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No. 181.]

JANUARY, 1817. [No. 1. Vol. XVI.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Christian Observer. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE REV. DAVID BROWN, LATE SENIOR

CHAPLAIN OF THE EAST

INDIA COMPANY, AND PRO

VOST OF THE COLLEGE OF
FORT WILLIAM.

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THIS account is taken from a very interesting work, which has recently been published by Cadell and Davies, entitled, "Me morial Sketches of the Rev. David Brown, with a Selection of his Sermons preached at Calcutta." The work is edited by the Rev. Charles Simeon, of Cambridge, who had been amongst the earliest friends of Mr. Brown; and I unite with that distinguished minister of Jesus Christ, in the hope that it may tend to kindle in the hearts of many, not only a respect for the memory of Mr. Brown, but an ardent solicitude to follow his steps.

The Rev. David Brown was born in the East Riding of Yorkshire, where his venerable parents, still living, and his brothers, reside. The exact time of his birth is not mentioned; but it must have been in the latter months of 1763, or the first months of the following year. From his early youth he was distinguished for a religious turn of mind, an amiable disposition, and a thirst for knowledge. When about ten or eleven years of age, being on a journey with his parents, he fell into the company of a minister, who, though a stranger, was so much struck with his intelligence, that he offered to take charge of him for a year or two, in order to prepare him for a grammar-school, CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 181.

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with the view of his finally entering the church. His parents were indueed to acquiesce in the proposal. Young Brown resided for some time, under the tuition of his new friend, at Scarborough. He was afterwards removed to the grammar-school at Hull, then under the care of the Rev. Joseph Milner. Mr. Milner became much attached to his pupil; and while that good man lived, Mr. Brown continued to consult the judgment and confide in the experience and piety of his tutor. Mr. Brown proceeded to the University of Cambridge, and was entered at Magdalen College, where he prosecuted the usual studies preparatory to his entering into the church.

Mr. Brown had been piously educated. The following allusion to this circumstance was found among his papers after his decease:

Thy goodness, like the sun, dawned on my early days:-a godly grandfather, who poured out prayers for me;-parents who attended to the instructions given them by the ministers of God; early acquaintance with the Rev. Messrs. Jesse, Stillingfleet, Milner;

mercies all flowing from my God!" What a strong encouragement does the case of Mr. Brown hold out to parents, not only to be assiduous in forming the minds of their children, from earliest infaney, to the fear and love of God; but to provide for them, as far as possible, such friends and associates as may promote their religious progress!

During Mr. Brown's residence at college, he was led, in the course of his correspondence with a pious friend in London, to relate some B

successful efforts he had made to do good, among the poor. This letter having been shewn to an officer in the East-India Company's service,a new direction was given to all his prospects in life. In the month of February, 1785, he was invited by this officer, Major Mitchell, to undertake the task of superintending an institution recently formed in Bengal, for the support and education of the orphans, of both sexes, belonging to the indigent deceased Europeans of that presidency. He was at first disinclined to listen to this proposal, deeming it his duty to pursue his academical studies to their natural termination; but the friends whom he consulted being of a contrary opinion, he yielded to their judgment, and agreed to accept the situation that had been offered to him, provided he could obtain episcopal ordination. Here, however, a new difficulty arose. Dr. Lowth, then Bishop of London, gave a peremptory refusal to his application, alleging, that he had already ordained several men for the colonies, who afterwards remained lounging about town, a disgrace to the clerical profession. On this repulse, Major Mitchell applied to the late Bishop of Llandaff, Dr. Watson, wiro agreed, that if the Archbishop of Canterbury saw no impropriety in his ordaining Mr. Brown, after what had passed, he would cheerfully do it. The Archbishop approved of the proceeding, and Mr. Brown was ordained by the Bishop of Llandaff on the 26th of February, 1785. The Bishop shewed him much pastoral regard: he had himself conducted a long and close examination of Mr. Brown, and he gave him much valuable counsel, which proved afterwards a comfort and support to him. His Lordship's last words were; "Go in peace, and may the blessing of God go with you! Do all the good you can; and if it is no better for you in this world, it will be in the world to come."

