The San Francisco call., 1896-02-20

that he thought he would be prepared to
do so In the evening. 1t was decided to
defer the taking of evidence till then Mr.
Woodlands then addressed the council as
! follows:
! 1t Will be impossible for me to go out and get
evidence to subs Stantiate these charges l think
1t would only be just to myself, the council
ana DR.. Brown to have it understood that per-
d, sons who have evidence should present it to
me as your representative so that can place
II IN proper way before the council.
Mr.. McLean-I may state properly now that
testimony before a council exempts any per-
son from liability for libel or SANDER the same
as in testifying in a civil court.
On his own suggestion Mr.. Woodlands
was authorized to issue subpenaes for wit
| nesses.
DR.. Brown asked to have each charge
separately specified, but Mr.. Woodlands
thought they could best be considered in
the form presented.
DIR. Mooar suggested that all persons
who came to testify be placed under oath,
! the same to be administered by the mod
orator. The motion was divided, the first
part being passed and that authorizing the
moderator 10 administer the oath being
laid over for the evening session.
Just before the adjournment of the
afternoon meeting E. c. Williams moved
| that the representatives of the press be re-
/
| their reports of the council that any one
who knows anything about these charges
| should report the same to Mr.. Woodlands.
| The motion was adopted.
DR.. RAIDER opened the evening session
with the customary prayer. The minutes
of the afternoon session were read and
approved. On the motion of Mr.. Wood
hams the moderator was instructed to
administer the oath to witnesses.
Mr.. Woodlands then again defined his
position in the investigation disclaiming
all intention OF partiality or bias and ask
ing for suspension of judgment by any
who might think he at any time acted
otherwise than impartially.
| DIR. Brown raised the question of classi-
| Tying the charges so as to have all those
relating to different individuals treated
separately, but he was overruled by Mr..
| Woodlands, who stated that all witnesses
would be asked to testify to everything
| they new in connection with any of the
| charges or persons mentioned in them.
This matter being settled Mr.. Wood
hams announced he was ready to go on by
producing as witness Mrs. Sarah b.
Cooper.
'.She has prepared" he said, 'sa state
ment on the matter which she wishes to
read without interruption, after which
she is willing to be examined by whoever
wishes to do so.''
Mrs. Cooper ascended the platform and
prepared to read her statement when DR..
Brown asked that she be sworn. She then
took the following oath:
You solemnly promise in the presence of the
omnscient and heart-searching God that Won
Will declare the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, according to the best of
are called as witness and respecting the
guilt or innocence of the Rev. Charles o.
Brown; DID,, upon the charges before this
council as you shall answer it to the great
Judge OF the quick and the dead
DIR. Brown then asked: Gam l to under
stand that L am to be de barred, if the mat
ter prove irrelevant, from my privilege as
defendant? Am | to sit here and be
compelled to listen, possibly for an hour,
Moderator Mclean informed DR.. Brown
that Mrs. Cooper would be allowed to
read her paper without interruption and
that other witnesses should be allowed to
do the same. Mrs. Cooper read as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Council: AS preliminary to
desire to say, that whatever / have said or
done and whatever may say or do, in regard
10 this unhappy affair has been inspired by
essential truth OF the matter in question,
namely, the guilt or innocence of Rev. DR..
e. o. Brown, as respects the grave rumors Il
Will not say charges) that have been and are
current against him.
That my earnestness in this matter to get at
the truth was inspired by no previous prejudice
In support of this affirmation challenge any
one TO truthfully testify to q single disloyal
WORD or act on my own part, from the earliest
date OF his ministry up TO the time of the pub
lication of the OverDlan letters in the Ex-
aminer of January 2 of the present year On
the contrary, call to rem embrance my many
public utterances, at the meetings of the Bay
Association and at the social festivals of the
church, such as Forefathers' day and the like
where l have, in response to tOasts and other.
wise, uttered the strongest words in commen-
dation of DR.. Browns zeal and labors in behalf
OF the church.
desire, also, to refer to my weekly reports
of DR.. Browns sermons in the Bulletin, in all
OF which have shown myself, by the printed
and published records. from the earliest date
OF his pastorate, August ID, 1892, up to the
date of the publication of the Overman let
ters, to have been his loyal friend and sup
porter. Many who did not like DR.. Browns
pulpit ministrations will bear me witness that
they have asked me not to report his sermons
on the ground that 1t tended to strengthen his
ministry, and they desired him to resign /
duty OF every church ember to work to build
up the church. l always argued with them
that when we united with the church we
pledged our VOWS to seek the highest good of
the church; that pastors were local and transit
tory but that the church of God was univer-
sal and permanent / have been the stanch
TREND and defender of DR.. Brown in his min
lstry and work to scores who have not liked
him personally or in the pulpit. This is well
known to many who are here present and to
scores OF others who would bear witness to the
truth of what here AFFIRM
In support OF this statement would say that
On Sunday evening, July 21st, of last year, in
response TO an invitation from DR.. Brown, /
spoke In his pulpit on "The Religious Train
ing OF Children" The church was filed,
many strangers being present. In introducing
me DR.. Brown characterized me as Assistant
PASTOR, to which kind allusion graciously
demurred, at the same time admitting that l
desired to do all in my power 20 aid HIM in
church work. This shows the true state OF
feeling as it existed up to January of the pres
ent year. l do not remember to have ever
been refused a favor by DR.. Brown, except
when endeayored to secure the church for
the opening meeting for one of the congresses.
the Religious Congress, when DR.. Brown OBJ
!ected 10 having q Jewish rabbi in his pulpit
remarked pleasantly that our Master used to
go into the synagogue to teach on the Sabbath
day. The trustees and deacons were all de-
sirous for the congress to have the church
Ihaf was but passing matter, and I never
gave it another thought.
deem it necessary to say this at the start,