Biography

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Brownlie attended the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1884, and in 1885 became Assistant Minister of Trinity Free Church in Portpatrick, Wigtonshire; he succeeded the the senior pastor there upon the latter's death in 1890. He joined the local School Board in 1888, and became a governor of Stranraer High School in 1897, and Chairman of the governors in 1901. Glasgow University awarded him an honorary DD degree in 1908 for his work in hymnology. His works include:

• Hymns and Hymn Writers of the Church Hymnary, 1899
• Hymns of Our Pilgrimage, 1889
• Zionward, Hymns of the Pilgrim Life, 1890
• Pilgrim Songs, 1892
• Hymns of the Early Church, Being Translations from the Poetry of the Latin Church, 1896
• Hymns of East and West, Being Translations from the Poetry of the Latin and Greek Churches, 1898
• A commentary on the 1898 Church Hymnary (hymnal of the Presbyterian Church of the United Kingdom)
• Hymns of the Greek Church, Translated with Introduction and Notes, 1900
• Hymns of the Holy Eastern Church, Translated from the Service Books, 1902
• Hymns from the Greek Office Books, Together with Centos and Suggestions, 1904
• Hymns from the East, Being Centos and Suggestions from the Office Books of the Holy Eastern Church, 1906
• The Hymns and Hymn Writers of the Church Hymnary (London: Henry Frowde, 1911)