772:
377:(1920), dramatically increased and challenged his influence in the church. It led to his heresy trial by the House of Bishops in 1924–25. There he tried to prove to his fellow bishops that they did not believe in a strict interpretation of the Bible any more than he then did. Most of the Bishops considered Brown to be deranged and he was declared guilty of heresy, deposed and excommunicated. Repeated efforts to reinstate him were unsuccessful. However, while awaiting the final verdict on his deposition as bishop in October 1925, he was offered a place in both the
319:, which supported the segregation of the races, greatly angered the Northerners who usually contributed substantial sums to support his poor diocese. Brown created the Helen Dunlap School for Mountain Girls and a seminary to train a local ministry in Arkansas. From 1909 to 1910, he engaged in a sharp conflict with Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock (Pulaski County) over the issue of control over the cathedral and the refusal of the dean to read and compliment the bishop's new book,
496:
44:
805:
304:
to the ministry if his life would be spared. His health improved and he saved enough from the money his foster parents paid him to leave Ohio just after his 21st birthday. In 1876, Brown traveled to Omaha, Nebraska and got a job driving a carriage for a judge, who arranged for Brown to enter public school. After graduating, Brown returned to Ohio and worked in a tannery.
793:
508:
walking the glass causeway between the house and the study. One individual taking the guided tour reported smelling pipe smoke even though there were no pipe smokers present. The building has had many visitors, particularly around
Halloween, who are drawn to the story of ghosts allegedly inhabiting the building.
308:
1883, but because he did not take all of his courses at Kenyon, he never received a
Bachelor of Divinity degree from Bexley. Brown was ordained and in 1883, became vicar of Grace Church in Galion, Ohio. In 1891, he became the archdeacon for missionary work in the Diocese of Ohio and wrote his popular
507:
Brownella
Cottage is owned by the Galion History Center, which operates it as part monument to Brown, part museum for the town of Galion. The ghosts of both Ella and William Brown are purported to haunt Brownella Cottage. It has been said that every Halloween night one can see the ghost of the bishop
312:, which explained the beliefs of the Episcopal Church. This placed him in the national spotlight. He was consecrated assistant bishop of Arkansas in 1898 and succeeded to the bishopric after the death of Henry Niles Pierce. Also in 1898, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Kenyon College.
307:
Philanthropist Mary
Scranton Bradford agreed to underwrite his education at the Episcopal Seminary, Bexley Hall, at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Mrs. Bradford sent him to Seabury Divinity School in Minnesota from 1879 to 1880 so he could prepare for the seminary course. He finished his studies in
303:
When Willy was 15, the county placed him with a farmer named Jacob
Gardner, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Gardner's piety greatly influenced young Brown. During this time he became seriously ill with typhoid fever. Years later Brown recalled making a bargain with God to devote his life
299:
William
Montgomery Brown was born on September 4, 1855, on a farm west of Orrville, Ohio, the son of a Joseph Morrison and Lucina Elzina Cary Brown. His father was a tenant farmer who moved the family to Michigan in 1858, and later enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War. Joseph Brown served
503:
In
December 1882, William Brown married Ella Scranton Bradford, adopted niece of Mary Scranton Bradford. Mrs. Bradford had Brownella Cottage built, across the street from Grace Church, as a wedding present for the couple. A brick structure from 1866 that had originally been used as St. Joseph Roman
396:
Brown felt that his real ministry began at age 71 when he started lecturing to the working class and writing a wider variety of books. When he encountered difficulty in finding a publisher, he published himself under the
Bradford Brown Educational Company, Inc. He continued to write until his death
327:
rejected many practices of the
Episcopal Church and angered many supporters, who promptly insisted that he leave. In 1911, he returned to Galion, Ohio, and formally resigned as bishop of Arkansas in 1912, although he remained a bishop without a diocese. He was succeeded as Bishop of Arkansas by
504:
Catholic Church was preserved on the site to serve as
William's study. Brownella Cottage was completed in 1887. The house reflected both the Bradford wealth and the high style of 1880s architecture in the United States. Ella Brown died in 1935; the bishop on October 31, 1937.
