HomeMy WebLinkAboutThirtyYearsHistory028company with the missionaries. Later they both visited Cuba and noted
the progress of the work.
Through the years Pastor Brown, who has tried to keep a record of
his activities, has served the denomination faithfully and well as shown
by the following facts about his work-
Institutions visited 202 Classes taught 3,960
Churches visited 1,650 Conversions 1,737
Meetings attended 12,795 Baptisms 1,716
Addresses and sermons Church additions 6,280
delivered 6,929 Miles traveled 739,254
During these years he has conducted many revival meetings and
taught Sunday School, Training Union, and mission study courses for
other churches and colleges. For one church he has held 18 revivals and
for another 17.
Mrs. Brown has served in many capacities in the local work. In
Sunday School she taught A&M freshmen for a number of years,
enrolling as many as 250 students one school year in the class since
there was not room to divide into separate classes with their own
teachers and officers. She also served for some years as Superintendent
of the Student Department of the Sunday School. Since World War It
she has taught a large class of Veterans' Wives whose husbands are
enrolled in the College. In the Training Union she has always been
active, giving that organization much credit for her training. Her best
work perhaps was in the Women's Missionary Society, the society being
standard each year. Mrs. Brown often remarks that she was "born
missionary", her grandfather's name being Judson and his twin sister's
Hasseltine—the names of America's first foreign missionaries.
At the time of Rev. Brown's retirement in 1950, Mrs. Brown had
completed 15 years of service to the State Women's Missionary Union,
having served as Statewide Approved Worker. She taught in State
Encampments in Texas and Arkansas, showed movies which she has
made of mission work, and spoke to scores of young people at camps
and house parties. She assisted the Southwide Student Department in
Religious Focus Week programs.
The Browns' love for students has increased as the enrollment of the
College has continued to increase. They have no children but have
always referred to the A&M students as "our boys." The peak emoll-
ment was reached in 1947 with 9,728 students, nearly 2500 of this
number stating that they were Baptists or Baptist preference. During
the thirty-year period the Browns had no paid helper to assist with the
work until 1938 and after that they had a full time assistant for slightly
over five years.
Some of the outstanding achievements in the church might be
recalled. There were 150 to join the church, with nine cadets being
baptized, in one day; $1500.00 given to World Relief in one day with
$2500.00 given for the one offering; and $4500.00 given to the Lottie
Moon offering one season. Through the years the offerings of self and
material blessings have been outstanding. There are representatives on
the mission fields—al home and abroad, teachers in our denominational
institutions, preachers in our pulpits and great laymen in the pews from
this great church. The offerings of the church for the past year
amounted to $25,492 with $5,577 of this amount going to missions.
Even though Pastor Brown is retired from the College Station
church, he and Mrs. Brown want to be used in the Lord's work in any
capacities in which He might lead. The friends of this couple appre-
ciated a statement by an editor in the Bryan Daily Eagle: "No, Rome
wasn't built or planned in a day, but if the ancient Romans had had the
tireless services of a couple like the Browns they might have done their
job quicker and better."
Pastor Brown says of the work for these years: "Many problems
have had to be faced. Many obstacles have had to be overcome. Many
hardships have had to be endured. Many prayers have had to be said.
Much faith has had to be experienced. Many wonderful privileges have
been enjoyed. Many glorious blessings have been realized. Many answers
to prayer have been felt and seen. All in all, we thank God for these
brief thirty years which have filled our days to overflowing."
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