Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-24
news By TELEGRAPH.
From All Quarters.
BRIGGS CASE TAKEN Up.
Two Reports Presented to
the General Assembly.
FIRST OF THE NoRMANaIA SUITS.
Judge Beers Of Bridgeport
Testifies in Court.
THE SUNDAY OPENINGS DISCUSSED.
National Committee Are i'm
Favor of Them.
THE SUNDAY OPENINGS DISCUSSED.
REPORTS ARE PREsRNrEp.

Favor of Them.
REPORTS ARE PRESENTED.
They Hear on the Briggs Case-Dr.
| Briggs rries to Speak but the
Moderator Will Not Allow Him,
and 1t Created a Sensation In tho
Assembly.
WASHINGTON, D. G., May 23.-The DR..
Briggs eass came up in the general as
sembly to day. 1t was touched upon in
the morning session, and was made the Or
der at the afternoon session. At the morn
ing session DR.. Young, chairman of
the committee on bills and overture pre-
scented a number of bills. Among them
were nine bearing ON the case before the
judicial committee (the Briggs case), and
these were recommended to be cent to the
committee.
The Rev. Charles Booth of New York
protested against the obvious attempt to
influence the judicial committee, a sort of
trial court, by pouring in upon it the over
lures for and against the case which it was
considering.
Remarks were made for and against the
matter by several of the commissioners.
The recommendation of the committee as
to the disposition of the overtures WAS
then adopted by a decisive vote In the ma
jority.
Reports of the committee ON home mis-
sions and of the United Christian COM
mission were then read and approved and
q recess was then taken until 2:30 o'clock.
bn al 60 6, a
port of the judicial committee on the
Briggs case. Immediately after the open
ing prayer DR.. Baker, chairman, said:
Il had earnestly hoped that but one re-
port would be presented. But in this
have been disappointed. I presume the
failure was inevitable. 1 take, however,
comfort in the thought that there is some
thing better than even unanimity, and
that something is fidelity to conscience.
1t Is fidelity to conscience which has COM
PEELED the majority report and 1t is fidelity to
conscience that has compelled the minority
report. While we speak the truth with all
boldnees, let US speak it ever in love. Let
us resolve that we will frown upon and ut
terly discountenance any suggestion from
whstever quarter 1t may come of schism
in our church. Recalling our ordination
VOWS, let us submit ourselves to one
another in the Lord, loyalty abiding the
decision which shall bs reached by our
constitutional methods"
The report was "a follows:
'In the case of the Presbyterian church
in the United States against the Rev.
Charles A. Briggs. D. D., being an appeal
and final judgment of the Presbytery of
New York rendered January 9, 1898, the
judicial committee begs leave most respect
fully to represent that they find:
~ That the appellant in this case is the
Presbyterian church of the United States,
represented by its prosecuting committee
appointed by the Presbyt terry of New York,
and as such is entitled to conduct the
prosecution until the final issue be
(2) That the appeal and specifications of
error have been filed In due time.
(3) They, therefore, submit resolutions:
That the appeal be entertained; that three
hours being allotted for such hearing, viz,
one and one-half hours to each party, and
after hearing from the members of the as
sembly shall then vote upon the following
| resolution:
Resolved, That the appeal from the de-
terry of New York rendered January 9,
| 1893, be entertained by the general assem-
| bly, and it Is ordered that the case proceed
| to trial in accordance with the provisions
| of the book of discipline.
| The report is signed by the following
members of the committee: George d.
Baker, chairman; J. T. Dufield, J. 8.
Hayes, I. Leftwicb, J. T. Maxwell, j. T.
Sanders, John Peacock, J. B. Randall, Ed
ward T. Green, Thomas McDougall, Cyrus
L. Pershing, William Fulton, George W.
Cummings. q. M. Grayton and ]. L Orr.
Mr.. Baker also presented the following
| supplemental report
The judicial committee submit the fol
lowing principal resolu tons which have
Influenced them in reaching the con.
illusions declared
First, the book of discipline provided
expressly for an appeal directly from thu
Presbytery to the general assembly. Suct
appeal Is plainly permissible when tn,
gravity of the issue and the circumstance
render 1t advisable. The general assembl,
case and the circumstances were such a
to justify an appeal directly from tht
Presbytery to the general assembly.
Second, In the final decision of tn
grave issues involved In this case 1t Is de
sirable that the assembly making such de ci
sion should as far as practicable be respon
sible for the church. Should these issue
be decided by an assembly on appeal from
the synod of New York, the commissioner
from the synod, representing more tha
one fifth of the entire church, would be de
barred by the book of discipline frsm sit
ting, celebrating or voting in the case
Moreover, such necessary exclusion of th
synod might work to the disad Vantage 9
the defendant himself. For more tina
two years the peace of the church has bee
sadly disturbed by the issue pending 1
: this church. It seems an imperative dut
to settle these issues without unneoessar
delay.
MI. AcDougall did not sign the suppl
mental report. The minority report wi
read by the Rev. J. 8 Niccolls, D. D !, -,
st. Louis in substance as follows:
i'll We recommend that the majority repo
be amended by striking out all that fo
lows, beginning with the recommendatic
that the appeal be entertained and issue
and substituting the following:
g. "We find the appeal in order al
recommend that the parties be heard
accordance with the provisions of t
book Of discipline"
We ask this for the following reasons:
o. The majority report, by recommen
ing that the appeal be entertained al
issued, prejudges the case by advising t
assembly to do what the book of discipli
, shall determine after the parties sh
}. have been heard. The language of t
book is as follows:
The judiciatory may then determine,
ter hearing the parties whether the app
= shall be entertained"
(9 The majority report, in form, pledi
the committee in advance to entertain
appeal, the parties not yet being heal
and yet this same committee is entailed
Judge the vote in this case as members
I'd the judiciatory.
al 81 The msjority report Is contrary bt
~ to the letter and spirit of the book of d
n cipline as stated in rule 80. section
=. chapter IS. The functions of the judic
= committee In this case are limited to I'll
. ing the appeal in order and recommend
the method of procedure and 1t is not
right to recommend to this assembly q
t. the appeal shall be entertained and issu
II This report was signed by Messrs. N
IN ers, Thompson, Foster. Stsbbins g
Niccolls.
RI DR.. Niccolls said the minority did
differ in principles from the msjori
", They were ready TO have the case tried
of the assembly. The committee divided nj
the meaning of the word appeal" If
majority report should be adopted the
sembly would thereby have practically