280 
MINUTES  OP  THE  COLLEGE. 
From  early  life  Dr.  Thomas  was  of  a  serious  and  conscientious  turn,  and 
averse  to  the  frivolities  which  are  so  apt  to  engross  the  young.  In  March, 
1853  he  attached  himself  to  the  Episcopal  church,  and  was  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  vestry,  and  warden  of  Grace  Church  at  the  time  of  his  decease. 
In  the  year  1857  he  was  elected  one  of  the  attending  Surgeons  to  the 
Episcopal  Hospital,  and  was  ever  active  and  vigilant  in  the  discharge  of 
the  serious  duties  attending  his  position  in  this  institution.  It  was  here 
that  his  character  as  a  Christian  physician  prominently  attracts  our  no- 
tice. While  ministering  to  physical  ailments  he  did  not  neglect  suitable 
opportunities  of  directing  the  attention  of  his  patients  to  the  One  Source 
from  which  alone  resignation  and  strength  in  suffering  can  be  derived. 
The  officers  of  the  Hospital  have  borne  willing  testimony  to  his  patience, 
gentleness,  and  kindness  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional  services. 
The  death  of  Dr.  Thomas  was  sudden  and  very  unexpected.  He  lec- 
tured to  his  class  in  this  College  on  the  evening  of  the  first  of  February, 
apparently  in  health,  and  rather  unusually' lively  and  full  of  anecdote. 
By  those  nearly  connected  with  him,  however,  it  was  observed  that  he 
appeared  not  as  well  as  usual,  and  on  the  following  morning,  although  he 
rose,  he  complained  of  symptoms  which  induced  him  to  forego  his  usual 
round  of  duties,  and  very  soon  after  to  retire  to  bed.  Alarming  symp- 
toms soon  appeared,  which  called  for  prompt  efforts  to  stay  the  progress 
of  a  disease  which  was  rapidly  loosening  his  hold  on  life.  Every  effort 
failed,  and  in  thirty-six  hours  from  the  first  appearance  of  the  disease,  his 
spirit  passed  away.  A  subtle  epidemic  influence,  which  has  visited  many 
of  our  citizens  during  the  past  winter,  and  has  been  generally  character- 
ized as  spotted  fever,  is  believed  to  have  undermined  thus  rapidly  his 
vitality  without  developing  its  usual  visible  signs. 
Thus  in  the  forty-third  year  of  his  age — in  the  full  strength  of  man- 
hood— with  energies  unrelaxed,  and  girded  with  the  strength  of  experience 
for  future  usefulness — our  associate,  friend  and  preceptor,  has  been  called 
from  among  us.  In  the  language  of  the  Rev.  Bishop  Potter  at  his  funeral, 
"though  he  had  attained  to  but  little  more  than  two  score  years,  yet,  with 
his  Christian  earnestness  of  purpose,  he  had  lived  full  long  enough  to 
accomplish  the  great  mission  of  this  life." 
Frederick  Brown  was  born  in  Philadelphia  on  the  12th  of  March,  1796. 
His  paternal  ancestors  were  among  the  English  followers  of  William  Penn  ; 
his  mother  was  descended  from  a  French  family  of  Calvinistic  faith,  who 
fled  to  Holland  and  thence  to  this  country,  to  escape  persecution  at  the 
hands  of  the  Romish  Church.  His  early  education  was  among  Friends, 
and  he  continued  to  attend  their  meetings  until  some  years  after  his  ma- 
jority, when  his  interest  was  transferred  to  St.  Andrew's  Episcopal  Church, 
which  he  attended  for  more  than  35  years. 
At  the  early  age  of  sixteen  he  was  placed  "apprentice"  to  Charles 
