The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-15
Church Crowded with People Auxioue
to See the Outcast Presbyte<fan
Heretic Assume His New Role.
INCIDENTS OF THE SERVICES
DIR. BRIGGS AND THE CELEBRANTS
SOMEWHAT NERVOUS.
Letter from the bishop TO n Laymaa
Who Did Not Desire the Ordination
Of the Ex-Presbyterian.

, NEW YORK, May lin the pro-cathe-
oral. on Stanton street. Rev. DR.. Charles A.
Briggs. who was suspended for heresy by
the Presbyterian Assembly. was ordained q
lriest OF the Episcopal Church. He was or
aained together with the 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 Quietnesa
that prevailed. Those who expected from the
great outcry of the past three or four weeks
some sensational features were disappoint.
ed. There was no scene, no excitement ard
no protest was filed at the beginning. dur
ing 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. commencing at
io:3o O'Clock and continuing until late in the
afternoon II anything. the services were
hurried little. and the general communion
which followed the communion of the pos
tulapts. or candidates. tended to extend the
time.
There was large crowd about the little
pro-cathedral church as early as $40
o'clock. This increased as the time for the
ordination ceremonies approached. After the
Sunday school had finished its exercises the
! vicar, Rev. DR.. Paddock, was approached by
Inspector Cross, of the police. who held 4
conversation with him. Several policemen
were outside the church and some in the
church. The church does not seat more
than hve hundred people, and there was
! about twice that number sitting anG 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. DIR. Cornelius II. Smith.
who was TO present DR.. Briggs and who is
emeritus rector Of st. Jamess Church. and
Rev. Or. George p. Nelson, who was TO-
present Rev. DR.. Snedeker. and who II one
of the assistant secretaries or the diocese,
arrived later together. With them was
Rev. DR.. Osborn. of Trinity Church. Tren-
ton, n. j. All Of these went to the once
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 clergymen
appearing in the church and making
scene.
ANSWER TO A LAYMAN.
Bishop Potter. however. said that he had
received letter from a layman protesting
against the ordination OF DIR. Briggs and
as this letter was written under q misap-
prehension of the fact OF law he had an
swered it. He did net desire to give the
name Of the layman who, he said, was high
up in the councils Of the church. Inasmuch
as the letter he himself had written In an
swer to it was general In fits nature and
set forth his position he had no objection
to make II public. The letter. which was
dated May 10. follows:
My Dear Sir-Your letter OF the 5th inst.
is before and / have given the matter
TO which it refers my best consideration
You exaggerate, however my powers. and
are in regard to them, under considerable
misapprehension. In asking me to refuse
to ordain Rev. Dr. Briggs to take the re-
sponsibility of acting In the case as II de-
mands; and to have the courage Of my
convictions you apparently under the
impression that my power In the matter
is wholly within my discretion. Such h not
the case A bishops powers are constitu-
tionsl. not absolute. In the matter OF or
dination he can only act when certain pre-
liminary action by others has been had.
but when this is the case. and candidate
for orders stands at the threshold OF min
istry. the canons Of ordination declare that
the bishop SHALL not may then proceed
to take order for the ordination of the per-
son who has met the preliminary tests In
the premises. All these tests have been ap-
piled in the case Of the person to whom
your letter refers and / have received q
certificate to that effect from the standing
committee OF the diocese.
Under these circumstances and unless
some charge affecting the character or
teaching of Rev. DIR. Briggs which was not
covered by the testimonial had been pre-
sented TO me. / should not consider myself
having discretion TO disregard the plain
imperative OF the canon. But nothing of
the sort has been adduced. The book, the
teachings OF which have lately been. cha1-
lenged. has been for some time before the
public. and the standing committee Of the ;
diocese has been convened since recent rno
particular attention has been called TO Il.
1t was. in my judgment. competent to that
body. II 1t had seen fit 10 do so. TO recall the
certificate originally forwarded TO me OF
the ground that IL had been signed under
misapprehension or with insufhcient
knowledge. but this 1t has not seen ht to do.
l must therefore accept that certificate an
final. and I shall do 50.
Il beg. however. that you viii not suppooo
that / am seeking 10 escape from my per.
sonal responsibility in the matter Of the or
dination Of Or. Briggs by retiring behind the
action OF my own constitutional advisers
] have not the slightest desire TO do 50. The
outcry against the author Of the introduce
tion to The Study OF Holy Scripture %
chiefly TO be deplored because II betrzys such
a lamentable ignorance Of the progress cf
sound learning and the judgment Of the
best Christian scholars. One OF these. =
bishop. writes: 'you may be interestea -
zee that the old staid Christian knowledge
9. -....Lr