Omaha daily bee., 1893-06-02
subject on the table, and it was so ordered
by standing court-yeas, 227 nays, 176.
Rev. Shepard Caused some Excitement.

this was lost and MIR. Shepard took the
platform to propose another substitute.
The assembly, he said, had deliberately
voted down the standards Of Interpretation
Of the scriptures and he offered resolution
setting forth that the standards of the
church sufficiently expressed the sources
OF inspiration and IL was, therefore, not
necessary to pass upon the question.
There were shouts of mo, no." aud "Yes,
yes" and other vocal evidences Of approval
and disapproval of the substitute. The
moderator declared that the substitute was
lost on rising VOTE but insistance was
made on count The request was granted
and the substitute was lost-nays, 214; yeas,
1914 Mr.. Shepard cried out for the yeas and
nays, but the moderator refused to put the
demand.
The report of the committee was adopted,
the minority vote being only about sixty.
DIR. Herrick Johnson gave notice of a pro-
test that would be filed and the assembly
took recess.
AT the afternoon session DIR. Craig con-
vened the assembly as a court to hear the
report of the committee appointed to pre-
pare the explanatory minute in the Briggs
case.
Rev DR.. Hoyt, chairman of the committee,
before making the report called upon DIR.
Baker, chairman of the subcommittee sent
tc interview Prof Briggs in spirit of con-
citation, to report the result Of that inter
view.
DIR. Briggs Stands Firm.
DR. Baker said the committee had hoped
that Prof Briggs would say something
which might relieve the tension of the pres.
ent distressing situation, but this hope had
not been realized. Prof Briggs stated his
irrevocable determination to abide by the
declarations made in his address before the
assembly in his defense, and to continue to
teach the doctrine there avowed.
AT the request of DR.. Baker Prof, Briggs
gave him the following autograph letter:
WAsB!NGToN, D.. O., June /, 1so3.-Rev.
George ID. Baker, Chairman OF the Subcomnit-
tee of the Committee of the Assembly APP
pointed to Formulate a Judgment in the Case
Of the Presbyterian Church, u. s. A., Against
Prof. Briggs. My Dear Sir: In accordance
with your request, I hereby state that your
| committee called upon me and asked me il
to to them inspecting the
| l adhered to all the positions taken before the
| general assembly and had nothing further to
say, save that the appellee reserves all rights
exclusive responsibility for any further action
O. A. BRIGGS.
Order of Expulsion.
Whereupon, DR.. Baker said the committee
| took the action which Mr.. Hoyt would now
! report to the assembly.
Tho report, after reciting the proceedings
| in the case, proceeds:
| This judicatory finds as its final Judgment
! that the finding of the presbytery OF New York
Is 5 erroneous an. and should be- and is hereby, re-
| iudicatory in said cause, coming now to enter
| Judgment on said amended charges finds that
taught and propagated views, doctrines and
ia ,Sa 5t feth IN said
said Church IN tSe
the ordination vows of said appellee, which
| said erroneous views and doctrines strike at
the vitals of religion and have been industrl-
| ously spread; wherefore this general assem-
| bly, OF the Presbyterian church In the United
States of America, sitting as q judicatory in
this cause, on appeal, does hereby suspend
Charles A. Briggs, the said appellee, from the
| Office Of minister in the Presbyterian church
time m as he shall give satisfactory evidenco f Of
| repentance to the general assembly of the
Presbyterian church, in, the, United states Of
| America of the violation by him of said ordi-
| nation vow as hereinbefore found
Gave Notice of Appeal.
The report Of the committee was,adopted,
! whereupon DIR. Sprague gave notice that at
! the proper time protest would be offered
against the finding of the assembly as being
| too severe Il sentence for the offense of the
honored scholar named, as tending to restrict
the liberty heretofore enjoyed by Office
bearers in the Presbyterian church.
| An explanatory note was adopted and
| made part of the record of the case 1t
takes strong grounds against the views ex-
| pressed by DR.. Briggs, and for which he has
been suspended. On motion of Mr.. Nc
Dougall, amended by DR.. Young, q vote of
thanks was given the committee for its
services. The motion evoked a few Kisses,
the first so far heard, but was adopted with
a small minority vote
Rev. DIR. Herrick johnson Of Chicago pre-
sented the protest against the action of the
assembly at the morning session on the in
spiration of holy scripture, notice of which
he then gave. The protest closes as follows
believing these present scriptures to be the
very word of God, and, Immediately inspired
of God, kept pure in all ages, and the one
only infallible rule of faith and practice, not
withstanding some apparent discrepancies
in matters purely circumstantial we ear.
nestly protest against the thrusting of this
new Interpretation of our standards upon
the church to bind mems consciences by an
| enforced subscription to it's terms.n
This was signed by about seventy-fve
ministers and elders.
| The protest was received and a committee
appointed to answer it.
On tho Inspiration of tho Scriptures.
Rev. DIR. Young offered the following as
supplemental to the report of the committee
| on bills and oycrtures on the inspiration o1
the scriptures along with that report:
Resolved, That tho biblo az we now have it
In Its various translatons aud versions, when
lators, copyists and printers, is the very WORD
OF God, and consequently wholly without
! error.
The resolution was unanimously adopted
Rev. w. w. Harsha reported from the
committee on church policy recommending
that the assembly remind presbyteries thai
each church has the liberty to choose and
| appoint gouly ana competent women IN ful
commission in the church for such ministra
tions to bodily and spiritual needs as may
properly come within their sphere. Adopted
DIR. Sprague presented for consideration
the protest against the action of the Assem-
bly, in the DIR, Briggs case, of which he hat
given notice. 1t was as follows:
Protest from the Briggs Men.
| We the undersigned ministers and elders II
| the Presbyterian church. declaring our heart,
belief in and love for the holy scriptures o
| the Old and New Testament. and our entir
| loyalty TO the principles OF the Presbyterian
4 | church. desire respectfully to record our sol
of suspension and the proceedings leading t
tho verdict. in the case against Rev. Charlie
? A. Briggs, ID, in the general assembly O
: ! 1898:
/. As involving, in our Judgment, acts O
. doubtful constitutionality.
2. As seeming to abridge tho liberty O
| opinion hitherto enjoyed under our standard
I | by office bearers in the church.
= 3. As tending, we believe, to- the discourage
ment of the thorough study Of the bible an,
Ieverent advance in the apprehension Q
4 Divine truth, and
4. As iniicting what we cannot but feel 1
v injustice on a Christian scholar of acknowl
edged high character and learning as well a
on the presbytery OF New York which ha
y fully acquitted him Of the charges allege
. against him.
The protest was received, to beuspread o