Morning journal and courier., 1893-06-02
htHS Bl ItltdkAPh.
From All Quarters.
BRIGGS IS SUSPENDED.
The Presbyterian Assembly
Takes Action.
FALL RIVERS MYSTERY DEEPEEs.
The Police Make One Arrest
On Suspicion:
There is some talk OF Revenge,
Rhode Island Middle Dis
gusts Party Men.
DIR. BRIGGS SUSPENDED

DIR. BRIGGS SUSPENDED.
Action OF the General AssembIy-
There Was No Hint OF n CeDpromis,
| List OF Those who Drafted tn,
Minute of the Assemblies Vote.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The Presbyterian
general assembly was opened this morning
by half hours devotional exercises, con
Quoted by the Rev. J. T. Smith of Balti
more. When the assembly convened as 6
court at $50 o'clock there was notable
decrease in attendance both on the foo,
and in the galleries, last nights vote in fa.
vor of sustaining the appeal in the case OF
DR.. Briggs having been the climax of the
meeting of the assembly. The members Of
the prosecuting committee were in their
accustomed places, but-Dr. Briggs' party
Brown alone.
The moderator first announced the com
mittee, the appointment of which was au-
thorized last night, to formulate minute
expressing the sense of the assembly as to
the vote taken upon the appeal from the
Judgment of the New York Presbytery.
By vote of the assembly, the Rev. DR..
Thomas A. Hoyt of Philadelphia was made
chairman. The other members are as fol
lowe:
Ministerg-H. W. Congdon of New York,
Genes James Il; Proxies Brookes, Mis 80 Calvin ".
rasks; J. J. Lueks, India; George D. Baker,
Pennsylvania; E. P. Whallon, Indiana,
and Thomas D. Ewing, Iowa.
Elders-John Randolph, Baltimore;
Thomas MoDougall, Ohio; David Jacks,
California; Edward T. Green, New Jersey;
James A. Curry, Kentucky, and E. D. War
field, Pennsylvania.
The committee was given leave to retire
for consultation, and the assembly as q
court, adjourned to be reconvened at the
call of the moderator. The assembly then
resumed the reconsideration of legislative
business.
The Rev. James N. Maxwell presented
the report of the judicial commission ap-
pointed to hear the complaint of John J.
McCook and others against the action of
the synod of New York in finding in order
a complaint of the Rev. DR.. Francis Brown
against the action of the Presbytery of New
York on November 4, 1891, in sustaining
the ruling of the moderator as to the status
of the prosecuting committee, to which
the names of 113 members had been
added after the ten days limit fixed
by the book of discipline, had expired.
The commission found the complaint to be
in order, and 1t was entertained. 1t was
recommended that the decision complained
of be suspended until the record is pro-
duced, on which the issue may be fairly
tried, and the synod of New York was d.
rooted to send up all the papers relating to
this complaint with the record to the next
general assembly, and to appoint one or
more of its number to represent it then.
At the afternoon session the moderator
convened the assembly as court to hear
the report of the explanatory minute in
the Briggs case. DR.. Baker, chairman of
the committee sent to interview DR.. Briggs
in spirit of Cancellation, said that Pro-
lessor Briggs had stated his irrevocable de-
termination to abide by the declaration
his defence and to continue to teach the
doctrines there avowed.
Rsv. Mr.. Hoyt, the chairman of the COM
mittee, then presented its report. The
resolution, after reeiting the charges in the
case, in substance says:
This iudicatory fnds that the final judg-
ment Of the secretary of New York ia
this general assembly finds the appellee,
Charles A. Briggs, has uttered and propa-
gated views, doctrines and teachings con-
trary to the essential doctrine of holy
scripture and the standard of the Presby-
terrain church and in violation of his ordi-
nation VOW, which erroneous views and
doctrines strike at the vitals of religion and
have been industriously spread: wherefore,
this general assembly does hereby suspend
Charles A. Briggs from the ofloe of min
lister in the Presbyterian church until such
time as he shall give satisfactory evidence
of repentance to the general assembly of
Ill - oE ,ofl
vow. The report was adopted. Rev. DR..
Sprague gave notice that protest would
be offered against the finding of the gen.
eral assembly as being too severe q SEN
tence and as tending to restrict the liberty
heretofore enjoyed by Office bearers in the
church.
DR.. w. W. Horscha of the committee
| then read the explanatory minute, which
| is to be made part of the record of the
| church. The minute, in effect, says:
We find that the doctrine of the errancy
of the Scriptures as 1t came from them te
| whom and through whom God originally
| with the statement of the Holy Scripture
itself and with the statements of the stand
ard of the church.
The committee recommends that thi
general assembly declare that the ressol
| and the church are not to be regarded q
fountains of Divine authority. They ar
never to be relied upon as sufficient II
themselves, and aside from Holy Seriptur
to lead the soul to a saving knowledge o
God. To teach otherwise Is most danger
GUS and contrary to the word of God ant
our standards.
We fud involved in this case q specu
lation in regard to the process of the soul
ratification after death, which IL DANCE,
l In Rfok nth -,
the plain teaching of the Divine word an
the utterance of the standards of on
church.
The minute was adopted by a viva voc
vote.
In answer to question the moderate
stated that the prosecuting committee Wa
now discharged. A vote OF thanks wa
given the committee.
Rev. DR.. Herrick johnson then prssen
ed q protest against the action of the Al
sembly, which declared the inerrancy {
the autographs Of scripture to be the fat
, of the church. The protest asserts that b
. its action the assembly insisted upon q
Interpretation of the standards which the
never have borne, and which on It's face
, | impossible. The protest Is signed by abo,
100 ministers and elders. The protest WI
| received, and on motion the moderator o.
!. | pointed q committee to answer 1t. Re
DR.. Young offered supplement- to the r
| port of the committee on bills and owe
lures on the inspiration Of the Scriptur
to the Bible that the Bible when FIRE,
from all errors and mistakes of translate
is the very word of God, wholly witho
errors.
= This was adopted. e.
4 Rev. DR.. Sprague presented protei
signed by sixty three commissioner
!, | against the verdict and Judgment of su
l pension, and the proceedings leading to &
ri verdict, In the case against DR.. Brigl
The protest was received to DO spread I
the records.
Il President warfsld presented the answ
;. to the protest against the action of the I
senbly on the subject of the inspiration
Z the Bible, which was adopted and viii
declares that the deltveranee of the Pc
land assembly and the deliverances of Il
= body, touching the inspiration of the be
? sculptures impose NO new test of orti
doxy, nor do they got forth any theory
Il inspiration, but only rsaMrm the sta
ments Of the confession Of faith.
Saratoga, N. Y, was CHOSEN a. the pll
Of nesting Of tho assembly Of 1894.
: Tho assembly them took . recess. ]
evening session was devoted mainly
routina hueinesa At $3.50 the general