BROWN'SON, ORESTES AUGUSTUS ( 1803-76) . An American theologian and author. lie was born in Stockbridge. Vt., and was brought up as a Presbyterian, but became a Universalist preacher, and was a vigorous and indefatigable in support of whatever belief he for the time adopted. In 1825 lie went into politics, and tried to establish a Workingmen's Party in New York, moved thereto by the ideas of Robert Owen. In 1832 he was enthusiastie over Dr. Channing, and became a Unitarian preacher. In 1836 he organised in Boston "The Society of Christian Progress" as a church, of which be was pastor. At this period, also, Ilrownson was one of the New England Transcendentalists, and published New Views of Christianity, Society. and the Church, which was a. moderate attack on Protestantism. In 1838 he started the Bos ton Quartf rly Reric•, which had existence for about five years, and was then merged in the New York Democratic Review, and from 1844 was known as Brownson's Quarterly Review.
This was written throughout almost entirely by I3rownson himself. in 1840 he published Charles Elwood: or, The Infidel Converted, a treatise, in the form of a story, in favor of the Roman Catholic Church, toward which the au thor was drifting, and which he joined in 1844. A deeply spiritual man• he gained a reputation as a philosopher and a powerful Catholic apolo gist, in spite of his frequent conflicts with the Church authorities. llis most important writ ings, in addition to those mentioned above. are: The convert: or Leaves from Experience (1857) : The American Republie: Its Constitu tion, Tendencies, and Destiny ( 1870 ) . llis Works have been republished by his son, IL F. P,rownson. in 20 volumes (1882-87). The latter has also published a Life, in 3 vols. (1898-1900).