John Brownfield (1714-1752)
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Sunday, 12/23 April [1752]
John Brownfield, our faithful Deacon, who was born on June 21, 1714, in Greenwich, in Old England, was, for the most part, raised in General Oglethorp’s house in London. It was there, in 1735, that he came to know the Brethren for the first time, and through them he also met the Savior. In Georgia, from 1736 on, he was bound closer to the Brethren. On April 6, 1745, he came to the Gemeine in Bethlehem, and on July 7 of that same year he was taken into the Gemeine. Thereafter, in October, he took part in the holy Abend Mahl with the community. He was married to Sister Catharina, born Kearny, on January 18, 1747, and with her he begat a daughter, Catharina. He was taken into discipleship in 1748. He was blessed as a Deacon on February 5, 1749.
On April 14 of the same year, he was taken with a burning fever. On the ninth day of his sickness (Sunday morning among the English), he went over into the arms of his Redeemer, with an inwardly blessed heart that burned with the love of Jesus and his wounds. His age was ten weeks short of 38 years. His abandoned body was rendered to the Earth on April 14/25, accompanied by a strong following of the Gemeine and more than one hundred of our neighbors, Germans as well as English.
Transcription and translation by Katherine E. Carté
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