BY THE REV. JAMES KIDD, D.D., MINISTER OF
GILCOMSTON CHAPEL, ABERDEEN.
I FEEL myself advancing fast to the grave, and upon a back-look of past life, I can say in truth that God hath been very merciful to me: and now I leave my testimony to His providential care of me, from my infancy hitherto. He has given my heart’s desire to me in my standing in society, and I bless and praise Him for all; and am willing to lay down my professorship and my ministry, when He may please to call me to do so. I now bid adieu to the University, and to all things beneath the sun. Farewell, ye sun, moon, and stars, which have guided my wanderings in this valley of tears: to you I acknowledge much assistance in all my attainments. Farewell, thou atmosphere, with thy clouds, and thy rains, and thy dews, thy hail and snow, and different breezes, which contributed so much to my life and comfort. Farewell, ye earth and sea, which have borne me from place to place, where Providence has ordered my lot, and with your productions have supported my bodily wants so often and so long. Ye summers and winters, adieu.
Farewell, my native country, and every place where I have had my abode. Adieu, Aberdeen! may peace and prosperity for ever be in you. To all your inhabitants I bid farewell. Farewell, Marischal College and University, in which I have had the honour of a Chair so long: may Learning and True Religion flourish in you till the latest posterity. Adieu, ye members of the Senatus Academicus: may ye enjoy many years of health, peace, and prosperity. Farewell all ye who studied under my care; may you be useful, faithful, and successful ministers of the gospel.
Farewell, Chapel of Ease*, may peace be within thy walls: for my friends’ and brethren’s sake, peace be in thee, I say. Adieu ye eldership—ye heads of families—ye young. May the Lord in tender mercy bless all I have baptised, and all I have admitted to the Lord’s table for the first time, I follow all with my most earnest prayers as long as I live.
* Gilcomston Chapel, where he preached.
Farewell, ye little children in general all around, whom I have so often met in kindness, and saluted with my best wishes for your good.† May all good be your portion, in this world and the next. My own children, I commit you to God, in life and in death. May He fulfil to you the promise—”When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” (Psalm xxvii. 10). With mixed distress I leave you under the care of Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Farewell!
† The children used to line up in a row when they saw the Doctor coming, and as he passed along he laid his hands on their heads and blessed them.
I bid adieu to my Library, and to my Bible, which has been my companion from my earliest days. I leave the volume, but I carry with me, as the ground of my sure hope, the contents found in Psalm lxxiii. 23-28: “Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. For lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go awhoring from Thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all Thy works.” John xiv. 3—”And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also.” Psalm cxxxviii. 7-8—”Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me, Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; forsake not the work of Thine own hands.” Psalm xxiii.—”The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me by the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me: Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” These I take before God, as my dying support and comfort.
Farewell Time! Welcome Eternity! Farewell Earth! Welcome Heaven! Amen, and Amen.