Glimpses of old Glasgow

Foreign Missionaries

Rev. Alexander Duff, D.D., LL.D.

ABOUT fifty years ago it was a common remark among the general public that the divinity student who failed to secure a pastoral charge was perfectly competent to labour in the foreign mission field. This belief, erroneous as it clearly was, has not yet quite died away, and there are found at home and abroad too many men who believe that any person is "good enough for a missionary," provided he or she be of Christian character. Support of missions, of course, cannot be looked for from Christians who speak so contemptuously of the pioneers of the gospel, and therefore mission work does not call forth the enthusiasm and sympathy needed for the successful carrying on of the movement for the spread of the knowledge of what Jesus did and suffered for the heathen as well as for the civilized portion of humanity.

"Anybody is good enough for a missionary" could never be said of Rev. Alexander Duff, the most eminent student of his day, a clergyman of the highest standing, and a missionary whose fame we will not willingly let die. With no family prestige, this son of godly parents, who owned and tilled their own farm, became one of the illustrious of the earth. He was born on 25th April, 1806, in the parish of Moulin, Perthshire, and at an early age was sent to school, where he showed that he possessed talents of no ordinary degree. While in St. Andrews in the session 1823-24 he carried off the highest honours in Greek, Latin logic, and natural philosophy.

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Young Duff, who at this time was a formalist, was awakened to the realities of religion by Dr. Chalmers, then one of the professors in the college At this great preacher's house Duff had fellowship with several eminent foreign missionaries, and was inspired with a passion for service in the foreign field. In the spring of 1829 he was licensed by the presbytery of St. Andrews, and soon after, when twenty-three years of age, he was chosen to be the first foreign missionary of the Church of Scotland. His ordination took place in St. George's church, Edinburgh, on 12th August, 1829. The services were conducted by Dr. Chalmers. After the ordination the young missionary gave an address full of force and fire. On 19th September, 1829, he and his wife set sail for India, with letters of introduction to the Earl of Dalhousie, Governor-General of India, and to other influential gentlemen.

On his arrival in India Dr. Duff started his Master's work. His soul had been on fire ere he left Scotland, and the flame grew in intensity. As he thought of India's great population, its wealth and its ignorance, and of the spiritual, moral, and social wretchedness of its women, he felt he could cheerfully give his life, if by so doing the inhabitants of India could be raised heavenward.

After spending nearly five years of most self-denying labour, he, at the request of friends in Scotland, took a furlough of some months. After a few weeks' rest at home, he visited the leading centres of population, and held meetings in their largest churches and halls. In 1835 I first saw and heard him in the Tron church of Glasgow, which was excessively crowded. From that day till this I have never listened to such an address. For two hours he kept the great audience spell-bound. His eloquence was torrent-like. If ever I saw a speaker in a passion with his theme it was on that evening. The same burning earnestness was manifested at all his meetings.

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In 1851 Dr. Duff was chosen moderator of the Free Church Assembly. His address on that ever memorable occasion occupied seven columns of the Scottish Guardian. After his retiral from his great missionary work in 1873, he was again elected moderator. In the latter years of his life he was chosen by the Free Church to be professor of evangelistic theology in their college in Edinburgh. His literary work and correspondence were great both in India and at home.

Gradually the earthly house decayed, and on Tuesday, 12th February, 1878, he fell on sleep. Near his sepulchre in Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh, lies the dust of Chalmers, Guthrie, and other leading ministers of their day.

An eminent Scotch nobleman who was present at his funeral writes of Dr. Duff: "He was truly a great man. It was a solemn sight to see such multitudes of people lining the streets of Edinburgh - an assemblage of persons belonging to all the churches. At the mouth of the grave one said, 'His coffin should be covered with palm branches.' One black lad stood gazing into the grave, and his big rolling eyes were filled with tears. How many there would have been from India had it been possible!" Dr. Duff bequeathed to trustees what personal property he had, as the foundation of a lectureship on foreign missions.