Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-10-29
AN ELOQUENT PLEA.
DIR. C. o. BROWN MAKES A FINAL
APPEAL IN HIS OWN BEHALF.
HIS ACCUSERS ARRAIGNED.
THEIR ARGUMENTS DISMISSED AS
sOPHIsTRIEs AND INUENDO.
Prayer and Invective Mingled in q
Last Desperate Attempt to Ex-
cite Sympathy-PerOrntiO
Plea for His Faith
full Wife.
HIS AccUsERs ARRAIGNED.

Chicago, Oct. 2s.-In a voice shaken by
emotion, in words of deepest eloquence,
with an appeal TO the hearts of his minis
terial brethren. with plea for his vile
which made tears come to her eyes
DR.. Charles o. Brown ended to-day his
earnest. almost desperate prayer TO his
brethren to give him back what they could
of his ministerial standing.
The council in session at the New Eng
land Congregational church thereupon took
a recess and later began in secret session
to deliberate upon the famous case of the
former San Francisco pastor. The men,
bers began a long and heated discussion as
to whether DIR. Brown should be reinstated
in the ministry. or whether his suspension
by the Bay conference should be allowed
to stand.
DIR. Brown talked several hours. 1t was
his last stand. He had been driven out OF
one church after another and out of the
ministry. He had been fighting for year
and a half for what was as dear as his life
his reputation. At last he had appealed
to the highest tribunal of the church
His accusers had told their story. They
had left him at least under the ban of sus-
picion. He arose to make the effort of a
lifetime to keep at least a little ground
under his feet. For over two hours he
used sarcasm. illustration, apostrophe, de-
nial, denunciation-every known form Of
argument. He arraigned his accusers bit
terly. He questioned their motives. He
attacked their logic. He strove to excite
sympathy for his position. mixing at times
prayer and invective.
His voice was rich and earnest his gest-
ures emphatic. AT last he led up to his
peroration by telling the story Of DIR. Bar
rows case in California, where similar
charges drove the man accused into ma
MACS grave. The speakers voice filled as
he was relating this narrative.
after his DEATH" he said. raising his
voice until it rang loudly. when it was
too late for reparation. the general asso-
citation said: It's a lie"''
There was a moment of complete silence.
NO" he resumed. impressively. II want
you to declare that of me before 1 am in
my grave
Waiting minute for these words to take
effect. he turned and pointed at his wife.
who had been a silent listener.
Il want you to think Of my wife," he
said. in choked voice. THAT little woman
has been an example of fidelity through
all of this. Think how she must feel"'
Mrs. Brown. the only woman in the room.
bowed her head and wept.
DR.. Little. the moderator. broke In. He
reminded DR.. Brown that he was going out
side the rules of procedure.
81 have DONE" said the latter. IT am sor-
ry if have transgressed, but that is all
have to say
DIR. Little explained why he interrupted.
Rev. C. r. Brown. representing the Bay
conference, said few words on the other
side, and then the recess was taken and the
deliberations resumed.
Dr. Brown commenced his address by
r.diouling those of the other side and call
ing their argument an array of sophistries
and innuendo. He scored his namesake,
G. r. Brown. as coming across the conti-
nent. 5000 miles. to spring into contro-
versy year past with the Zeai of a
neophyte and the persistency of a vet
eran
DR.. j. A. Mclean, the leader of the other
side. was treated as a treacherous enemy.
notwithstanding his sweet assurances Of
Friendship" said DR.. Brown. lit was no.
torious that he was my bitterest enemy"
sentences as these. At times the recipients
OF these attentions could not sit quiet un-
der them. They rose to retort. and there
were several spirited controversies.
The speaker then went into a review of
his side of the case. He explained Indi-
rectly-direct explanation being ruled cut
Mrs. Davidson, not because he was guilty
but because he realized the consequences s
the scandal would bring upon an innocent
man.
He dismissed as puerile the charge of be-
ing unable to explain satisfactorily Matttie
Overmans letters. 1t was urged the San
Francisco council had held the evidence
was not sufficient to convict him Of the
charge brought against him; therefore. as
the letters bore on this alone, they now
had no discriminating power.
DR.. Brown then declared at length that
public sentiment in San Francisco was not
against him sufficiently to make his re-
moval from the ministry imperative.
Twice he pointed his finger at the three
men opposing him before the conference.
accused them of double dealing, and Of
fostering unjust suspicious.
terrible tones, than do what you did to
me-"
There was sneer in his voice as he
added: "And now you are trying to salve
your consciences by sweet platitudes."
Dr. Mclean jumped to his feet and there
was n passage at arms. DR.. Brown re-
sumed shortly. 1t was not long before he
was in the midst of dramatic prayer.
20, Thou Nazarene." he said. pointing his
right hand above him, uplifting his face
and speaking in a voice of the deepest
earnestness, whose feet have trod the
thorny paths. I beseech Thee to smite from
the minds of this council that suspicion
which always arises from some cause
This led to the thrilling peroration.
1t is said that the council reached u unan-
imous conclusion at a late hour last night.
The terms of the finding have not yet been
made known, but the purport of them. 1t
Is said,is complete victory for DR.. Brown.
-@ ~ ~~a.@,H-HrH ~ nav