Thomas BROWN

BROWN, THOMAS ('Old Tom Brown') (b. Sussex, England, 3 August 1806; d. Goulburn district, NSW, 16 Feb 1871). Farmer, Wesleyan local preacher.

The child of non-Christian parents, Tom Brown lived a wild youth until he went to stay with a Christian family and was converted under the preaching of John Wheatley, a well-known local preacher. His Christian life, whether in Sussex or NSW, continued unstable until 1838 when a further religious experience brought him to consistent witness. He became a prayer leader the following year and was so powerful in prayer that many were converted as he prayed. He felt called to preaching but shrank from the task as he lacked education and felt inadequate for it—his early career as a prize fighter had done little to prepare him to preach!

In 1847, he moved from Cowpastures to Jerrawa Creek, an area notorious for cattle thieves. This was a part of the large Goulburn circuit. Here Brown began to preach regularly and brought revival to the district, converting many of the ringleaders among the thieves. He soon had a body of 70 members around him and together they built a substantial brick structure for worship.

Over six feet tall and powerfully built, with a green patch permanently covering an eye damaged in an accident, Brown looked more like a pirate than a Methodist preacher. He travelled widely throughout the district preaching and otherwise seeking converts. In his early days, he willingly walked up to 25 kms each way to preach, regardless of rain or heat. Later, when he could afford transport, he undertook much longer journeys. He preached in homely language and 'alternated the tender and the terrible' in his addresses to good effect. His whole body seemed in motion as he preached. Brown always spoke extempore, though his preaching was backed by substantial reading (he was self-taught) and extensive prayer and was full of life and power. Large numbers willingly thronged to hear a man whose 'wonderful gifts and graces were all totally consecrated to the service of God'. His lack of formal education was more than compensated by his remarkable spiritual power, his transparent consistency and his deep piety.

Less than two months before his death, Brown took a last tour through the bush, gathering people for preaching and worship when and where he could. His converts were numbered in the hundreds, and an early historian wrote of him that 'It would be impossible to think of early Methodism in [the Goulburn/Jerrawa] District apart from ... "Old Tom Brown"'.

J Colwell, Illustrated History of Methodism (Sydney, 1904); Christian Advocate and Wesleyan Record, 1 August 1871; Methodist, 27 May, 25 November 1911; E G Clancy, 'Twelve Lay Apostles of NSW Country Methodism', Church Heritage, 2/1 (March 1981)

DON WRIGHT