Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Brown, John (1778-1848)
BROWN, JOHN, D.D. (1778–1848), of Langton, theological writer, was born at Glasgow, licensed by the presbytery of Glasgow 8 June 1803, ordained minister of Gartmore 1805, translated to Langton, Berwickshire, 1810, and joined the Free church 1843. He received the degree of D.D. from the university of Glasgow in November 1815. He died 25 June 1848. He was one of the early friends and promoters of evangelical views in the church of Scotland, and a contributor to the 'Christian Instructor,' under Dr. Andrew Thomson, besides works of a slighter kind, he was author of two books which attained considerable fame, viz. 'Vindication of Presbyterian Church Government, in reply to the Independents,' Edinburgh, 1805, usually considered the standard treatise on its subject; and 'The Exclusive Claims of Puseyite Episcopalians to the Christian Ministry indefensible,' Edinburgh 1842.
[Hew Scott's Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanæ, part ii. pp. 419-20, part iv. p. 739; Catalogue of the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh; Letter to the writer from Dr. Brown's son—Rev. Thomas Brown, Edinburgh.]