The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-07
UNFOUNDED CHARGES.
A Former Experience of DR..
Brown, in Which His Reputa-
ton Was Assaulted.

1t was reported yesterday that DR..
Brown had been connected with scandal
similar to the present one some seventeen
years ago in Rochester, Mich, where he
then had a church. In an interview with
DR.. Brown he gave the history of the cpl
sode referred to and which showed that he
came forth from that trial exonerated.
His story was as follows:
My first pastorate was at Rochester Mich,
and my success there was most fiattering
Shortly after my settling there members OF nv
church began to find anon ymous letters in the
street making charges of theft and general i'm
morality against me. 1t was evident that the
person who wrote these letters feared to trust
the mails and took this peculiar method of ac-
complishing his purpose. These letters were
found for period extending over eight
months. There were twelve of them in ALL
In. order to ferret out the author l went to
Detroit and employed Tergashis. well-known
submitted TO him containing various hand
writings he concluded the ANONYMOUS letters
had been written by certain man, who was
then minister and who was subsequently,
found guilty of having stolen $1,000.
then called council. and after numerous
witnesses had been heard in reference TO the
matter, the council completely exonerated me-
The conclusions OF the council were published
in the Rochester Sun OF March Ii, 1879, and
are as follows:
In conclusion, this council would express it's
utter adherence OF the course pursued by the
author of the anonymous and forged letters.
which we have examined and described
stirring up strife among the peaceable and
assailing the character of the innocent, and
that too, in the darkness of anonymous and
forged accusations.
We reprobate with all the stress which do
nestle peace, personal purity and Chris tian
religion enjoin, such vile and slanderous at
tempts, and would place upon them the brand
of indelible infamy; and we would also brand
their author as an enemy of religion and of
humanity itself
and assailed parties and members of this
church and society, but especially to the pas
tor, Rev. q. 0. Brown, and his family, whom
many of US have known for years, and known
only TO love and esteem for his conservation to
the Redeemers cause, our deep sympathy in
their long-continued trials while the assassin's
blow was stabbing their regulations in the
dark.
We greatly honor them for the steadiness
and devotion of their affection and confidence
toward one another all through this trying
ordeal, SO that the apparent purposes of said
ANONYMOUS and forged attacks in dismember-
ing this church and society and in driving
their pastor from the town shave been frus-
trated.
And we thank God that in his providence the
clouds have been lifted at last, and that con-
fidence may be restored where doubt had been
permitted 10 enter and the innocent are cleared
from the foul suspicion which otherwise might
have clung to their names.
We cannot close without expressing our high
satisfaction in the conduct OF this church
in standing nnitedly by their pastor in this
attack upon his Character and influence as
minister of the gospel; nor can we fail to COM
mend the firmness of the pastor in standing to
his work where others might have fed By
holding on he has lived to see the righteous