The morning call., 1893-05-24
He Will Get a Hearing at
Least.
FUN IN A GRAVE ASSEMBLY.
rloderator Craig Somewhat Holly
Resents Being Called Down by
Henry Preserved Smith.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

ses sion of the Presbyterian General |
plunged into the Briggs Gues-
ton Immediately after prayers DR.. |
Young, chairman of the committee on
bills and overtures, took the floor to pre-
sent the report, distributing number of
bills and Overures to the several CON-
mittees. Among them were some bearing
directly or indirectly upon the Briggs G, SO
before the judicial committee. and Rev.
Mr.. Booth of New York entered protest
against the obvious attempt to Influence
the judicial committee by pouring in upon
it these overtures for and against the case.
Professor Brown, Briggs co-laborer and
said: 1--WE have a right to
know the sentiment of the churches upon
any subject before them, and the only
proper way to secure knowledge Of that
sen ntnIent is through the committees of the
DR.. Herrick johnson of the Mccormick
Theological Seminary of Chicago, one of
the foremost Briggs leaders in the body,
spoke briefly, and Rev. Thomas G. Hall of
Chicago said: "Precedents aud practices
In civil courts have no weight with US.
No court would have taken up the prose-
cution of an innocent man. and ecclesiasti-
cal precedents are erwnelmingly in favor
of the right of petition. 1t is a right that
every citizen possesses" [Applause.I
The recommendation of the committee
was finally adopted by decisive vote in
the majority.
The report of the committee on home
missions was read and adopted.
Ex-Moderator Smith, president of the
United Christian Commission, organized
for work in connection with the United
States army, submitted statement to the
effect that the commission must discourage
the enlistment of sons of Christian fami-
lies in the army unless some safeguards
now lacking were thrown around them.
Gambling in the army was not prohibited
either by law or regulation, and it was en-
couraged by the example of the older off
GERS and soldiers: the post canteens afford
unrestricted opportunity for and induce
iInent TO drink; the architecture of bar
racks places Christian soldiers at fearful
disadvantage, exposing them to the vices
aud indecencies of the irreligious members
OF the rank and file; Sunday work. not
called for by any exigency, was still re-
auired by the army authorities; the recon-
mendations OF religious teachers In the
army for the benefit of the soldiers do not
recsive the approval or consideration of
the authorities, and in fact they were dis
couraged. The commission recommends
that the army orders of August last on
this subject be revoked, and that chaplains
be appointed for every regiment The
recommendations of the committee were ap-
proved and the report was received.
The special order for the afternoon was
the report of the judicial committee in
the Briggs case. Immediately after the
opening prayer DR.. Baker. the chairman,
was recognized and addressed the Moder-
ator and assembly as follows: 81 had
earnestly hoped that bat one report would
be presented by our committee, but in this
l have been disappointed. But shall we
not all resolve that. whatever be the deei-
sion finally reached. we will, as loyal
Presbyterians, abide faithfully by that de-
cision. Let us resolve that we will sternly
frown upon and utterly discountenanoe
any suggestion. from whatever quarter it
may come, of schism or division in our
church."
The majority report finds that the ap-
peal and specifications of error alleged
were filed in due time. and submit the reso-
lutions that the appeal De entertained and
that three hours be allotted to the hearing,
one and half hours to each party, and
that the bly, then vote upon the reso-
luton that the appeal be entertained by
the General Assembly and the case pro-
ceed to trial in accordance with the provi-
sions of the book of discipline. T g re-
port is signed by Baker (chairman), Duff
field, Hays. Leftwich, Maxwell, Sanders,
Peacock. Randall, Green, McDougali, Per-
shing. Fulton, Cummings, Graydon and
Orr.
DR.. Baker also presented a supplemental
report giving the principal reasons which
influenced the committee in reaching its
conclusions.
The minority report was read by Rev.
S. j. Nicolls Of St. Louis. He said he
knew that in making a minority report he
and his associates were under suspicion
already as appearing to oppose the appeal.
but this was not their attitude. They
were not antagonizing the claim of power
in the assembly to entertain an appeal.
The minority report recommends that
the majority report be amended by sub
stitutng the following: I'VE find the ap-
peal in order and recommend that the
parties be heard in accordance with the
provisions of the book of discipline. We
ask this for the following reasons: The
majority report prejudices the appeal by
advising that the assembly do what the
back of discipline says shall be determined
only after the parties have been heard.'
This report is signed by Myers, Stebbins
and Ncolls. The majority report fixed
for the assembly the very form of verdict
which 1t was asked to reach. This the
minority thought was not regular nor the
law. The minority did not deem i: proper
10 prejudice the case. and therefore re-
Trained from bringing in their individual
opinions to influence the assembly.
The motion that the case Should be en-
tertained was then adopted, but when the
motion to pass the second clause limiting
debate to three hours was offered Cutcheon
of Detroit moved to strike out the limita-
ton.
At this point DR.. Briggs arose to ad-
dress the assembly and Immediately he
and the moderator engaged in an animated
colloquy upon his right to be heard.
Briggs finally yielded. and the moderator
sad Il would suggest, in the interest of
bro;her.y kindness and peace"
nj, III