James Brown (Scottish clergyman) facts for kids

James Brown (born around 1734 – died 1791) was a religious leader in the Scottish Episcopal Church. He is remembered for being one of the few people who refused to stop supporting the House of Stuart (a royal family) even when his church told him to. This happened in 1788, when most others changed their loyalty.

James Brown: A Scottish Clergyman

Early Life and Family

James Brown was born around 1734. His father was a supporter of the Stuart family, known as a Jacobite. His father died in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. James kept these same strong beliefs throughout his life.

He married Helen Taylor. Helen was the daughter of an Episcopalian minister. They had a son named Robert. Robert later became a very famous botanist. He even discovered something called Brownian motion, which is named after him!

Standing Up for Beliefs

In 1788, James Brown was a minister in Montrose. This was the year that Charles Edward Stuart (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie) died. The Scottish Episcopal Church had always supported the House of Stuart. However, they found it impossible to support Charles's brother, Henry Benedict Stuart. This was because Henry was a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church.

So, the bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church met. They decided to recognize George III as their king instead. May 25, 1788, was chosen as the day when prayers for King George III would begin in church services. Almost all ministers followed this new rule. But two ministers did not: James Brown and Charles Rose. Charles Rose was a bishop for Dunblane and Dunkeld.

Becoming a Bishop

Around 1790, Brown moved to Edinburgh. There, he became the pastor for the few remaining Jacobite supporters who still disagreed with the church's new loyalty. He met with the very old and confused Bishop Rose. Bishop Rose then made Brown a bishop.

Later, when asked about it, Bishop Rose said he didn't remember doing this. He even suggested his sister might have done it! Bishop Rose did not have the power to make Brown a bishop by himself. Church rules (called canon law) said that at least three bishops were needed to do this.

The other Episcopal Bishops were very angry about Brown becoming a bishop. They said it was not valid. Some people thought Brown took advantage of Bishop Rose's confusion. But it's also possible that Rose knew exactly what he was doing. As a strong Jacobite, he might have wanted to make sure the Jacobite followers still had a minister. Bishop Rose died the next year. This made James Brown the last minister serving the Jacobite supporters.

Continuing the Work

In 1789, Brown made Donald Macintosh a deacon, and later a priest. Macintosh continued the ministry for several years. He lived until 1808.