What should be our penultimate foreword is from a collection of about 14 articles by Duncan M Blair under the heading The beginning of wisdom. The book or booklet first appeared in 1945, the year after Blair's death.
FOREWORD
BY D. MARTYN LLOYD-JONES, M.D., M.H.C.P.
It is with a high sense of privilege that I write a brief foreword to this collection of addresses delivered by my friend, the late Professor Duncan M. Blair.
When the unexpected and tragic news of his death reached me, I, together with all others who intimately had known him and his work, felt that something should be done to provide a permanent memorial to him and of him. And what better memorial could there be than this book which records his own words and the quintessence of his teaching?
There are some men who can be easily divorced from their addresses. Indeed, it can be said of them that they are in no way essential, as such, to their addresses. Their view of truth and their presentation of truth are so objective that in a sense their speeches could have been delivered by anyone. But there are others and of these the greatest and most illustrious example is the Apostle Paul who, though never anxious to obtrude themselves into their message, nevertheless are an integral part of the message. Their words, even when read, are never lifeless. As we read their words we see the speaker, we hear the voice, we see the familiar gestures and we are dominated by the sway of the powerful personality.
The late Professor Blair belongs to that group. In this book we not only read his words, but we are face to face once more with the man himself. For he was essentially a speaker and a teacher, and whatever he did, he did it "with all his might." All who ever had the privilege of listening to him will hear and see him again as they read these pages. It is indeed the ideal memorial to such a man.
That alone justifies a book like this. But there is another reason for its publication and one which would commend itself (and probably the only one which would commend itself) to Professor Blair himself. It is to propagate the truth which he believed, and by winch he lived ; and to perpetuate the work to which he gave himself so generously and untiringly.
The word "work" is not used in any mere conventional sense. I do not know of any man who has crowded more into a comparatively short life. It was a constant source of amazement to all his friends to know how he found the time for all his activities. His post as Regius Professor of Anatomy at Glasgow was a heavy task in itself, and especially to a man who was so conscientious and painstaking, and who so hated anything slip-shod or unworthy. But in addition to this, his activities in a purely religious sense were such as, I fear, to shame many of us who are whole-time ministers of the Gospel. It would be no exaggeration to say that he was the most outstanding religious layman in Glasgow. He was an active member of, and elder of, his local Church; Chairman of numerous Committees; and in constant demand as preacher and lecturer. He also had proved himself on countless occasions to be the perfect chairman of either a small devotional meeting or else a mass assembly of God's people in the largest halls in the city.
Nevertheless, it is true to say that his greatest work was done amongst students. I do not mean by that his work as professor of Anatomy, or the inevitable effect which his great personality had on all who studied under him. I refer specifically to his association with, and work for the Inter-Varsity Fellowship of Evangelical Unions. That association began in 1928 and continued until he was taken to his eternal reward. This was the sphere and the activity which appealed to him most of all, and increasingly he became the dominant personality in the work. He was made President of the Fellowship three times. But, unlike many whose association with the work ends when their year of office expires, his interest never flagged or failed. Regularly year by year he attended the annual Conference whether invited to speak or not and did all he could to help individual students by wise counsel and advice and generally to make the conference a success. At the time of his death, the tribute paid to him by the I.V.F. was that "He was a great Christian, a wise counsellor and a loyal friend." His wisdom and his knowledge, his tact and his sympathy and understanding made him an ideal chairman of committees. Above all, they singled him out as the obvious and heaven-sent leader in the international side of the work.
To all these activities he gave himself without stinting, happily and gladly;and he revelled in every moment of it. Being a Christian was no sinecure so far as he was concerned.
It may not be inappropriate at this time to attempt to assess the results of this great work and to discover the nature of his particular contribution to the common cause. What was the outstanding feature of his witness and the aspect of the truth concerning the Christian life which he emphasised and illuminated ? The answers to these questions are to be found in this book. I would direct attention particularly to the following matters which Professor Blair himself was always so anxious to emphasise.
The first is that the Christian can glorify God by his success and achievements in his work and profession, and that it is his duty to do so. Believing as he did in the doctrine of "common grace" this was inevitable. All powers and abilities are given by God and all knowledge is ultimately God's truth. An irrational dichotomy between sacred and secular is therefore something to be avoided. and Christian students must never place over against each other in competition their duties as Christians and their studies. Nor must they regard the latter as being unworthy of their wholehearted attention. It is the Christian's duty to do everything with all his might to the glory of God.
The next thing that stands out is that here was a man who gave the lie direct to the foolish assertion, made so often, that no true scientist can be a Christian. Here was an Anatomist, of all things, an expert in a subject that can so often be dry and mechanical, moreover an Anatomist profoundly interested in the subjects of Morphology, Comparative Anatomy and Genetics, and yet one who was not merely Christian in a formal general sense, but actively and militantly. The studies which are supposed to account for the scepticism and unbelief of so many simply went to confirm and increase his faith. He thereby demonstrated (what the Bible teaches everywhere) that unbelief has its origin in the heart and not in the mind. The words of John iii. 19 are still true - "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
In other words his emphasis was always upon the wholeness of salvation. Salvation is not something that merely gives one a wonderful experience; it takes up and affects the whole man - emotions, will and intellect. Professor Blair was always anxious to stress the importance of the latter, and to show that nothing is really sane and reasonable save the Christian view and way of life. The result was that the note of Apologetics was always prominent in his addresses. This was not the basis of his faith, as it never should be, but it enabled him "to give a reason for the hope that was in him." Moreover, it accounted for his healthy dislike and indeed distrust of a weak and sentimental pietism that in a spirit of fear distrusts intellect and regards "the Queen of the Sciences" as being almost of the devil. This in turn led him to shew constantly the importance of a sound knowledge of the Bible and of theology as a background to one's witness. His upbringing in the Free Church of Scotland had not been in vain, and he was never tired of paying tribute to those who had led him as a boy and young man into the treasures and mysteries of the faith. I do not know that he ever said so, but he always gave the impression that the Shorter Catechism played a similar part in his Christian life to that of the spinal column in one's physical existence. It gave "backbone" and stability, it guaranteed order and system and arrangement, and above all it reminded one constantly "that we are His workmanship" and that our calling and election are sure and unshakeable.
That indeed was the secret of his life. He had accepted the revelation of God given in the scriptures. That led to a personal experience of Christ as His Saviour and then to an ever-increasing comprehension of the great plan of salvation. And everything he learned and discovered in his scientific work seemed to fit in with that plan and to reveal it still further. Such was the teaching of this beloved professor. As a man he was big in every sense - physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual. He was a true nobleman and a born gentleman. To those who think of men in terms of animals he can be likened to a great St Bernard dog. He was big and strong and yet gentle. He could be firm and severe when occasion demanded, but no man was ever more sympathetic or kindly in disposition. His zest and energy and keenness were unbounded, and all his friends agree in testifying that they never knew a happier man. Indeed, the word "gaiety" is the mot juste, in thinking of him. He radiated good cheer and friendliness and fellowship. His smile was a benediction. But nothing was so impressive as his humility and the reality and simplicity of his devotional life.
As so often happens when one tries to describe one of God's saints, one turns for the final word to the Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan has given a perfect portrait of Duncan Blair in Mr. Great-Heart. Countless students face to face with the dangers and errors and subtleties of life and with difficulties during their training and studies, have re-echoed the words of Mathew, the son of Christiana, who, turning to his mother and Mercy (when they were afraid of the dangers of their journey along the King's highway) said "Mother, fear nothing, as long as Mr. Great Heart is to go with us and to be our conductor." "This was a MAN ! "
D. M. Lloyd-Jones
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