New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-29
4 QUESTION FOR THE SYNOD.
DID OTSEGO PRESRYTERT DISREGARD
THE GENERAL ASsEMBLY'S ORDERS?

pR. WESLEY MODERATOR or THE NEW YORK
SYNOD. SAYS THE pREsRYTERY HAS DONE
ONLY WHAT IT HAD \ RIGHT TO DO IN IL
CENsING UNION SEMINARY STUDENT.
Among the complaints which viii b. laid before
the New-York synod Of the Presby terian Church
at the meeting which will begin October q az
Binghamon j. one Of peculiar interest TO the Pres
byterian system. in view o. the action which the
General Assembly took recently at PiitsburG re-
garding the Union Theological Seminary. The par
cular complaint that the Oisego Presbytery has
taken under its care and granted license to preach
to Frank h. Seeley. student OF the Union Theo-
logical seminary Il is maintained in the complaint
that this action taken subsequent to the meet
ing OF the General Assembly. and that II violated
the instructions which the Assembly gave TO Pres
byteries that occasion.
1t will he recalled that at this meeting the New
York Presbyery requested 10 BE- instructed % 10
its duty toward students who applied TO be taken
under rs and who pursuing or i1'nled 20
pursue their studies Nv theological semine!"s re
spectng whose teaching the General Assembly dis
ayows responsibility" In its answer to this over
iure. the General Assembly instructed PreshNierle-
no, 10 license students from such institutions
As was well UNDERSTOOD the aim % the General
Assembly was directed to the Union Theological
Seminary. and practically its decision was a boy
cott' o. that institution As vas equally well
known the fundamental cause Of this action vas
the Briggs controversy.
When The General Assembly passed an adverse
judgment upon Or. Briggs teachings and re
quesied his removal from the faculty Of the Union
Seminary the trustees refused obedience. and de-
cned consequently to recognize the authority Of
the supreme body Of the Church Accordingly
when. in the spring Of this year. several students
Of the Mon Theological Seminary applied to the
Presbyiery OF NewYOrk 10 be taken unlcr IT. care
the latter body sent an overture to the General
I.l, -l,frO hat shslIil
adopt regarding these students. To that overture
the General Assembly answered as before indi-
Gated
While this reply was directed particularly 70 the
New-York Presbyiery. il was generally considered
tina, other Pres6yterles were similarly enjoined az
to their relations with the Union Theological SEM
nary That this was the general opinion that pre-
vailed plain from the fact that the authorities
Of the Seminary considered that the institution was
under 4 universal boycott Of the Church. and
not OF the New-York Presbytery alone The IN
strctions upon this point were not specific. but II
IS evident that the opponents OF DR. Briggs 10 not
regard The action Of IN" Oisego Presbytery as
complying with the prohibition Of the General As
senbly !, rs evident that the Presbytery Of Ois"go
In taking under It's care and licensing a mon stu
den; has taken the stand that the instructions
were intended solely for the Ne~-York Presbytery
and this will probably be the basis " their defence
the complain, which has been lodged.
The Rev Dr. George 6 Wesley. ~ Hudson. who
is the Moderator Of the Synod OF New-York occu-
pied the pulpit yesterday OF the West End Pr'''by-
terrain Church. and "A Tribune reporter who saw
him at the close Of the morning service he said:
The complaint regarding the action OF the Pres
bytery OF Otsego Will come before the Synod In the
usual way but have not much doubt to what
the decision Of the synod will be- so far as can
see. the OlsegO Presbyiery has done nothing mat
calls for adverse criticism by the Synod. A Pres
bytery may act just II thinks proper In these
matters and any interference would De absoiuleV
unconstitutional -,
''You cont think. then. that the Synod Is likely
to pass any censure upon the OtsegO Presbyt"ry
for licensing "A Union Theological Seminary stu
dentp'
We'll. considering my official position In the
Synod. il is hardly becoming on my part 10 pre-
Judge the matter In any way but ! do not see how
the Synod can censure Presbytery for doing ihit
which IL has every right 10 do