John Brown

Commentary

The Life of John Brown is the story of an orphaned shepherd boy who rose to become the revered minister of Haddington in south-east Scotland and the theological professor of his denomination. Though his life’s labours were inextricably linked with one town, the influence of John Brown of Haddington spread worldwide through his writings, especially his Self-Interpreting Bible. This book contains his own account of his life. To this, his youngest son, Dr. William Brown, has added family recollections, letters and some of his father’s choicest short writings.

As he drew near the end of his life, John Brown exclaimed, ‘Oh! What must Christ be in Himself, when He sweetens heaven, sweetens Scriptures, sweetens ordinances, sweetens earth, and sweetens even trials! Oh! What must Christ be in Himself!’ Modern readers will taste some of the same Christ-derived sweetness as they meditate on The Life of John Brown with Select Writings.