Bishop Charles Henry Brent 1862-1929
Text from the plaque
An outstanding humanitarian and churchman, Brent was born near Newcastle and ordained in Toronto in 1887. Following parochial service in Buffalo and Boston, he was elected first Episcopal Bishop of the Philippine Islands in 1901. Confronted by the devastating moral and physical effects of opium addiction, Brent became an uncompromising advocate of drug control. He urged international co-operation in eradicating drug abuse and served as president of the Opium Commission at Shanghai (1909) and the Opium Conference at The Hague (1911-12). Elected Bishop of Western New York in 1917, Brent vigorously promoted Christian unity and, in 1927, presided over the World Conference on Faith and Order. This ecumenical gathering at Lausanne, Switzerland, helped to lay the foundation of the World Council of Churches.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The Region of Durham
The Municipality of Clarington
In Newcastle, in front of a church at the southwest corner of
Mill Street South (Road 17) and Edward Street West
3 blocks south of King Street
Also recorded for this place: The Region of Durham · Clarington
N 43 54.851 W 78 35.254
Recorded December 2010. Check current access before visiting.
More information
Visitors' notes
May 20, 2010
Charles Henry Brent was the first in taking steps towards a ineffective and damaging prohibition. Putting power and money in the hand of criminals, rather than his government. This man has made a horrible impact on the world today, and as a christian im sure if he could see what the effects of some of his ideas would have become, he would not have mentioned them to begin with.
June 1, 2009
This is an outstanding contribution to American History and it only touches upon a fraction of what Bishop Brent accomplished with the help of God in his life--Thank you -- Alex Ford, Simi Valley -June 1, 2009