THE rich spirituality of Dr Duncan’s utterances, both in the pulpit and from the professor’s chair, combined with extraordinary depth of intellectual grasp, are well known to many of our readers. Dr Duncan was ill-equipped owing to his erratic mind, genius though he was, to sit down and commit to paper the noble thoughts that passed through his mind. Fortunately there were some who did for the Doctor what he could not do for himself, and so in Prof. Knight’s “Colloquia Peripatetica,” and Dr Moody Stuart’s “Recollections,” we have a collection of the remarkable sayings of this humble follower of the Lamb, endowed with mental gifts of the highest order in certain departments. In Dr Brown’s “Life” we have an account of Dr Duncan as a man, preacher, and professor, while in the volume of sermons and addresses, edited by Dr Brown under the title, “In the Pulpit and at the Communion Table,” we get some idea of what he was as a preacher. The extraordinary activity of a mind so richly endowed was continually pouring forth material of the richest mould. Some of this material had been noted down by friends, some of it appeared in speeches and addresses which were hidden away in Assembly blue-books, etc. In order that these might not be lost to the religious public, the late Rev. James S. Sinclair, with keen enthusiasm, set about collecting material that has now been published under the title, “Rich Gleanings after the Vintage from ‘Rabbi’ Duncan.” Some of our readers will remember the enthusiasm with which our late friend set out on his task, but it pleased God to leave it to others to see through the press that on which his heart was so much set. Mr Alexander Ross, Liverpool, under whose inspiration this work was undertaken, and who
* Rich Gleanings After the Vintage from “Rabbi” Duncan, being Evangelical Sermons, Lectures, and Addresses by the late Rev. John Duncan, LL.D., Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages, New College, Edinburgh (Hitherto Uncollected and in part Unpublished). Edited, with Biographical Sketch, by the late Rev. James Steven Sinclair, Glasgow. London : C. J. Thynne & Jarvis, Ltd., Whitefriars’ Street, Fleet Street, E.C. 4. Price 5s 6d post free.
has seen the volume through the press, says in a prefatory note in reference to Mr Sinclair’s work:—“It is a gratifying reflection that on the eve of the completion of his vineyard work on earth he wrote to the writer of this note, saying that he derived much spiritual blessing in preparing and revising the matter for the press, as who, of a gracious mind, would not, from contact with the mental and spiritual product of the saintly, scholarly, and intellectually masterful John Duncan, LL.D., whose prevailing sentiment ever since he passed from death unto life, was—‘To God be the glory?’” The book opens with a biographical sketch by Mr Sinclair, which is followed by Sermons, Communion Table Addresses, Expository Lectures (I. Pet. i. and ii. 1-6), Theological Lectures, and Assembly Addresses. It is not our purpose to single out any special sermon or lecture for notice, but we cannot help calling our readers’ attention to the remarkable addresses delivered by Dr Duncan to the Free Church General Assembly when the Report of the Mission to the Jews was before the house. In reading some of these one feels as Dr Kennedy felt when listening to a discourse by Dr Duncan. “I heard a sermon,” says the Doctor, as reported by Mr Alexander Ross, “that did not seem to have been prepared on earth, but felt as if one of the old Prophets had come from within the veil to tell us what was going on there. Nothing more heavenly did I ever hear from human lips.” That is high praise from one who himself in presenting the truth of God in its majestic beauty awed and solemnised his hearers as they felt themselves standing at the portals of the unseen world and heard of the wonders of that salvation God had provided in His dear Son. One regrets that we have not more of Dr Duncan’s expository lectures, as those on the first chapter of Peter’s first epistle show that in this department he was a master in the first rank. His linguistic attainments, his deep penetrative mind, his childlike simplicity and beautiful humility, and submission to the revealed Word of God, all fitted to equip him as an able expositor of the Scriptures. His communion table addresses are of a very high order, and leave the impression on the reader that here is one who has come forth from communing with the Lord of the Table with all the fragrance of the precious oil with which he was anointed. The book has been well entitled, “Rich Gleanings After the Vintage,” and we trust many will buy it with the purpose of reading it from beginning to end. And we cannot do better in heartily recommending this book than conclude in the words of Mr Sinclair’s preface :—“ It is the writer’s sincere desire and earnest prayer that God may abundantly bless the precious Gospel doctrine of the discourses, now published, to the edification and comfort of His people, and to the conversion of many who have been hitherto ‘ afar off.’ Dr Duncan, though dead, yet speaketh, and may his words come home to many hearts ‘ in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.’ ”
The publishers deserve a word of praise for the excellent way in which the book is presented to the reading public. It contains three excellently produced photographs.