Justus Henry Nelson

Justus Henry Nelson (December 22, 1850 – February 6, 1937) established the first Protestant church in the Amazon basin and was a self-supporting Methodist missionary in Belém, Pará, Brazil for 45 years.

Early years Justus was born December 22, 1850, in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, near modern-day Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents, James Hervey Nelson and Sarah Orelup Nelson were Wisconsin pioneers, later establishing an early farm in South Wayne, Wisconsin, near the Illinois border. He was the second of nine children, the first six of which were boys, followed by three girls.

Education At 18, he attended Evansville Seminary for six months. He finally was able to attend Lawrence University for five years when he was 21, graduating with a B.A. It was there that he decided to be a preacher.

He "studied Theology for four years at Boston University by borrowing $120 from Cousin Nelson Ladue and earned the rest preaching." He received a S.T.B. degree from the Boston University School of Theology.

He also studied "for two years at the Boston University School of Medicine to prepare himself to meet some of the emergencies he would inevitably be called on to alleviate."

Self-supporting missionaries They became self-supporting missionaries. Justus remained in Brazil for forty-five years, only returning three times. Fannie spent a large amount of time in Brazil but returned to the Boston area when it was time for their children's education.

First Protestant Church in Amazonia On July 1, 1883, he established the first Protestant church in the Amazon Basin - the Igreja Metodista Episcopal no Pará (Methodist Episcopal Church of Pará). It was located on the Rua dos Martires (current Rua 28 de Setembro, 28 September Street), near the corner of the Av. 15 of August (the current Av. President Vargas).

Publication of O Apologista Christão Brazileiro He published and personally printed a newsletter for many years entitled O Apoligista Christão Brazileiro (The Brazilian Christian Advocate). It was launched on January 4, 1890. The motto of the paper (as well as his personal motto) was "Saibamos e pratiquemos a verdade custe o que custar." "Let us know the truth and practice it, no matter the cost." Included in these are Ao contemplar a rude cruz (When I Survey the Wonderous Cross), Fonte és Tu de toda bênção (You Are the Source of All Blessing), Prece ao Trino Deus, Saudai o nome de Jesus (All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name), Presença Divina, Contemplação, Reino Universal, Ebenézer, Rei Excelso, and Coroai.

Justus' translation of Coroai was recorded in 1998 by Marina de Oliveira on her CD Momentos - vol.2. His translation of Lino Dos Vales was recorded in 2003 by João Inácio and Ranúzia in 2003 on their album Grata Memória.

Family They had five children in Belém, one of which died of malaria. Three of their children, William "Will", Luther, and Sarah Louise "Louise" graduated from Boston University. Their youngest daughter Elizabeth "Bess" graduated from Reed College. Luther graduated from Harvard Medical School and practiced medicine in Portland, Oregon. Louise received a second degree from Oregon State University, taught at Modesto Junior College, and married entomologist Charles E. Woodworth. Justus presided over their 1926 Berkeley, California, wedding.

His devotion to service and retirement His son wrote: "His relatives and friends would write and ask him from time to time why he didn't take some time off and come home for a vacation. his answer would be 'I'm having a perpetual picnic here. Why take a vacation?'. His ambition was to finish out a half century of service on the mission field, but times were hard and it became more and more difficult to earn a living besides supporting a mission, so he was forced to retire in 1925 at age 75 even though he was vigorous physically and active mentally."

"His [Rascal's] virtual invisibility was due to the fact that he was lying on a large Jaguar-skin rug which Uncle Justus had sent us from Para, Brazil. The mounted head had realistic glass eyes which Rascal often fondled and sometimes tried to dislodge. The little raccoon blended perfectly in the handsomely marked pelt of the once-ferocious jungle cat."

"When Rascal began to rise from that skin, like the disembodied spirit of the Amazonian jaguar, it startled Theo nearly out of her wits."

Also mentioned in the book was Justus' niece, poet, and editor Jessica Nelson North.