Benjamin Brewster
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Brewster was the Episcopal Bishop
of Maine
and Missionary Bishop of Western Colorado
.
, the son of the Rev. Joseph Brewster and Sarah Jane Bunce. He was a direct descendant of both Love Brewster
, a passenger with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, aboard the Mayflower and a founder of the town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts
; and of Elder William Brewster
, the Pilgrim colonist leader and spiritual elder of the Plymouth Colony
, and passenger aboard the Mayflower
and one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact
.
His brother was the Right Rev. Dr. Chauncey Bunce Brewster
, the fifth American
Episcopal bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
.
, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
, and then he received his B.D. in 1886 from the General Theological Seminary
, New York City
. Meanwhile, he taught school in Cleveland, Ohio
, during 1882-1883.
in the Episcopal Church in 1886 and priest
in 1887. His first charge was as assistant to Henry Yates Satterlee
(his first wife's first cousin) at Calvary Church
, New York City, from 1886–1891, and he also served as Vicar
of Calvary Church during 1887-1891. In the next four years he was pastor at that Church of the Holy Communion, South Orange, New Jersey
, and during 1895-1906 was pastor at Grace Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
. In addition he was a member of the standing committee of the Diocese of Colorado from 1897–1906 and examining chaplain from 1900-1906. During the next three years he was Dean
of St. Mark's Cathedral
, Salt Lake City, Utah
, and president of the council of advice for the District of Salt Lake.
. He was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Maine
on June 7, 1916. Benjamin Brewster was the 242nd
bishop
consecrated in the Episcopal Church. Brewster announced in May 1940, that he would retire at the end of the year as Bishop because of his age, but his successor had not been named and he was serving in the capacity of Bishop emeritus at the time of his death.
The church in Maine had a steady growth during his bishopric and reached into more communities. Prominent in church affairs outside his diocese, Brewster served as president of the Synod of New England during 1933-1939 and as vice-president of the Church League for Industrial Democracy from 1916-1941. He was chairman of the joint committee of Bishops and clerical and lay deputies on nominations at the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Cincinnati, Ohio
, in 1937, and was a commissioner of the World Council of Churches
.
In his first year in Maine he was a delegate to the neutral conference committee that met with Woodrow Wilson
to discuss the possibility of calling a conference of neutral nations to halt World War I
. In 1936 he presented a resolution to the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church requesting Franklin D. Roosevelt
to call an international conference of nations which had signed the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact. In 1921 and again in 1930 he attended the Lambeth Conference, London
, England
. He was known as a liberal
in economics and politics as well as religion. In 1934 he worked in favor of a measure endorsing efforts to obtain for physicians and medical clinics the legal right to disseminate birth control
information and the measure passed the House of Bishops by a vote of 44 to 38.
, as his first wife Stella Yates (November 23, 1866 - February 2, 1929), the daughter of Brigadier-General Charles Yates
and Josephine Bosworth the daughter of New York Supreme Court
Chief Justice Joseph Sollace Bosworth and Frances Pumpelly. Frances was the first cousin of Raphael Pumpelly
, an American
geologist
and explorer
. Benjamin and Stella had five children together.
He married on August 25, 1937, in Portland, Maine
, as his second wife Mary Phillips (February 11, 1884–1941), widow of George Guillifer Hay, and daughter of General
Charles Leonard Phillips, by whom he had no children. Benjamin Brewster died in Portland, Maine on February 2, 1941.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Maine
Episcopal Diocese of Maine
The Episcopal Diocese of Maine is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and encompasses the entire State of Maine. It is part of the Province of New England - Province I of the ECUSA...
and Missionary Bishop of Western Colorado
Episcopal Diocese of Western Colorado
The Episcopal Diocese of Western Colorado was a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America from 1892 to 1898 and from 1907 to 1919....
.
Early life
He was born in New Haven, ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, the son of the Rev. Joseph Brewster and Sarah Jane Bunce. He was a direct descendant of both Love Brewster
Love Brewster
Elder Love Brewster was an early American settler, the son of Elder William Brewster and his wife, Mary Brewster. He traveled with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, on the Mayflower reaching what became the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620...
, a passenger with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, aboard the Mayflower and a founder of the town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
; and of Elder William Brewster
William Brewster (Pilgrim)
Elder William Brewster was a Mayflower passenger and a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher.-Origins:Brewster was probably born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9- or 10pm...
, the Pilgrim colonist leader and spiritual elder of the Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
, and passenger aboard the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
and one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower...
.
