The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-02
Robbed by the General Assembly 0fHis
Privileges as a Presby terian Minister.
Cannot Preach to Calvinists Till He Gives
Satisfactory Evidence of Repentance and
Recsnts His Popular Liberal Views
No Probability of the Professor Disa.
vowing Any of His Alleged Heresies.
COMMITTEES Informed that He Will Continue to
Teach His Doctrine-PrOf II. P. Smith
Must Also Leave Lane Seminary.
PURGING THE CHURCH.

PURGING THE CHURCH
DIR. Briggs Suspended from the Ministry and
Action Taken Against Heretic Smith.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-Having decided
z By q vote of 3s3 to 116 that they had
hereto on their hands in the person of DE-.
Briggs. the first thing for the Presby terian
General Assembly TO do when it met this
morning was to consider what should be
done with him. Accordingly committee
was appointed to bring in q verdict. and Its
members were requested to get to work at
once By vote of the assembly, Rev.
Thomas A. Hoyt, ID. d.. Of Philadelphia,
was made chairman; the other members
were:>
Minsters-H. W. Congdon, OF New York;
James Ii. Brookes, of Missouri; Calvin W. Stew
art and w. Harsha, of Nebraska; j. j. Lucas, of
India; George ID. Baker. OF Pennsylvania; E. =.
Whallon, of Indiana. and Thomas ID. Ewing, of
Iowa.
Elders-John Radolph, of Baltimore; Thomas
Edward 7. Green, of New Jersey; James A. Cur
~, OF Kentucky, and 4. ID. Warfield. OF Pennsyl-
vania.
After = long session the committee
brought in this recommendation: "Sus-
pension from the ministry" and the Assem-.
bly, adopted the report.
During the session of the committee q
motion was made by DE-. Stewart to adopt
q resolution admonishing Dr.. Briggs for his
delivery of the inaugural. and requesting
him to refrain from further spread of his
teachings. against which the church has
spoken. 1t was suggested. however, by
another member, that possibly edmonton
would be OF no avail. and 1t was decided
that n su ubcommittee should wait upon DE-.
and vf nfyaxx hat hov m
take in that case. As they had expected
from his speeches. they found that DE.
Briggs was not disposed to take back or
modify nythiDg which he bad 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 offices of q Presby terlan
minister. and this was agreed to by
unanimous vote. DR.. Briggs is suspended
indefinitely and can only be reinstated on
his recantation of the matter in his
speeches and writings to which objection
has been made. 1t Is unlikely that he will
ever do that.
Professor Briggs was not In his seat when
the closing scene took place. all the com-
missi0ners who had given him their sup
port and counsel had gone, with the ex.
cepti0n Of Prof. Francis Brown. who wait
ed to hear the verdict. and then left the
church. DE. Birch and DR.. Lamb. members
of the committee on prosecution. were also
ahsorlr.t ColOE.cl McCook was the only
mem Der of the committee on prosecu-
ton In his seat. The gallery pew, whloh
had been occupied by Mrs. Briggs and her
friends. was oonsDicuously vacant for the
first time since the assembly met.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
Most of the morning session of the as
sembly was devoted to the report on theo.
logical seminaries. At the afternoon ses-
sion Dr.. Craig again convened the assembly
as court to hear the report of tho COM
mittee appointed to prepare the explana-
tory minute In the Briggs case. Rev. Mr.
Hoyt. chairma an Of the committee. before
making the report. called upon DR.. Baker,
chairman Of the subcommittee sent to in
terview Professor Briggs In spirit of CON-
ciliation, to report the result of that
had hoped that Prof. Briggs would say
something whlch might relieve the tension
of tho present distressing situation. But
this had not realized. Prof. Briggs stated
his irrevocable determination to abide by
the declarations made in his address be-
fore the assembly in his defense. and to
continue to teach the doctrines there
avowed. At the request of Dr.. Baker, Prof.
Briggs gave him the following autograph
letter:
My Dear sir-In accordance with your request
hereby state that your committee called upon
me and asked me II I had anything TO say to
them respecting the disposition of the case.
taken before the General Assembly and had moth
ing further to say that the appellee reserves
ali rights, ana that the 1enerai Assembly should
take the exclusive responsibility for any further
action.
Whereupbn, DE-. Baker said. the COM
mlttee took the action which Mr.. Hoyt
would now report to the assembly. The
report. after Teciting the proceedings in
the case. proceeds:
This iudicatory finds that said final Judgment
OF the Presbytery OF New York Is erroneous. and
should be, and Is. hereby reversed and this
eonnr no t snasr as IN said
amended charges, finds the appellee, Charles A.
Briggs. has uttered, taught and propagated
said charges, contrary to the essential doctrine
OF Holy Holy Scripture and c,nn the standards
Gn,ted aa statGs Of America and 'hs
violation OF the ordination vow of said appellee
which said erroneous views and doctrines strike
at the vitals of religion and have been industri-
Ously spread; wherefore, this General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in the United States
OF America. sitting as a judicatory in this cause
Briggs the said appellee, from the oftce OF q
minister in the Presbyterian Church in the
United States OF America until such time as he
shall give satisfactory evidence OF repent ntance TO
the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church Church. IN I'll the United states Of america Of the
herein and heretofore found.
VIGOROUS PROTEST.
The report of the committee was adopted.
VIII ereupon Rev. DR.. Sprague gave notice
that at the proper time a protest would be
offered against the finding of the assembly
as being too severe a sentence for the of
fense of Ithe honored scholar named and as
tending 20 restrict the liberty heretofore
enjoyed by Office bearers in the Presby-
terian Church.
An explanatory note was adopted and
made part of the record OF the case. 1t
takes strong grounds against the views ex-
pressed by DR.. Briggs. and for which he hns
been suspended.
On motion of Mr. McDougall amended
by DR.. Young, vote of thank was given
the committee for its services. The motion
evoked few misses. the first so far heard.
bus was adopted with q email minority
vote.
Later in the day DR.. Sprague presented
for consideration the protest of which he
had given notice. 1t was as follows:
We. the undersigned ministers and elders In
the Presbyterian Church In the United States
declaring hearty belief In ana love for the Holy
Scritures or the Old and New Tesfaments. and
our entire loyalty TO the Presbyterian Church,
desire respectfully TO record our solemn protest
against the verdict and judgment or suspension,
and the proceedings leading 10 the verdict. in
the case against the Rev. Charles A. Briggs, D. d.
In the General Assembly OF sos.
First-As involving IN our Judgment, acts OF
doubtful consritutonality.
Second--As seeming 10 abridge the liberty OF
opinion hitherto enjoyed under our standards by
ofiee-bearers In the church.
Third-As tending. wo believe. to the discour-
agement OF thorough study OF the Bible aiai rev.
erent advance In the apprehension or divine