The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-02
BRIGGS UNDER THE BAN.
The Assembly .SuSpendS Him From
Ministerial Duties.

for His Alleged Violation of His
Ordination Vcw-A Protest to Be
Offered Against the Finding.
Washington, June 1-When the Pres !
byterian general assembly convened as a
court this morning at 9:30 o'clock there
was notable decrease in the attendance,
both on the floor and in the galleries. last !
nights vote having been the climax of the !
meeting of the assembly. The members
of the prosecuting committee were in
their accustomed places, but Prof Briggs
party was represented by Prof. Francis
Brown alone
The moderator first announced the com /
mittee, the appointment of which was au-
thorized last night to formulate a minute |
expressing the sense of the assembly as |
to the vote taken upon the appeal from
the Judgment of the New York presbytery !
BY the vote of assembly Rev Thomas
A. Hoyt, d. D., of Philadelphia was made |
chairman. The other members are as fol- |
lows: MiuiSters-H. w. CongdOn of New |
York, James H. Brooks of Missouri, Cal |
win W. Stewart of Nebraska, w. w. Har- |
sha of Nebraska, j. J. Lucas of Indiana, |
George ID. Baker of Pennsylvania, E. p. |
Whallon of Indiana, and Thomas d. |
l.
of Baltimore, Thomas McDougall of Ohio, |
David Jacks of California, Edward T. |
Green Of New Jersey, James A. Curry Of |
Kentucky, and L. ID. Warfield of PCnnsyl- |
vania.
The committee was given leave to re- |
tire e'for consultation, and the assembly as !
court adjourned TO be recOnvened at the |
call Of the moderator.
The assembly then resumed considCra- |
tiOn of legislative business. Chairman |
Baker Of the judicial committee reported
upon the complaint against the synod of
Pennsylvania, which was not sustained
by the committee, and the report was
adopted
At 1880 O'Clock the general assembly
took recess till 2:30 O'Clock, previously
adopting the report of the committee on
bills and oVertures rcaffirming the de-
hverance of the assembly of 1892 on the
inspiration of the holy scriptures.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
At the afternoon session Moderator
Craig convened the assembly as a court
to hear the report of the committee APP
pointed to prepare the explanatory min
ute IN the Briggs case. Rev. Mr.. HOyt, |
chairman of the committee, before max
ing the report called upon DR.. Baker,
chairman of the subcommittee sent TO in
terview Prof. Briggs in d spirit of concil-
iatiOn, to report the result of that
interview. DR.. Baker said the committee
had hoped that Prof Briggs would say
| something that might relieve the tension
of the present distressing situation, but
this hope had not been realized. Prof
Briggs stated his irrevocable determine
tlon to abide by declarations made in his
address before the assembly in his de-
fense and to continue to teach the doc
trines there avowed.
At the request of DR.. Baker Prof.
Rli trCrC Cr1vp him the following putOpraph
letter;
Washington D c., June 1, 1898.
Rev. George Baker, Chairman, Etc:
My Dear Sir-In accordance with your
request hereby state that your committee
called upon me and asked me if had any
thing to say to them respecting the d:sposl- |
tiOn Of the case. thereupon said that l ad-
hered to all the positions taken before the
general assembly, and had nothing further to
say, save that the appellee reserves all rights !
and that the general assembly should take
the exclusive responsibility for any further
action G. a. BRIGG
SUSPENSION RECOMMENDED.
Whereupon DR. Baker said the COM
mittee took the action which DIR. HOyt
would now report to the assembly. The |
report after reciting 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 the general |
assembly sitting as judicatory in said
cause coming now to enter Judgment on |
said amended charges, finds that the |
appellee, Charles A. Briggs, has uttered,
taught and propagated views, doctrines !
and teachings as set forth III said charge |
contrary to the essential doctrine of the !
holy scripture and the standards of
said Presbyterian church in the !
United States of America, and in
violation of the ordination VOW of
said appellee, which said erroneous views |
and doctrines strike at the vitals of re-
ligion and have been industriously spread;
wherefore this general assembly of the
Presbyterian church of the United States
of America, sitting as a. jUdicatOry in this
cause on appeal, does hereby suspend !
Charles A. Briggs, the said appellee,
from the office Of minister in
the Presbyterian church in the United
States of America until such time as he
shall give satisfactory evidence of repent !
ancc to the general assembly of the Pres
byterian church in the United States of
America of the violation by him of the
said ordination vow as herein and hereto
fore found"
The report of the committee was
adopted whereupOn Rev. DR. Sprague
gave notice that at the proper time a pro-
test would be offered against the finding
of the assembly, as being too severe a !
sentence for the Offense of the hOnored |
scholar named, and as tending to restrict
the liberty heretofore enjoyed by Office
bearers in the Presbyterian church.
RETENTION DEPLoRED.
In the report of the committee on thco-
logical seminaries the following appears
in regard to Lane Seminary In the list
of professors the assembly finds the name
of Rev Henry p. Smith ID. D.. who was
in December last, suspended by the pres
bytery of Cincinnati for unsoundness in !
faith. On Jan. 81, 1893 Prof. Smith ten
dered his resignation to the board because
of that suspension. The board declined
TO receive such resignation, but CON
tinued him by formal action in
the duties of his professorship in
the seminary. Where a minister is
suspended, he is suspended from all func-
tions of his Office Among the most i'm
portant Of such functions is that of train
ing young men for the ministry. How |
ever serious the embarrassment to the |
seminary, the board should have immedi- |
ately accepted the resignation Of Prof. |
Smith, or at least relieved him from the |
discharge of his duties. Loyalty to the |
church should have compelled |
them to take such action. But |
they were further bound so to do by /
faithfulness to the trust which they have |
lf7y1c1 with rpoard tn that seminary /