The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-26
THE RIGHT Of petition.
II Was Acted Upon by the Presbyterian
General Assembly.
DIR. BRIGGS AGAIN SPEAKS OUT
In Defense of the New York Presbytery's
A~ttitude-The Committed Action Up
on Overtures Relating To Appeals
The Report Adopted W ithout Dissent.

WASHINGTON, May 26.-Yesterday was
the first day of the second weeks exist
ence of the general assembly OF the Pres
byterian church, and as on the first day OF
the first week the church was filled with
an eager, interested audience. AT 9;3O
the moderator opened the assembly with
prayer. After the disposition OF some
routine business he presented a report
from the judicial committee recommend
ing that the six complaints of j. j. Nc
Cook and others against the New York
synod, growing out of the trial OF Pro-
fessor Briggs, be referred to a Judicial
committee for trial. 1t gave rise to an in
formal discussion, in the course OF which
the question was asked whether or not the
synod of New York had met since the
charges were filed.
Moderator Craig-We have a certificate
from the stated clerk that the charges are
in order, and we cannot go behind the re-
turns.
The recommendation of the committee
was adopted.
DIR. Baker then reported the action OF
the committee upon the overtures
Relating to Appeals
direct from the synod to the general as
sembly. The committee said that mas
much as these overtures had To do with
the case now pending, 1t seemed only fair
that the report upon them should be made
before the case should be determined.
At the same time recognizing the fact
that there was no opportunity at this time
for discussion, it was recommended that
the report be placed on the docket un-
less the assembly was ready TO vote
promptly upon it. Overtures from -
presbyteries asked specific action upon the
case now pending: those from IA ochers
asked "a change i'm the book of discipline to
prevent any future appeal being taken di-
rect from the presbytery to the general as
sembly.
The committee recommended the enact
ment of the following resolution:
Resolved, That "A presbytery has the I'M
doubted right of petition TO the general assem-
bly, as to all matters relating TO the polity OF
the church: but an overture from "A presbytery
advising the assembly what action should be
taken by said assembly in a pending judicial
case is an irregular anu unprecedented &C.
clesiastical procedure. Every presbytery has
the right and the opportunity TO have Its
opinion on a pending judicial case expressed
through its commissioners on the floor OF the
general assembly, but IL has not the right by
overture TO try to influence the decision OF the
assembly on any pending judicial case. We,
therefore, recommend that all such overtures,
in SO far as they relate 10 the action OF the
assembly in any case now pending before 1t,
be laid upon the table. We further recon-
mend tina that part of said oyertures relating
to a change of the book OF discipline, so as to
provide that no cases may in the future be
taken by appeal directly from the presbytery
TO the general assembly, be referred To the
committee on church polity.
Adopted without Dissent.
A motion to accept the report and adopt
The dations was made ana
adopted with no dissent. Moderator Craig
then resolved the assembly into a Judicial
court, and DIR. Briggs resumed his speech
in defence of the action of the New York
p~resbytery in the case of the prosecution
against him and in opposition TO the enter
tanning Of the appeal from the judgment
of the presbytery thereon.