Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-06
THE BRIGGS MATTER.
Two Churches Onered for the or"''
uation-Possible Hcrcsy Trial.
(New York Tribune. 5th)


upon Bishop Potter by prominent Broad
! churchmen 10 induce him TO insist upon
| ordaining Dr. Briggs. This pressure as
sumed more definite form yesterday,
when two prominent roctors offered theif
| churches for the ceremony. rms IN
! orc9ses the probability OF DIR. Brlgss De-
/ ing ordained before he sails Tor Europe
| on MAY 18th, but 1t by no means inaNeS
| II certain. II
A. prominent layman, who is In posi-
| ton to estimate the situation WIN SUM-
degree OF accuracy. said yesterday 'ha'
! 1t was his opinion that the IrlDune we
| quito right In saying yesterday ihofh',is
| that Or. Bnggs's ordination might w
postponed indefinitely. He believed thAl
| both Bishop Potter and the candidate
were inclined to let the matter resi- at
| least untib Dr. Briggs returns to America
| I'm the fall. neither OF them counting the
| contest which is sure TO result II ths
| ordination is insisted upon, but FeVerai
| Rroad-Church rectors. he said, were mos.
determined that the ordination .houiu
| take place. and were doing everything in
! their power 10 compel the Bishop 10 con
fer the order OF priesthood ipon Dr'
| briggs. In vlndication OF their own GU
| EXPRESSED concurrence In his teachings
DIR. BRIGGS HAS NOT WITHDRAW N
| AS Nav 18th, the date which Bisnop
| Potter had set for the ordination. draws
nearer. the curiosity az 10 the settlement
of the controversy increases, and this is
due largely TO the fact mat Dr. brsSs
| sails for Europe on May 18th, and VIII
not return until next fall. 1t is thought
that the matter must be decided in one
I way or the other before Or. Briggs de-
| parture although some have intilnated
| that the Bishop would like 70 defer the
| ordination until next fall, ana give tne
| trouble time 10 blow over. There is inuch
| speculation, therefore as to the next &C
| ton on the part Of Bishop Potter. Ihe
| latter has preserved absolute silence since
his note to the Rev. f, NJ. CiendenIn. OF
| S. Peters church. West chester, WIN
| drawing the ordination from that church
| in consequence Of Or. Clendenlns Vso-
rous protest. and his other note 20 the
| Rev. Dr. William Reed Huntington, re-
| fusing the offer of Grace church Tor 'hs
ordination. made by DR.. Huntington.
The first story that arose yesterday
! was to the effect that Bishop Potter had
| decided TO avoid any further controversy
| by requesting DR.. Briggs to give up all
| idea of being ordained to the priesthood
! AT all. IL was said that the Bishop hdd
made this request of DR.. Briggs, ana
that the latter had acceded 10 II. rms
! story was found to be absolutely 1aise'
and IL was ascertained from an authou-
tative source that no such note had been
! written or request made. 1t was further
learned that DR.. Briggs had no intention
of abandoning his desire to be ordained
TO the priesthood, and that he had never
| contemplated withdrawal. 1t is possible
! that Bishop Potter would welcome such
| a withdrawal, but he has given no evil
dence Of such an opinion.
WAITING FOR THE BISHOP.
The opponents of DR. Briggs are still
waiting for the Bishop TO name the place
of ordination. 1T is not believed that
there will be any action taken against
| DR.. Briggs prior TO the time of the ordina-
ton, and the fact that a formal protest
| will be made then has led TO the belief
| that Bishop Potter is keeping the name
of the church secret for the special pur-
pose OF preventing such a sensational
scene. This idea is based upon the re-
! port which came out yesterday that soon
| after DR. Brggss book was issued, two
months ago, priest Of the diocese, upon
! learning the nature Of the book, wrote
| to the Bishops secretary asking whether
| DR.. Briggs was TO be advanced 10 the
priesthood and If so. when and where.
| it is said that he received no reply TO
his inquiry, and that he was kept In
the dark about the matter untiI
| the announcement appeared that st.
| Peters. West Chester. had been chosen.
There was a rumor yesterday that DR..
| Huntington's church would be used for
the ceremony after all, but DR.. Hunting
ton said he knew nothing of such
decision.
II was learned Yesterday. also, that two
well-known rectors have followed DR..
Huntington's course and offered the use
OF their churches TO Bishop Potter for
| the ordination. These two men are the
| Rev. Or. David H. Greer. rector Of st.
Bartholomew church, in Forty-fourth
street and Madison avenue, and the Rev.
DR.. George r.. Van de Water rector Of
st. Andrews church, 127th street and
Fifth avenue. and chaplain of the
| Seventy-hrst Regiment y. q. y. Y, du-
ring the Santiago campaign.
| Neither Of these men could be seen yes
| terday. and it is not known that they
| have written letters containing extended
reasons for their support of DR.. Briggs,
| nor is II known whether either OF these
offers has as yet been accepted
| A HERESY TRIAL LIKELY.
| 1t was generally believed yesterday by
those who are opposing DR.. Briggs's or
dination that those who have taken up
the Professors cause will succ ed, in
| forcing the issue, which will be met by
| q formal protest when the Bishop, i'm car
| rying out the provisions OF the Prayer
| Book. asks whether any one knows any
impedment to the ordination of the can
| didate. 1t is Contended that the Bishop
will be compelled to suspend the cere-
mony ana have the objections formally
considered AID passed upon before he can
ordain Dir. Briggs. On the other hand, it
| is pointed out that years ago such case
| occurred i'm this diocese, when a young
candidate for the priesthood was accused
| by Low Church men of holding Romish
doctrine. and that then Bishop Onder-
donk refused to heed the objection and
proceeded with the ordination. 1t is be-
lieved that bishop Potter would follow
the same cOL1se. in which case the oppo-
nents of DR.. Briggs would straightway
present hhn for trial on charges of
heresy.
DR. Briggs will said for Europe with his
family on May 18th He will spend his
summer in the south of England, rest
ing, and will resume his work at Union
Theological Seminary in the fall.
RUMOR ABOUT UNION SEMINARY
DENIED
The statement was made yesterday that
the trouble over the ordination had af-
fected the Union Theological Seminary
in which DIR. Briggs is Professor of Bibli-
cal Theology, and had lessened the ce-
mand for its graduates. 1t was said that
calls which had been extended TO the en-
bryo ministers had been Withdrawn on
account of the published criticisms Of Dr..
Briggss teachings. until at present Ony
two of the graduating class had calls
DIR. Charles Cuthbert Hall. the president
of the seminary. when informed of this