Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-05-25
IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
Presbyterians in Session at
Washington, D. C.
THE TROUBLESOME BRIGGS CASE
Reports of the Various Com
mitteeS and Officers.


WAsuINGToN, May 49, Washington
to-day, the second time IN its history and
the first time in Al years, is entertaining
Inc General Assembly of the presby-
t-ran Church in the United States The
body that convened in the l05th annual
session was q strikingly different one
from that which met in the Fourth
Presbyterian Church in 1859, as widely
different as the conditions Of to-day are
from those of that date. That was about
midway of the period during which the
church was divided into old and new
school factions and the assembly of
1862 was of the new school.
All the churches in this city with one
exception then belonged to the new
school branch. That was the organ2a.
ti0n out of which grew the New York
Avenue Church, the host of 1893
The scene in historic New York
Avenue Church this morning was in
sptring Every nook and Granny was
tiIlca and had the church the capacity
the crowd would have been twice as
great. The General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church is a notable gather
ing II any time and in any place, and
III this great city of conventions its per
SOnnel attracts attention. Doubtless tho
most prominent in the gathering to-day
were those connected with the famous
Briggs case in its trial before the New
l@tb Presbytery, an appeal from whose
Judgment has been taken to the General
Assembly.
First and foremost Of these was Pro
iessor Briggs himself, aggressive and
confident as when Ga the day Of his
Inauguration, in 1890, as professor Of
tie chair of biblical theology III the
n Union seminary he startled the church
with an expression of his views con
Cerntng the Bible, the authority Of
reason and the church, the superiority
ol Tie christianity Of Newman and
MurtInau over that Of Spurgeon, and
Progression or probation i'll the future
state
Almost equally prominent with Prof.
Briggs was the Rev. DR.. Henry Pre-
served Smith Of Lane Theological Sem
mary, Cincinnati. He has recently
been tried on charges similar TO those
made against Prof Briggs, but unlike
Mn convicted in the Presbytery. An
appeal has been taken to the Ohio
Synod, where 1t will Dc heard in OC-
tGner
Colored Preshyterians We're sprinkled
about over the church.
While the commissioners were gather
2iDI the galleries and corridors were
h4ei TO ovcrtiowing long before the
A31r fixed for the opening Of theassem-
Wy, Almost the first objects in the
church To strike the eye upon entering
81 black walnut pew on the north side
q Tie centre aisies, the only one Of that
M color N tho all thn nt bprs hai,tr y,f
oak 1t is the pew which President
Lincoln occupied when here, and was
n replaced in anticipation of the meeting
OF the assembly.
At II o'clock Dr. Bartlett, pastor of
The New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church, called the General Assembly to
order and the preliminary religious SER
Vices were begun.
WASHINGTON, May 19.--'Ihc annual
1Ets Of the various church boards,
public to day and to be taken by
Presbyterian General Assembly
lmc to time, show encouraging re-
every branch of the work Ehe
of the permanent committee on
'ance enters into that subject
in detail and makes some recon-
tions that will come before the
My. Referring to the Worlds
the report says:
We cannot contemplate except with
ngs of shame the proposed spec
'etO be placed before all the world
vast national grog shop and Il vast
NATIONAL exhibition OF the trampling
an@il Of law"
The establishment by Congress of an
impartial commission Of inquiry con,
corning the liquor traffic, is favored.
lhc bill" continues the report, "ha;
seycral times passed the Senate, but The
AQaor power, Tallying it forces, has al
Nays defeated il in the lower house"
Local option is not regarded as the
nest and ultimate solution OF the liquoi
f2alcm, but the most If the Presby
FHes favored il us stepping stone to
"aFd general prohibition Among al
Aercports Of the PreshytclicS tie License
!slenl has no advocate. The repor
AQhaslHes the statement that the churcl
not political organization hut owe
God and humanity to give un
vocal utterancc on such moral QuGs
),
lie report of the board of churcl
t1on fund shows that during thu
There We're go applications lorassis
e, upon which grants were madt
EatihS Tivuiool, anu lOdHs dllOuht
SCI ,l99.
report Of the board in charge 0
missions for freedmen shows tina
" 100000 annually is being cx
llts.
me report Of the board of foreigi
'sSlons displays very satisfactor.
Vneitlon Of affairs, the only gloon
slns caused by the death of four mis-
yhdrles, During the year 46 new mis-
,harles were sent into the field, maxim
osal, IN connection with the board o
- Missionaries, which with natlv
5sais OF all grades reaches total o
w including 1877 ordained ministers
me report of the board Of education
How9 that the demand for ministers
Hfaa of the supply. Two years ag
y vacant churches numbered 1,lst
,IN iast year l,244, Of which l33 have
IN ""a@aherEship ranging from 100 to owe
9", The western synods, particular,
'sSe suffered, notably Nebraska, kansa
Aa Minnesota.
y concluding its report the board dc
'hea TO recommend resuscitation O
union that formerly existed wit
welsh Calvanistc Methods
uHfch, with reference to the ctucatio
hurch.
me devotional exercises with whic
aS opened the second days session q
e. Assembly, were conducted by tn