The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-20

be chosen as the scene of the next session.
Rev. w. &. Pond has virtually decided
not to serve as one of the committee of
the Bay Association to investigate DIR. G.
O. Brown. The reason he assigned yes
terday was that he was too busy with
other matters.
He was asked if he would attend any of
the NEE tings, but said that he thought he
would not be able to do so.
In the course of the conversation that
followed he stated that the time and place
for holding the next meeting of the Joint
committee had been decided upon, but
that it had come to him in letter relating
to personal matters and in such manner
that he considered the information to be
confidential and that for him to give out
this information would be violation of
confidence.
This he believed to mean that all future
meetings will be held with the idea of
keeping everything relating to them Sc
cret, except what the committee decides to
make public. This led to a further con-
versation on the methods of the joint COM
mittee and DR.. Pond agreed that there was
no need of delay or secrecy, as the case
against Mrs. Davidson could not in any
way be affected by the testimony. And
even if her case should be unfavorably af-
fected from the standpoint of the prosecu-
ton he thought there should 30 neither
secrecy nor delay in the Brown investiga-
ton. It was not matter, so far as the
interests of the church are concerned, of
any great importance whether Mrs.
Davidson was guilty or not What con-
ror Il he ~, Oh !. I,,a
c. 0. Brown. 1t was not, he considered,
fair to the First Church or to Congrega-
tionalism in general to indulge in any I'M
necessary delays in purifying the moral at
mosphere of the church.
DR.. Pond also clearly defined the course
of procedure that it is customary to follow
in such cases as that under discussion.
The joint committee simply ascertain
whether or not there is any ground for the
charges brought. If they find that there
has been moral delinquency they formu-
late charges, which are then tried by a
committee appointed by the church mem
bers. Should they report that there has
been no misconduct, any member of the
church would still have the right to prefer
charges and have the accused tried before
special church committee. Should the
result of the action of this trial committee
prove unsatisfactory, the matter could be
appealed to council composed of the
clergymen from the churches invited to
participate in it. The council, however
has no power to discipline. 1t simply re-
ports its findings back to the church,
which is the only power, according to the
| rules of Congregationalism, that can pass
sentence.
Worshipers at the First Congregational
Church, drawn there by prayerful motives
or curiosity, had their spiritual wants sup
piled by Professor Lloyd instead of DR..
Brown Yesterday. The audience was not
a large one and its ranks were depleted by
the exodus of number who departed
when 1t was found that the minister ac-
cused of the infraction of one of the most
important of the Commandments was not
in evidence. Restore the pastor to health
and give him comfort in these the days of
his trouble" was Professor Lloyd's only
reference to the absent preacher. The sub
stitute dealt with gospel theme, which
he discussed in a learned manner in the
morning, and in the evening he talked
about What It Is to Be Christian"
DR.. Brown was not on the platform to
pray and announce hymns, as was pre-
dicted. Although DR.. George II. Palmer,
his physician, said the reverend gentleman
was better, he was not visible, at least to