Justus H. Nelson (1879)
NELSON, JUSTUS H. (1851-1937), American preacher and missionary to Brazil, was born in 1851, probably in Wisconsin. He studied at Lawrence University at Appleton. Wis., and at the Boston University School of Theology, from which he graduated in 1879. In 1880, he was admitted on trial in the Providence, later New England Southern Conference.
By this time, William Taylor had made his last voyage to South America (1877-78), and had returned to the United States to recruit missionaries who were to serve on a self-supporting basis. Nelson was one of his recruits.
While awaiting his appointment, Nelson studied a year at Boston University, taking an “electic Course in Medicine.” This, plus a course in practical nursing taken after going to Brazil (in Belém, province of Paraná), enabled him to be of great usefulness in administering simple treatments to the poor.
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson with William Taylor arrived in Belém on June 19, 1880, Taylor remaining only long enough to get a school successfully started. This school prospered and new recruits were sent out, including Justus’ brother. But when yellow fever took the lives of two recruits and fire destroyed the school building, Nelson was forced to close it. He remained on the field, however, supporting himself and family by teaching English, German, and Portuguese.
When on his first furlough, leaving George Nind in charge of his work, Nelson asked that Brazil be organized into a district of the Providence Annual Conference, which was so done, with Nelson named presiding elder. He continued in this capacity until the Brazil Mission was organized into the South American Annual Conference (ME), to which he was then transferred.
Nelson organized the first Methodist church in Belem on July 1, 1883. In addition to pastoral work, he edited a religious publication which he called O Apologisia Cristão Brasilerio (The Brazilian Christian Apologist). For this, he translated many hymns by Wesley and others. In one issue, he referred to the “idolatry prevalent in Brazil,” and for this was sentenced to jail for “4 months, two days and 12 hours, being released April 8, 1893.”
Nelson had hoped to stay in Brazil fifty years, working mainly in the Amazon region. But a depression forced his retirement in 1926, after forty-six years. He returned to the United States that year and died in 1937. He was survived by one son, Luther T. Nelson.
W. C. Barclay, History of Missions. 1949-57.
Annual Report, Board of Missions (ME), 1893.