The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-05-26
1HE FINAL ARGUMENTS
DR.. Briggs and His Opponents in
the General Assembly.
BE WILL NOT LEAVE THE MINISTRY

tu0 u6u6fdl ASSEMBLY,,
BE WILL NOT LEAVE THE MINISTRY
Should tho Present Action Result I'm His
Withdrawal from the Presbyterian
Church He Would Seek Recognition in
Some Other Religious BODY.
WASHINGTON, May 26.-The General As.
eembly yesterday reached the conclusion
Of the argument by parties In interest
upon the Recommendation OF the judicial
committee that the appeal of the prosecut-
ing committee from the Judgment OF the
New York presbytery in the case of the
presbyterian church In the United States
Of America against the Rev. Charles A.
Briggs, ID. D., be entertained. Professor
Briggs spoke altogether four and a half
hours at three different sittlngs Of the
court. Colonel j. J. McCook, Of the COM
mittee on prosecution closed the argument
on behalf Of the prosecution.
DR.. Briggs continued his argument as to
the right Of tho assembly to consider the
appeal, and then devoted his time to the
possible result Of a condemnation Of his
Inaugural address. He said in part:
The appellants desire that there should
u a stinct and definite condemnation of
the alleged errors Of DR.. Briggs But how
can the General Assembly condemn tn EN-
unless they are proved to be errors2 How
lawful manners Unless they are con-
demned In the form OF laws. who will re-
spect such oondcmnationP
The only effect Of the adverse action
taken hitherto has been to call the defend
ant to the defense of his inaugural and
win the support of q host of friends all
0vef the land in defense OF the rights of
scholarship and opinion.
"If this general assembly should over
come ali the right OF the defendant and do
him the wrong Of reversing his acquittal
ny tho presbytery of New York, is there
any likelihood that the defendant would
yield his opipions2 Do you suppose that
Or Briggs would cease his teachings on
the mooted questions2 Would candidates
OF the ministry cease to attend upon his
apstrpctionss You know we'll enough that
none Of these things cotld happen.
: "If, on the other hand, you should send
ehis case where it belongs, to the synod Of
New York, and then, in the regular course
Of procedure within the limits Of our
constitution and with the guarding of all
rights, the supreme court should eventu-
ally condemn DIR. Briggs and exclude him
from the ministry of the Presbyterian
church In the United States, the defendant
would acquiesce in the result and would
ecek recognition by some other church Of
0esus Christ.
They ask you to make haste and settle
eho dispute at the earliest possible day
The defendant is more anxious that the
ease should be speedily settled than the
appellants can be. But greater interests
Than hja "A ra a Tn be ra Ia lnd
Do the standard bearer in battle for
truth and right. He cannot return his
sword to its scabbard until truth and
right have won. But such haste is indie
Yent In the courts Of law Justice does
not hasten. Right does not speed, be.
cause it is sure Of ultimate vindicHtion.
"The massive wells Of law and equity
arown upon this appeal. Upon these battle
nents the appellee takes his stand. The
constitution of our church is his banner.
Here he will remain standing whatever
may betide. He can do no other. Here
stands the presbytery Of New York, which
mas acquitted him. Here stands the synod
of New York, which has taken jurisdic-
Won OF his complaints. Here will rally
sooner or later all who are loyal to Presby-
te-san law and discipline, all who have
confidence In truth and scholarly investi-
CATION; all who would advance in the lines
ef the historic faith and order of our
shurch; all who seek the peace and pros
perity of the kingdom OF God"
DR.. Briggs closed with an appeal, touched
with O suggestion Of pathos, that the case
might go to the synod of New York. He
xegretted IL he had said anything that had
caused trouble in the church. No one re-
8retted it more than he did He had
taught for twenty years at the Union
Theological seminary, he said appealingly,
almost pathetically. Only four other
teachers of Presbyterian theology had
taught longer than he; only two had been
the instructors of more ministers of the
ohurch than he. OF all persons that had
been taught by him he challenged any of
them to say that he had taught them any
ahing that had interfered with the true
discharge Of their loly duties.
After an interval OF five minutes Colonel
I. j. McCook began the closing argument
for the prosecuting committee, in support
Df the recommendation that the appeal be
entertained.
Tho history of the case in its various
stages was rscited by Colonel McCook, and
the regularity of the several steps firmly
maintained. Colonel McCook said: Great
weight has been given to technical ques-
tion raised In the interest of the appellee
and OF delay, based upon clause con
Apinod In the fifth amendment of the con
etitution of the United States, which Is as
follows; Nor shall any person be subject
for the same offense to be twice put in
jeopardy of liz. and im',.' III Sc are not
eriminal proceedings involving peril to the
Life or limb of the appellee. They are pro
seedlings to enforce contract, or rather to
determine whether the contract has been
maintaiped In all its integrity. II it
hhould be shown that the appellee has not
maintained the contract in all its integ-
xity, the loss of his ecclesiastical life
would meaa simply the loss of the benefits
which he ut one time enjoyed under the
contract which he had broken.n
Colonel McCook next considered the plea
that an acqnittal by lower court bars the
right of appeal, and asserted that such
claim is not true in fact nor sound in law.
He discussed the operation of the law in
church trials and the provisions of the
church constitution ON appeals. 1t was
also regular, the speaker maintained, for
the appeal to be taken direct from the
.presbytery to the General Assembly, and
such proceeding is not in derogation,
sither of the rights or dignity Of the inter,
,yening synod. In conclusion Colonel Nc
Cook said there were special reasons why
this appeal should be received by the as.
,sembly without having first been taken to
Itbe synod of New York, saying that it is
amperatively necessary that final de-
cision in this case be reached at the earliest
possible date.
At 4:35, after having spoken an hour and
twenty miautes,.. Colonel McCook yielded
TOT motion to adjourn until s o'clock,
when he resumed his argument.
The announcement by committee an
,nDintpd