John Howie of Lochgoin

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JOHN HOWIE OF LOCHGOIN 23
Glasgow : Printed for Peter M'Arthur, Bookseller, Paisley.
M.DCC.XCIII."
In the preface (which is dated "Lochgoin, August
1792"), Howie says:
"This amongst others of his [i. e. Brown's] last remains
in manuscript has undergone a very remarkable providence
as to its particular discovery fpn the very eve of inevitable
wreck, which affords a powerful motive for its preservation
by publication. And if any doubt of the authenticity there-
of, in whole or in any article, they may be satisfied in a view
of the author's own hand-writ (as is more than supposable), a/
from which it was transcribed, not without some toil and
trouble."
The MS. which Howie copied for the press was, he
apparently believed, in Brown's own hand-writing. The
volume is i2mo. and extends to 211 pp. besides the preface
and the list of subscriber's names.
In 1809, John Calderwood, Clanfin, edited two of Howie's
papers, to which he gave the title :
"Humble Pleadings; or a Representation of Grievances
for the consideration of the Reformed Presbytery, wherein
their defections, declinings and corruptions, both in princi-
ple and practice, is held forth. . . . Likewise a letter to
a friend, containing I. Punitive Justice. II. The Mediator's
Power. III. A few Remarks or Observations, in answer to
some of the groundless reflections cast upon faithful con-
tenders by lukewarm professors. By John Howie in Loch-
goin. ..."
This pamphlet was printed in Kilmarnock by H. & S.
Crawford. Three years before this (viz., in 1806), Calder-
wood had published:
"A Collection of the Dying Testimonies of some holy and
pious Christians, who lived in Scotland before and since the
Revolution."
It does not appear whether he used John Howie's tran-
scripts for this "Collection"; but it is quite certain that
Howie had made copies of at least some of these testi-
10 Faithful Contendings, p. 488, and Memoirs, p. 20.
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