The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-10
| THE CURTAIN DOWN
| ON DR., BROWN.
He Left Yesterday for
Strawberry Point,
Iowa.
A QUIET DEPARTURE.
Scores of Friends Accompany
the Pastor to the East
Bound Train.
WIFE AND SON WENT WITH HIM
The So.Called Independent Church"
Has Now Become a Thing
of the Past.
WIFE AMI SON WENT WITH HIM

By yesterday mornings overland train
the Rev. DR.. Charles Oliver Brown left
the scenes amid which he had Iabored as
pastor and suffered as an offender
against the moral law.
The warm, bright rays of the early
morning sun were gliding the waves of
the bay as DR.. Brown. surrounded by a
score or so OF his most faithful friends,
turned his gaze toward the fast receding
city-the city in which ne had learned the
bitterness of criminal accus alton and
the horror of mental torture-the city in
which he had also known the sweetness
which comes from friendly aid and con-
ISOLATION.
On the wharf crowd of his parishioners
stood with tear-dimmed eyes waving their
adieu.
The departing minister seemed no less
affected than the flock which he was re-
signing to the uncovenanted mercies of
destiny. On his right arm rested the wife
who had been the chief sharer in his
trials. On the other side stood Valentine,
the pastors youngest son.
The boy and his mother wept unfeignedly
as they saw the faces OF dear friends be-
coming less and less distinct as the dis
lance increased. The pastor stood like
soldier gazing upon the scene of terrible
combat out OF which he had come forth
alive, though sorely wounded, and then,
waving an inaudible blessing to the watch
ing crowd upon the wharf, he sought
corner of the cabin, where he chatted as
freely and composedly as he could with
the knot of friends who were crossing the
| bay with him.
land thence to Dubuque, Iowa. There /
hope to meet my eldest son, who will take
us to his home at Strawberry Point, near
! that city. There | hope to be restored to
health and strength again. Till am well
| once more l cannot speak definitely as to
my future. 1t is like that of my friends
and enemies, In the hands of God"
On reaching the Oakland mole the party
assembled the train which was in waiting,
and amid tears, prayers and blessing
| Charles Oliver Brown, the man of mys-
terry, imputed crime and unutterable sui
fering, was whirled away, in all proba-
/ bility never to return.
well. he's gone,' said Deacon Morse.
when the train had disappeared from view
| Ibis story was a strangely sad one. DIR.
Browns worst and bitterest enemies must
acknowledge that he has shown himselft to
be no coward. Our best wishes follow him,
and / for one am sure that happy life of
usefulness lies before him.
''WheE the dreadful scenes of the church
| council and the Bay Conference were over,
| a majority of the First Congregations
! Church people wished to continue under
d.. Browns spiritual guidance. So they
/ inaugurated a series of voluntary meet
ings, over which they requested DR.. Brown
to preside. He consented. From the first
he met with every success, and all hoped
that under circumstances so eminentlY ia
vorable the doctors health would rally
and he would soon become himself again.
t'But these hopes were doomed His
lcfr cd Loo To
/ lapsed. His being demanded rest, and he
has done we'll to cease his labors for a time.
'As for the Independent Church. as
the newspapers call it, in the first place
| there was never any such organization.
DR.. Brown adherents merely held series
OF voluntary meetings and religious SER
vices. When we meet as church again it
will be as the First Congregational Church
and under no other name.
"For the present the usual Sunday serv-
| ices will be dispensed with until the church
members can be brought together. The
Sunday-school and Christian Endeavor
meetings Will, however, be continued with
ont interruption. Meanwhile we will
await Developments.
1.-The church building on Post street is
! in constant need OF care and repairs. and
its running expenses are much too high
for the present mem bership to bear. Still,
/ was opposed to closing it, and only de-
ferred to the united verdict of the trustees
in the matter, though 1 was accused of
closing the church. We may worship there
again until we can find a purchaser for the
site, when we hops TO build new church
on Van Ness avenue. Thus far we have
not found pastor, but will doubtless get
the right man soon. The story regardin ing
Rev. Mr.. Birch, published in one of the
papers, was made out of whole cloth.
But" concluded the deacon, with
tinge of regret in his voice, 1--WE will al
ways remember DR.. Brown and miss him.