Marjorie Browning 1932-2014
The remarkable earthly life of BBFI missionary Marjorie Browning came to an abrupt end November 12, 2014. According to his published confession, a 16-year-old young man struck and killed Marjorie during a burglary. The teen had twice before come to Marjorie’s very simple and small home to steal from her, but she had not reported the incidents, preferring to forgive his trespasses. A few days later, local people noticed she was not making her usual rounds in the community, and they came to her house and discovered what had happened.
Marjorie May Browning was born in Sarcoxie, MO, October 13, 1932. Her family attended a church in Monett, MO, and she accepted Christ during a revival meeting at that church.
Her father had heard about a large church in Springfield, about 50 miles to the east, where they were reporting crowds of 2,000 to 3,000 in Sunday school. Mr. Browning asked his pastor about this report from High Street Baptist Church, and the pastor said the figures must be either an exaggeration or a mistake. Needing to see for himself, Mr. Browning visited the church and heard the preaching of Pastor W. E. Dowell. When they returned home, Mr. Browning announced the family was moving to Springfield and joining the church.
Marjorie graduated from Springfield’s Central High School in 1950, and a few years after that, she attended and graduated from Baptist Bible College. In 1953, she answered God’s call to become a missionary. Several years later, when she made application to the Baptist Bible Fellowship, she wrote of this experience:
“I had always had an interest in missions, but I did not want to be a missionary myself. Even the thought of that possibility almost frightened me. But in December of 1953 God called me to the mission field. The call was so definite and clear that I realized I had no alternative but to yield to the call. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ to go to whatever mission field he should call me.”
Knowing what we know of Marjorie today, it is hard to think of her being frightened by anything. Perhaps that is because of another life-changer at work in Marjorie. During these years of her youth, Marjorie had a secret — something known only to herself and the family. She was suffering from osteomyelitis, a serious bone and marrow infection. She had been treated, even with surgery, but the prognosis was never good.
After her graduation from BBC, she went to San Francisco, CA, for further studies. Among other things, she wanted to study Portuguese to prepare for a missionary’s life in Brazil. In San Francisco, she was treated for her disease again, but the doctors told her she would probably not live beyond the age of 35.
About this time, Marjorie befriended a young man, and the friendship grew to something larger. The young man was also planning to go to Brazil, and he wanted to marry Marjorie. However, after receiving the awful prognosis, she determined it would be unfair for him to marry one who would die so young and possibly leave a husband and children on the mission field. Sadly, she declined the marriage proposal and prepared to make her journey to the mission field as a single woman.
Marjorie became an approved BBF missionary in 1959. She was 27 years old. Leaving for Brazil with a support promise of $200 per month, she landed in Sao Paulo, where she was met by the McCartneys, the Bartons, and Jean Kruse. After teaching at a Christian college for a time, she moved to the interior to assist American missionaries, national pastors, and their wives. Her ministry among women and children led to the salvation of untold numbers of husbands and fathers as well.
In 1973, Marjorie moved to a small town called Nova Holanda. And then, in 1988, she moved to an even more remote location called Two Brothers Swamp.
Until just a short time ago, a visit to Two Brothers Swamp required the better part of two days’ travel. The road was more a trail with places where the deep sand required a traveler to deflate the truck tires. Today there is a real road, and you could get to Marjorie’s place in one day.
But Marjorie went further in on horseback and on foot, fording rivers and walking through deep sand to minister to people in and around the Two Brothers Swamp area. Power was supplied by solar panels and a battery. Water came from a river or a cistern. She lived with no electricity, no running water, no doctor, and no drugstore.
And this was Marjorie’s life for more than 50 years. Writing “The One Horse Missionary Lady from Two Brothers Swamp” for the Tribune in 2002, former BBFI Mission Director Bob Baird said, “Never once did I hear Marjorie complain. She will tell you it is the life God called her to. It was not a sacrifice, but a privilege and opportunity for her to serve the Lord. She is the most serene person I have been around. God is obviously in complete control of her life and ministry. She is truly a Spirit-directed, model missionary.”
But Marjorie never thought of herself in such terms. She believed she was simply living the life to which God had called her. The last person to see her alive was her killer, and reports indicate she was in prayer at the time of her death. Even if this is not so, surely Marjorie Browning is among them “of whom the world is not worthy,” spoken of in the Book of Hebrews.
This article is a collaborative effort by Keith Bassham of the Tribune, Jim Smith of the BBFI Mission Office, and Lynda Browning Hutson (Marjorie’s sister).
Our position as the Missions Directors at High Street Baptist Church gives us the privilege to travel all over the world and visit missionaries. We can honestly say, of all the places we have been, our favorite was visiting Marjorie. We’ve never experienced such an unselfish life lived as the life of Marjorie Browning. It was not easy to get to her, as it took us five planes, eight hours on a bus and then 12 hours in the back of a pickup to get to where she lived. As a single lady, she chose to go and serve God in the interior of Brazil 40 years ago, where no other missionary would go at that time. She hated recognition and she didn’t come back to the states but just a few times in her total of 55 years she served in Brazil. We couldn’t understand this until our family went to visit her in 2010 and we saw her love for the Brazilians and their love for her. What an amazing testimony her life was. I (Gary) also had the privilege to visit her again in May of this year and even at 82 years old she was not showing any signs of slowing down. We will always cherish the time we spent with her in Brazil and consider it an honor that we became such good friends over the last 10 years.
Gary and Lisa Wilson • WorldProject Directors • High Street Baptist Church
When a young 26-year-old Marjorie told High Street that she felt called to go and serve the people of Brazil as a missionary, our church sent her. Against all odds and with no assurance of success, this single young lady from Springfield went. For 55 years we were honored to stand behind her and support her. She was a real-life example of faith, courage, dedication, and perseverance. She lived out the missionary heart of our church. Most of the people at High Street did not know her personally but they did know her. She taught us to love the gospel and to surrender our lives to serve God and His mission. We are deeply saddened by her death. At the same time, we know her reward in heaven is great. She will continue to teach and inspire us every time we remember her. It was our privilege to be her church and to partner with her over the years.
Eddie Lyons • Pastor • High Street Baptist Church • BBFI President
Marjorie Browning’s life speaks clearly to that which should be important in the life of every believer, not just in the life of a missionary.
First, her life portrayed an unquestioning surrender of all that she was and had to the will of God. This meant a life of separation from her roots, relatives, and friends, and the development of a new family relationship with the Brazilian believers.
Second, she exemplified a total commitment to the glory and honor of her Savior and the enlargement of His name among a needy people away from her home country.
Third, she illustrated simplicity of life, an understanding and commitment to the fact that God has a high purpose for her that supersedes all other interests, including a mate, family, and material things. This produced a deep sense of fulfillment and contentment, regardless of life’s circumstances. She was a focused person, with a goal to make His name known among those who had never heard.
In summary, Marjorie Browning was a godly woman who has left and will continue to leave an impact on the lives of Brazilians, her adopted family, who would have known no hope but for her love and surrender to God, and to them.
The Baptist Bible Fellowship International is grateful to have partnered with and served a missionary like Marjorie Browning. She has been a wonderful example for all of us who remain on this earth. We can only imagine the welcome she received when she stepped into heaven to meet with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We thank God for Marjorie Browning. Her service to God will always be remembered.
Revelation 14:13: And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.
Jon Konnerup • BBFI Mission Director