Homeless man buried at prestigious church
Religion Today, December 6, 2000
A former homeless man has been buried at a prestigious Washington, D.C., church. William Wallace Brown, Jr., who died Oct. 17 at age 68, was given a permanent resting place in the burial garden at St. John’s Episcopal Church, across from the White House, according to The Washington Post. St. John’s is called the “church of presidents” since nearly every U.S. leader since James Madison has worshiped there.
Former members of Congress and prominent professionals attended the burial service Dec. 3. Brown “really understood that the kingdom of God is for all of us,” Rev. Luis Leon said. “It doesn’t matter about ethnic background, race, or class – all the things that we allow to divide us but that in God’s eyes are not really important.”
Brown lived on the streets for 15 years, insisting that a lawyer swindled him out of his house, the Post reported. In 1989, he spotted George Bush entering the church and asked the president to pray for him. “No,” Bush answered, according to church members. “Come inside with us and pray for yourself.” Brown became a regular at the 8 a.m. service and always placed a crumpled dollar bill in the silver collection plate.
In the eyes of God “the homeless and the most important are one and the same,” said church member Dolph Hatfield, who read from the Bible during Brown’s service. Hatfield introduced himself to Brown after another parishioner snubbed him, and became Brown’s best friend, inviting him for a meal or taking him grocery shopping after church, the Post reported.