Order number: |
MMS/Special Series/Biographical/West Indies/FBN 2 (fiche 53) |
Summary: |
Manuscript entitled 'A Journal of the Methodist Mission in the Island of St: Christophers West Indies' by 'A Missionary'. Journal begins on 1st February 1801 and ends on the 26th January 1803. Includes some copies and extracts of John Brownell's correspondence and has a covering letter to Rev Dr Coke dated 1st February 1803
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Main author: |
Brownell; John (1771-1821); ordained missionary |
Extent: |
56 pages |
Note: |
Title from original caption |
Admin history: |
John Brownell was born near Stockport, Cheshire, in 1771. Whilst a local preacher he became interested in missionary work and was approved to be a missionary in the Caribbean in 1794. His missionary career in the West Indies districts included being stationed on St Christopher's, Nevis, Antigua, Providence Island, Demerara and the Virgin Islands (notably Tortola).
Brownell singular moral vision led to two incidents that had repercussions for both him and the WMMS. The first took place whilst he was stationed in St Christopher's and Nevis between 1796 and 1798. Brownell objected to preaching in estate buildings owned by what he considered immoral individuals (although he continued to preach to enslaved people in their accommodation on said estates). Some enslavers who own enslaved people took exception to this and there were incidents of services being broken up, assaults (including one on Brownell) and even an attempt to set light to the Charlestown Chapel. The second incident occurred when a letter from Brownell to Joseph Butterworth criticising the behaviour of the local white population in Tortola was published in 1806. As a result of this Brownell was assaulted in the street but at the trial the jury refused to convict his assailant. Brownell's health was sufficiently impaired that he returned to Great Britain. The remainder of Brownell's career was spent in Home districts and circuits with his death occurring on 24th September 1821.
Further Reading:
Findlay & Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, (vol 2, 1921) |
John Brownell was born near Stockport, Cheshire, in 1771. Whilst a local preacher he became interested in missionary work and was approved to be a missionary in the Caribbean in 1794. His missionary career in the West Indies districts included being stationed on St Christopher's, Nevis, Antigua, Providence Island, Demerara and the Virgin Islands (notably Tortola).
Brownell singular moral vision led to two incidents that had repercussions for both him and the WMMS. The first took place whilst he was stationed in St Christopher's and N ... View more |
Access status: |
Open |
Access conditions: |
Only to be viewed on microfiche |
Copyright: |
Copyright probably held by Methodist Missionary Society |
User restrictions: |
For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance |
Language: |
English
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Related material: |
Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence (with journal extracts) for John Brownell (MMS/West Indies/Correspondence/General/FBN 1), although there are only a handful of letters.
Thomas Coke's 'An Account of the Rise, Progress and Present State of the Methodist Missions' (1804) includes extracts of a couple of letters from Brownell (originals not held at SOAS). |
Format: |
Archive
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