The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-21
TO DR. BROWN,
Rev. F. FlaWith Takes Up the
CudgelS for Professor
Heron.
SAYS HE WANTS FAIR PLAY.
He Thinks That 1t Is His Duty, as an
Officer of the Club, to
Speak.

Rev. DIR. Browns attack on Professor
George D. Heron has called forth the fol-
lowing response from the Rev. F. Flawith,
secretary of the Congregational Monday
Club:
To the Editor of the Calt-DEAR SIR: Thestate-
ments and undelivered speech which the Rev.
C. o. Brown, D. D., has thought fit to publish in
Thursdays issue OF the CALL may we'll deserve
silent treatment if it were not that there is a
strong and unfair reflection on the honor Of
the Rev. DR.. Mclean and Professor g. d. Her
ron, as well as the Congregational Monday
Club.
1t is not a pleasant thing for me to write these
lines with reference to one whom have held
in esteem and have every reason to believe is
my friend.
But friendship and kindness one to another
are qualities which we owe each other in life
and to withhold them is ito use one of Dr.
Browns Words) 'Robbery.'
While desire to remain a friend of DR.. Brown
] remember also what l owe DR.. MCLEAN and
Professor Heron as a brother man.
1t is only necessary to give a fair and general
study OF Professor Herron's writings to at once
see that there is much unfairness attached to
that KIND OF criticism which eXtricates few
special sentences from their connections.
DR.. Brown has claimed that skeptics and in
fdels should study the Bible and the sayings
of Jesus Christ with fairness which they in
turn expect him to display when he deals with
the sayings of brother minister.
The publication of the undelivered speech
cannot explain away what occurred Monday
last. His statement of the case is unfair. Mr..
Brown seems to shield himself behind the fact
that the Bay Association last August did not
at that time see fit TO invite Professor Heron.
But the Monday .Cluy is one thing and the
atore-named association is another. We claim
to be ruled by our own laws and votes.
Again the doctor mentioned the fact that
some person incidentally remarked at former
meeting OF the club, Let us hear him (Profes-
sor Herrou), then discuss him" But instead
OF adheriug TO any such suggestion Mr.. Brown
took more time in tearing Professor Heron
limb from limb than has ever been allowed to
any other member of the club tor any purpose
To give DR.. Brown what one else has dared
demand we held the longest session which the
club has ever had.
Mr.. Brown must surely know that the Rev.
DR.. MCLEAN nor any other person ''moved to
shut him off" from his rightful privileges.
1t is rule to be called upon TO speak in our
turns, but Dr. Brown rose to his feet without
any regard to order rule
1t is q rule for each member to have but three
minutes to speak to the subject. Brother Brown
came without the invitation of the club to
read previously prepared speech which, no
doubt, would have taken much longer than
fifteen minutes to deliver.
Instead of any one trying to ''shut orr DR..
Brown, he evidently ready and willing to
''shut off" most all other members of the club
by claiming more than his share of time and
creating scene which viii need much grace
to forget and forgive.
1t is our rule not TO ruthlessly criticize those
whom we specially invite as our guest and to
address us; rather 1t is our unvarylng rule to
give them all the time of the club, and we
very rarely do more than ask but few ques-
tons at the close of the address. Anyway at
least, we always treat our guests with conduct
becoming gentlemen, so that DR.. Brown has
no law nor precedent to justify him in his
present claims and conduct.
He said it would be "unfair to confine the
debate to the single text of what DR.. Heron
said in his single address,
Debate is not the word for it. We on such
occasions respectfully listen to our speaker
without interrupting him by such remarks as,
'That is not true" and after the speaker has
finished we simply do as | have stated above
ana offer our thanks for his services-a thing
in this case which we were not permitted
TO do.
We certainly did not invite DR.. Heron to
account to us Tor all he has said and done in
the body. We surely do not claim DR.. G. 0.
Brown as our appointed David to throw the
stone at one whom he supposes to be some
thing of Goliath.
1t would take too much space to fully reply
to all the unjust remarks which Mr.. Brown has
no reasonable foundation for saying or believ-
ing that Professor Heron ever thought or said;
but let one or two suffice samples: Dr.
Heron never said that interest is robbery,
On the contrary, the subject of Mr. Browns
attack admits that he is living on interest
As for the insinuation about money-making
DR.. Browns expenses are possibly not more
than half those of Mr.. Herrons, and vet Mr.
Browns income is known to be almost as much
again that of his kind and charita BILE hearted
friend. Professor Heron aims at making no
1hOlO bhah uCSSoSdly eApclISeo, lie refuses OBJ
portunities of making money that he NAV be
freer to be of greater service to his fellow-men
and these opportunities if offered to Dr. Brown
would soon make him richer man than he is
to-day.
Fair play, courtesy and liberty of conscience
is what we would claim for DR.. Brown if he
were treated in the same manner as he thinks
he has right to treat some who think differ
emily to himself.
The club. by vote of eighteen to six, after
week s notice that the vote would be taken, in
Wit tod pFnf Nd -,
been kind enough to come, it is my duty as an
officer and member of the club, as well as
brother man, to defend him in way that l
would thank any one to defend me if I were
treated in a similar manner. Thanking YOU
for the publication of this letter, remain etc,
REV. f. FLAwITH
Secretary Congregational Monday Club.
April 20, 1895.