Brown , Royston Goodall

1909-1999. After a short pastorate at Karori Baptist Church, Brown became an N.Z.B.M.S. missionary to the Muslim community of East Bengal (now Bangladesh), 1936-1949. He was also in the Indian army during World War Two (rising to the rank of major) and engaged in reconstruction work in Assam immediately after the war. His stature was such that the citizens of Chandpur (now in Bangladesh) asked him to give the main tribute of its citizens at a memorial service when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Back in N.Z. Brown had pastorates at Murrays Bay and Wellington Central Baptist Churches, before moving to the prison service, serving successively at the Invercargill Borstal and the Waikeria Youth Centre. He was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Ref.: Obituary: NZB July 1999.