He entered enthusiastically into the tractarian movement from its commencement, doing all in his power as a layman to forward it; he became friends with most of the leaders, especially
Edward Bouverie Pusey, and his whole life and means were spent in promoting the interests of this section of the
Church of England. Even the motto on his carriage was "
Pro Ecclesia Dei". It was owing to his calling the attention of Edward Coleridge, of Eton, to the deplorable condition of the ruins of
St Augustine's Abbey,
Canterbury, that a scheme was set on foot which resulted, through the munificence of
Alexander Beresford Hope, in the establishment of
St Augustine's Missionary College. He parcelled out the parish of
St Matthias, Stoke Newington, and was the chief agent in the building of its church, completed in 1853 to the designs of
William Butterfield. Brett thought that the Dissenting chapels such as
Newington Green Unitarian Church were attracting worshippers in part because the Anglican pews were full. He was subsequently involved in the erection of two churches at
Haggerston and St Faith's, Stoke Newington. He did other practical good work in founding the Guild of St Luke, which consists of a band of medical men who co-operate with the clergy. He was an active member of the first church union that was started, and was at the time of his death a vice-president of the
English Church Union. He wrote sixteen devotional books, including
Devotions for the Sick Room Companion for the Sick Room, and
Thoughts during Sickness. He was buried on 7 February 1874 at
Tottenham Cemetery. A large number of clergymen, noblemen, physicians, and barristers attended his funeral. ==References==