The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-06
THEY WANT HIM IN OAKLAND
A UNIQUE DEMONSTRATION LED
BY MAYOR SNOW.
Effort to Keep the Pronounced Ant
Expansionist From Accept
'-g the Stanford
Chaplaincy.


night when a crowd of 90 people, led by
Mayor Snow and Rev. J. K. Mclean,
went from the church to the home of Rev.
/ c. r. Brown, pastor of the First Con-
/ gregationai Church, to testify to their de-
! cision that they did not want DR.. Brown
! to accept the offered chaplalncy at STAN
for University.
This demonstration is all the more re-
markabe because Rev c. r. Brown is a
very pronounced anti-expansionist, and
his recent lecture before the Sons of the
American Revolution caused heated de-
! bate and it was desired to eXpurgate his
! speech before publishing It in pamphlet
! form.
The meeting called last night was for
/ the purpose of having the congregation
/ EXPRESS its views in the matter of the pas
/ tor accepting the call from Stanford.
Mayor Snow presided, and after speeches
by Judge Hall, Senator Earl, c. W. KEEL
/ logg. r. H. Chamberlain and Judge j. Nj.
/ Havens, a letter was prepared by com
mittee consisting of Judge Ravens, K. II.
Chamberlain and Cary Howard. The
salient features of the letter are as fol-
! lows:
The members of your church and con-
gregation have read dsquieting statements
! in the daily papers to the effect that you
have had under careful consideration an
invitation from Stanford University TO &C
cept a position in that institution. These
! statements have caused serious alarm not
only to your own church and congregation,
/ bur TO the wider public throughout the "a
/ cific Coast, who have come 70 recognize your
power for good Christian minister IN
/ First~It is respectfully submitted that II
YOU now resign your pastorate your Work
in Oakland for nearly three years Will be
largely lost Your pulpit at this time would
leave the congregation in danger OF as
ruption with no adequate force of cohesion
The continuously large accessions to the
church and increase of attendance on us
services during your ministry here are cyl
IDENTIFY traceable TO your personal influence
Second-It is further respectfully SUP SUP,
rnitted that there cannot be any other held
of labor where the opportunities for abund-
ant harvests in the vineyard Of your Master
win be as certain as are offered in your
! not changed each year Very Few pastors
are loved as you are loved by your people;
Your virile thoughts are scattered far and
wide in the columns of the Pacific Your
Sabbath evening services are eagerly at
tended by a non-churchgoing ana largely
floating population.
Third-Not communion has passed since
you came TO this people without s acSessio cr
flee the heavy Indebtedness of the church
has been lquidated. Clear OF debt, ana with
united. sentiment of devotion to duty, the
church is about to enter upon the fourth
year of its history under your pastorate
with clearer manifestation OF Gods APP
| prevail and guidance than ever before.
Fourth-Your people are not unmindful of
the attractions offered you. But has It not
been the long 'pastorates-lke those OF
| Storrs and Beecher and Brooks and some
4 - tbe Pacific SIope-which have been the
richest in blessing to pastor and people
/ alike? Can you expect to permanently In
huence large community of young people
who have no homes, and who are only tenn
porarily residents at the university? There
/ is doubtless force in the suggestion that the
presence of such man as the pastor of
this church is need felt at Stanford Uni
versity: but will it not be easier for stan
ford University TO secure the services of the
needed man than for this church and con-
gregation to find another Charles X. Brown.
who as pastor and preacher is trusted and
! loved by every one? 1t may be disappoint-
Dent 10 the president and faculty Of Stan
ford University If the pastor of this church
declines their invitation, but there will not
! be 1900 or more broken hearted and discour-
| aged parishioners refusing to be comfOrted.
There will be no disrupted congregation, its
scattered members asking Where now Is
our teacher?" The united and fearful ex-
clamation of every man, woman and child
J of your congregation Is we cannot let
him go.
No sooner had the committee been in
structed to bear the letter to Rev. Mr.
| Brown than suggestion from DR.. ]. K
all those who were able march to the
pastors home at 800 Twenty-seconC
street Rev. DR.. Mclean and Mayor
ment was taken and the entire assem-
blage marched out and practically
stormed their pastors home,
to answer the bell and receive the com
mittee the pastors favorite hymn
Blessed Be the Tie That Binds Our
! Hearts in Christian Love-" was sung
! That the pastor was completely overcome
with surprise was plainly visible in his
! features, the tears in his kindly eyes anC
the tone of his voice as he responded &c
the reading of the letter.
~ cannot trust myself to speak to yoU
tonight" said Rev. Mr.. Brown, partly
regaining his composure. L cannot al
this time express my heartfelt apprecia-
ton over this demonstration. l thought
knew how much ! loved our church, but
| never knew how much you all loved
me- 1t is not a matter of choice in at.
! fractions and | know that you have al
prayed that God might give me strength
! and direct me in this matter. The gather.
ing under this roof tonight indicates your
/ sincere sentiment. l can only say that
thank you and ask you for your constant
prayers that an All-Wise Being may
| guide me. ! cannot trust myself to speak
further to you tonight"
While in his words the layman might
/ find couched some doubt as to Rev. Mr.
Browns final and definite answer most
of those who called on him to night ex-
! press little doubt to their victory. Rev
Mr. Brown is not a man to be swept
away with the tide of any demonstrate
| or impulses. His decision therefore would
follow only a calm and earnest delibera.
ton on his part.
Rev. Mr.. Brown has now had the propo.
sition from Stanford under considera tor
for the past seven weeks though in the
/ event of an acceptance his charge would
not take effect until September, 1900
Stanford expects his answer this week