The San Francisco call., 1896-03-18
ADULTERY NOT PROVEN,
His Explanation Of the Davidson
Matter Not Satisfactory
to the Council.
BROWNS aARBLED DISPATCH.
The Church Will Act Tonight Upon
the Findings, From Which
There Is No Appeal.

To the First Congregational Church,
San Francisco, Cal.-Dear Brethren:
The ecclesiastical council called to
act pursuant to the letters missive of
the date of February 10 issued by
you at the request of your pastor met
in the lecture-room of your church at
2 o'clock p. NJ. February Is, 1896.
The following trustees were repre-
sented: Plymouth Church of San Fran
cisco-Rev. w. ID. Williams, pastor;
Deacon 8. #. Bufford, delegate. Third
Church of San Francisco-Rev. Will
liam RAIDER, pastor; A. T. Ruthrauff.
delegate. First Church of Oakland
Rev. s. M. Freeman, pastor; Deacon e.
c. Williams, delegate. Plymouth
avenue of Oakland-Rev. j. X. Nc
Lean, pastor; Rev. George Mooar, de1e-
gate. First Church Of Brooklyn-Rev.
George B. Hatch, pastor; Deacon j. L.
Barker, delegate. First Church of
A1ameda-Rev. w. w. Scudder, pas tor
f. j. Dodge, delegate. First Church
OF fSacramento-Rev. III. N. Hoyt, pastor;
Deacon M. w. Curtis, delegate. First
Church of Stockton-Rev. r. H. Sink,
pastor; o. Is. Parkinson, delegate.
First Church of San Jose-Rev. III. Mel
vile Tenney, pastor; Deacon William
Ross, delegate.
The council organized by the election
of Rev. j. X. Mclean, moderator
Deacon j. L. Barker, assistant modsr-
ator; Rev. George b. Hatch, scribe;
Deacon S. F. Bufford, assistant scribe.
You asked us in said letters thor.
oughly to investigate all matters per-
tanning to certain charges affecting the
moral character and ministerial stand
ing of the Rev. C. o. Brown, ID. ID.
The council In pursuing this investiga.
tion labored under great dinculty
from the first In the fact that
the matters to be investigated
were SO largely in tho shape Of
widely spread rumors and that
the charges had not been prearranRed
with sufficient definiteness, nor was tho
testimony uniformly ready at call. New
ertheIess we have earnestly attended to
the duty assigned US and patiently list
ened to all the evidence produced be-
in thirty-six sessions, covering q period
of more than a month, and have finally
reached the following conclusions:
First, That all the charges in our
Judgment may be grouped under the
two questions:
(a) Did Rev. G. 0. Brown, DID,, com.
NIT adultery with either Mrs. Nj. A.
stockton Miss Martha Overman?
(b) Has he been guilty of any conduct
seriously affecting his ministerial char
acter?
Second, That touching the first of
these two questions we are able to make
answer that the evidence before us does
not sustain the charge OF adultery with
either Mrs. Stockton or Miss Overman.
Third, That touching the question of
unministeriaI conduct we find in DR..
Brown certain constitutional infirmities
of temper in the light Of which his
actions must be judged. and which to
some extent modify opinions of his con-
duct, so that in one case whore tho use
of harsh and intimidatinR language is
charged against him an apology fol.
lowed SO quickly that we do not further
notice 1t. In another case, while the
menacing and intimidating language
used was not justified, it was the
hasty speech of an angry man
but in the case Of a young lady Of the
purest character and the highest worth
who felt herself threatened with a fear.
full charge because she had opposed the
pastor, we find his conduct to have yfo-
lated all rules which should control the
actions of a gentleman and a Christian
minister, and we censure him for it.
While we gladly recognize the kindly
and manly words of appreciation and
reparation offered by him to the young
lady in our presence we should be glad
to add to this verdict that the various
facts in the case SO far as ascertained
have not left a trace Of suspicion in our
minds concerning the hitherto stainless
reputation of this honOred minister of
the Gospel, but we are regretfully COM
PEELED to confess that DR.. Browns ex-
planatiOn of the reasons in his mind for
paying to Mrs. Davidson the sum of
$500 and agreeing to pay the further
sum of &35 per month for series of
years, all for the purpose of securing the
SILENCE of supposed Mrs. Baddin, is not
altogether satisfactory to us, and
that Miss Overman's testimony
as to having changed certain let
ters known as the Overman-T Tunneu
letters which contained the chief in
eliminating evidence in this case IN
impaired seriously by confessed false
hoods previously told concerning the
same matter, while the strange and
apparently significant absence from the
City Of the receiver Of the letters has
added to our embarrassment in the effort
to ascertain the truth.
While we have felt compelled to con-
denim the acts now specified in our
brothers. conduct, IL Is our hope and
prayer that the sharp lessons of recent
months may be taken to heart by him.
and that in consequence his future years
may be more fruitful than any in tho
past. 1t is especially our earnest
hope that In the painful and divided
conditions in which this experience has
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