389:. He opted for the latter and was consecrated an Old Catholic bishop in a ceremony conducted in his own study in Galion. Because Old Catholic orders were accepted as valid by the Episcopal Church in the United States, Bishop Brown's position as a bishop in
300:
in Tennessee before becoming ill, and was sent home to recuperate. He died on August 1, 1862. His mother moved the family back to Ohio, and "Willy" was "hired out" to a farmer who did not treat the boy well and neglected to provide for his education.
358:. "I no longer believed in a personal God, nor in a six-day creation, nor in a literal heaven and hell," Brown wrote. Creeds, he decided, were merely symbolical. Episcopal bishops reacted with indifference and strong hostility to his views.
343:
and other authors promoting a materialistic view of the world. Two years later, Brown announced his "conversion to science" in July 1913. He wrote to Episcopal bishops informing them of his new position. He
382:
490:
397:
in 1937 at the age of 82. Bishop Brown is buried beside his wife in Galion's Fairview Cemetery. His will left bequests to the Galion hospital and to Kenyon College.
515:
television program ran an episode on Brownella Cottage offering accounts of several people claiming encounters with what they thought may have been a ghost.
885:
875:
860:
850:
720:
705:
393:
could not be challenged by his former church. Many Old Catholic churches count Bishop Brown in the line of succession of their bishops.
626:
855:
524:
276:
264:
61:
865:
870:
835:
845:
74:
35:
783:
880:
840:
287:, and the first of any creed in America to be deposed for heretical teachings. He later became a bishop in the
329:
567:
378:
102:
196:
150:
146:
348:, arguing that Jesus was "an idea" that was later turned into an historical person, echoing the views of
462:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of Other Heretics in the Episcopal Church
645:
830:
825:
390:
809:
386:
288:
54:
345:
92:
23:
750:
767:
701:
695:
594:
Bishop James Rideout Winchester succeeded Brown and began the process of repairing the damage.
133:
797:
776:
495:
465:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of the World and the Church
354:
43:
585:
450:
Communism, the new faith for a new world. Galion, Ohio The Bradford-Brown Educational Co.
431:
415:
512:
407:
336:
175:
819:
423:
200:
179:
263:(September 4, 1855 – October 31, 1937), sometimes called "Bad Bishop" Brown, was an
548:
349:
268:
211:
361:
Brown's evolution from Bishop of Arkansas (1899–1912), to finding an interest in
763:
670:
610:
284:
633:, vol. XIX, no. 61, St Petersburg, FL, p. 28, January 14, 1926
804:
471:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of Philosophy
370:
366:
340:
221:
477:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of the Bible
474:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of Sociology
459:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of the Trial
480:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of History
468:
The Bankruptcy of Christian Supernaturalism from the Viewpoint of Science
362:
279:, but is best remembered as the first Episcopal bishop to be tried for
280:
272:
751:
In the Matter of the Presentment of Bishop William Montgomery Brown
494:
447:
My heresy; the autobiography of an idea. New York, John Day, 1926.
627:"'Heretic' Bishop Brown Proposes A Religion for the Underworld"
735:
16:
American bishop of the Episcopal and Old Catholic Churches
491:
Brownella Cottage and Grace Episcopal Church and Rectory
781:
323:. This dispute further alienated many in Arkansas.
235:
227:
217:
206:
186:
161:
156:
139:
126:
121:
108:
98:
88:
80:
70:
50:
21:
231:Joseph Morrison Brown & Lucina Elzina Cary
8:
773:Works by or about William Montgomery Brown
42:
18:
721:Hill, Todd. "Do you believe in ghosts?",
549:"Bishop Brown", Galion Historical Society
753:Church Advocate's Brief on Appeal (1924)
562:
560:
558:
556:
788:
536:
453:Science and History: For Girls and Boys
606:
604:
602:
700:. Chalcedon Foundation. p. 127.
