The San Francisco call., 1896-04-22
Friends of the Convicted Minis.
ter Listen to His Plea
for Life.
HIS LONE GALLANT FIGHT.
A Scene of the Widest Confusion
Folow the Announcement
OF the Verdict.

WHEREAS, In the matter of the ecclesiastical
council called by the First Church of San
Francisco to consider charges and rumors
affecting the moral character and minis terial
standing of their pastor, sittings of which
council extended over a period of time from
February 1S TO March II, 1896, the findings of
said council have left the character and stand
ing of Rev. C. O.. Brown, pastor of said First
Church of San Francisco, still under grave
suspicion and doubt;
First-In respect to his explanation of pay
ing certain sum OF money to Mrs. Mary A.
Davidson.
Second-In respect to the seriously impaired
testimony by which the discriminating force OF
the Overman-Tunnen letters has been met.
Third-In respect to the strange and appar-
emily significant absence of the receiver OF the
letters. which added to the councils embar-
rassment in their effort to ascertain the
truth; and,
WHEREAS, 1t appears from said findings that
the Rev c. o. Brown in at least one instance
is found guilty of having violated all rules
which should control the actions of gentle
man and Christian minister; and whereas,
no Christian church or body of Christian
churches can live in self-respect or the worlds
respect, or can be free from completely of evil
if il allows itself 10 sustain in good standing
pastor whose reputation is so clouded and
whose conduct is so reprehensible; therefore
Resolved That the Rev. C. o. Brown ought to
be and hereby is suspended from membership
in this the Bay Conference of Congregational
churches and ministers until such time as in
the judgment of this conference he shall have
lifted from imself the burden OF suspicion
and doubt now resting upon his reputation
and shall have proved himself worthy to be
restored TO the fellowship of the churches
By vote of 40 to 80, the above preamble
and resolution were adopted by the Bay
Conference yesterday.
For ten long hours the partisans and
enemies of DR.. Brown struggled for the
mastery. the accused pastor MADE an
eloquent and earnest appeal to his breth-
ren not to do the thing which meant so
much TO him-more than his life III fact.
His words fell on dull ears, however.
Those who opposed him could not be
changed by the utterances of so eloquent
a speaker as the convicted and now con-
demned man. They had already agreed
in their own minds how they would vote
and nothing could change them.
When the verdict was announced pam
demonium seemed to break loose and Val
ley Brown, the pastors son. went into
mysteries, and threatened Dr. Mclean
with bodily harm. 1t was with difficulty
that he could be restrained by DR.. and
Mrs. Brown.
One woman flew az DR.. Mclean and in
voked the curse of God on his head. Out
in The corridor men cursed and raved and
swore that they would not submit to the
outrage. 1t was a most remarkable scene,
and one that Will live long in the annals of
Congregationalism.
From the moment the conference was
called to order until the hour of final ad-
journment Dr. Brown was subjected to a
running, scathing fire of rebuke and gem
orally harsh criticism. 1t is not asserting
too much to say that no man, whether
minister or iayman, was ever called upon
TO face such general condemnation.
Those who spoke for him did so in a
half apologetic sort of way while those
who opposed him minced not their words.
nor hesitated over their delivery. They
looked the doctor square in the eve
sometimes In pity and then again in scorn.
but at all times honestly and fearlesslv.
Through it all DR.. Brown never f1inched.
True, at times his checks paled little or
flushed, according to the force of what
was said, but further than this he gave no
outward signs of discontinue. Once or
twice his lip curled, followed quickly by
the flashing of his eye in most ominous
way.
Pastor Brown has frequently demon
strated that he is possessed of an iron
nerve not unmixed with that kind of
audacity which often passes for the genu-
inc article. Yesterday he gave magnifi-
cent exhibition OF the combinations dis
play OF audaclous nerve which commanded
the admiration, if not the respect, of those
who fought him most bitterly
When all this has been said-his ap-
parent GOODNESS and defiant attitude. the
paling or flushing of his cheek, the flash
ing of his eye-Dr. Brown showed in many
ways that the situation bore heavily upon
him. At the noon hour he talked With
his friends, confidently and outwardIy
calm.
His face was pinched and drawn. how
ever, while his mustache seemed TO take a
heavier droop than ever.
DR.. Brown and his lady, friends came
early. They occupied one entire side of
the church and on many occasions inter-
rupted the speakers with some harsh criti-
cism. The full days proceedings will be
found below.
Promptly ct $50 o'clock Moderator
Cruzan called the conference to order.
Rev. Mr.. Hatch read the minutes of The
last meeting, that portion relating to DR.
Brown precipitating d general discussion
out of which grew the following motion.
introduced by DR.. Willie, which was
passed unanimously:
Inasmuch as reference has been made before
this body TO runors of untruthfulness on the
part OF Rev. DR.. c. o. Brown touching the
sending OF dispatches East concerning the
resnlt OF the late council, ard perhaps other
matters, move that at this time Dr. Brown
have opportunity TO state just what he did in
these matters and why ne did it.
BEFORE aSkiuo tho oouno;f 10 100. -, -:
motion DR.. Willie said:
Il make this motion, in the first place.
as matter OF privilege because, as Dr..
Brown claims, injustice has been done him
by gross misrepresentation of facts, Civ
ing him the right TO the floor at any time.
II he chose to assert it. to make explana-
ton and vindicate himself
He has not asserted that right. but /
thought 1t would be more kindly and fra
ternal IN Christian body like this TO omen
to him the opportunity to state the facts
as they occurred, with the reasons for
them.
81 make the motion, in the next Mace
that we ourselves may know the facts.
want to know them; you want to know