New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-08
NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE BISHOP.
DR. BRIGGs's FRIENDS POINT OUT THAT
THE BISHOP COULD ORDAIN HIM
PRIvATELY-sUCH A STEP
NOT LIKELY
NOT LIKELY.

Apparently Bishop Potter has not yet taken
any action in the matter Of selecting church
and fixing a time for the ordination OF Ut
Briggs. When he decided that DR.. Clendenin
church was not TO be used for the purpose IL
was thought that II the Bishop intended TO pro-
coed with the ceremony OF advancing Dr. brlggs
10 the priesthood some announcement TO that
effect would have been made yesterday In the
church wherein it had been decided to hold the
ordination So far could be ascertaned'
however. no such intimaton was made in any
church in this city. This fact would seem to
give weight to the information given in yester-
days Tribune that It is probable that no at
tempt will he made to ordain Dr. Briggs until
the fall. after his return from Europe. Dr.
Briggs purposes sailing next week and If he is
to be advanced from deaconate before that time
It is conceivable that some notification OF his
ordination would have been forthcoming yes
terday
NO PRIVATE ORDINATION LIKELY.
The fear is entertained by some OF those who
oppose DR.. Briggs that Bishop Potter may or
dain him privately, or. at least. without giving
public notice beforehand of the hour and the
place OF the ceremony. but II can lie stated on
good authority that Bishop Potter will do moth
ing tending to place either himself or Or. Briggs
in an invidIouo light
Bishop Potter recognizes that DR.. Clendenins
individual protest has developed into
well-defned issue. the gravity Of which he thor
ouehly appreciates. Although many leading
clergymen In this city who are clessed as BROAD
Churchmen find in DR.. Briggss writings moth
ing inmcal TO the faith Of the Church. there
are many other Churchmen whose belief in the
Bible as the Word OF God urges them TO strong
denunclation OF DR.. Briggss teachings SO UNI
compromising is the attitude OF the latter that
there is no doubt IL Bishop Potter should decide
TO ordain the candidate and make known the
place and the day OF the service a formal pro-
test would be made 1t is just this possibility
that Bishop Potter is anxious TO avoid he Is
emphatically averse TO doing anything which
might lead 10 a controversy in the Church.
Consequently the belief is general among those
who are competent TO analyze the situation that
the Bishop will defer any move toward the or
dnation until the autumn. and II the opposition
toward Dr. Briggs should then be continued II
is likely that he Will seek ordination in some
other diocese. Some OF his friends, however IN
sist that he may be received into the priesthood
without any one being cognizant of the fact un-
til the ceremony ia over. They point, In support
of this belief TO the circumstance that when
Dr. Briggs was made deacon no nouncaton
OF any kind made public. and his friends
contend that the regulations of the Church DO
not impose any obligations upon Bishop Potter
which would prevent him ordanng DR.. Briggs
without any being one whit the wiser until
Il was too late 10 protest. II be stated
however on the authority or those VINO are
close 10 Bishop Potter. that he realizes that he
would not be justified in this instance. where a
question fraught with such farsxtending posi-
biities is involved. in resorting 10 any tech
meal opportunity which the canons OF the
Church may afford him TO ESCAPE from the COM
plexity which now confronts him.
Adhering 10 his policy Of silence Bishop Pot
ter would not be seen when Tribune reporter
called at his house last night Clergymen who
are known 10 be near TO the Bishop were seen
but they stated that so far as their knowledge
went his attitude continued to be thoroughly
non-committal.