The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-31

largely attended. People fiocked la and
listened to prayers and song for half an
hour rather than wait and not get in at
all. The Rev. DR.. Moore. the permanent
clerk, conducted the service. There was
a large gathering in the church and most
of them were church people who knew
how to sing hymns. so the songs were
rolled out in splendid style. and the SER
vice as a whole made a very agreeable pre-
lude TO the business OF the day.
DIR. Briggs Resumes
Moderator Craig then resolved the as
semblY into a judicial court and Mr..
Briggs resumed his speech in defense of
the action of the New York presbytery in
the case of the prosecution against him
and in opposition TO the entertaining of
the appeal from the judgment OF the
presbytery thereon After briefly restat-
ing the points made yesterday DR.. Briggs
said:
The presbytery of New York. the largest in
the presbyterian church, after q long and
| patient consideration OF the merits OF the case,
gave a verdict OF aequittal. Would the general
assembly be willing to give the same amount
/ OF time aud the same degree of patience TO the
consideration Of the merits of the case II the
appeal should be entertained? The general
| assembly is composed of more than 500 men,
| beTs from ell parts of the United States. Is 1t
| likely that so numerous body will be more
| equitable court than the pTesbytery of New
| York? Let anyone consider the situation OF
affairs in the presbyterian church since the
| process was begun against DIR. Briggs, and
| honestly ask whether the general assembly 10
likely TO be In more judicial frame OF mind
| than the pre-bytery of New York. III the gen.
| eTal assembly should entertain this appeal It
would be necessary to consider the merits OF
the case with the utmost care with evident i'm
/ Partially, with entire freedom from party pre-
| judice and with unwearled patience Tor sew.
| eral weeks, or you could not win public conn.,
| dence in your justice or public respect for
your dec sion. III you override all the pro-
visions OF the constitution and the maxims OF
civil law. the usages of civil and eco esisstlcal
courts In order TO entertain an appeal and then
rush TO q hRsty decision, you will strike death
| blow at the constitution aud the discipline OF
| the presbyterian church.
He then reviewed the history OF the case,
| through its various stages In presbytery
and general assembly, showing the dis
missal of the charges in 1891 and an ac-
| quttal in 1892, "by a court" as he said
Which showed so evidently. to say the least.
that it was not biased In favor of DR..
| Briggs, and which was under the external pres
sure OF the unfavOrable action of the two gem
| eral assemblies, and which was compelled to
| acQut him by the evidence in the case. Is II
| equitable to put the defendant in jeopardy
| again for the ofsnsss charged against him? No
civil court could do such q wrong. Ii would be
a new precedent The civil courts might feel
| compelled in the interests of equity TO inter
| pose. The common law lays down this funda-
mental principle, which applies to this case il
| to any. il is for the public good that there be
an end to litigation.
At 1925 DR.. Briggs yielded for motion
| TO adjourn, having then occupied q total
OF three hours and tifty-two minutes. The
assembly then took recess until 2:30.
The Afternoon Session.
After recess DIR. Briggs spoke extern
poraneously until the end of his address.
| He called the attention of the assembly
to the stars at the bottom of page in the
brief OF the prosecutors. They we're not
stars OF glory. he said but stars of shame,
| for they indicated an omission which
should not have been made. What right
had these appellants to omit such matters
| as they pleased from an official or semi
| official document DR.. Briggs asked this
| question with some feeling. as if he felt
! that an attempt had been made to
strengthen the case of his opponents by
| emitting something in his behalf. He
then supplied the omitted part. which
consisted OF the eight questions put to
| DR.. Briggs TO test his faith and his an
1 swers TO them.
He wished, he said. to make an ex-
| plicit denial of the charge that be had
| preached doctrines against the funda-
mental doctrines of the church. 81 affirm
that believe, he said, turning with out
stretched hands to the audience, "the
| holy scriptures to be the word of God"
He affirmed his faith honestly and up.
| rightly every three years in making the
| of all ich
of him by the Union theolca zeal seminary.
He affirmed that he held to the whole
doctrine taught in the first chapter of the
| Westminster confession. Anything that
he might have said that might conflict
with these statements was due TO misin-
terpretatiOns. but he charged no one with
misunderstanding him willfully. DR..
Briggs closed with an appeal, touched
| with O suggestion of patnos, that the case
might 90 to the synod of New York. IL that
were done, be would aid in the full solu-
ton of the case, and then il it were sent
| back to the next general assembly he
would abide by its decision, whatever IL
| might be. He regretted ii he had said
anything that had caused trouble in the
| church. No one regretted th at more than
be did. He had taught for twenty years
at the Union theological seminary, he
Only four other teachers OF presbyterian
theology had taught longer than he; only
two had been the instructors of more min
listers OF the church than he. OF all per-
sons that had been taught by him he
challenged any of them 10 say that he had
taught them anything that had interfered
with the true discharge of their holy du-
ties.
DR.. Briggs concluded his address at 3 :lC
O'clock having spoken four hours AMI
twcnty-seven minutes in all at three diff
ferent sittings OF the court. As he took
his seat wave OF applause ran over the
rear of the church. which evoked an in
dignant rebuke from the moderator, who
said he hoped that none OF the commits
sioners sitting as judges had so far for
gotten themselves as to show. by their ap-
plause. a prejudice IN favor OF one side oil
a case before hearing all the argument
And if the galleries" he continued
"shall attempt to interfere with or in
fiuence this high court by unseemly out
breaks, will order them cleared and have
the court continue its sIttings with closed
Doors"
Dr. Briggs Interrupts.
After an nterview of five minutes. Col
]. J. McCook began the closing argument
for the prosecuting committee. in support
OF the recommendation hat the appeal bt
entertained Almost at the openinU DIR