THE REV. JOHN B. LAIRD, D.D.

1866-1953

THE REV. JOHN B. LAIRD, D.D. Born Lancaster County, Penna., Feb. 14, 1866 Graduated Millersville Normal School B.A.Lafayette College, 1892 B.Th.Princeton Theological Seminary, 1895 M.A.Princeton University, 1895 Called to the Presbyterian Church of Frankford, 1895 D.D.Lafayette College, 1903 Trustee of Lafayette College for 50 years; of Wilson College 50 years and President of Board of Trustees 29 years; of Princeton Theological Seminary 47 years; of Lincoln University 20 years; of Board of Presbyterian National Missions 40 years; of Frankford Hospital 50 years. President of Frankford Chapter of Red Cross during World War I. Sometime Moderator of Synod of Pennsylvania and Presbytery of Philadelphia North. Past President of Scotch-Irish Society of Pennsylvania. Member of Frankford Country Club, Frankford Historical Society, Adelphia Club of Clerics and of Union League. Promoted to GlorySaturday, August 29, 1953

A Prince In Israel
Scripture Lesson Genesis 50: 1-13 Text II Samuel 3: 38 This sermon wa.s preached by the present pastor of THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF FRANKFORD
THE REV. JOHN

D. CRAIG

on Sunday, August 30, the morning after Dr. Laird's death and is printed by the Church as a Memorial Tribute to Dr. Laird. About a thousand years before the birth of Christ Saul, the first king of Israel had died. The reign that had begun with such promise had ended in disaster and when it was over utter chaos descended upon the kingdom, which became divided. David was anointed king of Judah and was enthroned at Hebron. A son of Saul, by the inelegant name of Ishbosheth, reigned in his fathers' stead. Ishbosheth means "Man of Shame." He was lazy and cowardly, suspicious and ungrateful and one after another, he alienated his supporters. The best and ablest of these was a man named Abner. He was a soldier and supported Ishbosheth out of loyalty to Saul's memory. He was the real power behind the throne that enabled it to stand. When he withdrew his support that throne fell. For there came a time when he could endure no longer the craven weakness and jealous pettiness of Ishbosheth. In that hour lie realized that God had indeed chosen David, a truly kingly man, to rule over all Israel. He went down to Hebron to transfer his own allegiance and Islibosheth's throne to David. The arrangements were made and David sent Abner away in peace. But in an evil hour he met the ruthless and vengeful Joab who slew him by treachery. David heard of the murder with consternation and at a funeral he gave for Abner he said, "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" These words of David would apply as well, and better, to Jacob, who was himself the original Israel, a Prince with God. In our Scripture lesson this morning we read of his death and burial and of the astonishment of the pagan Canaanites that the death of one man could cause so much grief and such a sense of loss.

There is a way in which these words of David apply to our own church this morning. For you are all aware of the loss our church has sustained in the death of Dr. John B. Laird yesterday morning. I shall not dwell particularly on his life and activities, his services to our church and community at this time. Many of you are better acquainted with the facts of his life than I am. Some of them are recounted in the newspapers. An old friend of his will review them at his funeral services on Tuesday. But I think there are a few things that stand out about Dr. Laird that might well be mentioned this morning for our edification. I. THE LENGTH OF HIS MINISTRYDr. Laird was Pastor of this church for fifty-one years, and for the past seven years has bccii Pastor Emeritus. This becomes all the more exceptional when you recall that his predecessor, Dr. Thomas Murphy, was here for forty-six years. Dr. Laird once said to me, "Our combined ministries of ninety-six years may have been something of a record." I know of longer individual pastorates, but nothing of any other two that span nearly a century. Even more unique and impressive is the great change of scene that took place during his half-century ministry. Never in all history have so many changes taken place in so short a time. Maybe you can realize this better if I put it this way: when Dr. Laird came here there was not an automobile in the congregation; when he left there was not a horse. When he came Frankford was a local community; while he was here it was engulfed 'in the tidal advance of a great city. When he came the benign Victoria sat enthroned as a motherly Mistress of the World; as he leaves sinister communism and soulless nuclear fission darken the earth with long shadows. "It is the close of an era here," said a friend of his and mine yesterday. II. THE VERSATILITY OF HIS MINISTRYDr. Jesse M. Corum, who will make the funeral address on Tuesday, said of Dr. Laird, "He was one of the most versatile men I ever knew." He had wide interests and many calls were made on his services. He served the local community in nearly every point of common cause from hospitals to the Red Cross to the Boys' Club. He served our Presbyterian Church far beyond the boundaries of the local Church. He was trustee of several institutions of higher learning.

