Brown, Rev. Hugh Stowell, pastor of the Myrtle Street Baptist church, Liverpool, England, is the son of a clergyman of the Church of England, and was born at Douglas, in the Isle of Man, on Aug. 10, 1823.

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Brown, Rev. Hugh Stowell, pastor of the Myrtle Street Baptist church, Liverpool, England, is the son of a clergyman of the Church of England, and was born at Douglas, in the Isle of Man, on Aug. 10, 1823. When about seventeen years old he was placed in the engine-works of the Northwestern Railway at Wolverton, and remained there some three years, becoming during that time practically acquainted with the manufacture and driving of lo- comotives. In his working hours, as well as in his leisure, he diligently carried on his studies of lan- guages, mathematics, and philosophy. Returning home when about twenty years of age, he entered King William College as a student, with a view to the ministry of the Established Church, and attracted favorable notice by his ardor and diligence. At this time the principles involved in the church and state controversy deeply exercised his mind, and in his perplexity he hesitated to seek ordina- tion. His home training had made him familiar with religious truth, but a succession of severe family bereavements, including the death of his excellent father, had a powerful and chastening influence upon his mind. Ultimately he deter- mined to join the Baptist denomination, and he was baptized at Stoney Stratford, near Wolverton, by the Rev. E. L. Forster, the pastor of the Baptist church there, with whom he had previously be- come intimately acquainted. Very soon after his baptism he accepted an engagement in town mis- sion work at Liverpool, and whilst in this’ service he’ attracted the attention of the Myrtle Street church, whose venerable pastor, the Rev. James Lister, needed an assistant. About the close of 1847 he received an invitation to the pastorate of the church, being then in his twenty-fifth year. His predecessor was’a man of much ability and strength of ‘character, and had ministered to the church upwards of forty years. It was, therefore, no easy task to fill his: place, but from the first Mr.: Brown’s ministry was successful. In 1847 the Myrtle Street church reported 317 members and 554 Sunday-school scholars. In 1877 the member- ship was 900, the Sunday-school scholars 1850, and there were seven mission stations connected with the church. Mr. Brown’s Sunday afternoon lectures to workingmen, in a public hall, won for him the ears and hearts of thousands. In this field he has the honor of leading the way. Stirred by his signal success, many other ministers in different parts of the country, especially in the large cities, gave themselves to the work, and the work has gone on ever since with gratifying results. These lectures are widely known, large editions of them having been printed in England and America. For plain, downright speech on prevalent social evils and common sins Mr. Brown can hardly be surpassed. On the lecture platform, as well as in the pulpit, he is equally popular, and in both spheres of effort he has rendered most valuable public services. In Liverpool, where he has ministered for more than thirty years, he occupies a leading position among public men. By the Baptists of the United King- dom he is regarded with affectionate esteem as a tower of strength. He was elected to the chair of the Baptist Union in 1878 by unanimous consent, and has frequently been called to prominent ser- vice in the interests of the body. As a preacher he excels in exposition, and his utterances have a singular.freshness and point, with an unconven- tionality of phraseology which is very striking. The Myrtle Street church under his leadership has done much for the promotion of denominational principles in Liverpool and the neighborhood, be- sides raising large sums of money annually for foreign missions and other evangelistic enterprises. Mr. Brown visited the United States and Canada in 1872, and was cordially welcomed everywhere. He has taken a lively interest in the recent move- ments looking towards a unification of the churches in denominational work. His preaching is richly evangelical, and has been attended with marked spiritual power. From the Baptist Encyclopedia by William Cathcart photo from findagrave