John Blackadder (or Blackader) (1615–1685) was an eminent Presbyterian Covenanter preacher in Scotland during the period of the Commonwealth of England (1649–1660).

He ordered all who could read to procure copies of the Scriptures, and those who were too poor to comply were provided with money to buy Bibles, catechisms, and similar books.

[7] Blackadder was expelled from his parish in 1662 after the restoration of Charles II because he refused to comply with the Episcopacy, which the government had imposed in Scotland.

[8] Blackadder, in his sermons on several Sundays, energetically exposed its unlawfulness, and, to use his own phrase, "entered his dissent in heaven" against it.

In consequence of this, and the refusal of the presbytery of Dumfries to celebrate, by order of parliament, the anniversary of the Restoration, a troop of fifty horse were sent from Edinburgh to his home parish.

He was prepared for a visit from the military; in fact, he ordered the gallery to be kept open for "the gentlemen of the guard," who made their appearance according to his expectation.

The authorities at this stage were evidently not prepared to go to extreme lengths, for on the Friday the ministers were asked if they would agree to preach annually on 29 May.

With every member but one "flustered with drink," the Council proceeded to enact that all ministers who had not received Episcopal reordination were commanded to remove, along with their families, by 1 November, beyond the bounds of the Presbytery, otherwise they would be expelled by the military.

[14] He lived for a time at Caitloch, Ingleston, and Bardennoch, all in Glencairn, and at other places, and up to 1678 preached repeatedly at conventicles in the fields and in private houses.

[5] Finding that his whereabouts in Glencairn were too well known, and being harassed by Turner's troopers, he decided to leave the South-west and settle for the time being in Edinburgh, of all places.

[16] The meeting at Beath Hill on 18 June 1670 was one of the first where the attendees brought arms to protect themselves against the military, who had been ordered to enforce a court ban on conventicles.

Blackadder said that instances of the power and irresistible grace of God such as this rejoiced his heart, and did him more good than twenty years’ stipend.

After placing his son at Leyden, and: visiting the Hague, Amsterdam, and some other cities, he returned to Rotterdam, where he remained for fifteen weeks preaching every Sabbath.

Towards the end of September, he returned in a vessel belonging to Prestonpans, and arrived in Edinburgh on the same day that Mr John Dickson was sent to the Bass.

During his stay at Rotterdam, Blackadder appears to have been very useful in allaying the animosities which prevailed among his banished countrymen resident in that city, among whom he found that the same divisions had taken place in consequence of the indulgence, as existed in Scotland.

[16] Howie says his last public work, at a muir-side in the parish of Livingstone on 28 March 1681, he spoke on the text "That the nearer our delivery, our pains and showers would come thicker and sorer upon us" (Micah 4:9).

[5] His health being much impaired by the dampness and closeness of his place of confinement, his friends applied to government for his liberation; but unwilling to grant him his release, it was at first proposed to remove him to the jail either of Haddington or Dunbar.

The Marine Hotel guide relates: "Soon after the Disruption of 1843, Mr James Crawford, W.S., at that time of the Rhodes, near North Berwick, conceived the idea of building a Free Church in North Berwick, in commemoration of the Martyrs of the Bass, because, as he believed, the principles for which the Martyrs suffered were the same as those for which the Free Church had seceded.

[31] The inscription on his tombstone in North Berwick reads: "Here lies the body of Mr John Blackadder, minister of the gospel at Troqueer, in Galloway, who died on the Bass, after five years' imprisonment.

He Enoch-like enjoyed, and walk'd with God ; Till, by long living on this heavenly food, His soul by love grew up too great, too good To be confined to jail, or flesh and blood.

Death broke his fetters off, then swift he fled From sin and sorrow, and by angels led, Enter'd the mansions of eternal joy ; Blest soul, thy warfare's done, praise, love, enjoy.

A countryman with a blue bonnet, who had been a notorious sinner, was converted; and Blackader was wont to say that such instances of the power and irresistible grace of God rejoiced his heart, and did him more good than twenty years' stipend.