The sun., 1894-05-13
f06IH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Great fr,sbyt.ris. Congress to Ne
In sarntogs.

| AUo Ahch"obLs
| The Great Pre.byteriss Congress- TO Meet
| In Saratoga.
SARATOGA. May 1.-THE Tooth General As
sembly Of the Presbyterian Church North
opens In this city on Tuesday next This is
the Hfth time In the history OF the Presbyte-
| rian Church that Saratoga has been the seat
| Of the assembly. the last time being in 1890.
when the business OF revising the ancient
Westminster Confession OF Faith in accord
ance With modern ideas OF theology was un-
dertaken after a prolonged and earnest fight
Matters as weighty are being prepared for
consideration by this body Lines have been
drawn In the election OF Commissioners In all
the 230 Pres byteries OF the United States. The
old lines OF revisioDists and anti-revisionist
which so evenly divided the last Saratoga As
sembly. have long been wiped out By the
Briggs case. the division now being on the IS
sues OF that famous trial. In nearly every
Presbytery tickets for the choice Of Commits
sioners were prepared in advance By both
liberals and conservatives. and tho in
terests OF both sides were carefully can
vassed. The result is that the conser-
vatives. or anti-Brlggs men. will control this
assembly 5 to ]. Some OF the m ost i'm portant
liberal centres Chicago, Albany. Rochester.
and BufIalo-have been captured this year by
the anti Briggs men. New York city. which has
heretofore sent divided delegations. 10 repre-
ssnted this year By sixteen solid conservatfves.'
and New York st&tc. which at the laat assem-
bly, in Washington mustered q large following
Of Briggs men. will be found this year almost
unanimously on the other side.
The first test OF strength will be In the cleo
tlon OF . Moderator. which takes place on
Thursday afternoon. In tho Moderator's
hands rests not only the direction OF the As
sembly but the appointment OF com mittees
which prepare the business OF the sessions.
The liberals will probably advance Arthur ].
Brown. ID. d.. OF Portland. Or. as their candi-
date. On the other side many names have
been suggested. among them Henry c. Min
ton. ID. d.. OF San Francisco: Samuel
A. Mutchmore d. d.. Of Philadelphia;
Col. John J. McCook OF New York city and
James Gardner. d. D.. OF Gloversville. n. y.
Col McCook has led the prosecution against
DR.. Briggs. and his name was suggested in
recognition OF this service. II he were chosen
4 would be the nTst INSTANCE sta, S o. N. an adsr:
declined to allow his name to be used. Dr.
Gardner Is the representative OF the New YORK
synod. which met In hoenssteT last g year ,sod snd
OF procedure in the trial OF Dr. Brlges; HIS
sandidacy will be urged on n that hat EEGIS1Sdi, Rr
probably be divided between these two candi-
The chief business to come before tn. as
sembly will concern the th-olotlea semi;
r9Ies rni 81 .as TSpls oi Nsw YoTi cs
The ssperyision OF ths Gen.ral Assembly; on
Acc unit q III. s!sn Of shs SSsS In .n:
60 demand : change in he char ers OF al the
seminsries and benevolent boards 81 me
properly and inysstn snts held ~ these In
s!itutions. The list O. seminsries invo we'd in
fiSSs; SSSs;, PrF0;.sa; s& Ssf sa and IsH.
OF Cincinnati. Thss: institut ons possess
fasss s siits' All oi which come from PressS.
terian sources. and are helf 70 be useh ioI de-
nomnstSnal PT1poSsf IsSs e%lSa Is
aud TO bring all under closer control oi tho |
General Assembly presented grave problems
Thomas McDoussll OF CineinnSti has been
studying these problems for two years. They
q Educational Institutions under closer control
Of the General Assembly. The mlnor " 9f
prssent I&.s a second sspSrt on the same subject
The will be ssasa 20 is sntsFtain az ihe
support Of Dr. Btigas The case Gomez from
the Ohio synod, which AtiiImed the verdict q
guilty as Charged Prof. Smith has teen In
New York CITY for several months preparing
oi his appeal and = division OF the Gsnsral
Assembly will 6e rsaehsd at an early i.I session
iority is warrant for the prophecy that the Ap-
peal will be thrown out. But II u Is enter
tAIned, then Will come the argument on tno
merits OF the case. and the prolonged scene az
v Nashington. when Dr; Briggs gIappled with
the Comnissioners, viii be repeated ,.
The Briggs case itself may be heard again.
This may q . raised on an indutIy as 10 how
Dr. Briggs has cond ueted himself while under
sentence Of the General Assembly OF suslen-
zion from the Christian ministry. IL Will lie
shown that he has appeared frequently IN pull
pits TO lecture" II not to preach; that In his
Nritings in the reviews ami magazines he has
shown a spirit that may be Interpreted as de-
liant and rebslliou6 On such an inquiry a
would 10 in order TO depose DIR.
Briggs from the ministry. and so disqualifJ
him for teaching IN seminary where the
,hATter required It's faculty to DO members OF
he Presbyterian Church In good and regular
handing
This Assembly will probably bring to an end
he oysrtures that have heen conducted Tor
lsATS between It's representatives and CON-
niitee from the House o. BlshoDs looking to a
lnion Of the Epise1I allan and PTsshyterlan
)OdIss. Last year Bishop Coke startled the
ASssmbly at WAshington Joy causing i 10 be
sas ready to amend its ramon law so
y TO- admit OF =, more liberal Appliea-
ion OF It's teaching concerning the apostolic |
Iucesssion aud the historic episcopato and |
70 p-rmit the admission ~ the Presbyterian |
D Listers into the union on the same basls as
he Bishops Of the Episeopalian hurch. This !
gave ehuIeh unlty another
lsnes of : dispOsltiOn on the part OF the House
u Bishops to bring About change IN the
anOn. steps. however may be tax eb toward =
loser federation ~ the ten Presbyterian de-
nominations OF America
Yearly Efforts are made At the ASssm bliss to
'0tbEsak Of the war. The last TIVE Years as-