The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-04-13
VIICTOl,Y FOR DR.. BRIGGS.
ANOTHER TURN AT.THE HEREsY
CASE.
Four Briggs Men and Three Ants
ar Elected to the Prescy-
terrain Assembly by
the New York
PreSbytery
VIII Convene in Washington.

( p . 1
VIII Convene in Washington.
a New York. April 11.-Interest in the |
Briggs case is reviying as the time for
the meeting of the Presbyterian general
assembly approaches. That body will as
sesnble in Washington on the third Thurs
day in May, and to it the committee of
prosecution of the New York presbytery,
representing the Presbyterian church.
will appeal from the decision of the New
York presbytery acQuitting Kew. Df.
Charles A. Briggs of the charges OF
heresy preferred against him. The pres
byteres throughout the country are now
electing their delegates to the general as
sembly, and the Briggs case and the re-
vision of the confession of faith are the
issues on which the contest III the pres
byteries are made. Those presbyterles
in favor of the revision movement are,
as Il rule. naturally i'll favor of Dr.
Briggs. Some of the presbyteries have
elected delegates who are pronounced
Briggs men. while other presbyteries
have adopted resolutions or overtures
virtually in favor of the abandonment
of the case against the accused by the
committee of prosecution, to the end that
the peace of the church may be preserved.
That the case will take up a great deal
of time Of the general assembly is re-
garded as foregone conclusion. The
Briggs forces will contend that the APP
peal by the committee OF prosecution, IT
taken at ALL should have been taken in
the first instance to the synod, as pro-
yided by the book of discipline. That
question will no doubt be contested Wig
oro,,sly by both sides, and particularly by
the extreme advocates of Il strict tech
meal observation of the law of the
church. The semi-annual meeting OF the
New York presbytery was held to-day.
The principal business before the body
was the election of seven clerical and
seven lay commissioners and their al
ternates to the general assembly which
will meet in Washington next month.
The DR.. Briggs ease is to come up before
that. Rev. William r. Harshaw, pastor
of the First Union church, was unani-
mously elected moderator. and the clerks
were reelected. A resolution was adopt
ed giving the negative to the OyertureS
of the general assembly in the matter
OF the recent revision of the confession
of faith.
Before adjournment Dr. Briggs ad-
yanced to the moderator's desk, and ris-
ing to Il question of privilege, appealed
TO the presbytery to secure him fair treat
ment before the general assembly, when
he would appear there as appellee.
When BEFORE the general assembly
last time" he said, Il was harrassed by
the fact that two members Of the prose-
cutting committee We're also members of
the general assembly. and were allowed
the privileges of the floor at times when
had not those privileges, as l could ap-
pear only when my case was called.
This presbytery has made me defend
doctrines which [ hardly subscribe to-
1t has made me appellee, and, while [
do not object to DR.. Lampe as a COM
missioner because he cannot hurt Inc
much. l appeal to this body that DR..
McCook. the counsel of the prosecuting
committee, be not also sent there us
commissioner who would then have priv
leges which l cannot have because YOU
have made me appellee"
Dr. Birch contradicted DR.. Briggs,
closing as follows: 81 speak calmly. bnf
deny DR.. Briggs declaration point
blank
The election for clerical delegates to
the general assembly resulted in the
choice of the following: Rev. Doctors
Alexander, Tompkins. Brown, Spinning.
Booth. Chambers and Wylie. 1t is re-
garded as q victory for the Briggs men.
me hrst four named are supporters of
Pr: Briggs, and the other three are anti
81 Briggs men. The lay delegation was
chosen after the Briggs men had left the
session and stands two for and five
against Briggs.