The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-18
BROWNS ENEMIES
DOWN ON MORSE.
The Opposition Making
Efforts to Rally It's
Forces.
COUNT OF PARTIsANs.
Project tc Install a Pastor With
out the Senior Deacon's
Consent.
PIoUANT PERSONAL TALK.
Difficulties Appear to Beset the Bud.
ding Movement in Its Very
Inception.
PIQUANT

w nat is KNOWN as the 'OppOSlLlOn lac
ton in the First Congregational Church is
meditating move which is calculated to
| force the other party to show its real
| strength. Itseems that according to Con-
| gregational polity majority of the church
members may. independently of deacons,
trustees or standing committee, call a
| pastor, and a majority of the church
society-which must not be confounded
with the church membership-mayc confirm
and install the pastor thus called. In
other words, Congregationalism recog-
nizes as its tribunal of ultimate resort the
will of the majority, which may set aside
| the acts of any governing body connected
with the church organization.
| In accordance with this principle the
| opposition is secretly taking steps to secure
a majority of the church members ana a
majority of the First Congregational So
ciety, call pastor, have HIM installed
and confirmed in his appointment by the
society, and put an end to what it calls the
'Morse regime"
On the other hand the board OF
deacons, of whom only two side with the
opposition, have the right by majority
vote to supply the pulpit without consult
| ing the church as whole until pastor
shall be regularly called. One or other of
these two things is about to happen very
sooD. Deacon Morse and the three other
| deacons who stood by the late pastor in
his difficulties are making every en-
deavor TO find a clergyman able to assume
the duties of position SO hedged about
with peculiar trials and pitfalls as the
passionate of the First Congregational
Church must be for years TO come.
The opposition counts among its strong
est sympathizers the Rev. J. FL. Warren,
DR.. ]. T. Mcdonald, Deacon T. H. Hatch.
George T. Gaden and Meyer Strauss. Mrs.
| Cooper is also regarded as one of the par
tisans of the opposition, although she re-
trains from all public manifestation of
adhesion to either side.
| All the foregoing topics were weighed
and dwelt upon at length during yeste1-
days gathering of the opposition leaders.
| The meeting took place in the after
noon and was entirely executive in
character. ALI the members knew
nothing about it when questioned,
and, indeed, few besides the specially
invited ones were aware of the holding of
| the meeting. From a trustworthy source,
however, it was learned that the object of
the gathering was the preparation of a
paper to be signed by as many of the
church members as possible. The intent
of the trainers OF the proposed document
is to marshal the forces of the opposition,
| to ascertain their number and estimate
| their financial strength.
eve must do this first of ALL pursued
THE CALLS informant, sin order to learn
| just how we stand. At the meeting it was
seen that the plan had many draw backs.
| What could be done in case the trustees
refused to reopen the church? All recog-
nized that Deacon Morse would have to be
| got out of the road before we could do
anything; but how should he be induced
to give way to us? Anyway we are going
to learn what our numerical and financial
strength is. Then we can form plans as to
our future course of action.
$50 much OF the time at to-day's meet
ing was spent in discussing the difficulties
with which the situation is at present be-
set that the paper for the proposed can
vass was not drawn up, but in week or
two some steps will be taken. Mean
while we have many disappointments
and setbacks. Mrs. Cooper. though
she sympathizes with US, is unwill.
| ing to take any conspicuous part in
the work of reorganization. She
! says she has lost many friends by reason
of her connection with the Brown case.
and although she has formed new and
strong attachments on the same account.
she seems to fear further publicity. All
she wants is to take her place as a simple
church member, retaining her Bible class.
and leaving the leadership in future bat
| ties to others.
J Another distinguished member. who
| has, SO TO speak. grown up with the First
Church and could be of the greatest assist
ance to our cause, refuses all part with US
| save in social way. He considers the
church dead and buried, and attends the
| services of the Gospel Mission. Other old
and valued members have done the same
or got into the way of attending other
churches. The old church has been
sadly rent and disrupted, but out of the
| faithful remnant we hope to reorganize it.
! The Brown meetings in the hall on Suffer
street had no claim to be called services of
the First Congregational Church. as thew
were intended as the beginning of an in
dependent church, and would have grown
into one if DR.. Browns health had not
| broken down.
"We are willing to meet with the Suffer-
street people and labor together for the
reunion of the church if Deacon Morse
will resign his position of power In the
church society, but under his manage.
ment we can do nothing. He and DR..
Brown seemed to run the church
to suit themselves. The people
who call and pay a pastor should have
the first place in his consideration: but
DIR. Brown thought otherwise and preached
for the masses The masses came, and
soon our church was filed with rlffraff OF
the Overman- Tunnell-D Davidson Stockton
type, and then the troubles commenced.
Still the better element of the con grega-
ton is with us, and If we can only get
them together we will carry our point"
The Church Manual, in article 3, section
/ of the standing rules, provides that the
deacons shall see that the pulpit is sup
piled in the absence of regular pastor,
and attend to the conduct of social re-