John Brown (July 12, 1784 – October 13, 1858) was a Scottish minister and theologian, known for his exegesis as a preacher.
Life
The grandson of
John Brown of Haddington
John Brown of Haddington (1722 – 19 June 1787), was a Scottish minister and author. He was born at Carpow, in Perthshire. He was almost entirely self-educated, having acquired a knowledge of ancient languages while employed as a shepherd ...
, he was born at
Whitburn,
Linlithgowshire. He studied at
Glasgow university, and afterwards at the divinity hall of the Burgher branch of the
Secession church
The First Secession was an exodus of ministers and members from the Church of Scotland in 1733. Those who took part formed the Associate Presbytery and later the United Secession Church. They were often referred to as seceders.
The underlying ...
at
Selkirk, under
George Lawson. In 1806 he was ordained minister of the Burgher congregation at
Biggar,
Lanarkshire, where he laboured for sixteen years. While there he had a controversy with
Robert Owen
Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. He strove to improve factory working conditions, promoted e ...
the socialist.
Transferred in 1822 to the charge of Rose Street church,
Edinburgh, he at once took a high rank as a preacher. In 1829 he succeeded James Hall at Broughton Place church, Edinburgh. In. 1835 he was appointed one of the professors in the theological hall of the Secession church. The first in Scotland to use in the pulpit the
exegetical
Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...
method of exposition of Scripture, and as a professor he illustrated the method and extended its use. To him chiefly is due the abandonment of the principle of interpretation according to the analogy of faith, which practically subordinated the
Bible to the creed. He had a considerable share in the
Apocrypha controversy; and he was throughout life a vigorous and consistent upholder of anti-state-church or voluntary views. He supported the separation of church and state.
In Edinburgh an impost called the annuity tax was levied for the support of the city's Church of Scotland ministers. This Brown finally refused to pay, whereupon in 1838 his goods were twice seized and sold. His two sermons on ''The Law of Christ'' respecting civil obedience, especially in the payment of tribute, called forth by this grievance and the controversy it engendered, were later published with extensive additions and notes. The part he took in the discussion on the Atonement, which agitated all the Scottish churches, led to a formal charge of heresy against him by those who held the doctrine of a
limited atonement. In 1845, after a protracted trial, he was acquitted by the
synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...
.
From that time he enjoyed the thorough confidence of his denomination (after 1847 merged in the
United Presbyterian Church of Scotland), of which in his later years he was generally regarded as the leading representative.
In later life he lived in Arthur Lodge, an impressive Georgian villa in the
Newington district.
Family
He was married to Jane Nimmo (d.1816). Their children included
Dr John Brown.
[Grave of John Brown, New Calton, Edinburgh]
Works
His major works were:
*''Expository Discourses on First Peter'' (1848)
*''Exposition of the Discourses and Sayings of our Lord'' (1850)
*''Exposition of our Lord's Intercessory Prayer'' (1850)
*
The Resurrection of Life' (1851)
*''Expository Discourses on Galatians'' (1853)
*''Analytical Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans'' (1857).
*''An Exposition of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews'' (1862)
Further reading
*John Cairns (1860), ''Memoir of John Brown, D.D.''.
History of the congregations of the United Presbyterian Church, from 1733 to 1900, page 438page 456
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, John
1784 births
1858 deaths
Scottish tax resisters
Brown, John 1784-1853
People from Whitburn, West Lothian
Ministers of Secession Churches in Scotland
Ministers of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland)