Walter George Brown
Encyclopedia
Walter George Brown was a Presbyterian Church in Canada
minister who opposed the formation of the United Church of Canada
and was a United Reform Movement MP
in the Canadian House of Commons
.
, Quebec
of Scots-Irish parents, Brown was educated at McGill University
where he received an Honours B.A.
Degree in 1899 and at The Presbyterian College, Montreal
, where he graduated in 1902 with a B.D.
degree, the Silver Medal, a $60.00 Theological Scholarship, and a prize ($10.00 in books) in public speaking. He also won other scholarships and prizes during his time at Presbyterian College. During his summers, he went into the newly-opened lumber
ing camps of Northern Ontario, serving first as a student missionary
, was ordained
on 30 September 1902 as an Ordained Missionary to Canada Atlantic Lumber Camps, from Rainy Lake to Whitney under the North Bay
Presbytery. He remained in this post until July 1903, when he moved west to work amongst miner
s in the West Kootenay
area of British Columbia
at Salmo, New Denver and Silverton, all in proximity of Nelson
.
While serving in ministry in British Columbia, he earned his M.A.
degree from McGill
, with a paper titled "History and Philosophy of Socialism", and was married to Martha Rowat of Athelstan, Quebec; her father, Andrew Rowat (1839-1918) served as minister at Elgin and Athelstan from 1884 - 1909; her mother, Margaret, was the daughter of Donald MacKenziepioneer minister in Zorra Township
, Oxford County, Ontario
.
After leaving the Kootenays to study in Montreal and at the United Free Church of Scotland
College in Glasgow
, he was called and inducted in March 1908, as minister of Knox Presbyterian Church in Red Deer, Alberta
, and would remain there until 1925. He also served as convenor of Home Missions for the Red Deer Presbytery supervising three congregations and fifteen missions. He served as Moderator
of the Synod of Alberta in 1915.
Churches of Canada in 1904 saying "I cannot recall one moment when I ever doubted that it was our duty to maintain the Presbyterian Church in Canada in the interests of truth, sound church government, spiritual freedom and national righteousness."
He favoured a federation over a total church union. This was highlighted in his 1911 "Alberta Plan", that critiqued the "Union Churches" then being created primarily in Saskatchewan. In 1923, he went on a six-week speaking tour of Eastern Canada for the anti-church union Presbyterian Church Association and became known as "Brown of Red Deer". When the final vote on union was held during late 1924 and early 1925, Brown's Red Deer Presbytery was the sole presbytery in the PCC with a majority vote against Church Union.
Nationally, some 30% of Presbyterians opposed this union and reorganized themselves as the "Continuing Presbyterians", until they were legally permitted to resume using the name Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1939. With regard to the namecontinuing Presbyterians, Brown was quoted during his fight for the preservation of the Presbyterian Church by reciting a Scots challenge:
They may rob us of name, they may hunt us with beagles,
Give our roofs to the flame and our flesh to the eagles...
While there are leaves on the forest or foam on the river,
MacGregor despite them shall flourish forever!
(Neil G. Smith, A Short History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, pp 85)
At the 1925 General Assembly, Brown was one of 79 Commissioners who refused to join the United Church, and met in a corner of Toronto's College Street United Church
at the conclusion on June 9 in order to resume business later that night at nearby Knox Presbyterian Church
and legally claim their continuity.
In June 1931, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly, and during his Moderatorial year, travelled to Asia, and visited Korea
, Japan
, Taiwan
, and the Manchuria portion of China
.
Reverend Walter George Brown is one of the few Moderators of the Presbyterian Church who was or is not a Reverend Doctor; he refused to accept Honorary Doctorates from his Alma Mater, nor Toronto's Knox College
. His funeral took place in Ottawa, and is buried at the Athelstan Presbyterian Cemetery.
throughout the Dust Bowl
drought years of the Great Depression
and, late in the decade, organized the left-wing United Reform Movement as a political party calling for relief.
Brown was first elected as the Member of Parliament
for Saskatoon City in a December 1939 by-election
, spent one day in Parliament before dissolution, was re-elected two months later in the 1940 general election
with the support of both the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
and the Tory National Government party, but died of complications from a heart attack
, a few days after his victory. He was not able to travel from Ottawa to his riding to campaign.
Agnes MacPhail
, who introduced Brown to the floor of the House of Commons on 25 January 1940, was eventually recruited by the URM to succeed him, but she was defeated in the subsequent by-election later that year.
Growth -- A History and Anthology of the Synod of Alberta of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, 1968. Editor, R.J. Burton.
A Short History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, 1968. Allan L. Farris, J. Keith Markell, and Neil G. Smith, editors.
Reports: Presbyterian College, Montreal (1899-1903),
Home Missions Reports (1901-1906)
Obituary Notice, 1940.
"TWICE ELECTED M.P., SITS 4 HOURS, DIES; Rev. W.G. Brown, Saskatoon, Wins 2 Campaigns, Attended One Session"
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
minister who opposed the formation of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
and was a United Reform Movement MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Early life
Born in Athelstan (now Hichinbrooke), Huntingdon CountyHuntingdon County, Quebec
Huntingdon County, is an historical county in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is named after the town and county of the same name in east central England. It is situated in the Montreal South Shore region of Montérégie, one of the roughly 12 regions of Quebec...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
of Scots-Irish parents, Brown was educated at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
where he received an Honours B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Degree in 1899 and at The Presbyterian College, Montreal
The Presbyterian College, Montreal
The Presbyterian College/Le Collège Presbytérien, 3495 University Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, is a Theological College of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and is affiliated with McGill University through their Faculty of Religious Studies...
, where he graduated in 1902 with a B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree, the Silver Medal, a $60.00 Theological Scholarship, and a prize ($10.00 in books) in public speaking. He also won other scholarships and prizes during his time at Presbyterian College. During his summers, he went into the newly-opened lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
ing camps of Northern Ontario, serving first as a student missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
on 30 September 1902 as an Ordained Missionary to Canada Atlantic Lumber Camps, from Rainy Lake to Whitney under the North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
Presbytery. He remained in this post until July 1903, when he moved west to work amongst miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
s in the West Kootenay
Kootenays
The Kootenay Region comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Ktunaxa First Nation first encountered by explorer David Thompson.-Boundaries:The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay Land...
area of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
at Salmo, New Denver and Silverton, all in proximity of Nelson
Nelson, British Columbia
Nelson is a city located in the Selkirk Mountains on the extreme West Arm of Kootenay Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Known as "The Queen City", and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush,...
.
While serving in ministry in British Columbia, he earned his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from McGill
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, with a paper titled "History and Philosophy of Socialism", and was married to Martha Rowat of Athelstan, Quebec; her father, Andrew Rowat (1839-1918) served as minister at Elgin and Athelstan from 1884 - 1909; her mother, Margaret, was the daughter of Donald MacKenziepioneer minister in Zorra Township
Zorra, Ontario
Zorra is a township in Oxford County, situated in south-western Ontario, Canada. A predominantly rural municipality, Zorra was formed in 1975 through the amalgamation of East Nissouri, West Zorra and North Oxford townships.-Government:...
, Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
.
After leaving the Kootenays to study in Montreal and at the United Free Church of Scotland
United Free Church of Scotland
The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...
College in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, he was called and inducted in March 1908, as minister of Knox Presbyterian Church in Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
, and would remain there until 1925. He also served as convenor of Home Missions for the Red Deer Presbytery supervising three congregations and fifteen missions. He served as Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the Synod of Alberta in 1915.
Opposition to United Church merger
He had opposed the first attempt to merge the Presbyterian, Methodist and CongregationalCongregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Churches of Canada in 1904 saying "I cannot recall one moment when I ever doubted that it was our duty to maintain the Presbyterian Church in Canada in the interests of truth, sound church government, spiritual freedom and national righteousness."
