'Through Many Trials'. David Brown. - I.

Most Reformed Christians are probably familiar with David Brown's writings, and many do not know that they are! He is the Brown of Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, whose Bible commentary, in its full or abridged form, is widely used. But how many know about the man? We think that David Brown, A Scottish minister whose life stretched from 1803 to 1897, is a most important person. Not only did he witness key events in Scottish Church history, he played a part in them. He worked with Thomas Chalmers and Edward Irving, and took an active part in controversies over the higher Criticism and the rise of the Dispensational movement.

We must confess that we were moved to write about Principal Brown (as he became) after we recieved our copy of Dr. John MacArthur's new book 'Because the Time is Near' through the front door. We have a high respect for Dr. MacArthur and his stand against modernism in all its disguises. We found his books on the Lordship controversy to be full of good matter and sense. We found his book 'The Truth War' to be enlightening and helpful. But we are not Dispensationalist. We cannot accept that artificial system, or any other, and find Dr. MacArthur's arguments for a pre-tribulational rapture weak in the extreme. Arguments from silence always are. But that is by-the-by. We put MacArthur's book in its place to wait its turn to be read. As we did so, we noted a portly little book in faded brown paper covers called 'Christ's Second Coming: Will it be Premillenial?' by David Brown. So we were moved to begin this series. After considering a number of titles we eventually settled on 'Through Many Trials', as it seemed to sum up David Brown's life. From a struggle with unbelief in his college years, through his experiences with Edward Irving, the Disruption, personal trials and the influence of the Higher Criticism in the Free Church of Scotland, David Brown was a tried believer. We trust this history of his trials will be of help to others.

God wiling, next time we shall open with Brown's interesting ancestry. While he was such a man as ornaments a family tree, and while there are men like John Brown of Haddington (no relation) who are the first noted people in their families, others find themselves the inhertors of a great legacy. We shall see what Daid Brown's position was.