Missionary

Dr. George Brown

Work of Great Methodist Missionary

REMEMBRANCE of the centenary of the birth (December 7, 1835) of Dr.

George Brown, a pioneer missionary in the South Seas, was placed on record at the annual meeting of the Methodist Mis sion Board in Sydney on February 4.

Members of the Board passed a minute stating: “As a missionary in Samoa for many years.

Dr, Brown succeeded in a remarkable degree in reviving Methodism at a difficult and critical time in its history, and his name is still held in reverence in that group. As a.pioneer mis sionary to New Britain, Papua, and the Solo mon Islands, he roused the Church in Australia to renewed missionary activity, and was in strumental in founding missions that have brought rich blessings to many thousands of once-heathen people. As General Secretary of the Missionary Society for 20 years, he directed wisely and energetically , its affairs, and living to a ripe old age, left behind him gracious memories. The receding years are enabling the Church to see in clearer perspective his great ness .and to estimate more accurately the abid ing worth of the work he accomplished.”

The following brief survey of the work accomplished by this great Methodist missionary and explorer was written by Mr. Ronald Hicken, and was published in Sydney in February.

After many unsuccessful attempts to settle down in various pursuits, George Brown determined to go to New Zealand, chiefly because, as he afterwards whim sically put it, New Zealand was farthest away from England. He accordingly left for London in March, 1855 and whilst on the boat met Bishop Selwyn and the Rev,

J. C. Patteson, of the Melanesian Mission, who were also bound for the southern dominion.

Soon after his landing in Auckland he began to attend a class under Rev. J. H.

Fletcher, then headmaster of Wesley Col lege, Auckland, and later principal of Newington College, Sydney. In 1859, the superintendent of the Auckland circuit spoke to him about the opportunities of service in the Christian ministry. The conversation made a deep impression upon the restless spirit of the younger man, and at length, in 1860, he was ac cepted as a candidate for the ministry, and appointed to Samoa. He immediately arranged for the voyage, and, in company with his young wife, set out from Sydney in the John Wesley , on September 26, 1860.

On arrival in Samoa, he found that his circuit consisted of the whole of the large island of Savii. He entered upon his work immediately, and soon realised that the greatest need of the mission there was for a number of native teachers, who could be relied upon and whose Christian lives were beyond reproach. He therefore be gan to give special training to a group of likely young men, and within a short time they were ready for the work. He found, however, that in spite of a profession of Christianity many of the people living in the outlying districts had very little know ledge of the most elementary obligations of the Christian profession.

After 14 years’ residence in Samoa, Brown left in 1874 for Sydney. He had for some years felt the need of extending the operations of his Society to other is land groups, and immediately on his re turn to Australia commenced to agitate for the establishment of a mission among the natives of New Britain and New Ire land. He was successful, and in April,

1875, left Sydney for his new field.

Brown’s first sight of New Britain was on August 14, 1875, and in the afternoon of the next day, the first service was held there. Brown found the flora and fauna particularly interesting, and several col lections which he afterwards sent to Lon don were mentioned in the proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1877-81.

He found the natives living isolated lives, each tribe jealous and afraid of its neighbours, and he felt that before any permanent work could be accomplished, this isolation must be broken down. He, therefore, set to work to bring the various tribes into touch with each other. He found this to be a most difficult task, but gradually his repeated efforts and friendly influences made themselves felt, and he had the joy of seeing a more friendly re lationship take the place of the old dis trust.

Brown’s residence in the New Britain and New Ireland groups continued until his return to Australia in 1881. His re tirement from strenuous work in tropical lands was forced upon him by his failing health, but he continued until the end to take an active share in the missionary work of his church.