694:Rushdoony, R. J. (18 November 2009).
646:"Religion: In Atlantic City (Cont'd)"
544:
542:
540:
7:
444:Human meaning of Christian doctrines
439:Teachings of Marx for girls and boys
456:The Christian Way Out: A Criticism
381:, which was heavily influenced by
14:
764:Works by William Montgomery Brown
697:The Nature of the American System
592:. Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas.
803:
791:
525:Communist Labor Party of America
499:Brownella Cottage & Causeway
267:clergyman and author. Brown, of
424:The Level Plan for Church Union
373:during the 1910s, to author of
248:
79:
613:Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin
611:Mayr, Bill. "The Red Bishop",
321:The Level Plan of Church Union
1:
886:Episcopal bishops of Arkansas
876:American Christian socialists
861:American Old Catholic bishops
851:19th-century American writers
346:rejected the historical Jesus
143:June 24, 1898 / June 24, 1925
112:Coadjutor Bishop of Arkansas
902:
568:"Encyclopedia of Arkansas"
488:
432:Communism and Christianism
375:Communism and Christianism
736:Galion Historical Society
615:, Vol.34, No.1, Fall 2011
416:The Crucial Race Question
317:The Crucial Race Question
41:
34:
856:People from Galion, Ohio
572:Encyclopedia of Arkansas
408:The Church for Americans
330:James Rideout Winchester
310:The Church for Americans
261:William Montgomery Brown
29:William Montgomery Brown
631:The Evening Independent
379:Russian Orthodox Church
103:James Ridout Winchester
866:American Episcopalians
723:Mansfield News Journal
590:History of the Diocese
500:
197:Fayetteville, Arkansas
151:William H. F. Brothers
147:William Edward McLaren
871:Crawford County, Ohio
836:American male writers
498:
385:at the time, and the
846:Christian communists
391:apostolic succession
335:Brown began reading
271:, was consecrated a
881:Anglican socialists
669:TIME (1926-01-25).
644:TIME (1934-10-22).
387:Old Catholic Church
289:Old Catholic Church
210:Fairview Cemetery,
55:Old Catholic Church
725:, October 31, 2014
501:
383:Soviet authorities
93:Henry Niles Pierce
36:Bishop of Arkansas
24:The Right Reverend
841:American Marxists
768:Project Gutenberg
707:978-1-879998-27-8
485:Brownella Cottage
258:
257:
172:September 4, 1855
134:Gregory T. Bedell
117:
66:
893:
808:
807:
796:
795:
794:
787:
777:Internet Archive
738:
733:
727:
718:
712:
711:
691:
685:
684:
682:
681:
666:
660:
659:
657:
656:
641:
635:
634:
623:
617:
608:
597:
596:
582:
576:
575:
564:
551:
546:
277:Episcopal Church
252:
250:
193:
190:October 31, 1937
171:
169:
157:Personal details
113:
109:Previous post(s)
62:Episcopal Church
58:
46:
19:
901:
900:
896:
895:
894:
892:
891:
890:
816:
815:
814:
802:
792:
790:
782:
760:
747:
745:Further reading
742:
741:
734:
730:
719:
715:
708:
693:
692:
688:
679:
677:
668:
667:
663:
654:
652:
643:
642:
638:
625:
624:
620:
609:
600:
584:
583:
579:
566:
565:
554:
547:
538:
533:
521:
493:
487:
403:
355:The Christ Myth
297:
254:
251: 1885)
246:
242:
195:
191:
182:
173:
167:
165:
144:
131:
57:
30:
27:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
899:
897:
889:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
828:
818:
817:
813:
812:
