Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-05-26
READY FOR THE VOTE
Speeches of the Briggs APP
peal Case Finished.
TIE PROFESSORS EARNEST PLEA

Said Anything that Has Caused Trouble.
Decision Likely To-Day.
( W. sHINGToN. May 26.-Tt is possible
that vote will be reached this afternoon
in the General Assembly Oh the entertain
meu of the appeal in the Briggs case.
Yesterday DR.. Briggs resumed his
speech in defense of the action of the New
York Presbytery in the case of the prosecu-
ton against him, and in opposition to
the entertaining of the appeal from the
judgment of the Presbytery thereon.
He occupied the time of the morning
session and it was ten minutes after three
in the afternoon session when he concluded.
He had spoken for four and a half hours
ut three different sittings of the court
Col J. j. McCook of the Committee on
Prosecution closed the argument ON behalf
of the prosecution. He divided his argu
meut into two parts, speaking an hour
and twenty minutes in the afterEo on and
concluded at the evening session.
DIR. Briggs said:
The Presbytery of New York, the
largest in the Presbyterian Church, after
long and patient consideration of the mer
its of the case gave verdict of acquittal
" OuNl Tue Oeuerdl Assembly Do Willing I'd
give the same amount of time and the same
degree of patience to the consideration of
the merits of the case if the appeal should
be entertained The General Assembly is
composed of more than 500 members from
all parts of the United States. Is it likely
that so numerous a body will be mere
equitable court than the Presbytery of
New York; Let any one consider the sit
uation of affairs in the Presbyterian
Church, since the process was begun
against DR.. Briggs, and honestly ask
whether the General Assembly is likely to
be in more judicial frame of mind than
the Presbytery of New York.
''If the General Assembly should enter
tain this appeal, it would be necessary to
consider the merits of the case with the
utmost care, with evident impartialty,
with entire freedom from party prejudice
and with unwearied patience for several
weeks, or you could not win public conf
dence in your justice public respect for
your decision. Ii you override all the pro
visions of the constitution and the maXims
of civil law, the usages of civil and ecclesi
astcal courts in order to entertain an ap-
peal and then rush to a hasty decision,
you will strike a deadly blow at the con-
| stitution and the the discipline Of the Pres
| byterian Church"
He then reviewed the history of the case
| thu ough it's various stages in Pres3yterl
| and General Assembly, showing the dis
missal of the charges in 1891 and an &C
| quittal in 1892, "by a court" as he said,
| which showed SO evidently to, say the
least, that they were not biased in favor of
| DR.. Briggs and which was under the eX-
| ternal pressure of the unfavorable action
| of the two General Assemblies and which
was compelled to acquit him by the evil
dence in the case. Is it equitable to put the
defendant i'll jeopardy again for the offences
charged against him?
mo civil court could do so. 1t would
be a new and an Ubiquitous precedent in
| an ecclesiastical court. The civil courts
| might feel compelled in the interests oil
| equity to interpose. The General Assem-
| bly, cannot entertain this appeal without
| doing violence to the sense of right which is
| exhibited in the constitution of our coun.
try, in the maxims of common law, il
the statutes of our commonwealth and il
| the practice of our civil courts with
out establishing an entirely new and
| dangerous precedent in ecclesiastical law,
without doing grave injustice to the de
PENDANT and to the Presbytery of New
| York, and without undermining public
confidence in the equity of Presbyterian
discipline.
1.-The massive walls of law and equity
frown upon this appeal. Upon these bat
Elements the appellee takes the stand
The constitution of our church is his BAN
ner Here he will remain standing what
ever may betide. He can do no other.
Here stands the Presbytery of New York,
which has acquitted him. Here stands
the synod of New York, which has taken
jurisdiction of his complaints. Here will
rally sooner or later all who are loyal tC
Presbyterian law and discipline, all who
have confidence in truth and scholarly in
vestigation; all whowould advance in the
lines of the historic faith and order of our
church; all who seek the peace and pros
perity of the kingdom of God"
He finished his set speech at o'clock
and then spoke extemporaneously until the
end of his address. He wished he said
to make an explicit denial of the charges
that he had preached doctrines against the
fundamental doctrines of the church. 81
affirm that believe" he said, beginning
with outstretched hands to the audience,
''the Holy Scriptures to be the word o.
God" He affirmed that he held to the
whole doctrine taught in the first chapter
of the Westminster comics lion.
He closed with an appeal, touched witt
suggestion of pathos that the case might
go to the synod of New York. If that
were done he would aid in the full solution
of the case and then if it were sent back
to the next General Assembly he would
abide by it's decision, whatever it Nigh
be. He regretted if he had said anything
that had caused trouble in the church. NJ
one regretted it more than he did. FL,
had taught for 30 years at the Unior
Theological Seminary, he said, appealingly
almost pathetically. Only four othe
teachers of Presbyterian theology hae
taught longer than he; only two had beer
the instructors of more ministers of thu
church than he. Of all persons that hat
been taught by him. he challenged any of
them to say anything that had interfered
with the true discharge of their holy du