The San Francisco call., 1899-05-15
Admitted to the Episcopal
Church Without Per-
SOnal Protest.
BISHOP POTTER ACTS
All the Officiating Clergymen Very
Nervous and the Ceremonies
Hurried Through.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, May 14-In the pro-
cathedral on Stanton street, Rev. Dr.
Briggs, who was suspended for heresy
by the Presbyterian Assembly, was or
dained a priest of the Episcopal church.
He was ordained together with the Rev
Charles N. Snedeker, and the ordina-
ton monies were conducted by
Bishop Potter The little church was
crowded with people. and the cere-
monies were notable for the ouiteness
tl-at prevailed.
Those who expected from the great
outcry of the past three of four weeks
some sensational features were disap-
pointed. 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 ser
mon preached by Rev. DR.. George Will
liam Douglass.
The ceremonies were very long. COM
mencing at 10:30 o'clock and continuing
until late in the afternoon. If any,
thing. the services were hurried lit
tie. and the general communion which
followed the communion of the postu-
lents, or candidates, tended to extend
the time
There was a large crowd about the
little pro-cathedral church as early as
7:30 o'clock. This increased as the time
for the ordination ceremonies ap-
preached After the Sunday school had
finished its exercises, the vicar. Rev
DR.. Paddock, vas approached by In
spector Cross of the police, who held a
conversation with him. Several police
men were outside 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 standing
Bishop Potter drove to the church with
the candidates for admission. Rev DR..
Charles A. Briggs and Rev. DR.. G. A.
Snedeker
DR.. C. B. Smith, who was to present
DR.. Briggs, and who is e eritus rector
of St. James church, and DR.. George P.
Nelson, who was to present DR..
Snedeker. and who is one of the as
sistant secretaries of the diocese. ar
rived later together. With them was
Rev. DR.. Osborne of Trinity Church
Trenton 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 received no
protest. He smiled at the thought of
any of the objecting cler- nen appear
ing in the church and making a scene
He, however, said that he had received
a letter from layman protesting
against the ordination of DR.. Briggs,
and as this letter vas written under a
misapprehension of the facts and law.
he had -wered. H. did not desire to
give the name of the layman who. he
said, was high up in the councils of the
church.
| Rev DR.. Briggs was somewhat ner-
vous, though he did not betray it in the
church during the services. There was
! a Semblance of nervousness in all the
| celebrants. There seemed to be a ten
/ dency to hurry through the ceremonies.
! The church was not decorated. Only a
few potted -lants and a few lilies were
! in the chancel.
Promptly at 1:30 o'clock the organist
began an organ voluntary. He had
! scarcelv finished it when the opening
! strains of the professional were heard.
| The usual order was observed in the
| professional. After the choir came the
! vicar, Rev. DR.. Paddock then the can
didates, Rev. Doctors Briggs and Sne-
| dekeT, their S Onsors, Rev. Doctors
! Smith and Osborne, and lastly the
bishop. Rev. DR.. Briggs wore the stole
! of a ademical degree, as also did Rev.
| DR. Snedeker.
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. DIR. George William
| Douglass, who was to deliver the
| ordination sermon, Rev. DR.. Osborne
| and the presbyterS took seats on either
|