The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-29
ALMOST A BRIGGS ROW.
-ur GENERAL ASSEMBLY BARELY
sCtPE THE OLD DIFFICULTY.

-,r.e theological seminaries Refuse 70 ne
,s,reeuarded" Against PurauinR the ways
=, U,,ou, and the Report OF Their Refusal
pouses Dr. Birch-soothing DR.. vVithrow.
vrSoSA PARK, EAGLE LAKE, Ind, May o.
Tho principal business before the Presbyterian
General Assembly to-day was the report of the
Committee on Theological Semlnaries. This re-
oort came near precipitating the old Briggs
smith trouble on the Assembly again, and 1t was
~. .ootbins influence Of DR.. Withrow once
moro that saved the day.
EVER since DR.. Briggs was tried and tho APP
,roval of the Assembly withdrawn from the
Union Theological Seminary, that retained him.
here has been a growing desire In the assembly
% uain such control over tho other seminn-
,es as to prevent another such occurrence.
Accordingly, for several years, the Assembly
has directed the boards Of theological seminaries
N amend their charters in several important
PARTICULARS, so that the property might DO safe
rrarded to the Church. In the report read to-
ssy three OF the seminaries were shown to have
,otusod in diplomatic but positive Language to
,,sld to the demand Of the Assembly. The COM
mittee recommended that the answer Of the sem
,naries DO deemed satisfactory"
This brought Dr.. Birch Of New York and the
o,bers TO their feet, and IL seemed a. II the storm
vas To break forth. Tho discussion had already
,.aohed the danger limo when DR.. Withrow,
Nth the soothing manner tho Assembly has
harmed to know so we'll. proposed that instead
sf"be deemed satisfactory" the words "bo ao-
o.n,ed as sincere" should be inserted. 1t was
like oil on the troubled water, and q general up
heayal OF old-time troubles was avoided.
DIR. ". H. Roberts, stated clerk, who Is also
treasurer of the General Assembly fund. an
nounced that the balance on hand was S72,0 600,
and asked that tho assessments on communicate
for Assembly purposes be reduced to fvo cents
nor capitR. The resolution was referred.
peTrbc Soinmittee ON Bills and Overtures reported
briefly upon petitions as to certain liquor bills
and Sunday legislation pending In Congress.
nation was not at hand for deliberate JUDGMENT,
Sut a general statement was adopted covering
the subject as follows:
legislation by which the cause Of temperance and
morality are wisely furthered, and commends, the
e1orts OF Christian men in our State and Federal
legislative assemblies to safeguard social purity and
70 prevent the maintenance OF liquor saloons In any
Government building.
The standing Committee on Systematic Benef-
icence reported through DR.. Wilson Phraner.
The main features of the report showed, tho
causes OF encouragement to benevolence. These
were debts OF the boards, the fact. that the
recommendations OF the Assemblies had called
for more than three times the amount ever col
the part OF the churches to support the work of
the boards, and the existence of numerous 80
Cet1eS III Ino CnuECnous winch pop lhoiE q
sources.
one-third OF the total receipts from all sources
came from tho churches as such; in 1896, only
Ss49, 1858 out OF a total Of g., $50, 1872. After dis
cussing the question Of superintendent Of church
Of a, system. Of advance pledges from the
churches. stating the amount that each church
would give to each board during the following
year. The standing committee on the subject
recommended IN increase above the average Of
the past six years.
Before taking up another order, Moderator
Jackson announced that many Commissioners
had already left the Assembly and more had
said good-by and would appear no more. He
suggested that by close attention to business, by
voting and not talking, and by having q night
session the Assembly could adjourn tonight or
tomorrow morning. The Assembly's response
was the unanimous adoption of q motion to hold
Q night business session.
The next order was taken up, being reports on
the Church periodical-The Church at Home and
Abroad-presented by tho Rev. John S. Nc
l ,ntG =, Ct 81 o Pphiladeiph sho,.. An ave sEssra nSs., Girc u;
eI7.655. Elder Ralph &. Paine attacked the
policy of the magazine. saying that 1t had cost
the Church CSC, 900 in eleven years. He wished
the matter sent to the Committee on Bills and
Qvertures for the formulation Of q plan to re-
Gcve the Church of further expense. and 1t was
% ordered.