I heard yesterday morning that Hugh Cartwright, my beloved former Professor of Church History, and Pastor of the Edinburgh Free Presbyterian congregation, was probably entering his final days after a short battle with cancer. I typed up a quick letter of appreciation and thanks and asked if it might be read to him in hospital. I understand that it was read to him along with others shortly before he passed from time into eternity last night.
I want to place the letter here on my blog as a public tribute to one of the godliest men I’ve ever known. He was very much in the Christ-like mold of another Scottish Highlander, Professor John Murray of Princeton and Westminster Seminary.
Some of the letter refers to some of the painful troubles that the Free Church of Scotland passed through from 1980 to 2000. Those who are not aware of what happened then will probably puzzle over some of the references. However, I hope that enough of this godly man comes over without knowing all the details. Having handed that whole matter over to the Lord in 2004, and having avoided public comment on it since then, I have no intention of entering into debate about it again.
Dear Mr Cartwright,
Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I was so sorry to hear of your illness, and I was even sadder when I heard that this sickness is probably “unto death.”
It’s now 16 years since I sat in your classroom, and probably about 6-7 years since I last met with you face-to-face. Much has happened in our lives over these 16 years.
Through the Free Church troubles, though we were on the same side of that painful dispute, we ended up in separate denominations. We are now on separate continents. And for the past few years you have been painfully separated by death from your lovely wife, Mina. Many, many separations.
And now it would appear that the Lord is about to separate you from your church and your friends in this world. However, that’s when all the sad separating ends for you. You will be increasingly united with the Lord and your brothers and sisters from every age and place in the Heavenly Zion. You will be reunited with your beloved Mina, and we won’t be far behind you. Union and unity forever! What a contrast to this present evil world.
I do hope this reaches you before you are loosed from the bands of this world, because I so dearly want to tell you what an impact your life and ministry has had upon me. You probably don’t have any idea how much your godly character and conduct have blessed my life. You were never a soaring orator. You were never a wily power broker. You were never an attention seeker. You were never a man pleaser. BUT you were a man of unimpeachable integrity. That’s what made the way you were falsely accused and abominably treated so doubly painful for you and your friends.
We were so heart-broken when you left the Free Church of Scotland. However, we were so glad for the Free Presbyterian Church. And from all I have heard, you enjoyed over a decade of much-appreciated ministry in the Edinburgh congregation and beyond. You don’t know how happy I was to regularly hear how much you were loved and respected there. After all the terrible ecclesiastical fighting, you were blessed with a peaceful last decade of ministry.
It does pain me that you are leaving this world without public vindication in the fullest sense. So much evil has gone unpunished. So much injustice has gone unchecked, both in church and State. However, you know and I know that the vast majority of people know where the truth lies. And, above all, God knows. And soon the whole of heaven will know. And probably sooner than anyone thinks, the whole universe will know. God will yet bring your judgment forth like the noonday sun (Ps. 37:6).
I will always remember you, my dear Mr Cartwright. I love you as a dear Father in the Lord. I will remember our precious times of fellowship in your College office. I will remember your godly reverence in worship. I will remember your gentle patience in the face of so much provocation. I will remember your plain and simple preaching of the Evangel – never ever drawing attention to yourself. I will remember the little glimpses you used to give us of an impish sense of humor. I will remember your warmth in a place of chilly coldness. I will remember your beautiful marriage to Mina. I will remember the compelling power of your conscience. I will remember your passion for the abused and the oppressed. (I remember trying to counsel one of the young women who brought one of the serious accusations before one of the Church’s committees. She was painfully distressed by the hostility of most of the questioners. Then she paused and asked me, “But who was the man with the kind eyes?” She was speaking of you).
I will always remember you.
My heart fills with love and my eyes well up with tears as I bid you a last farewell from this sin-sick world.
I will never forget you.
See you “in the morning.”
David Murray.
Thank you for sharing this news, David. Hugh Cartwright was the first minister of the gospel that I sat under in the early 1970′s when he was at Ferintosh. I will never forget him. The church militant has lost a godly man.
Thank you, David. It’s men like this, men who live and minister w/o limelight and fanfare who will be the greatest in the kingdom. May we all be more like him who was like Him.
David, What an amazing testimony…and an encouragement to live life in light of eternity. Thank you for the reminder. Bob
Thanks for this Dr Murray. In struggling to describe Hugh Cartwright to an elderly lady out here, (before reading this blog) I too said, “He was like a John Murray.”
In speaking of himself he would often pray that the “earthen-ness” of the vessel would not come between the people and the treasure. I, and the people in Edinburgh, will testify to years of faithful holding forth of the treasure, and find consolation in that our beloved minister has now received the commendation: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Rev. Jerrold Lewis and I visited this humble servant of the Lord last May when we attended the General Assembly meetings of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) as delegates of the FRCNA. We visited him one afternoon and truly experienced the communion of saints. After attending the prayer service at the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in Edinburgh which he led, he invited us again, along with two elders, one from The Netherlands. We found that each of us passionately love the doctrines of grace. My impression of Mr. Cartwright, based on his articles, book reviews, and conversations, confirmed that Mr. Cartwright has a very keen insight in the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and evidently lived what he believed. The FPC and all true believers in Scotland will miss this great man of God. Dr. Murray, we mourn with you, and look forward to the eternal unity of all believers in perfect communion.
Connor Keuning
Prof. Cartwright was linked with the work of the Trinitarian Bible Society for many years, I heard him give a very solemn sermon on the Sovereignty of God on the occasion of the opening of TBS’s new premises, I was struck by his reverential demeanour in the handling and exposition of God’s word. What a contrast to so much of what you see and hear today.
Deo Vindice!
Help , LORD; for the godly man ceaseth
Psalm 12.
I think even those of us who knew the Rev Hugh Cartwright all too briefly can feel nothing but deepest, tenderest grief; for if ever a minister exemplified his Master it was the self effacing, gentlest of men, rightly known years after he was forced out of the post as ‘Professor Cartwright’. His scholarship and theological astuteness never in the least threatened his common touch or humility of spirit. I vividly recall when he came to take a Communion service with us in Shettleston that after the service we were all standing outside chatting when old Miss Gray, at 99 the district’s oldest able bodied life long resident, came by and spoke with us. How kindly Mr Cartwright spoke to this dear old lady, proud of her longevity, and how easily he injected Christ into the conversation and made her aware of eternity and the need to be prepared for it in Christ!
It was a blow to many in the Free Church when he was driven to leave us but I think most who loved and respected him could only sympathise and like David here we were glad for him that the Lord used him so plainly in rebuilding the Edinburgh F.P. congregation with his wise counsel and kindly, moderating pastoral care. What strong consolation to us who are left to know the parting is not forever but only till the Day break and the shadows flee away and in heaven we shall enjoy such sweet fellowship without interruption and in far deeper measure in the direct Presence of our Saviour.
Thank you for the lovely tribute and letter to Professor Cartright.We share the the experience of knowing himand the sentiments expressed and trust that we too will see him in the
morning
What a beautiful tribute, David. Hugh was Dave’s best friend at the Free Church College and his Bestman when we got married. I am amazed that he was only 69,which means that he was only 25 when we met. His godliness,maturity and humility made him seem much older.I recall his uneasiness when Youth Conferences were started. He feared they might take the church in the wrong direction and yet he took on the role of Convener of one of them. That was the kind of man he was.
” The wisdom that is from above is first pure,then peaceable,gentle,willing to yield,full of mercy and good fruits,without partiality and without hypocrisy” James 3:17
Flora