Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-01

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could not claim the right Of appeal rs u
private prosecution ana then sliGd them
| selves hs 4 public prosecutor behind the
| PRESBYTERIAN church oil the United States
! from the consequences Of Il prosecution
Tor SANDER, which was permitted under
the Book Of Discipline.
llr. Briggs then went on to say that in
! pursuing tie appeal under the conditions
| that existed the committee laid themselves
! open to the lmputatlpn of being maiign-
ahtly prclltlced against the defendant and
open To the suspicion that they had 10
grievance except the grievance Of defeat
u was, he asserted, common mistake to
| shy tnW the Presbyterian church was re-
| SpunSlblc for all the doctrines Of Ms minis
trfs. nc Presbyterian church was respon-
Sib.c Tor its constitution and It's GonsLitl-
tional rules and for them alone II ii wcre
lawful 70 appeal every case of doctrine and
| law brought before the court Of the Pres
byiery, il would compel the General
Assembly to finally determine all these
doGtrhal and legal questions,
Furthermore, lr Briggs pointed out, it
! was not altogether certain that the de-
clstons Of the General Assembly sitting AS
! acolrl III a Judicial case could finally de
! lerluine questions Of doctrine or morals.
i MAS possible that majority of the Cen
| eral Assembly might make al uncOnstitu-
tlOhal decision, aud tilau there might be a
ana morals IN contravention Of the doc
trinal and ecclesiastical standards.
! In conclusion Dr. Briggs asserted that
! the public prosecutors were pushing the
| Presbyterian Church lntua very ingonsis-
tent and dangerous position They were
ehdearoring to secure new definitions of
dOginas by final Judgment in hcrcsy trial
when they ought to aim 20 secure them by
| Oyertures i'll connection with the present
/ form OF government, The form of gov
| ernment prescribed their path, not the
Houl Of Discipline.
pr. Briggs spoke for an hour and half
and then lt 90 yielded for u motion to
adjourn, which was carried
WAsHlNGTON, May 15,-This is the first
day Of the second weeks existence of the
General Assembly Of the Presbyterian
Church and as on the first day of the
first week, the church WAS early Tiled with
an eager, interested audience. The excite
ment over the Briggs case was allowed to
override the regular arrangements for de.
votional exercises preliminary to the busi-
ness meeting Of the Assembly beginning
half an hour before the time fixed for
| opening, and it was ola o'clock before u
few Of the commissioners in the front seats
with no leader in sight struck upthe open
ing strains Of the familiar hymn, "All
hail the power Of Jesus name" after
which Permanent Clerk Moore read few
prayer meeting thus established.
At0.3O the moderator opened the Assem-
bly, With prayer and after the disposition
Of some routine business presented re-
port from the judicial committee, recon
mcnding that the SIX complaints Of j. j..
McCook and others against the New York
synod, growing out Of the trial Of Pro-
fessor Briggs, be referred to a judicial
commission for trial, 1t gave rise to an
informal discussion, i'll course uf which
the question WAS asked whether or not the
Synod Of New York had met since the
charges were filed.
Moderator Craig have a certificate
from the stated clerk that the charges are
in order and we cannot go behind the re-
turns" Laughter.
The recommendation Of the committee
was adopted,
llr. Baker then reported action of the
committee upon the overtures relating to
appeals direct from the synod to the
General Assembly. The committee said
that lnasmlCh us these oyGrtures had to do
will.thr case now pending, ii seemed only
fair that the report upon them should be
made before thccase should Undetermined.
At the same time, recognizing the fact
that there was no opportunity at this time
for discussion, il was recommended that
the report be placed on the docket unless
the Assembly was ready to vote promptly
uponit.
Oycrtures from 20 presbyterics asked
specific action upon the case now pending
those from II others asked Il change in the
liGOl, of Discipline, To prevent any luturt
appeal being taken direct from the Presby
terry to the General Assembly. The com
mittGe recommended the adoption of tho
following resolutions:
RssoL ef, That Il Presbytery has the IN
doubted right of petition 70 the General As
srmbly rs 10 al matters relating 10 ;he pUlt,
Oi the church; but an overture from l'resby
terry, advising the Assembly what actor
should De taken by said Assembly in pend
ing Judicial case, h an irregular and dnprcce
denied ecclesiastical procedure. Every Pres
/ bytcry mas the right and The opportunity u
have its opinion on Il pending Judicial case eN
pressed through it, commissioners on tito ilool
ui the Assembly, but 1t has not the right b,
I overture 10 try To influence me decision OF tn,
} Assembly on any pending Judicial case. We
therefore, recommend that ali such overtures
, in So tar a. they rrlnte 10 the action Of th'
Assembly IN auY case now pending betuts il
be Ltid upon the table, Mu Iuriher recon
mend hut mat part of said bycrtures relating
tnjLchangC OF tho Book Of Discipline, SO as 4
provide that no cases may IN tue litnre ht
iakuu for appeal directly ifniu the lresbi Jerl
Ia the General Assembly, be referred 70 Tho
committee on church poty.
The Assembly, apparently, was ready tt
, act upoa the report, Tor motion to accep
il and adopt lhG recommendations wa.
promptly made and prevailed without dis
sent
Al this point Moderator Craig presented
TO the Assembly bishop John +. Hurst oi
the Methodist Episcopal Church, who hat
/ seat ON the platform,
, Stated Clerk Roberts offered resolution
appointing Il committee consisting of th'
Itcys, DR.. Craig tinOderator), Herricl
johnson of Chicago and Baker OF Phila
dephia, and Elders ketchum of New Gori
and Law of Colorado, u visit the prope
/ officials aud learn whether or not 1t wa
/, their intention TO observe the Requirement
t that the Worlds Fair should he closed OF
, sunday. The resolution was adopted.
O DIR. Roberts. speaking Of the resolution
afterwards said the Worlds Fair grount
was a bonded warehouse and that it wa
entirely competent for Secretary Carlisle Il
d close the gates and turn the key on Satur
) day nights.
Moderator Craig then resolved theassem
!, bly, into judicial court and llr. Brigg
resumed his speech in defence of the action
4 ut the New York Presbytery in the case o
i the prosecution against him. and IN oppo
r sition to the entertaining OF he aPpea
i from the Judgment Of the Pfesbyter.
Il thereon.
DIR. BRIGGs' FLEA.
i After briefly relating The points mad
+ Yesterday. Dr.. Briggs said:
"Ihe PresbyteTy of New York, tn
. largest III the Presbyterian Church, after
G long and patient consideration. Of th
: merits Ui the case, gave verdict OF nc
. uuiltal. Would the General Assembly b
T. willing to give the same amount of tim
and the same degree Of patience TO tn
\ consideration ofthe merits OF the case I tn
d appeais should be entertained? The Gen
: eIGl Assembly is composed ol more thai
i 800 members from all parts Of the llnltet
:, States Is it likrly that so numerous
> body will be q more equitable court thal
~ prcshyterv Of New York lie