He had an active and inquiring mind. The last time I saw him before our vacation he was reading the seventh volume of John Bach McMastcr's "A History of the American People." He was an able preacher who had climbed the high pulpit of Dr. Clarence Edward McCartney in Pittsburgh. He had a wide reputation as a conservative theologian. Last winter I wrote a professor in a Southern Presbyterian Seminary on a controversial matter on the new Revised Standard Version. Penned on the bottom of his reply was this question, "What does Dr. Laird think?" I had no idea that this man's reputation had gone so far. He had an engaging sense of humor. I think a portrayal of the matt would be incomplete even in a memorial service, without an example of it. In the days of Dr. Archibald Alexander, who was Princeton Seminary's first professor of Theology, a married student was the exception, rather than the rule, as now. But it happened that a student wanted to get married and had to get Dr. Alexander's permission. He ordered his arguments and finally prevailed, as Dr. Alexander reluctantly conceded, "I'll make an exception this time, young man, but"and here Dr. Laird always paused to chuckle"but let me warn you not to come to me with another such request while you are a student here at Seminary!" That was his humor, warm and human and kindly. III. THE VIGOR OF THE MANI forget who said, "The longer I live the more I am convinced that the biggest difference in men is chiefly it matter of energy." Dr. Laird was endowed by God with unusual energy of mind and body as his length of life and activity testify. IV. THE FAITH OF THE MANBut what is it that most of all counts in the making of a man? What is the most important factor in life? What remains when the sands of life have run and we have come to the last mile of the way? What can we take out of this world with us? What is it that makes a man a Prince with Gx1? Look to Jacob for an answer, where the name originated. Recall the occasion. It was a moment of desperation in his life. An angry uncle was behind him; lie could not go back. A cheated brother was before him. ; lie could not go forward. In his extremity he was forced to look up and he turned to God in an agony of prayer, and wrestled there in prayer with God's angel till the break of day. "Let me go," said the angel, "for the

day breaketh." "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." That is no cry of strength, as might be thought. It is a cry of weakness, of desperation, of dependency. When everything on earth fails us and we are face to face with God we learn how utterly dependent upon God's grace we always are. If that grace fail us then we are completely undone. That is why we muster the strength of desperation to cling to God when we get beyond every earthly hope and temporal security. Then we learn how good is the lovingkindness of God, for our cry of need the Father hears. Out of weakness we are made strong: "Thy name shall be no more called Jacob the Supplanter, the Shifty, the Crafty, the Intriguer, the Schemerbut Israel, a Prince with God." Look at Jacob's grandfather, Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, God's great example of what saving faith is'Abraham believed God and God counted it to him for righteousness." That is what it means to belong to Israelto so believe God's promises that you follow God's purposes. When every stay and prop are stripped from us and faith in desperation clings to God, God includes us in his grace, gives us his strengeth and makes us Princes of the Faith. It is the same in all ages, only the scene and the circumstance change. Faith is the key and the touchstonefor Abrahamfor Jacobfor David for Abnerfor John the Evangelistfor "to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God." Jesus said of the centurion of Capernaum, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." For by his faith this Roman joined the new Israel. I want you to understand this clearly, for this is the heart of the Gospel. Paul wrestles in Romans with what it means to belong to God. He finds that non-Jews are included when they have faith; that Jews are excluded when they lack it. "Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to everyone that believeth." "So then," he concludes, "all Israel shall he saved." But this is "the Israel of God," not of the flesh, not of circumcision, not racial descent, but those who by faith embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It is in this sense that a man, any man, may be included in Israel, the Israel of God, the Church of the Living Christ. And it was of this that I was reminded on my last visit to Dr. Laird on Thursday. His mind was clouded a little by his illness; he was not sure if he were at home or in Frankford Hospital. "Am I at home?" "Yes, in your own home and in your own bed." "I'll take your word for it," he

