Evening journal., 1895-02-05
REv.N.M.B BROWNE DEAD .
One of Delaware's Foremost
Methodist Ministers.
DROPPED DEAD LATE LAST NIGHT


was at One Time a Presiding Elder tn
the Wilmington Conference.-The Peator
who Freed SCOTT Church In This city
From Debt-onoe Talked of for Grace
ohurch-Father OF Attorney Hugh @.
Browne.
Churchmen throughout the Peninsula,
regardless of denomination, were paired
to day to learn the distressing news from
Middletown that Rev Nicholas M Browne
dropped dead fn his home there, immedi
ately after having returned ftom church
last night Probably no minister in the
Wilmington Methodist Conference was
better known or commanded more pro
found respect and reverence than did this
godly man who has held the greatest
condolences Of the people and the highest
offices within the gift OF his fellow min
listers
About II o'clock Mr. Browne, who
had been STRENGTHENING some papers Ia
MS study and then warming himself
In his bei room. stepped out aud into
the bath room a sudden chill seemed
to come over him. throwing him into
what seemed 70 bH a violent convnlsion.
II was apopiexy and the sufferer him
self and every body ia the house realized
| that hts life wKs fast ebbing away. He
was made ss com Portable AS possible and
physician was hurriedly summoned.
/ but the sufferer was dead IN less than ten
minutes after leaving his bed room he
WAS perfectly conscious until within a
minute Of his death.
1 The deceased was a popular candidate
| for the appointment Of presiding elder
/ for the Wilmington district at the con
| ference held In Crisfield In 1887, but was
| defeated by the opposition Of Rev J. A.
/ B. Wilson and Rev w i & Murray,
then pastor of St Paul's NJ e Church
in this city, was appointed as . compro
mise candidate
Mr. Brownies popularity and great
success In the financial and evangelical
work of the church-so ably assisted by
his accomplished wife--was such that he
was talked Of few years ago rs the
coming pastor of Grace M H Church, an
honor which had never been bestowed
upon but one minister Of the Wilmington
Conference Mr. Brownies work at
Mlddletown, which had then only fairly
begun, stood In the way, as the faithful
man Of God turned aside from three or
four other hatterlng calls because he
could not leave his lebors unfinished.
Mr.. Brownies friends include church
people all over the Peninsula. bnt he
was more intimately known to the people
where he had liysd-succeasively Of
Stepheneville. East New Market, Sails
bury, Port Deposit, Md Wilmington,
| New Castle. Newark and Mlddletown As 1
J graduate OF Boston University in tbs
celebrated 81 class, and delegate to 81
! II q ~. ~ In ob
recent years, Mr. Browne was also widely
known throughout the country.
To 30 Barred Near MIddletown.
This morning it WAS arranged to holt
/ funeral services at Bethesda NJ. H. Church
Mlddletown, on Thursday afternoon a
. 1 80 o'clock, when IL Is expected that
score OF prominent ministers will partici
pate Bishop Foss will probably b
present should the weather not prov
| unfavorable After the church service
interment will be made In Fores
! Cemetery, a pic uresque little burying
, ground Just above the town limits
Middletown.
AT thu last session Of the Legislature
Mr. Browne and hls son, Hugh Q. Browne
with Henry @ Conrad and Others, forme'
a the Homewood Land and Improvement
: Company. which was incorporated by tn
General Assembly.
sketch Of the Dead Pastor.
Nicholas NJ Brownies ancestry wa
e scotch-Irish, his father being native o
8 County Down, Ireland, coming to Amerlo
Z in 17s4 with his parents, when he Wa
seven years old
; Mr.. Browne was born September II
1897 at North East, Md. He becsm
Ia nhw puh a
: boy He professed conversion at the az
= OF 10 during revival at the Methodil
! Church IN that place and at once joine
: the church.
His father intended that be ehoul
7 adopt the medical profession but u
!. youth, tnen snthused With church worl
Z fell It bis duty 70 preach After leavin
Boston University be entered the Biblic
I" Institute A. Concord, N H., and grad
atsd IN 1859 after a three years course
! He was then appointed pastor
: Holmesburg, Pa, and Joined the Phil
dslphia Conference (sfterwsrd Wilmin
Z ton Conferencs) in 1860 He married All
q Cintonia Cook, daughter Of Attornl
- Clinton Cook, OF Centreville, Md,
1866 After fifteen years rs pastor
~ Nas appointed presiding elder Of q
=. Salisbury district ia 1875
- He was elected as delegate to q
IN q neral Conference Ia 1888 and again
y 1892. As an executive officer Of Z
- church he was very successful, bell
particularly fortunate in freeil
burdened churches Of debt. o
av of his notable achievements
a this kind was during his pastorate
q Scott Church Ia this city when he b
ns paid the debt Of that church he call
no jubilee meeting and had t