Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-15
BRIGGS, AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST
Clergyman Suspended by Presbyterian
Assembly Changes Allegiance,
NO OBJECTION MADE TO HIS ORDINATION
Ceremonial Is Pronounced by Bishop
Potter In Presence of Interested
ConGrcRntion-Brig VIII
Labor Among Poor.

NEW YORK, May 14.--1n the pro-ca the
dral, on stanton street, Rev. DIR. Charles A.
Briggs, who was suspended for heresy by
the Presbyterian assembly, was ordained a
priest of the Episcopal church. He was or
dained. together with Rev Charles A.
Snedeker, and the ordination ceremonies
were conducted by Bishop Potter. The little
church was crowded with people and the
ceremonies were notable for the quietness
that prevailed. There was no scene, no ex-
element and no protest was filed at the
beginning, during or at the close OF the
ordination. There was nothing notable in
the sermon preached by Rev. DR.. George
William Douglass.
The ceremonies were very long, commenc-
ing at 1880 o'clock and continuing until
late in the afternoon. II anything, the
services were hurried a little and the gen.
eral communion which followed the COM
munion of the postulants or candidates
tended to extend the time. There was a
large crowd about the little pro-cathedral
church as early as $3.50 o'clock This in
creased as the time for the ordination cere-
/ monies approached.
After the Sunday school had finished it's
exercises the vicar, Rev. DR.. Paddock, was
approached by Inspector Cross Of the police
who held a conversation with him. Several
! policemen were outside OF the church and
some in the church. The church does not
seat more than 500 people and there was
about twice that number sitting and stand
! ing.
Bishop Potter drove to the church with
the candidates for admission, Rev. DR..
Charles A. Briggs and Rev. DR.. Charles A.
Snedeker. Rev. DR.. Cornelius p. Smith who
was to present DR.. Briggs and who is
/ rtt,
Rev. DR.. George P. Nelson, who was to
present Rev. DR.. Snedeker and who is one
of the assistant secretaries of the diocese,
arrived later together With them was
Rev. DR.. Osborne OF Trinity church, Tren-
ton N J. All of these went to the office
of the. vicar.
Bishop Potter was asked what he had to
say preliminary to the ceremonies. He said
he had no notice of protest and had re-
ceived no protest. He smiled at the thought
of any OF the objecting clergymen appear
ing in the church and making a scene He
however, said that he had received a letter
from layman protesting against the or
dination of Dr. Briggs, and as this letter
was written under misapprehension of the
facts and law he had answered. He did not
desire to give the name of the layman who
he said, was high up in the councils of the
church.
General Nervousness Apparent.
Rev. DR.. Briggs was somewhat nervous,
though he did not betray it in the church.
During the services there was semblance
or nervousness in all the celebrants. There
seemed to be a tendency to hurry through
the ceremonies. The church was not deco
rated. Only few potted plants and few
lilies were in the chancel.
Precisely at 1890 the organist began an
organ voluntary. He had scarcely finished
1t when the opening strains of the process
sional were heard. The usual order was
observed in the professional. After the
choir came the vicar, Rev. DR.. Paddock
then the candidates, Rev. Drs. Briggs and
Snedeker, their sponsors, Rev. Drs. Smith
Nelson and Osborne, and lastly the bishop.
Rev. DR.. Briggs wore the stole of acad-
emical degree, as also did Rev DR.. Sned-
eker. Bishop Potter wore his usual vest
ments. The congregation stood during the
professional. The candidates and their
sponsors took seats which had been placed
in a row in front of the chancel. Bishop
Potter took a seat near the holy table and
Rev. DR.. George William Douglass, who was
to deliver the ordination sermon; Rev. Dr.
Osborne and the presbyters took seats on
each side of the chancel Rev. DIR. Douglass
is an occasional preacher in Grace church,
which was offered bv Rev. DR.. Huntington
for the ordination. lives in Tuxedo Park,
n. j.
A simple service, according to the Epis-
copal church was gone through and then the
rites of ordination in accordance with 'tne
form and manner of ordering priests" were
begun.
After prayer and singing Rev. DR..
Douglass delivered his sermon. In his
charge to the candidates DR.. Douglass spoke
slowly and impressively, At the conclusion
of the se.mon of ordination Rev. DR.. Os-
borne rad the ltany. Then the most
impressive moment arrived The sponsors
went forward and presented the candidates
to the bishop. The candidates stood to-
gether with their sponsors before the
bishop. After the postulants had been pre- |
sented to the bishop and after the usual |
assurance that they had been examined and |
found worthy the bishop rose from his chair |
and proclaimed a general invitation to any |
persons knowing "any impediment or nota-
BILE crime" in the candidates to come for
ward and declare.
silence is UnbrOken.
Then followed a profound silence. People |
turned about as II expecting some one to
rise up and make protest. No one arose.
There was no protest handed to the bishop
and the crucial moment was over. Then !
the regular formula of ordination was gone
through with more delberation Then fol-
lowed the laying on of hands by the bishop
and the presbyters and the participation in
the communion, During the entire COM
munion service the candidates remained
kneeling in front of the holy table before
the bishop. The presentation of the Bible
was gone through with Many of the con-
gregation participated in the communion.
During this Rev DR., Briggs took a seat in
the chancel choir and sat for the first time
facing the congregation, who surveyed him