said. I said, "You may do so and I'll be here to see you tomorrow." "You may not find me! I may have slipped away during the night!" Now there isn't much you can say to that so I said, "Don't you worry about a thing. You are in your own home and rest content in that." He said, "I'm resting in something better than that. I believe in God and I believe in his Son Jesus Christ. I believe he dicd for the salvation of the world and I am trusting him for my salvation. I love him and I've tried to follow him and I know that I can trust him now!" That is what makes a man a Prince in Israel todayfaith in God's saving purposes in Jesus Christ. This man had come to the end of the way, his sands were almost run, but he did not say, "I've done the best I couldI've been a minister for fifty yearsI was a trustee of a hospitalI was president of a College Board." He said, "I believe in Jesus Christ. I love himand I trust him!" Life simmers down to a few very simple and basic things when it is all behind youand all eternity is before you. What counts then is not your work, not your virtue, not the gain you've gotten, not the glory you've had! All these you leave behind you. What counts in such a moment is God's grace, God's goodness, God's faithfulness, God's promises and God's provision. I felt that moment by Dr. Laird's bedside was one of the honored moments of my lifeto have heard that simple, child-like, heart-born confession of faith warmed and moved me like a benediction. And as I stood there I thought of another Prince in Israel. I thought of that day when young Alexander Duff, newly arrived missionary to India, talked to the aging William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions and one of the greatest missionaries of all time. Duff talked eagerly of Carey's great accomplishments till Carey broke in impatiently, "You have been speaking about Dr. Carey, Dr. Carey. When I am dead say nothing of Dr. Carey; speak about Dr. Carey's Savior." In absolute truth William Carey could have said, "Lord, remember me! Remember what I've suffered for thy sake. Remember my years of service. Remember the twenty strange languages I mastered for the Gospel's sake. Remember my translation of the Bible into twelve languages. Remember my six grammars and three dictionaries. Remember my conquest of some of the social evils of India. Remember the converts I've made! and the churches I've built!" But no! He said instead, "Remember my Savior, Jesus Christ!"

That is ever the mark of the man of Israel. There is but one mark, whether you stand in the pulpit or sit in the pew. It is the common mark, whether you be prince or pauper in Christ's Church of the New Covenant that simple, elemental, essential faith that Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord! V. THE LEGACY OF HIS MINISTRYA Prince in Isreal has fallen. What legacy does he leave us? How does his example speak to us? What would he have us do? On the basis of what he was and where, lifelong, he stood, it is not too difficult to venture this reply: Let me put it in form of an illustration. When Phillip of Macedonia molded his army into the Macedonian Phalanx he discovered the blitzkrieg weapon of twenty-four centuries ago. With what Philip developed Alexander his son conquered the world. The secret and the strength of the Greek Phalanx was that the whole army acted as one man, and for each other. The soldiers in the front ranks carried a short spear. The spear in eah rank behind him reached as far as his own and sometimes the phalanx was five ranks deep. What a bristled mass of spear points they presented to an enemy. But their second discipline was this; when a soldier fell at his station the man behind stepped forward to "fill up the ranks." Abner of old would have understood this for he was a soldier. He had fallen at his post before his task was done. He knew that that was often the soldier's lotto play but a part in the army's total purpose. If one fell, another was to finish. Abner's part was over, but God's purpose to make David king of Israel remained. Let thjt purpose be accomplished, tho' another do it. That was the solder's dutyto fill up the ranks! Paul left a similar legacy for Paul considered himself a soldier of Jesus Christ. He said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.""Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.""Fill up the ranks." Would not this good soldier of Christ, this servant of the Church, this minister of the Mysteries of God, this Prince in Israel, would not this indominable, steadfast old warrior have said the same thing?"Fill up the ranks!" "Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ.Believe as I have believed, that Christ is God and that God is gracious. Serve the Church of Christ, which is the Israel of Gods as I have loved and served the Church of

Christ. Promote the worthwhile things in life, growth of mind, health of body and deeds of helpfulness and kindness to our fellowmen. Where I have fallen, and left a gap in the ranks of the army of God, do you step in and close the breach I" Would he not say thus to us? 0 my friends, we honor our faith, not by bewailing the departed, but by believing that Christ has promoted. them. We honor our dead, not by lamenting our loss, but by emulating their deeds and building on the foundations they laid for us. We honor our Christ, not by mourning and languishing beside an empty tomb, but by rising to heed his call and meet the challenge of his resurrection!