The morning call., 1894-08-16
Rev. DIR. Hirst Tried by
His Church.
ACCUSATIONS ARE GRAVE.
Preferred by Rev. Mr.. Rogers, an
Oakland Divine.
WITNESSES CALLED IN EVIDENCE
SacriIege and immortality Laid at the
Door of the Well-known
Preacher.


known to leading members of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church that charges OF a
very grave nature had been preferred
against the Rev. A. c. Hirst, ID, the
pastor of the Simpson Memorial Methodist
Episcopal Church.
DR.. Hirst has been In charge of the
Simpson Memorial Church for nearly three
wears and his term of Office should shortly
expire. The official board Of the church
met last Monday evening, and with full
cpgnizance of the charges now pending
against DR.. Hirst, adopted unanimous
resolution by rising vote requesting him
to retain the passionate Of the church
another year.
This course was taken in view of the
fact that DR.. Hirst had received several
invitations from leading churches in the
East. Among the members OF the official
board of the Simpson Memorial Church
are Captain Charles Goodall. Robert Nc
Elroy. Charles B. Perkins, E. A. Girvin.
David Sanderson, II. o. Storms, j. B.
Robinson. Edgar Briggs, r. P. Webster,
James II. Hum phreys. Charles Jones and
others.
Formal proceedings were commenced in
regard TO the charges against DR.. Hirst on
Tuesday last when a court of inquiry
was con stituted. not for the purpose Of
trying the case, but with a view to ascer-
tanning il the accusers were in position
TO make out prima facie case to be there
after set for trial. The court of inquiry
was convened by the Rev. John Coyle,
presiding elder of the San Francisco dis
trict of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and consists of the Revs T. d. Bovard of
Alameda; John Thompson, r. Z. Wenk,
f. j. Masters of San Francisco, and'R. S.
Canine Of San Jose, five preachers in good
standing who have taken orders as elders.
The accnser OF DIR. Hirst is the Rev. S.
Rogers, pastor of the Fruitvale church in
Alameda County. who appears by his
counsel the Rev. Mr.. Carroll, pastor of
the Seventh-avenue Methodist Church of
East Oakland. AS counsel for DR.. A. G.
Hirst the Rev. Eli McClish and the Rev.
J. d. Hammond appeared before the court
of inquiry at its sittings Tuesday and
yesterday.
In view of the grave nature of the
charges, and the great injury that might
be done TO morality and religion by their
premature publication it was decided to
exclude from the court representatives of
the press, and, in fact, all except members
of the court, the accuser and accused. and
their respective counsel, and an official
stenographer.
The charges were read by the Rev. John
Coyle. the presiding elder. They were in
writing and preferred by the Rev. S.
Rogers. The counts are Eve in number.
The first is: THAT DR.. Hirst of the
Simpson Memorial Church. San Francisco,
since March 1, 1894. is guilty of having
uttered the most unqualified and gratuitous
falsehoods in order surreptitiously to OBJ
tain support to his side. and if possible to
induce certain brethren to have a belief
that the veracity of Rev. S. Rogers is not
to be trusted"
The second count charges DR.. Hirst
with repeated acts of immortality during
the last two years.
in the third count Mr.. Rogers charges
DR.. Hirst with what practically amounts
to the crime of sacrilege.
In the fourth count of the accusation Mr..
Rogers states that the knowledge of DR..
Hirst'5 misdeeds is a public scandal and
known to a large number of persons. He
asserts that he can produce witnesses who
will abundantly prove that the actions of
DIR. Hirst are matter of common notoriety
and conversation.
Mr.. Rogers winds up in his fifth count
with these words: 81 will also show that
the Rev. DIR. Hirst has made the most un-
scrupulous and meanly seductive efforts to
secretly destroy and OF course Illustrate
my endeavOrs in bringing these unhal-
lowed corruptions into the light, and thus
TO find out, for the sake of the gospel and
the church, the position every one has a
divine right to claim when it shall be said
of him, Guilty or not guilty." %!
When the presiding elder had read the
foregoing charges he addressed DR.. Hirst,
What is your plea, guilty or not guilty ?"
DR.. Hirst at once replied, mot guilty
not only are the charges absolutely false
but they are Infamous"
The inquiry has been going on Tuesday
and yesterday at the Central Methodist
Episcopal Church on Mission street, be-
tween Sixth and Seventh. At the eonclu-
sion of yesterdays sitting. at 7:30 p NJ,
the court adjourned till next tomorrow
morning. 1t is said that there are numerous
witnesses to be examined. and during yes
terday's proceedings there was quite
crowd of with esses. church members and
others interested waiting for the latest in
telligence outside the closed doors of the
ecclesias teal court.
The members of the Simpson Memorial
Church seem to sympatbiZe intensely with
DIR. Hirst and many of them have gone a
long distance out of their way to show
continued confidence In his uprigbtness
and purity of character. DR.. Hrst has
served in the ministry for over thirty
years, during which time his life has been
above reproach. and in the various pastor.
ates he has filed he has always been
highly esteemed. In San Francisco he
has figured conspicuously as leader in
moral reform.
The Rev. s. Rogers is an Englishman
who has been some three years in this
country. He has only been a member OF
the Methodist Episcopalisn body since the
first of March last.