John Henry Barrows (1847-1902) was born in Medina, Michigan, and died in Oberlin, Ohio. He earned a B.A. from Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan, in 1867 and received his theological training from Yale Divinity School and Union Theological Seminary from 1867 to 1869. Barrows did missionary and educational work in Kansas and preached for a year in the First Congregational Church of Springfield, Illinois. In 1875, he graduated from Andover Theological Seminary and became ordained to the Congregational ministry. That year, he married Sarah E. Barrows (b. Mole). In 1881, he became the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Chicago, Illinois, and remained so until 1896. He was a favorite speaker before gatherings at Chautauqua, New York, and served on the advisory council of the Chautauquan system. Barrows was elected president of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, in 1899, where he also lectured on comparative religion and Christian ethics. Barrows is best known for his role as Chairman of the 1893 General Committee on the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He authored several books, most notably two volumes of The World's Parliament of Religions: An Illustrated and Popular Story of the World's First Parliament of Religions, Held in Chicago in Connection with the Columbian Exposition of 1893 (1893). The book contains a Christian Science section, including a paper prepared by Mary Baker Eddy.

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