OCR Text |
Show MlBEHY DEATH. The Presbyterian Assembly Adjottrnadb tlie Suddun Death of Judge Breckea ridc'i on tb Iloor. HE WA3 ADDRE83ING ASSEMBLAGE Diatb f.ii the Result of Heart DhdMC" Tli Brigs' Trial Takes up tht Entire Day. Df.tkoit, May 29. After the usual pre 1 1 1 1 1 i ua i ics at the Presbyterian general gen-eral assembly this morning, Dr. PaltoB spoke a few words explaining the corn mittee on Briggs' case. 1 1, l said: "You aro no douiit ready to credit our committee com-mittee with a desire to do simply wbat is best. Recognizing our liability tn error, we nave hail only a uesire to do what was demanded hy tha exigencies of the caso in a ep.rit of kindness, and recognizing the right of all person concerned. Jf tho diju-kion diju-kion brings new light we will weli'oms it. Wo ate ready to give a reason for every decision we have made. We hope there will bo no long dehate, although al-though we are prepared for it. Professor Smith of the Lane Theological Theo-logical Seminary said: "The proposition proposi-tion to terminate the usefulness of a miuistur should be discussed carefully. care-fully. Whatever tho committee may say no doubt conscientiously will bo enforced. Jf Dr. JSrigg be guilty of no ollense we shall thus cast reproach on his good name and tho great school al- r,t,1i utt-ir-ken hv Cud. will tiH erinnlaii lor at least the immediate future. Thi i my reason for caution. I know my stile is unpopular, therefore hear me candidly aud patiently, a I shall try tn show that I ha committee have erred. First, it is doubtful whether such an assembly as-sembly is able to judge of other than tho doctrinal qualifications. Duct r Pitiggs is Dot a now man. lis. was elected seventeen years ago, I think, to tho chair in tho Union Theological Theo-logical Summary. Many of hi colleague col-league aud students say be is a man of ability, scholarship, an able teacher, ami is spiritual and pious. This assembly, assem-bly, to whom ha i a stntngcr, oughl not to bo in haste. If Presbyterian ask us lo act in our widoiu in tho premises, may not this be to con-li con-li quo iiim? Tho argument against hita are two: F irst He lg misunderstood; Secoud That he is not muuil ia doctrine. doc-trine. First It i said that in quarrel quar-rel both sides are wrong. Wby not i in a misunderstanding? I havn watched the controversy from the first because I have had more interest than tuost anyone elsu. Almost the oicuipo-tencu oicuipo-tencu of the religious press go into all our homes; their editor magnify ftheir influence. It i held to be nearly infallible. Ha it not biasud the commissioners? I de-sue de-sue to say nothing against these edi-tor, edi-tor, but are they qualified lor this? Even a religious editor edi-tor can not lie a specialist in all departments, aud is liable to err. It may be that they have miauuder , atood Dr. Kriggs. The second charge that he is unsound may be based upon a misunderstanding. Soaie say he eudorse the spiritual condition of the Martineau. If Dr. ISriggs can historically justify his position he has a right to hold them. My last point i this: Man must be proved unsound nfter a careful trial, if need be, in ail church courts; but in a case like thi i man is, if charged with unsoundness, considered consid-ered unsound froio the first. I don't see that hi ide;iti of the errancy bible redemption of th race and the progressive sanctilicatirxn after death are not according to the'Htandrds on strict construction, of thet confession. Of course he is wrong but will you who mean to mVke such a radical change of our conK'ssion, a to say that all infant are sated, not leave a little margin for Dr. Brife-;? Dr. Logan of Scranton, Pa., uggVited a tnodiiicatioD of the action propoved by the committee. lie laid: "agree w:ith them, with these two amendment! This assembly disapproves forVha imi.i'nt the aooointment. etc.: Second That a committes of eigti't ministers and seven ruling elders bi appointed to confer with Frofessor Hriggs and director of the seminary. V The latter ho moved and it wa seconded. Continuing Dr. Logan said: "The church ask 'hall we not have a word of God that we can ' trust?' We are bound to say that we can't sustain him in that chair, but having hav-ing coutirmcd him, let us wait before taking irretrievable action. Charles A. Dickey, 'D. D., of Philadelphia, Phila-delphia, a member of the board of directors di-rectors of the Union Theological Theologi-cal Bemiuary said: "J bavo no pica to make for Dr. Briggs, but I will, if I stand alone, plead that my man shall have fair play. Idonotde-lend Idonotde-lend his view s or attack them. I deplore his inaugural. I wish to ask only wbat is expedient, not in a sense of covering up or of postponement, but what is best, not merely lawful, in a time when the strain is so severe and the situation io delicate." Mr. Dickey: ' We are told by this committee there is but one risk that compelled this honora do and faithful committee to ask for this decided and irrevocable action. I know they would have brought in a proposition to wait if it could be done. This is the point: can we wait? i heir oniy reason xor iusisting on a veto now i that ic must be now or never. I will presume to differ with even them. Has not this assembly the same right to interpret a compact a as the assembly of '71? whose vow is quotetl in its report. They say, we lose the rower of veto if we do not exercise it now. Yet 1 suppose that we have a committee of conference over this action ac-tion alter ir i eonsumsted. Would it not be better to trust n than to act irremediably and then confer through a committee. Lathk Judge Breckinridge of St. Louis of the committee on theological seminaries, while in the midst of a speech this afternoon, fell dead from heart disease. The amenably at once mspended further action, a well a the banquet tonight. |