Frank A. Brown

In 1960, he made a trip to Japan and Korea and visited his son Frank, who with his family had been transferred to Korea to serve as a medical missionary.

Thirteen years after he had left China, he heard of the death of the last Protestant missionary to leave China. Many wondered what would become of Christianity there. In response, he composed a pamphlet, “The Last of the Eight Thousand: Will the Church in China Survive?” 

In it he admitted that mistakes had been made: “(1) The missionary force was numerically inadequate to evangelize such a vast population. (2) The lack of cooperation among the denominations. (3) We missionaries wasted time over trifles. We got lost amid details.”

Then he gave reasons why he believed the church would survive: “(1) The endurance of the church down through history. (2) The loyalty of Chinese Christians in the face of martyrdom. (3) The availability of the Bible, which had been translated” into Chinese. (4) And the power of the Gospel to overcome all obstacles.” 

Speaking for all missionaries, he concluded, “If you ask us, we will all reply that we are sure that the church will survive.”

In fact, his grandson, who visited Xuzhou in 2002, took photographs of two of the churches which his father had served, including one in the country. Both were well-attended and active in ministry.

Frank A. Brown died after suffering a fall and broken hip in 1967, at the age of ninety. Throughout his life, he had been marked by enthusiasm, optimism, faith in God, and a strong desire to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. His interests were wide, and included  History; sports, especially swimming; and science, particularly astronomy.

The words on a scroll presented to Frank Brown before he left Xuzhou tell the story: “All who are able to speak, praise his preaching, his medical relief and his scholarship because he did this without sparing himself. He organized eighteen churches and over fifty chapels. The reason he accomplished all this was due to his tireless efforts.”