"Rainy wi'oot the Principal" I.
In our last series on William Robertson Smith the figure of Robert Rainy loomed large. This is a true depiction of the Free Church of Scotland in the latter part of the 19th Century - Robert Rainy, Principal of New College, Edinburgh, DID loom large. This year of 2006 is the centenary of his death.
On 11th November 1906 a group of passemgers gathered for worship in the saloon of the steamer Geelong, en route to Australia. At the desk was a tall, striking old man of craggy visage with a Scottish accent. His text was Luke 12.35-40. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth to serve them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants... Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not."
The preacher divided man's course into three 'watches', childhood, the middle period, and old age. Of the verse 37 he said:
"What does this mean? The serving of the servant by the Master. Dear friends, I cannot tell what it fully means. "He will come forth and serve them": what a pregnant description of our Lord's condescension and His servant's exaltation - the Master girded, the servant sitting - the Master serving, the servant sitting down to meat! What does it mean? Let us pray that one day we may know what it means."
It was the last sermon of Robert Rainy, a giant of a man, a man whom William Gladstone called "the greatest living Scotsman", a man who had worked tirelessly for his Church. No-one would have thought that it was his last sermon - all the way to Capetown Rainy seemed happy and healthy. But after the Geelong left the Cape, a change came over him. He became confined to his cabin, to the concern of his family members who were on board with him. Rainy seemed wrapped up in prayer. On one occasion, as his daughter read Scripture to him, he said: "And it's all true, Bartie - that's the wonderful thing; it's all quite true." On another occasion he said: "For myself, when I come to die, I think it will be this prayer in my heart, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner.'" He began to feel that he would never see Scotland again.
On 8th of December the Geelong reached Melbourne. Rainy seemed on the verge of death. He was taken to the home of Mrs. Cairns, widow of a godly Presbyterian minister. In the bedroom where he lay were hund pictures of William Cunningham and Robert Candlish, Rainy's mentors. Forty-five years before Rainy had been summoned to the death-bed of William Cunningham, and thirty-three years before he had been at the side of Robert Candlish as he passed away. And now, by a strange act of God's providence, their portraits looked down on Rainy as he lay dying.
Robert Rainy, son of Dr. Harry Rainy M.D. Professor of Forensic Medicine, Glasgow University, and his wife, Barbara Gordon, first saw the light of day in 49 Montrose Street, Glasgow, on New Year's Day 1826. Robert was the second child of his parents, and the eldest son. He was a happy, active boy, often injuring himself through recklessness. Three times young Robert broke his arm, and once he fell from the railings in front of the house onto his head. Aged ten young Robert was enjoying his favourite game of sliding down the bannisters when he toppled over, falling twenty feet. Dr. Harry Rainy came running, having heard the crash. Fearing that his son was killed, he found young Robert lying of the floor. We can only imagine his reaction of mingled anger and relief when the boy said, "I beg your pardon, sir; I'll never do it again."
Throughout his long life Robert Rainy was to retain his love of danger and adventure. As a student he was climbing the tower of Antwerp Cathedral and found a door on the stairs loked. Most men would have taken that as a hint that they should not go any further, but not Rainy. Seeing a rope hanging outside the tower, he seized hold of it and tested his weight on it. Finding it could bear him, he swung himself out of the window high above the city and ascended until he could get in through an window. Later still he was renowned as a daring yachtsman.
But Robert Rainy was also a greater reader. His devout parentstook him to hear Thomas Chalmers, the greatest Churhman of the age, and under that ministry he was quietly converted.
Rainy passed through school and university an average student. He was at first attracted to his own father's profession of medicine, but the great Ten Years' Conflict burst in upon him, and when the Church of Scotland was split in two on that great day in 1843, a spark of enthusiasm was kindled in Robert Rainy's heart, and he resolved to devote himself to the service of the Church of Christ.
And it is to his training for that ministry that, God willing, we shall turn next time.
On 11th November 1906 a group of passemgers gathered for worship in the saloon of the steamer Geelong, en route to Australia. At the desk was a tall, striking old man of craggy visage with a Scottish accent. His text was Luke 12.35-40. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth to serve them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants... Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not."
The preacher divided man's course into three 'watches', childhood, the middle period, and old age. Of the verse 37 he said:
"What does this mean? The serving of the servant by the Master. Dear friends, I cannot tell what it fully means. "He will come forth and serve them": what a pregnant description of our Lord's condescension and His servant's exaltation - the Master girded, the servant sitting - the Master serving, the servant sitting down to meat! What does it mean? Let us pray that one day we may know what it means."
It was the last sermon of Robert Rainy, a giant of a man, a man whom William Gladstone called "the greatest living Scotsman", a man who had worked tirelessly for his Church. No-one would have thought that it was his last sermon - all the way to Capetown Rainy seemed happy and healthy. But after the Geelong left the Cape, a change came over him. He became confined to his cabin, to the concern of his family members who were on board with him. Rainy seemed wrapped up in prayer. On one occasion, as his daughter read Scripture to him, he said: "And it's all true, Bartie - that's the wonderful thing; it's all quite true." On another occasion he said: "For myself, when I come to die, I think it will be this prayer in my heart, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner.'" He began to feel that he would never see Scotland again.
On 8th of December the Geelong reached Melbourne. Rainy seemed on the verge of death. He was taken to the home of Mrs. Cairns, widow of a godly Presbyterian minister. In the bedroom where he lay were hund pictures of William Cunningham and Robert Candlish, Rainy's mentors. Forty-five years before Rainy had been summoned to the death-bed of William Cunningham, and thirty-three years before he had been at the side of Robert Candlish as he passed away. And now, by a strange act of God's providence, their portraits looked down on Rainy as he lay dying.
Robert Rainy, son of Dr. Harry Rainy M.D. Professor of Forensic Medicine, Glasgow University, and his wife, Barbara Gordon, first saw the light of day in 49 Montrose Street, Glasgow, on New Year's Day 1826. Robert was the second child of his parents, and the eldest son. He was a happy, active boy, often injuring himself through recklessness. Three times young Robert broke his arm, and once he fell from the railings in front of the house onto his head. Aged ten young Robert was enjoying his favourite game of sliding down the bannisters when he toppled over, falling twenty feet. Dr. Harry Rainy came running, having heard the crash. Fearing that his son was killed, he found young Robert lying of the floor. We can only imagine his reaction of mingled anger and relief when the boy said, "I beg your pardon, sir; I'll never do it again."
Throughout his long life Robert Rainy was to retain his love of danger and adventure. As a student he was climbing the tower of Antwerp Cathedral and found a door on the stairs loked. Most men would have taken that as a hint that they should not go any further, but not Rainy. Seeing a rope hanging outside the tower, he seized hold of it and tested his weight on it. Finding it could bear him, he swung himself out of the window high above the city and ascended until he could get in through an window. Later still he was renowned as a daring yachtsman.
But Robert Rainy was also a greater reader. His devout parentstook him to hear Thomas Chalmers, the greatest Churhman of the age, and under that ministry he was quietly converted.
Rainy passed through school and university an average student. He was at first attracted to his own father's profession of medicine, but the great Ten Years' Conflict burst in upon him, and when the Church of Scotland was split in two on that great day in 1843, a spark of enthusiasm was kindled in Robert Rainy's heart, and he resolved to devote himself to the service of the Church of Christ.
And it is to his training for that ministry that, God willing, we shall turn next time.
Labels: Principal Rainy
posted by Highland Host at 1:00 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home