The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-06
Mrs. Brown Ascends the Pulpit
aud Attacks Mrs. Cooper,
Who Replies.
PASTOR ASKS FOR A COUNCIL
Resolutions of Confidence Passed-The
Doctor Not to Preach Until
INDICATED.

words were hurried by DOtn 1rlenQS ana
opponents of the pastor who is resting
under cloud of scandal. And his friends
proved the stronger. Out of the heat and
smoke of battle at length loomed at least
a partial victory for DR.. Brown.
The unusual spectacle of minister's
wife appearing in the pulpit to plead the
cause of her husband was witnessed, for
probably the first time in religious history,
at the meeting which was the regular
weekly prayer meeting of the First
Church.
The situation was as unique as it was
unexpected, and had palpable influence
on the things that came after. 1t was
daring thing to do, yet Mrs. Brown, the
wife of the man who stands accused OF
grevous crimes against his own household
and public morality, executed the self
imposed task with q serenity and assur-
ance which could only have been born of
supreme conviction of the business of her
cause.
When the usual prayers and hymns had
been rendered, DR.. Brown. who up to that
time had conducted the meeting, surren-
dered the chair to Deacon Dexter. Before
that gentleman could define the principal
matters to be discussed, the pastors wife
walked to the foot of the rostrum and
asked permission to speak. She was in
vited on the stage, and the people, not
knowing what to expect, craned their necks
and twisted their heads in an effort to get
better view of her.
Once on the stage Mrs. Brown calmly
ana deliberately un-olled several closely
written pages of manuscript, and in
voice mistaken by emotion began to read
first general review of the case and later
a terrible arraignment of Mrs. Sarah B.
Cooper. 1t was an intensely dramatic sit
uation. The words were cold, sharp and
cutting, yet at times there breathed in
them gentleness and love for her husband,
and when she had finished the people
eheered loud and long.
Mrs. Brown touched lightly on the main
issues and then began her attack on Mrs.
Cooper, in the course of which she said
al lay the beginning of all the trouble
that has come to me and my household to
Mrs. Cooper-it dates back to the time
when she introduced Mrs. Stockton to my
husband
Mrs. Cooper made vigorous denial of
all this, and was loudly applauded at the
conclusion OF her remarks. She said that
Mrs. Brown was wrong in her dates, and
further that this had not stated all the
conversation that took place at the time
referred to.
By $50 o'clock the people began to
gather in the assembly rooom. Half an
hour later every one of the 300 chairs was
occupied, and persons began to line up
against the wall. There was a noticeable
preponderance OF women, many with chill
dren in their arms. Most of the congre-
cation wore serious, troubled look, as if
the seriousness of the situation, with its
possible evil results, bore heavily upon
them. Outside, near the big iron gate,
two policemen were stationed, but at
whose request no one seemed to know.
At 7:20 Mrs. Brown walked leisurely in,
followed ten minutes later by her hus-
band. With firm, confident tread he
assembled the stage, and, without any pre-
iminary remarks, opened the meeting by
announcing hymn 223, Nearer, My God /,
TO Thee While the prelude to the hymn
was being played several of his most ar
dent lady admirers walked hastily up to
the desk and deposited handsome bouquets
of roses, violets and pinks.
DR.. Brown then read that passage of the
Scriptures which begins with "The Lord
said he had no comment to make.
Then more HYMNS were sung and
prayers were uttered, the prayer meeting
proper coming to a close at exactly 8
o'clock. Then DIR. Brown fired little
bombshell in the ranks of those who were
present out of sheer curiosity. He said
that some important business was to come
up for consideration. and he would
ask those not members of the church, ex-
cepting newspaper men, to kindly retire.
When the room was finally cleared Dea-
con Dexter was called to the chair, and
then followed the dramatic episode be-
tween Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Cooper.
The chairman announced at the begin
ming that no boisterous conduct would be
permitted, and to his credit be it said that
he faithfully maintained that programme.
Once or twice confusion seemed about to
assume control, but Deacon Dexter was
always equal to the occasion.
Only once during the evening did the
pastor lose his self-control. DR.. Warren
made some caustic remark about the vote
of confidence, when DR.. Brown sprang
from his chair, and pointing his finger at
the venerable missionary said in a voice
full of emotion:
''You had better keep STILL 1 do not
care to talk to you here, but could tell
some things if | wanted"
Resolutions and counter resolutions were
the order of the evening, Dr. Brown
forces coming off victorious in every in
stance. The resolution of the Joint COM
mittee, that of Deacon Barnard, and a
third by Attorney NagIe, went through by
nearly two to one vote. OF course there
was much bitterness and Ill feeling mani
tested, but it was not all directed toward
DR.. Brown, but largely to the people de-
tending him.
When the smoke of the two hours bat
tie had cleared away DIR. Browns friends
were wild with Joy. They crowded around
the pastor, grasped his hand and mingled
their tears with his. For twenty minutes