Thomas Brand (minister)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Brand was an English nonconformist minister and divine.
. He was educated at Bishop's Stortford
, Hertfordshire
, and Merton College, Oxford
. There he studied law, and later entered the Temple.
An acquaintance with Samuel Annesley
led Brand to decide to join the ministry. He entered the family of the Lady Dowager Roberts of Glassenbury, Kent
, the education of whose four children he superintended. He caused the whole of his salary to be devoted to charity. He soon preached twice every Sunday, and frequently a third time in the evening, at a place two miles distant. He established weekly lectures at several places, and monthly fasts. On the death of the Rev. Mr. Poyntel of Staplehurst
, he left Lady Roberts, went to Staplehurst, and was ordained. About two years later he married a widow, by whom he had several children, who all died young.
He continued at Staplehurst till driven away by persecution. After wanderings he settled near London. He built many meeting-houses, and contributed to their ministers' salaries. He gave away thousands of catechism
s and other books, and reprinted twenty thousand of Joseph Alleine
's Treatise on Conversion to be given away, altering the title to a Guide to Heaven. He and his friends sold bibles under cost price to all who desired them, provided they did not sell them again. Brand supported children of poor parents, and put them to trades. Jabez Earle
, minister of the presbyterian congregation in Hanover Street, London, was one of his protégés. Brand said he ‘would not sell his estate because it was entailed, but he would squeeze it as long as he lived.’
Brand died 1 December 1691, and was buried in Bunhill Fields
.
Life
Brand was the son of the rector of Leaden Roothing, EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. He was educated at Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, and Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. There he studied law, and later entered the Temple.
An acquaintance with Samuel Annesley
Samuel Annesley
Samuel Annesley was a prominent Puritan and nonconformist pastor, best known for the sermons he collected as the series of Morning Exercises.-Life:...
led Brand to decide to join the ministry. He entered the family of the Lady Dowager Roberts of Glassenbury, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, the education of whose four children he superintended. He caused the whole of his salary to be devoted to charity. He soon preached twice every Sunday, and frequently a third time in the evening, at a place two miles distant. He established weekly lectures at several places, and monthly fasts. On the death of the Rev. Mr. Poyntel of Staplehurst
Staplehurst
Staplehurst can mean:* Staplehurst in England* RAF Staplehurst, a World War II airfield in England* Staplehurst railway station* Staplehurst rail crash, a railway accident in 1865* Staplehurst, Nebraska, a small village in the United States...
, he left Lady Roberts, went to Staplehurst, and was ordained. About two years later he married a widow, by whom he had several children, who all died young.
He continued at Staplehurst till driven away by persecution. After wanderings he settled near London. He built many meeting-houses, and contributed to their ministers' salaries. He gave away thousands of catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
s and other books, and reprinted twenty thousand of Joseph Alleine
Joseph Alleine
Joseph Alleine was an English Puritan Nonconformist pastor and author of many religious works.-Life:...
's Treatise on Conversion to be given away, altering the title to a Guide to Heaven. He and his friends sold bibles under cost price to all who desired them, provided they did not sell them again. Brand supported children of poor parents, and put them to trades. Jabez Earle
Jabez Earle
Jabez Earle, D.D. , was an English Presbyterian minister.Earle was probably a native of Yorkshire; the date of his birth is uncertain. He was brought up for the ministry by Thomas Brand...
, minister of the presbyterian congregation in Hanover Street, London, was one of his protégés. Brand said he ‘would not sell his estate because it was entailed, but he would squeeze it as long as he lived.’
Brand died 1 December 1691, and was buried in Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
.