HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 Thirty Years History: First Baptist Church Book (Pg. 4)Biography of Mrs. R. L. Brown
Mrs. R. L. Brown was Miss Belle Mitchell of Wake Forest, North
Carolina, prior to her marriage. She was the sixth child born to Mr. and
Mr. J. H. Mitchell, there being a total of nine children in the home. The
family lived at the same place where several generations of the family
had lived. Her father, who died in 1917, was a very active Baptist
layman, and while he had many business interests, he always had time
for his church. He was always zealous for his children to attend all
services of the church and to take advantage of all educational
opportunities. Her mother was ever present at the services of her church
unless kept at home because of illness of herself or her children. She
was very devoted to her two sons-in-law who were both Baptist
ministers, both of whom were still living at the time of her death in
1944.
At the early age of 11 years, Belle was converted and united with the
Rolesville Baptist Church. She was always active in the church and was
given many places of responsibility. She was given awards by her
Sunday School teachers for her memory work and was given
responsibilities in the church which were ordinarily assigned to older
persons. She was very studious at school and was greatly admired by
her teachers. She attended the Rolesville School and a private school in
Wake Forest.
In May 1919 she was graduated from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. During her college career she entered into
many phases of activities. She was a member of the Comelian Literary
Society and was active in that work. She played an important role in
the play, "Let's All Get Married" in 1916 as presented by the Society.
She was a member of the Debating team and took part in oratorical
contests. She was a member of the field hockey team and took part in
other athletics. She was very active in the Y.W.C.A. on the campus and
was a regular attendant at the First Baptist Church in the city. She was
a member of the Campus Choral Club and sang in the presentation of
the "Messiah" six different times. She was die only sophomore ever
.appointed as a "House President" in charge of a dormitory of girls.
During the World War I years she was in charge of Red Cross work on
the campus. It was during this time that she lost her two oldest brothers
and oldest sister's husband in a week's time with infiuenra. She was
absent from the campus for six weeks dating thistrying experience and
adjustments which had to be made at her home, but she returned to the
campus and was able to make up all work. She had been permitted to
carry 21 hours of work that semester. She met her husband -to -be at the
end of her freshman year in the university and kept up a "corres-
FIRST THIRTY YEARS
of
THE B. S. U. AND FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH PROGRAM
College Station, Texas
19201930—Years of Beginnings
1930-1940—Years of Development and Growth
19401950—From Temporary to Permanent Buildings
1920-7930
After much correspondence with Dr. Joseph P. Boone, newly elected
secretary of what was to become the B. S. U., department of the
Baptist General Convention of Texas, with Dr. John A. Held, pastor of
the First and only Baptist church in Bryan and College Station, and
many personal conferences during the Southern Baptist Convention in
Washington, D. C. during the spring meeting in 1920, Rev. and Mrs. R.
L. Brown decided to resign from the First Baptist Church of Ridley
Park, Pennsylvania and accept the urgent call to become the very first
B. S. U. workers to start a special Baptist student program on a college
campus.
Rev. Brown arrived in Bryan on Saturday night before the fifth
Sunday in July 1920 and assumed the work of the pastor for the Bryan
church during the month of August while the pastor and family took a
vacation.
Mrs. Brown joined her husband the last of August and they began
making definite plans to begin a Baptist student program on the campus
of Texas A & M College. There were only 1500 students enrolled in the
college at that time, about 300 of whom preferred the Baptist church.
They knew their services would be very limited as far as the public
worship services were concerned for they had already been informed by
Dr. Held that they would only have a short period between the evening
meal and "call to quarters". Therefore, they had made plans to that
effect. However, they were informed that their plans would have to be
changed because plans had already been made for the "Y" to plan and
promote the evening services and that the Baptists would have to plan
for their services during Sunday afternoon. That was the beginning of
many problems that the denominations would have to face during the
years ahead. After many conferences with the "Y" officials, the
General Secretary of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dr. Held
and others concerned, the Baptists were given the time they had
planned for their services.
The short period of time allowed for the services made it possible for
a brief BYPU program and a limited worship service. The Baptists held
their services in the college auditorium in Guion Hall. The Sunday