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The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge elected Mr. Brown a corresponding member, gave him books, and recommended him to the Court of Directors of the EastIndia Company, who, with great liberality, advanced 300 guineas for his outfit. He did not leave England until the month of No. vember following. The interval appears, from his journal, to have been passed partly among his friends in Yorkshire, but chiefly in London. During this time the frame of his mind appears to have been that of devotedness to God's service, and resignation to his will. Before the East-India Company had resolved to make him an advance, he experienced much pecuniary inconvenience. On one occasion he observes; "My duties this day have been, preaching twosermons, reading prayers three times, a funeral, a churching, and a christening. Major this morning came to church, and begged me to make use of a ten-pound note as long as I wished. I had but two shillings remaining, which I left this evening with a poor soldier whose wife lay-in of twins, which last Sunday I baptized. My God, continue to help me to serve thee, and foilow me this day and every day with thy blessing!"

From an incidental expression in his journal, Mr. Brown appears to have been married about this time; a circumstance which, probably, added to his pecuniary dif ficulties. "I am now," he says, "to reside in Chelsea, and have very little money and food to pro vide for my wife and self. The Lord will provide. Of this he has given me a precious token this evening; for unexpectedly were sent in various supplies."

The friends whose regard he seems at this time to have cherished with the greatest affection, were Mr. Simeon, the Messrs. Lloyds, of King's College, Cambridge, and Mr. Houseman. Mr. Simeon aecompanied him to the ship in which.

be embarked for India, on the 15th of Nov. 1785, with Mrs. Brown, who was delivered on board, of a SOB, on the 1st of February. The journal of his voyage exhibits the same deep piety which was visible in his former memoranda, and contains many interesting details. The following incident is selected merely because it marks that union of firm ness and suavity which was characteristic of Mr. Brown's mind.

"Feb. 25, 1786. The evening of the day was remarkable for a debate, in which my sentiments respecting song-singing, drinking to excess, &c. were brought to the test, After a glass of claret, I declined taking more, when the Captain forcibly urged me, and would have taken my glass and filled it: but with a determined air I told him, he might as easily attempt to shake Gibraltar as to shake me from my purpose. It was replied, "Then you must sing.' I told them I considered it as inconsistent with my character, and I could not oblige them by a violation of my judgment. This was followed by arguments on the necessity of being good company, of the innocence of festivity, &c. The Captain observed, that we ought to accommodate ourselves to the spirit of the company we sit down with, and that it was only good breeding and harmless to do so. I replied, that I was a great advocate for liberty; that I gave large scope to others to follow their own judgments, and that I valued myself on this prerogative: I had opinions that I could not part with to oblige any company whatever;-that a man must be dastardly and unprincipled who would, to please others, act contrary to his judgment, and thus give up the most precious right of human nature;-that as to the innocence of song-singing, I would not hesitate to affirm, that some songs were really criminal, and by no rules of morality to be justified, and that to me all seemed improper and inconsistent. I added, that it was contrary to good sense as well

as good breeding, to press a person after such a declaration; and that I did not doubt but the present company would have as contemp. tible an opinion of me as I deserved, should I comply; and concluded by saying to the Captain, that I did not believe it would give him any satisfaction to hurt my feelings, but that I should disoblige him by granting what they had asked. To this he made a short and proper answer-that I should never more be pressed to do any thing disagreeable or contrary to my judg ment, so long as I was in his ship, Mrs. reddened, and could not conceal the ebullition of passion excited by my serious harangue. She affirmed, that she knew a clergyman, the best of men, whose respectable character none need blush to copy, who would sing a lively or jolly song and think no harm. I objected to any man's opinion or conduct being a rule of action for me: there were clergymen capable of doing things that debased their character, and sunk them beneath their dignity. She made another pass at me before she desisted: People will never think worse of you for singing a cheerful song, and being gay a lit tle.' I answered, that my aim was not the opinion of others: I referred my conduct to a higher law than the law of reputation. The conversation ended amicably, and in my complete enfranchisement."

The ship reached Madras Roads on the 27th of May, when Mr. Brown learnt the afflicting news of the loss of the Halsewell Indiaman, in which he had intended to sail in preference to every other: he had even actually applied to Captain Pierce for a passage. "Alas!" he observes, "how blind is man! Let us be content, with St. Peter, to be well assured that the hidden things of the providence of God we shall know hereafter. Our defect in foreknowledge is more than amply provided for in the knowledge, wisdom, and goodness of God. Q

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