William Henry Brett (missionary)
Encyclopedia
William Henry Brett was an English
missionary in British Guiana
.
He was born in Dover
and, following the death of his father, he was raised by his grandfather. At the age of thirteen or fourteen, Brett became a Sunday school teacher. He was recommended to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
by Reverend Thomas Medland, the curate of his church. In 1840, he left England for British Guiana. Brett was ordained a deacon in 1843 by Bishop William Austin. After suffering from malaria, he was forced to return to England in 1949 but returned late the following year. In total, Brett spent almost forty years as a missionary to the native peoples of South America, retiring in 1879. He translated the New Testament
and the Book of Common Prayer
into several of their languages.
Brett died in Paignton
at the age of 67.
In 1880, Brett published Legends and Myths of the Aboriginal Indians of British Guiana and, in 1881, Mission work among the Indian tribes in the forests of Guiana. In 1851, he had published Indian missions in Guiana.
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...
missionary in British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
.
He was born in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
and, following the death of his father, he was raised by his grandfather. At the age of thirteen or fourteen, Brett became a Sunday school teacher. He was recommended to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
USPG
The USPG or United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel is a 300-year-old Anglican missionary organization, formed originally as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in 1701...
by Reverend Thomas Medland, the curate of his church. In 1840, he left England for British Guiana. Brett was ordained a deacon in 1843 by Bishop William Austin. After suffering from malaria, he was forced to return to England in 1949 but returned late the following year. In total, Brett spent almost forty years as a missionary to the native peoples of South America, retiring in 1879. He translated the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
into several of their languages.
Brett died in Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
at the age of 67.
In 1880, Brett published Legends and Myths of the Aboriginal Indians of British Guiana and, in 1881, Mission work among the Indian tribes in the forests of Guiana. In 1851, he had published Indian missions in Guiana.