His brother was the Right Rev. Dr. Chauncey Bunce Brewster
Chauncey Bunce Brewster
The Right Reverend Chauncey Bunce Brewster was the fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut.He was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor on October 28, 1897, and served as diocesan bishop from 1899 to 1928.-External link:...
, the fifth American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Episcopal bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the entire state of Connecticut. It is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church and one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1.Its first bishop,...
.
Education
After preparation in the Hopkins Grammar School, he graduated with a B.A. in 1882 from Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
, and then he received his B.D. in 1886 from the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Meanwhile, he taught school in Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, during 1882-1883.
Ordination
He was ordained deaconDeacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in the Episcopal Church in 1886 and priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1887. His first charge was as assistant to Henry Yates Satterlee
Henry Yates Satterlee
Henry Yates Satterlee was the first Episcopal Bishop of Washington, serving from 1896 to 1908. He established the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, popularly known as Washington National Cathedral.-Early life:...
(his first wife's first cousin) at Calvary Church
Calvary Church (Manhattan)
Calvary Church is an Episcopal church located at 273 Park Avenue South on the corner of East 21st Street in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the border of the Flatiron District. It was designed by James Renwick, Jr., the architect who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral...
, New York City, from 1886–1891, and he also served as Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Calvary Church during 1887-1891. In the next four years he was pastor at that Church of the Holy Communion, South Orange, New Jersey
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
, and during 1895-1906 was pastor at Grace Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. In addition he was a member of the standing committee of the Diocese of Colorado from 1897–1906 and examining chaplain from 1900-1906. During the next three years he was Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of St. Mark's Cathedral
St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral located at 231 E. 100 South in Salt Lake City, Utah is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Utah in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Built in 1871, it is the third oldest Episcopal Cathedral in the United States and the oldest continuously used...
, Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and president of the council of advice for the District of Salt Lake.
Consecration
On June 17, 1909, he was consecrated Missionary Bishop of Western ColoradoEpiscopal Diocese of Western Colorado
The Episcopal Diocese of Western Colorado was a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America from 1892 to 1898 and from 1907 to 1919....
. He was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Maine
Episcopal Diocese of Maine
The Episcopal Diocese of Maine is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and encompasses the entire State of Maine. It is part of the Province of New England - Province I of the ECUSA...
on June 7, 1916. Benjamin Brewster was the 242nd
Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States
This list consists of the bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, an independent province of the Anglican Communion. This shows the historic succession of the episcopate within this denomination.-Key to chart:...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
consecrated in the Episcopal Church. Brewster announced in May 1940, that he would retire at the end of the year as Bishop because of his age, but his successor had not been named and he was serving in the capacity of Bishop emeritus at the time of his death.
The church in Maine had a steady growth during his bishopric and reached into more communities. Prominent in church affairs outside his diocese, Brewster served as president of the Synod of New England during 1933-1939 and as vice-president of the Church League for Industrial Democracy from 1916-1941. He was chairman of the joint committee of Bishops and clerical and lay deputies on nominations at the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in 1937, and was a commissioner of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
.
In his first year in Maine he was a delegate to the neutral conference committee that met with Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
to discuss the possibility of calling a conference of neutral nations to halt World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1936 he presented a resolution to the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church requesting Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
to call an international conference of nations which had signed the Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact. In 1921 and again in 1930 he attended the Lambeth Conference, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was known as a liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
in economics and politics as well as religion. In 1934 he worked in favor of a measure endorsing efforts to obtain for physicians and medical clinics the legal right to disseminate birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
information and the measure passed the House of Bishops by a vote of 44 to 38.
Personal life
Brewster married on June 10, 1891, in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, as his first wife Stella Yates (November 23, 1866 - February 2, 1929), the daughter of Brigadier-General Charles Yates
Charles Yates
Charles Yates was a Brigadier-General during the American Civil War in command of the volunteer depot of New York City in 1861.-Biography:...
and Josephine Bosworth the daughter of New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
Chief Justice Joseph Sollace Bosworth and Frances Pumpelly. Frances was the first cousin of Raphael Pumpelly
Raphael Pumpelly
Raphael Pumpelly was an American geologist and explorer.-Early life and ancestors:He was born on September 8, 1837 in Oswego, New York, into a family with deep New England roots that trace back to Thomas Welles , who arrived in Massachusetts in 1635 and was the only man in Connecticut's history to...
, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and explorer
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
. Benjamin and Stella had five children together.
He married on August 25, 1937, in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, as his second wife Mary Phillips (February 11, 1884–1941), widow of George Guillifer Hay, and daughter of General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Charles Leonard Phillips, by whom he had no children. Benjamin Brewster died in Portland, Maine on February 2, 1941.