John Brown (Covenanter)
Encyclopedia
John Brown also known as the Christian Carrier, was a Protestant Covenanter
from Priesthill, a few miles from Muirkirk
in Ayrshire
, Scotland
. He became a Presbyterian martyr in 1685.
Brown's cottage home was the meeting place for a society of Covenanters. Several families came across the broad moor on Sabbath morning, and remained till evening. Sometimes they traveled both ways at night, for fear of the Dragoons. The day was spent in prayer, reading the Bible
, singing Psalms
, and conversing on doctrines of redemption. This society continued to meet until Brown and other members were killed by the authorities
.
In 1685, Brown was executed by Graham of Claverhouse
outside his home in the presence of his wife, Isabel, and two children. Brown had refused to swear that he would not take up arms against the king (as he had done before), and to take the Oath of Abjuration: "I do hereby abhor, renounce and disown in the presence of Almighty God, the pretended Declaration of War lately affixed at several parish churches, in so far as it declares war against his sacred Majesty, and asserts that it is lawfull to kill such as serve his Majesty in Church, State, Army or Country, or such as act against the authors of the pretended Declaration now shown to me."
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
from Priesthill, a few miles from Muirkirk
Muirkirk
Muirkirk is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the River Ayr, between Cumnock and Glenbuck on the A70...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He became a Presbyterian martyr in 1685.
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, singing Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, and conversing on doctrines of redemption. This society continued to meet until Brown and other members were killed by the authorities
The Killing Time
thumb|240px|[[Margaret Wilson |Margaret Wilson]], one of the 'Wigtown Martyrs', executed by drowning in the incoming tide of the Solway Firth ....
.
In 1685, Brown was executed by Graham of Claverhouse
John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee
John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee , known as the 7th Laird of Claverhouse until raised to the viscounty in 1688, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian...
outside his home in the presence of his wife, Isabel, and two children. Brown had refused to swear that he would not take up arms against the king (as he had done before), and to take the Oath of Abjuration: "I do hereby abhor, renounce and disown in the presence of Almighty God, the pretended Declaration of War lately affixed at several parish churches, in so far as it declares war against his sacred Majesty, and asserts that it is lawfull to kill such as serve his Majesty in Church, State, Army or Country, or such as act against the authors of the pretended Declaration now shown to me."