The record-union., 1893-06-02
INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED FROM
THE MINISTRY.
He Can Only be Reinstated on a Re-
traction of the Matter in His
Speeches and Writings to Which
Objection Was Made, Which 1t is
Not Believed That He VIII Do.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

AsSeHiDIy ~ 10 tHlS IlOrnlDR was 10 cOu-
slider what should be done with him. The
committee appointed to decide the matter
brought in a recommendation of ''sus-
pension from the ministry" and the as
sembly adopted the report. DIR. Briggs
was suspended indefinitely, and can only
be reinstated on recantation of the mat
ter i'll his speeches anG writings to which
objection was made. 1t is unlikely that
he will ever do that.
On the convening of the Presbyterian
General Assembly this morning the
Moderator announced the names of the
committee to formulate report express
ing the sense of the assembly as to the
vote taken upon the appeal from the
New York Presbytery in the Briggs case.
Rev. Thomas a. Hoyt of Philadelphia
was made Chairman. The other mem
bers are as follows: Ministers-H. w.
Congdon of Nebraska, w. w. Harsha OF
Nebraska, j. j. Lucas, q. D. Baker OF
Pennsylvania, +. p. Whallon of Indiana
and Thomas Dewing OF Iowa. Elders
John Randolph of Baltimore, Thomas
McDougall of Ohio, David Jacks of Cali
fornia, Z. L. Greene of New Jersey, J. A.
Curry of kentucky and E. D. Warfield
of Pennsylvania.
The committee retired and the assem-
bly, as a court adjourned. resuming legis-
lative business as an assembly.
The assembly adopted the report of the
Committee on Bills and Overtures re-
affirming the deliverance of the assembly
of 1892 on the inspiration of the Scrip
lures. Recess was then taken.
The General Assembly this afternoon
adopted the report of the committee sus-
pending Professor Briggs from the min
istry of the Presbyterian Church.
Rev. John Dickson, Chairman of the
Committee on Theological Seminaries.
submitted a report. The institutions
generally report prosperity. AS to the
Lane Theological Seminary, the trustees
were compelled to abolish the chair OF
practical theology, owing to the reduced
income, thus requiring the resignation OF
DIR. Roberts, who was the incumben
thereof. In the list of Professors the as
sembly finds the name of Rev. John p.
Smith, d. D., who in December last wa
suspended by the Presbytery of Cincin-
natl for unsoundness in faith. The board
should have accepted the resignation oi
Professor Smith or at least have relieved
him from the discharge of his duties.
The assembly was therefore constrained
to withhold approval and commentator
of the Lane Seminary until the board has
reconsidered the action and remedied the
error.
The committee recommended that the
reelection of Rev. Charles A. Briggs, d.
D., by the Presbytery of Newark as di-
rector of the German Theological Semi
nary at Bloomfield, n. j., be disapproved
by this assembly.
A long and excited discussion followed
the presentation of the report, but the
question was finally put and the report
adopted in its entirety by large ma
jority.
At the afternoon session DR.. Craig con-
vened the assembly as a court to hear the
report of the committee appointed to pre-
pare explanatory minutes in the Briggs
case. Rev. Mr.. Hoyt, Chairman, called
upon DR.. Baker, of the subcommittee
sent to interview Professor Briggs, to re-
port the result of the interview.
DR.. Baker said Professor Briggs stated
his irrevocable determination to abide by
the declarations made in his address be-
fore the assembly in his defense, and to
continue to teach the doctrines there
avowed. At the request of Dr. Baker,
Professor Briggs gave him an autograph
letter making such statement, whereupon
DR.. Baker said the committee took action.
which Mr.. Hoyt would now report to the
assembly.
The report, after reciting the proceed
ings in the case, proceeds: This judici-
airy finds said final judgment Of the
Presbytery of New York erroneous and
it is hereby reversed, and this General AS
sembly does find that the appellee, Chas.
A. Briggs, uttered, taught and propagated
views, doctrines and teachings contrary
to the essential doctrines of the Holy
Scripture and the standards of the Pres
byterian Church, and in violation OF the
ordination vows of said appellee, which
said erroneous views and doctrines strike
at the vitals OF religion, and have been
industriousIy spread, does hereby sus-
pend Charles a. Briggs, said appellee
from the office of minister in the Presby-
terian Church in the United States oi
America until such time as he shall give
satisfactory evidence of repentance TO the
General Assembly Of the violation by
him OF said ordination vow as herein and
heretofore found"
The report of the committee was
adopted, and a vote OF thanks was given
the committee for their services. The
motion evoked Kisses.
Rev. DR.. Herrick Johnson of Chicago
presented q protest against the action oi
the assembly on the inspiration of the
Holy Scripture.
Rev. DIR. Young offered supplement
to the report OF the Committee on Bills
and Overtures on Inspiration of the
Scriptures, as follows:
ResoIUed, That the Bible as we now
have it, in various translations and YER
sions, when freed from all errors and
mistakes of the translators, copyists and
printers, is the very Word of God, and
consequently without error.
Unanimously adopted.
DIR. Sprague presented for considera-
ton protest against the action of the
assembly in the Briggs case as being toe
severe a sentence for the offense of the
honored scholar named, as tending to re-
strict the liberty heretofore enjoyed by
office in the Presbyterian
Church.