The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-30
LOCKED OUT BY DR.. BROWN
The SanCtuary's Doors Closed
Against the League of
the Temple.
PRINCIPLES NOT APPROVED
The Pastor Accused Of High-Handed
Dealings With Members OF
His Church.

Few ministers lock the doors of the
sanctuary against would-be worshirers,
yet that is the charge brought against Rev.
G. o. Brown by the League of the Temple.
The league was organized last Novem
Der, and its avowed objects were Ito pro-
mote true Christian fellowship among
the male members of the church; to ex-
tend the hand of sympathy and encour-
agement to the younger and newer mem
bers; to furnish unobtrusive assistance to
! those of our communion who are in trouble
of body or mind or estate; to supplement
the work of the pastor, and to pray and
labor for and with him; to promote re-
yival spirit in the church and congrega-
ton, and generally to cooperate in every
good word and work, as the Master shall
give us ability and opportunity"
j. Howard Barnard and G. Gilbert Dexter
were chiefly instrumental in the organiza-
ton OF the body, and they with Theodore
I'll. Hatch, all deacons of the First Con-
gregatonal Church, and Meyer Strauss
and A. j. Dewing, members of what is
known in Congregational Church govern
ment as the standing committee, eonsti-
tuted the council of the league. DR.. Crown
was named as a member of the council,
and according to the other members of
ton to join in the movement, but he CURLY
declined
The same gentleman is authority for the
statement that the pastor ignored the meet
ings, which were held weekly in his study,
until DIR. Herron's lectures were creating
Interest. He commenced attending the
meetings at that time and from the first
proved disturbing element. He showed
small courtesy to the members and the
proceedings. eff my son has twisted about
in his chair, rustled papers and talked as
the pastor of the First Church did at those
meetings l would have spanked him."
said one of the council members. "At
last, this gentleman continued, "Mr.
Brown made the discovery that the prin-
cip1es enumerated by our constitution are
anarchistic, and he found this article es-
pecially Objectionable:
An enlightened patriotism must take into
account the duty of every Christian man, by
voice and vote, and If need be by personal sac
rifice, to uphold the things which make for
righteousness in civic affairs. We hold it, then,
matter OF conscience to maintain the purity
OF the elective franchise, the judiciary and the
public school system against encroachment
from any source whatever, and to advance the
interests OF temperance, public morality and
good government in municipal, State and Ma
tlonal affairs by every means in our power.
"Now, leave it to any minister or lay
man who is Christian-because the one
does not always insure the other-whether
there is anything in that article which
Christ did not preach and practice.
"When Joseph Cook gave a lecture in
the church one Saturday evening we found
the door of our place of meeting locked,
and it was explained that this was owing
to the lecture being given at that hour.
When we came week later the doors We're
again locked.
1.-The sexton told us he was acting under
orders and that We must apply to head
quarters for permission to use the build
ing. Headquarters we interpreted to
mean trustees We laid the matter be-
fore these gentlemen and they said the
matter would be left to the pastor. We
didn't choose to ask him.. knowing well
what his answer would have been, so now
we are meeting in the office of Deacon Bar
nard in the Columbian block.
II have just come from meeting there
this evening, and we had genuinely spir-
itual evening. Rev. ]. E. Scott was with
US, and the Rev. Mr.. Ferguson led the
meeting. Our numbers are increasing
again and we feel encouraged about the
prospect of opportunity for good works"
The members of the league insist that
there is no business transacted by the or
ganization, that its purposes are purely of
a spiritual nature and that it Is making no
organized effort against DR.. Browns re-
naming in the passionate. "His term of
service expires in August" he said, ''and
while it is known that there is an opposing
element composed of some of the best peo-
pie in the church and made up chiefly of
ladies, the league is not connected with it.
His name is never mentioned in our meet
ings, nor is he referred to except in our
prayers for the pastors of the City"
DR.. Brown could not be found last even
ing.