JOHN THOMAS BROWN


1869-1926
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John T. Brown, son of James M. and Susan Brown, was born one mile north of Alamo, Crockett County, Tennessee, October 10, 1869.

He was eight years old before learning his letters. His first schooling was at a little log school-house one mile southeast of his home. After attending a three months' school there he entered the public school at Alamo, but never went more than three months at a time.

At the age of fourteen he began work with his father, who was a brick-layer. Though young in years he was grown in size, weighing one hundred and sixty-five at sixteen. He never served as an apprentice, but learned the trade so rapidly that in nine months after beginning he received the highest wages paid to a brick-mason. He helped to build the West Tennessee Insane Asylum, and spent a part of his time at Helena, Arkansas.

When he was eighteen years of age he went to Winona, Mississippi. After working there five months, he contracted to burn the brick and build a brick house for J. R. Bingham, at Carrollton, Mississippi. There was a small band of Disciples at Winona, but they had no preaching and no Sunday-school; he had never done any church work, but thought that as he was away from home he could muster up courage to attempt it. At a social service he suggested that a Sunday-school be organized, which was done, and he was elected superintendent. After several efforts to pray, he succeeded, but could only utter eight or ten words. Determined, however, to do something for the church, he was undaunted, and whenever opportunity permitted tried to pray or speak a word for the Master.

Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Bingham, of Carrollton, where he boarded, were devout members of the Methodist Church, and he owes much of his success in life to their interest in him and their influence over him. Mr. Bingham proposed if he would take a four years' course in a Methodist college to see that it did not cost him a cent, but he replied that he did not believe in the doctrines of the Methodist Church, and that he could not be educated by that church and then preach in the Church of Christ. When he bade them good-by to enter Thompson's Classical Institute at his old home, Mr. Bingham told him that if he ever needed money to write him.

After being absent from school for years, when he was nineteen he entered Thompson's Classical Institute at Alamo, Tennessee. The following June he entered an oratorical contest and won the medal; he then taught school three months at Avery's School-house, which was two miles from his home. [xiii]

In September, 1890, he entered the College of the Bible, at Lexington, Kentucky. As soon as school closed he began teaching at Avery's School-house, and taught during the summer. The following summer, after a hard year's work in school, he evangelized up to Sunday night before school opened Monday. The Bible course and the course in Kentucky University, combined, make a seven years' course. He took both of these courses, with an additional two years' course in elocution, in five years; during the five years, however, on account of ill health, he was compelled to miss one year.

In 1894 he graduated in elocution in the College of the Bible, and in 1896 received a classical diploma from the College of the Bible and an A. B. from Centre College, now Central University, Danville, Kentucky, where he received his degree of A. M. in 1899.


During his college career at Lexington the students were allowed to preach only twice a month, and, rather than break this rule, he left Kentucky University and entered Centre College at Danville. He was trying to educate a brother and sister and had partially to support his father and mother, besides paying his own way through college.


While at Danville he preached at McCormacks and Burgin, Kentucky. At the latter place he built a six thousand dollar church during his last vacation in college, and preached there until he Was called to become editor of the Christian Guide, now the Christian Companion.


After matriculating in the College of the Bible in 1890, he bad three dollars left, but he had not forgotten his old trade, and hence worked at that every Saturday and earned enough to pay his board each week. He had only been in college five months until he was elected secretary and treasurer of the Adelphian Boarding Club; no freshman had ever been elected to this office before. This more than paid his way for two months.


The second year he was in college he began preaching, and while he has served some nine or ten churches, not one owes him a cent. His financial ability was shown, not only in working his way through college, but also in church work after he began preaching. In 1897 he was selected as editor of the Christian Guide, and in two years it almost doubled its circulation. In 1902 he published "Bruce Norman," and in one year's time three editions were sold. His last book is "The Guest of a Dream; or, a Changed Life," which will soon be ready for delivery.


He has worked for two years on "Churches of Christ," but during that time has preached every Sunday, written most of "Bruce Norman" and the "Guest of a Dream" and edited the Christian Companion and looked after the business interests of the paper.

Mr. Brown is six feet two inches tall, has dark hair and blue eyes, and weighs one hundred and eighty-five pounds.

From the foregoing facts one would naturally infer that he is a man of strong will and undaunted courage. These qualities, added to great physical endurance, have enabled him to do the work of two or three men during the [xiv] last few years. His hopefulness and his sunny disposition have also served as lubricants to the wear and tear of his strenuous life.

In his work on "Churches of Christ" he has traveled much-north, south, east, west--and is perhaps known by sight to as many of our brethren as any man among us; and he contemplates yet wider travels, for he is planning a visit to Palestine and all of our foreign mission stations, China, Japan, India, etc., in the near future. He has recently been engaged by the Southern Lyceum Bureau, of this city, to lecture next season.

While an editor, author, and man of affairs, yet there is nothing that pleases him more than to preach the Gospel of Christ; he is plain and pointed in his presentation of Scriptural truths, and always stands firmly on the "Old Foundation."

John T. Brown is a big-hearted man, as those of us who have shared so abundantly his generous and unselfish service can testify. There was never a truer friend, generous even to a fault, if such a thing is possible, and absolutely free from petty jealousies, always willing to extend a helping hand and kindly word to a struggling brother or a needy friend.

This work, the "Churches of Christ," is a monument and tribute to the brain that conceived and the indomitable will that executed it.

John Thomas Brown by George Gowen, p. xiii-xv. Churches of Christ: A Historical, Biographical, and Pictorial History of Churches of Christ in the United States, Australasia, England and Canada by John T. Brown, M. A., Published by John P. Morton and Company, Louisville, Kentucky, Copyright 1904.

BROWN, JOHN THOMAS, 1869-1926 is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, KY
Deceased: BROWN, JOHN T. REV.
Service Date: Nov 23, 1926
Property Information: SECTION 24, Lot 182, Part W1/2, Range , Grave -A

Cave Hill Cemetery
701 Baxter Avenue
Louisville, Kentucky 40204
(502) 451-5630

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