Evening journal., 1893-05-25
BRIGGS TALKS AGAIN.
The Aggressive Presbyterian
Before the General Assembly.
DEFENDING NEW YORK PREsBYTERY

Leading Lights of the Presbyterian
Church at the Great Convention in
Washington Are Losing No Time in Dis
posing of the Celebrated Case of DIR.
Briggs who Was Once Tried for Heresy
and Acquitted.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-This was the
first day of the second weeks existence
of the General Assembly of the Presby-
terian Church and as on the first day of
the first week, the church was early
filled with an eager and interested
audience.
The excitement over the Briggs case
was allowed to override the regular ar
rangements for devotional exercises pre-
liminary to the business meeting Iof the
assembly beginning half an hour before
the timed fixed for opening, and it was
9.t5 before a few of the commissioners
in the front seats, with no leader in
sight struck up the opening strains Of
the familiar hymn "All Hail the Power
of Jesus Name, after which Permanent
Clerk Moore read few verses of Scrip
ture and took charge of the prayer
meeting thus established.
Six Complaints Referred.
At $50 the moderator opened the as.
sembly with prayer, and after the dis
position of some routine business, pre-
sented report from the judicial com
mittee, recommending that the six com
plants Of ]. j. McCook and others
against the New York Synod growing
out of the trial OF Professor Briggs be
referred to a judicial commission. for
trial.
1t gave rise to an informal discussion
in the course of which the question was
askedS whether or not the Synod OF
New York had met since the charges
were filed.
Moderator Craig-"We have certif
cate from the stated clerk that the
charges are in order and we cannot go
behind the returns" CLaughter)
The recommendation of the com.
mittee was adopted.
Requests for Specific Action.
Overtures from twenty-nine presby
teries asked specific action upon the case
now pending; those from fourteen
others asked a change in the book o.
discipline to prevent any future appea
being taken direct from the presbyterl
to the general assembly. The COMMITTEES
recommended the adoption Of the fol
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That a presbytery has the un
doubted right Of petitiOn,to the general assem-
bly, as TO all matters relating to the polity o
the church, but, an overture from a presby
terry, advising the assembly what actio
should be taken by said assembly in a pend
ing judicial case, is an irregular and unpre
cedented ecclesiastical procedure. Ever
presbytsry has the right and the opportunit
TO have its opinion on pending judicial cas-
expressed through its commissioners expresse
upon the floor OF the assembly but it has no
the right by overture 70 try TO influence tn
decision of the assembly on any pending ju
dical case.
we therefore recommend that all sue
overtures, In so far as they relate to tn
action Of the assembly in any case now pend
ing before it. be lHid upon the table. w
further recommend that that part of sal
overtures relating to a change of the book
discipline so as 10 provide that no cases ma
in the future be taken for appeal directl
from the presbytery to the general assembl
be referred to the committee on church pOlit.
No Time Lost This.
The assembly apparently, was ready I
act upon the report, for motion to a,
cept 1t and adopt the recommendation
was promptly made and adopted wit
no dissent.
At this point Moderator Craig pr
sented to the assembly Bishop John
Hurst of the Methodist Church who ha
a seat on the platform.
Holding Carlisle Responsible.
Stated Clerk Roberts offered a res
luton appointing a committee consis
ing of Revs. Dr. Craig moderator
Herriek Johnson, of Chicago. and Bake
of Philadelphia and Elders Ketchum,
New York and Law, of Colorado, to Wis
the proper officials and learn wheth
or not it was their intention to obser'
the requirement that the Worlds Fe
should be closed on Sunday. The resol
tion was adopted.
Dr. Roberts speaking of the resoluti,
afterwards said the World Fair grouI
was a bonded warehouse and that it "
entirely competent for Secretary Carlis
to close the gates and turn the key
Saturday nights.
DIR. Briggs Resumes His Speech.
Moderator Craig then resolved t
assembly into iudicicl court, and /
Briggs resumed his speech in defense
the action of the New York Presbyte
in the case of the prosecution agar
him and in opposition to the enterta
ing of the appeal from the Judgment
the presbytery thereon.
THE PRESBYTERIAN EXHIBIT.
The Committee Say If the Fair is or