800:
780:
779:
770:
759:
758:External links
756:
755:
754:
746:
743:
740:
739:
728:
713:
706:
686:
671:"Again, Brown"
661:
636:
618:
598:
586:"20th Century"
577:
552:
535:
534:
532:
529:
528:
527:
520:
517:
513:My Ghost Story
489:Main article:
486:
483:
482:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
460:
457:
454:
451:
448:
445:
442:
436:
428:
420:
412:
402:
399:
337:Charles Darwin
325:The Level Plan
315:His 1907 book
296:
293:
256:
255:
244:
240:
239:
237:
233:
232:
229:
225:
224:
219:
215:
214:
208:
204:
203:
194:(aged 82)
188:
184:
183:
176:Orrville, Ohio
174:
163:
159:
158:
154:
153:
141:
137:
136:
128:
124:
123:
119:
118:
110:
106:
105:
100:
96:
95:
90:
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
72:
68:
67:
52:
48:
47:
39:
38:
32:
31:
28:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
898:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
823:
821:
811:
806:
801:
799:
789:
785:
778:
774:
771:
769:
765:
762:
761:
757:
752:
749:
748:
744:
737:
732:
729:
726:
724:
717:
714:
709:
703:
699:
698:
690:
687:
676:
672:
665:
662:
651:
647:
640:
637:
632:
628:
622:
619:
616:
614:
607:
605:
603:
599:
595:
591:
587:
581:
578:
573:
569:
563:
561:
559:
557:
553:
550:
545:
543:
541:
537:
530:
526:
523:
522:
518:
516:
514:
509:
505:
497:
492:
484:
479:
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
434:
433:
429:
426:
425:
421:
418:
417:
413:
410:
409:
405:
404:
400:
398:
394:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
359:
357:
356:
351:
347:
342:
338:
333:
331:
326:
322:
318:
313:
311:
305:
301:
294:
292:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
241:Ella Bradford
238:
234:
230:
226:
223:
220:
216:
213:
209:
205:
202:
201:United States
198:
189:
185:
181:
180:United States
177:
164:
160:
155:
152:
148:
142:
138:
135:
129:
125:
120:
116:
111:
107:
104:
101:
97:
94:
91:
87:
83:
76:
73:
69:
65:
63:
56:
53:
49:
45:
40:
37:
33:
25:
20:
810:Christianity
731:
722:
716:
696:
689:
678:. Retrieved
674:
664:
653:. Retrieved
649:
639:
630:
621:
612:
593:
589:
580:
571:
510:
506:
502:
438:
430:
422:
414:
406:
395:
374:
360:
353:
350:Arthur Drews
334:
324:
320:
316:
314:
309:
306:
302:
298:
269:Galion, Ohio
260:
259:
212:Galion, Ohio
192:(1937-10-31)
140:Consecration
130:May 22, 1884
114:
59:
831:1937 deaths
826:1855 births
285:Reformation
218:Nationality
115:(1898-1899)
89:Predecessor
820:Categories
680:2024-06-16
655:2024-06-15
531:References
283:since the
168:1855-09-04
127:Ordination
798:Biography
371:Communism
367:socialism
341:Karl Marx
295:Biography
265:Episcopal
99:Successor
84:1899–1912
81:In office
519:See also
435:, (1920)
427:, (1909)
419:, (1907)
411:, (1895)
222:American
145:by
132:by
75:Arkansas
784:Portals
775:at the
363:Marxism
275:of the
253:
245:
228:Parents
71:Diocese
60:(prev.
704:
441:(1935)
369:, and
281:heresy
273:bishop
236:Spouse
207:Buried
122:Orders
51:Church
401:Works
247:(
243:
702:ISBN
675:TIME
650:TIME
511:The
187:Died
162:Born
766:at
352:in
822::
673:.
648:.
629:,
601:^
588:.
570:.
555:^
539:^
365:,
339:,
332:.
291:.
249:m.
199:,
178:,
149:/
786::
710:.
683:.
658:.
574:.
170:)
166:(
64:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
