Religion: Drowned Baptist

Into old First Baptist Church at Easton, Md. one night last week crowded 600 fervent Baptists for the wind-up of Rev. Dr. C. Thomas Brookshire's ten-day campaign. Evangelist Brookshire retired to put on rubber boots, rubber apron for the baptismal service. His pulpit was moved aside. A section of flooring was taken up to expose a waist-deep tank of water. Evangelist Brookshire stepped in. A-a-a-men! A-a-a-men! cried the congregation. Two girls, 12 and 16, approached. Praying loudly, he helped them down, doused them in the tank. Then followed an electrician named James Dean. Hallelujah! chorused the congregation.

Suddenly Evangelist Brookshire turned pale, toppled forward into the water. Quickly Electrician Dean dragged him up, stretched him out on the platform. An hour later, despite the efforts of a fire department crew with a resuscitator, Evangelist Brookshire was pronounced dead, of drowning during a heart attack.