| Type: | minister |
| Charles John Brown | |
| Birth Date: | 21 August 1806 |
| Death Date: | 3 July 1884 |
Charles John Brown (1806 - 1884) was a Scottish minister, who served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Free Church of Scotland from 1872 to 1873.
He was born in Aberdeen on 21 August 1806, the youngest of five sons of Alexander Brown, a bookseller and twice Lord Provost of Aberdeen, himself son of Rev William Brown of Craigdam.[1] His mother was Catharine Chalmers. His older brothers included David Brown.
He studied at Marischal College and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Aberdeen in December 1830.
He was ordained at Anderston Church in Glasgow in 1831. He then lived at 272 St Vincent Street in Glasgow city centre.[2] In 1837 he translated to the New (West), "New North" Church in Edinburgh, his position at Anderston being filled by Rev Alexander Neill Somerville.[3]
In the Disruption of 1843 he left the established Church of Scotland to join the Free Church of Scotland. He then became minister of the New North Free church in Edinburgh, originally housed in Brighton Stret Chapel then moving to a purpose built church at the junction of Forrest Road and Bristo Place. He then lived in a flat at 15 Buccleuch Place, near George Square, Edinburgh.[4] The church was completed in 1849 and he remained there all his life. It was designed by Thomas Hamilton.[5] It is now known as the Bedlam Theatre.[6]
Princeton University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1863.
In 1872 he succeeded Rev Robert Elder as Moderator of the General Assembly.
He died on 3 July 1884.
He was photographed by Hill & Adamson in 1843.[7]
He married 28 January 1834, Jane Bannatyne Wright, who died 12 November 1895, and had issue—