The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-06
THE MEETING.
Details of the Business Transacted
at the Exciting Church
Catherine,

Gathering.
Deacon D. Gilbert Dexter was called
to preside by DR.. Brown Immediately the
somewhat curtailed prayer-meetlng exer-
cises were at an end, but not before DR..
Brown, on the request of the officers of the
church, had asked all present who were
not members of the church and pew
holders to retire, SO that there might not
be any interference with the proper and
accurate taking of the vote and the tran
saction of other business. Most of the
visitors then retired to the Railways and
ante-rooms, while some went home.
Scarcely had the chairman assumed his
place when Mrs. Brown, the wife of the
pastor. came down the middle aisle, where
she had been seated, and walking to the
edge of the platform and facing the pre-.
siding officer, said:
II wish to address few words to the
people present before the business proper
begins.'
Brown will address you for few min
utes." While Mrs. Brown was walking
around to the back of the platform to
ascend it Deacon Dexter continued:
trust, friends, that we are all here tonight
with the full intention of not only doing our
OF God-that we respect ourselves in whatever
we do. trust there will be nothing of the
Kissing character in this room. Nothing
grieves me more than that exhibition of last
Wednesday night. l hope there will be no
more OF 1t, no matter who may be speaking or
what the question may be. l would also like
you TO suppress applause. This is business
meeting of serious importance; of great impor-
lance to the church, of very great Importance
to every one here, OF greater Importance than
you realize now.
Let US in all our acts tonight feel right in
what we do
Then referring to Mrs. Brown. who was
ready 70 read her remarks, he said: This
is question OF privilege before you."
Mrs. Brown then read as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen and my Friends of the
First Church: What 1 am about to utter here
is said wholly OF my own suggestion.
feel it my duty to be silent no longer, as
the good name OF my husband is called in
question. have right TO speak, not only in
his behalf, but a wife and mother in de-
tense, OF my home, which Mrs. Cooper, setting
herself up as Judge and jury, has attacked.
The dearest spot on earth has been assailed-
my home-and by one whom 1 had, until
within a very short time, supposed was a
friend. wish to call Mrs. Cooper's attention
to the fact that she was the one who intro
duced Mrs. Stockton to my husband one Sun
day after the morning service.
she commended Mrs. Stockton to him as
1t was then said that she was thinking of
uniting with our church, which she afterWarti
did. To whom could comparative strangers
look for safe guidance in the forming of &C.
quaintanees if not 10 one of Mrs. Cooper's
standing in the church and society? She is a
prominent Bib!e-class teacher and one of the
pastors assistants.
This was DR.. Browns first meeting with Mrs
Stockton. About eight months later, just after
tie incident at Mrs. French's home, at the
Monday Ministers Club, which was held at
that time in the Y. NJ. C. A. building on Suffer
street, Mrs. Cooper came to DR.. Brown and my
SELL requesting us TO remain after the others
had gone, as she had matter of great import
ance TO talk with us about alone.
We were there with Mrs. Cooper from half to
three-quarters of an hour.
Mrs. Cooper said: 81 must talk with you, my
dear DR.. and Mrs. Brown, about Mrs. Stockton
The matter is troubling me. Iwant to warn
you both against her. She is a bad woman and
there is good deal Of talk about her / kept
dared"
She also told us OF Mrs. stocktons going to
Port Angeles and how Mrs. SIS name was
'blown about" in that city.
Mrs. Cooper also gave details of scandalous
matter OF The most damaging character said to
have occurred in this City, in which she
affirmed Mrs Stockton was one of the princi-
pals and gave the name OF man, which l
withhold.
Mrs. Cooper said she had known these facts
ever since Mrs. Stocktons return from the
north, and excused her introduction of Mrs
Stockton to my husband on the ground of "for-
mality," and also stated that she knew these
facts at the time OF the introduction and ad-
mission into the church.
since
this talk in the old Y. NJ. C. A. building on SUIT
ter street between Mrs. Cooper, DR.. Brown and
myself.
And now, within the last few weeks. Mrs
ton, highly commencing her. l am surprised
at Mrs Cooper beyond expression.
lou, Mr rs cooper, at one time warned us
heeced your warning This was your
charge against Mrs stockton, and not
mine. Now you commend her to the public as
a good woman. God will judge you. At your
door, Mrs. Cooper, lay the beginning of nv
sorrow and that OF my family, for you intro
duced Mrs. Stockton to my husband and to
the church, and gave opportunity for the evils
OF SANDER which now effect my husband
Mrs. Cooper's attack on my home. therefore,
is not '7ithout reason. She is acting before
hand in self-defense. When this storm broke
she saw that it would surely involve her own
good name, and she is trying to kill my hus-
band before he can speak in his own defense
and this she is doing in the hope that dead
man viii tell no tales" But am here to saw
to her that no charge made against him or nv
home is so serious as that which l now present
against her, and in this matter she must
reckon, not with DR.. Brown, but with me. DR.
Brown refused Mrs. Stockton a letter, but Mrs.
cooper publishes her commentator to the
world
At the time of Mrs. Coopcrs confession to us,
she had long known these fact. She pledged
US to secrecy on the ground that her own good
name was involved, but her conduct in at
lacking US and renewing her commendation of
Mrs. Stockton removes the ban, and shall be
no longer bound even if must speak alone
To those of you who are trying to injure the
good name of my husband which has stood
above reproach in the ministry for nearly a
quarter OF a century, and whose character has
never been in question before: who would ct
this time tear in pieces his reputation, our
home, and all that makes life worth living, to
you, say, bewarel
There is One above who will judge you and
in due time you will have your reward 1t is
said in one OF the papers, as coming from Mrs
Cooper that DR.. Brown introduced Miss Over
man to her, in the presence of his wife, as his
niece. This is false. He never introduced
Miss Overman TO any one as his niece.
want to say further that Miss Overman
came To our home on visit, spending few
months with us at my invitation, and want it
distinctly understood she is now under our
roof by my invitation and not that OF my hus-
band. Her testimony is, of course, absolutely
essential, and although Miss Overman was
ready to depart for her home weeks ago she
consented to stay until the council and posi-
bly, the court has heard her testimony.
In closing this first public address of my life
/ appeal to many in this church who were
merciful in their judgment of DIR. Barrows to
at least wait till my husband can be heard /
appeal to the whole church not to help Mrs.
Cooper persecute my husband and destroy my
home. Mrs. Cooper at one time thought her
self prosecuted, and the whole country heard
her outcries. Doubtless some one said then as
she says now, THAT the church is to be consid-
cred before any individual but the maxim