E, ST ANDREWS.
A pathetic and almost melancholy interest attaches to this volume of the
Baird Lectures. Their scholarly and accomplished author may be said to
have entered on the last stage of the malady to which he succumbed when
they were read for him in Blythswood Parish Church, Glasgow, by his
friend and former student, Professor Robertson, the closing one, indeed,
having been delivered but a few days before his death. In proof of the
deep interest which he took in the subject of these Lectures, and of his
desire to present them in as perfect a form as possible, it may also be
mentioned that he employed his time in revising them while confined to
bed during the protracted and painful illness through which he passed.
The editing of them he intrusted to another friend, Dr Hay Fleming of St
Andrews, with whom he had much in common--similarity of tastes and
interest in the same literary pursuits having led to an intercourse
between them which ripened into mutual confidence and esteem. Had
Professor Mitchell lived to see the work through the press himself,
there is hardly room to doubt that, as in the case of most of his other
publications, additional explanatory and supplementary notes on obscure
points would have been appended by him. As it is, the editor in
executing his task has done what he could in this respect.
When the decease of the venerable Professor took place at St Andrews
towards the end of March of this year, it was felt that the Church of
Scotland had been bereft not only of one of her ablest and most trusted
leaders, but of one of the wisest and warmest friends of her missions;
and the many tributes paid to his memory, both from the pulpit and in
the press, were all expressive of the high regard in which he was held,
and of the sense of public loss caused by his removal. But the loss was
not that of his own Church alone, nor of the University with which his
name had been so long and so honourably associated. There are those in
other communions who had learned to look upon him as "a master of
Israel," and in all Presbyterian Churches especially he was recognised
as one of the ablest and most learned exponents of the principles which
they hold in common, and as one of the most earnest defenders of "the
faith once delivered to the saints."
As many of those who are familiar with Professor Mitchell's writings may
know little or nothing of his personal history, it has been suggested
that a short biograp
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