The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-20
TO BE APPEALED DIRECT
DR.. Briggs's Prosecutors Will Not Take
Their Case to the New York Synod,
But Will Ask the General Assembly to Pass
Upon the Heresy Charges-Grounds
Of the Proposed Appeal.

NEW YORK. Jan. 19-The Briggs case will
be appealed direct to the General Assembly.
In turtherance of this action the prosecut-
ing committee filed tonight with the Rev.
Dr.. Saul ID. Alexander. the stated clerk of
the presby terry. their notice of appeal. The
committee says that if the action of the
committee In taking this appeal does not
commend itself to the court of last resort it
need not be entertained. and the appeal
can be dismissed without prejudice to any
interest. Under ordinary conditions the
prosecuting committee would have taken
this appeal to the Sy nod of New York. but
it does not appear best to do so in this eX-
ceptional case for the following reasons:
ITO secure the peace and quiet of the
church. that q final determination of the
fund emental and important questions lD-
vOlved should bereached by the court of
last resort at the earliest practicable date.
AS this case involves doctrine, IL must be
finally determined by the General Assem-
bly,. The delay in reaching ultimate de-
clei0n through an appeal by way or the
synod could not be less than year, durin z
which the character of she instruction
given our candidates for the gospel minis
try might be unfavorably affected. By
curing the speedy decision of the court of
last resort in this case neither the rights
nor the interests of any individual would
suffer. If the appeal should go to ths
Synod of New York and be passed
upon by that judicatory, when the case
reaches the General Assembly By an appeal
from the decision of the synod. all the pres
byteries constituting that synod would be
excluded from representation IN the final
termination of these important questions.
If the appeal goes directly to the General
Assembly, the commissioners from only
one presby terry in the entire church would
be excluded from sitting, celebrating and
voting ip the final decision. In the Synod
teries, nearly 10 per cent. OF the
whole number of Presbyterians in
the church. Inasmuch as these pres
byteries. excepting one. will be
fully represented and heard in the General
Assembly, and the General Assembly can
give final decision, we believe the inter-
ests of the Synod of New York fill be best
served If the assembly should entertain
the appeal according to the committee's re-
quest. This important consideration of
having these questions finally determined
" the representatives OF substantially the
entire church. apart from the other rea-
sons above mentioned, would seem TO re-
Quire, in the interest of fairness and justice
TO all concerned, that the prosecution COM
mittee should take an appeal directly to the
General Assembly, and that the General
Assembly should entertain said appeal
The five grounds of the appeal are as fol-
lows:
First-Irregularity in the proceedings OF said
Presbytery OF New York (See. 50. Book of Dis
ciplinel Under this appeal are twelve specih-
cations.
Second-Receiving improper testimony. Three
specifications.
Third-Decining to receive important testi
mony. Two specifications.
FOurth-Manifestation of prejudice in the con-
duct of the case. Six specifications, including
extracts from the speeches or Drs. George Alex
ander, Henry NJ. Field, Tb0s. 8. Hastings, Henry
Vandyke and the Rev. Antonio Areeghi.
Fifth-Mistake or injustice in the decision