecting the church. Rev. John L. Hop
! kins, also of Los Angeles, said he was
obliged to vote to sustain the appeal on
account of the threatened disruption, and
Professor John M. Coyner of the same
presbytery. said he would do the same.
Elder William H. Hamilton of Oakland f,
said he had come to Washington abso-
lutely unprecedented but he was afraid
the church would be in an uncertain con-
dition if the appeal was not sustained.
The burden Of the remarks of Rev. J {.
NJ. Newal OF the San Jose Presbytery,
was that if the opinion of DR.. Briggs was
sustained every preacher, professor and
Sunday school teacher would be privil-
eyed to preach any views he pleased.
Captain Jacks of San Jose, said all over
the land there were young ministers from
doctrine taught by DIR. Briggs. If the
pr ofessor knew, he said, of the damage
he was doing he would stop this thing
and would have done with it forever and
stop bringing ruin upon young ministers
of the church.
AS one after another of the members
briefly indicated his position, Professor
DrISRS U0CdiIl6 weary Ol OIlG Idlk, aSkSus
and was granted permission to retire.
The call of Presbyteries by states had
progressed as far as Kansas, when re-
cess was taken till 2:30 D. m.
After recess the debate was continued
with majority OF the speakers against
DR.. Briggs, though he found a number
of supporters, the most notable one per-
haps being graduate of Union Theolog-
ical seminary, James F. Garvin, mission
airy to Chill.
Elder Thomas McDougall of Cincin-
natl precipitated a lively scene. stIf it
will be in order,' he began, 81 would
like to ask if the omniscience veracity
and character of God Almighty, and of the
Lord Jesus Christ may be questioned? GOO
Almighty has said Isaiah said thus and
so. DR.. Briggs has said to God Almighty
that Isaiah did not write half the book
that bears his name. The Lord Jesus
Christ said in the New Testament that
Isaiah wrote the book bearing his
name.'
DR.. Henry M. Storrs-I call the gentle
man to order.
Rev. H. Milton Shields, of New Mexico
If the statement is not quoted in DR.
Briggs inaugural it is not before the as
sembly.
The colloquy was CARED on in the
midst of great confusion, cries of order
rising from all parts of the house, anC
the moderator and McDougall both trying
to be heard.
The storm having Gained down, Elder
; McDougall concluded: ''Christ said nc
man can come unto the father but by me.
DIR. Briggs says MartIneau found Goo
through reason and Newman found him
through the church. Whom will you be.
lieve, Christ or DIR. Briggs?"
An extension of half an hour to the
afternoon session enabled the clerk tc
progress in the roll through to the synod
ofsOregon. The synod then took recess
until evening.
The call OF the roll was resumed at the
evening session and only small per-
centage of the members took advantage
of the privilege of speaking. 1t was s: al
O'Clock when the moderator put the
question, "Shall the specifications OF
error be sustained?'' and DR.. Roberts
stated clerk, read the first specification
in substance that the Presbytery of New
York on objections made by DIR. Brigg!
required the prosecuting committee t.
amend the amended charges and specifi
cations by striking out charge four. Ths
specifications were declared sustained BY
vote of 2S2 to 100.
: Specifications from the second to thu
twelfth, all relating to irregularities
in the proceedings of the New York pres
bytery, were sustained seriatim.
The second ground of appeal alleged the
receiving of improper testimony and wa
; based upon three specifications. On tn,
first division taken the result was tina
the specification was sustained by viz;
voce vote.
The third ground of appeal alleged
manifestation of prejudice in the conduc
of the case and of its six specifications
The Briggs men carried two and cam
within two votes OF carrying another.
The fifth and last ground of appeal con
tanned specifications of error and charged
I mistake or injustice in the decision.
The votes on these specifications wer
taken without division, resulting in
declaration of each and every one bein,
sustained.
Rev. w. G. Young, of Kentucky, thel
moved that the roll be called and the as
sembly vote upon the main question
s'shall the appeal be sustained?" which
was adopted. The roll was called amids
almost painful silence, and the vote wa
as follows: Whole number of vote
cast 499. To sustain the appeal, 29S; t.
sustain in part, S5; total to sustain ap
peal, 1888; not to sustain, 116. Then
motion was made for the appointment O
a committee to bring in an explanator,
minute which shall express the sense O
the assembly as to action that should b
taken upon the Judgment of the presby
terry of New York, and what penalt
shall be imposed on Df. Briggs,
any. The assembly then adjourned unit
tomorrow.
| -----------------
Home Missionary Society.
SARATOGA, N. Y, May 81, The Sixty
ninth annual meeting OF the Home Mis-
sionary society OF the United States bega
here today. Encouraging reports wer