Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-25

of New York. and to determine whether it
should take from him the external call given
him i'll ordination and whether it should say,
SO long as Its authority goes, that he could no
longer be a minister of Jesus Christ
DIR. Briggs then gave a brief narrative of the
proceedings in the New York presbytery. Ac-
cording to the maxim of civilla he maintained
that this acquittal should be final. The only
purpose of the appeal manifesty to re-
verse the verdict of acquittal Nothing but
imperative reasons could justify in the eyes of
the Christian world such q course as entertain
ing the appeal. An ecclesiastic court
could do a minister vastly greater injury
than the mutilation of his limbs or the depri-
walton OF his life. The ministers of Jesus Christ
are called to deny themselves, to take up the
cross and follow their Master They are called
to suffer for His sake. There may be unworthy
ministers; there may be some who make the
ministry mere profession, means of liveli-
hood; such a minister could not be expected to
take serious view of the obligations upon a
true minister of Christ.
To depose the true minister, to deprive him
OF his ecclesastic life was far worse than to
mutilate his limbs or take his physical life
Would they be guilty of that which the Consti-
tuition Of our great republic forbade under
criminal laws?
THERE MUST BE AN AGGRIEvED PARTY.
He argued that appeals under all laws were
limited to aggrieved parties. All precedents
in the courts, civil and ecclesiastic.
were that appeals should be made BY
aggrieved parties. The grievance must be
very great to justify the reopening of the case
Of a minister who has been acquitted of a
charge Of heresy. The case against the de-
PENDANT did not come under those private
offences, where either party had the right Of
appeal. The prosecutor a public pros
ecutor, and there was no question Of the griev-
ance of an individual. The private prose-
cutor was under the church law subject to
the penalty Of censure if he failed In the
prosecution. Therefore he was given the right
Of appeal.
Dr. Briggs analysed at considerable length
the principles of the civil law as well as the
ecclesiastic law. which, he said, always fingered
behind the civil laws.
These appellants had no right, he said, to
claim the grievance OF a private prosecutor and
at the same time the immunity Of public pros
ecutor which would shield them from an action
for Islander.
The prosecution in this case has been con-
Quoted by committee Of presbytery, claiming
to be committee Of prosecution acting for the
Presbyterian Church in the United States Of
America Such prosecutor had no right Of
appeal The general assembly could not enter
tain the appeal without violating all law all
precedent and the statutes Of the church. They
would do the appellee wrong that the civil
courts would not hesitate to redress
NO PERSONAL GRIEVANCE.
This prosecuting committee, he asserted had
no personal grievance. They might be disap-
pointed because they had not secured q verdict
Of conviction. They were not appointed to
convict, but only to prepare the case subject to
he decision Of the presbytery, and when the
presbytery had given its decision the duty Of
the committee was done. To appeal against
the presbytery that appointed them laid them
open to the imputation Of personal hostility
such as was unnatural and wrong in public
prosecutor.
The grounds OF appeal that had been given,
though they might have been valid in case
between private parties were not valid in q
public prosecution against a verdict Of acquit-
tai. 1t is claimed by some that the Presbyte-
rian Church of the United States of America il
aggrieved. But who is to say this, the prosecu-
ton? The appellants seem to think that they
are suffering grievance vicariously? Not. how
ever, for the presbytery OF New York or for
the synod. Not for the general assembly, for
the assembly did not appoint them. For whom
say the Presbyterian Church Of the
United States of America, doubtless mean
Ing the party Of the church
that is pushing them on in this matter. and who
they think are in the majority. The case of DR..
Briggs has been tried in a lawful court of
the church, and he has been acquitted. In the
case Of mans acquittal of homicide in a civil
court it might be held that the commonwealth
was agreed, and that the acquittal tended to en-
courage crime, but even if great many people
believed that there could be no appeal
PUBLIC OPINION.
There may be party in the church whose
judgment has been warped by partisan news
papers that may feel aggrieved by the acquit-
tai Of DIR. Briggs. but no law, civil or ecclesi-
astical, recognizes the existence OF such
floating public opinion as justification
for putting him in jeopardy second time. Dr.
Briggs declared again, with emphasis, that the
acquittal by the presby terry under every known
law ended the case and protested against the
injustice Of compelling him again to stand
trial.
1t was a common mistake, he said, in which
the appellants had fallen that the Presbyterian
Church was responsible for all the doctrines Of
its ministers. This was wrong. The church
was responsible only for its constitution.
IL 1t wore lawful to appeal every case Of doc
| trine or law to the general assembly, it would
compel the general assembly to pass upon every
question raised They would have to pass upon
questions now regarded by every one as matters
OF private opinion. II this appeal
were granted it would result in an unending Sc
ries of heresy trials. 1t would be no rebellion
if the minority Of the church continued the
struggle against unrighteousness and wrong
hoping for better times. He said that they
might choose either to leave the
church or pursue the wiser course
anu Datue TOT the TlRnt WITHIN the fresDyt erlan
Church. 1t was never designed that heresy
trials would be used as the means for securing
decisions questions of doctrine. The
pubic prosecutors were pushing the
Presbyterian Church into danger
Gus position. They we're endeavoring to
get new definitions of dogma through heresy
trial instead Of following the course pre-
scribed by the Book Of Government.
lie suggested that by securing a revision
in the usual way those who did not
agree with the doctrines defined would be e1-
cluded from the church without the scandal of
heresy trial.
THE COURT ADJoURNs
At ten minutes to five the moderator an
nounced that DIR. Briggs would continue his ar
gument in the morning.
A number of notices were given and the as
sembly adjourned until $50 o'clock tomorrow.
THE WOMEN ADJOURN
After Adopting . Series OF Earnest ResOlu-
lions in Regard to Missionary Work.
As stated in yesterdays STAR the meetings OF
the women Of the Presbyterian Church in con-
nection with the general assembly adjourned
yesterday afternoon.
Before the close the committee on resolutions
reported the following, which were unanimously
adopted:
Resolved, That we recognize with devout
gratitude the gift Of God to this work in the
of fha nd