John Wesley Work collected a version of the song called "Ol' Elder Brown's" which was published in "American Negro Songs And Spirituals" (Bonanza, 1940 p.241):

Ol' Elder Brown's in town
Ol' Elder Brown's in town
Ol' Elder Brown's in town
A-with his long coat on

Ol' Elder Brown tol' Griffin
"Don't you think I'll win?"
Goin' back to Shreveport Town
Goin' build my church ag'in

Ol' Elder Brown started his church
An' de storm blowed it down
den Elder sang this song
"I'm all out an' down"

He's on de road somewhere
He's on de road somewhere
A long tall brownskin man
He's on de road somewhere

Does anyone know when he collected this? Any other versions of "Elder Brown"?

Richie