He favoured a federation over a total church union. This was highlighted in his 1911 "Alberta Plan", that critiqued the "Union Churches" then being created primarily in Saskatchewan. In 1923, he went on a six-week speaking tour of Eastern Canada for the anti-church union Presbyterian Church Association and became known as "Brown of Red Deer". When the final vote on union was held during late 1924 and early 1925, Brown's Red Deer Presbytery was the sole presbytery in the PCC with a majority vote against Church Union.
Nationally, some 30% of Presbyterians opposed this union and reorganized themselves as the "Continuing Presbyterians", until they were legally permitted to resume using the name Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1939. With regard to the namecontinuing Presbyterians, Brown was quoted during his fight for the preservation of the Presbyterian Church by reciting a Scots challenge:
They may rob us of name, they may hunt us with beagles,
Give our roofs to the flame and our flesh to the eagles...
While there are leaves on the forest or foam on the river,
MacGregor despite them shall flourish forever!
(Neil G. Smith, A Short History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, pp 85)
At the 1925 General Assembly, Brown was one of 79 Commissioners who refused to join the United Church, and met in a corner of Toronto's College Street United Church
College Street United Church
College Street United Church is a United Church of Canada church at the corner of College and Bathurst Streets in Toronto, Canada. The large church was built in 1885 as College Street Presbyterian and could hold 1200 worshippers, under founding minister Alexander Gilray , and Robert Balmer Cochrane...
at the conclusion on June 9 in order to resume business later that night at nearby Knox Presbyterian Church
Knox Presbyterian Church (Toronto)
Knox Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto, Canada.-History:In 1820 the first Presbyterian congregation in Toronto was formed, and after the donation of land from Jessie Ketchum, built a church on Richmond Street...
and legally claim their continuity.
Continuing Presbyterian
Brown left Red Deer later that year to oversee the re-organization of some Presbyterians in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan that had voted against joining the United Church. St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Saskatoon was formed under his pastoral leadership, and remains the largest PCC congregation within the province.In June 1931, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly, and during his Moderatorial year, travelled to Asia, and visited Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and the Manchuria portion of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Reverend Walter George Brown is one of the few Moderators of the Presbyterian Church who was or is not a Reverend Doctor; he refused to accept Honorary Doctorates from his Alma Mater, nor Toronto's Knox College
Knox College, University of Toronto
Knox College is a postgraduate theological college of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1844 as part of a schism movement in the Church of Scotland following the Disruption...
. His funeral took place in Ottawa, and is buried at the Athelstan Presbyterian Cemetery.
Political career
He remained in SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
throughout the Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
drought years of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and, late in the decade, organized the left-wing United Reform Movement as a political party calling for relief.
Brown was first elected as the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Saskatoon City in a December 1939 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, spent one day in Parliament before dissolution, was re-elected two months later in the 1940 general election
Canadian federal election, 1940
The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...
with the support of both the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
and the Tory National Government party, but died of complications from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, a few days after his victory. He was not able to travel from Ottawa to his riding to campaign.
Agnes MacPhail
Agnes Macphail
Agnes Campbell Macphail was the first woman to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons, and one of the first two women elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...
, who introduced Brown to the floor of the House of Commons on 25 January 1940, was eventually recruited by the URM to succeed him, but she was defeated in the subsequent by-election later that year.
Sources
- Brown of Red Deer, by Allan L. Farris, pp 146-148, from;
Growth -- A History and Anthology of the Synod of Alberta of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, 1968. Editor, R.J. Burton.
- Neil G. Smith, 1925 and After, pp 85, from:
A Short History of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, 1968. Allan L. Farris, J. Keith Markell, and Neil G. Smith, editors.
- J. Keith Markell, A History of the Presbyterian College, Montreal. 1986.
- Acts and Proceedings of the Presbyterian Church in Canada,
Reports: Presbyterian College, Montreal (1899-1903),
Home Missions Reports (1901-1906)
Obituary Notice, 1940.
- Canadian Press Release, April 2, 1940:
"TWICE ELECTED M.P., SITS 4 HOURS, DIES; Rev. W.G. Brown, Saskatoon, Wins 2 Campaigns, Attended One Session"