# “He taught and exemplified for me the grace of God in the gospel of Christ” by Sinclair Ferguson

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2021/05/14/he-taught-and-exemplified-for-me-the-grace-of-god-in-the-gospel-of-christ-by-sinclair-ferguson/
- Published: 2021-05-14T12:00:17-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“’Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen in Israel this day?’(**
2 Samuel 3:38**)

David’s poignant words on the death of Abner will have come instinctively to the
minds of many Christians throughout the world on hearing of the death, on 30 July
1997, of William Still, minister of Gilcomston South Church, Aberdeen.

Ill-health in the last two years had increasingly limited Mr. Still’s ministry to
preaching on Sundays, and on 8 May 1997, the date of his eighty-sixth birthday, 
he demitted the pastoral church of the congregation he had served with unstinting
devotion for fifty-two years.

The fruit of his ministry in the university city of Aberdeen has spread, both in
personal influence and in prayer, to the ends of the earth in the multitude of spiritual
sons and daughters who constitute his true children (he remained single throughout
his life).

His example of biblical ministry has been a beacon to guide and encourage countless
gospel ministers; his deep pastoral love for his own congregation, his commitment
to shaping a truly Christian fellowship, his investment of profound personal care
and prayer in the lives of countless people– students who sat under his ministry
while at college, as well as many others– and, in addition, the penetrating insights
of his writings– these constitute his spiritual legacy.

Mr. Still believed that, in some senses, his one lengthly ministry was really several
ministries. Certainly it passed through various stages. In the post-war years there
were bright and busy evangelistic meetings with large numbers of converts ‘falling
into the Lord’s hands like plums,’ as he put it.

Then came the first revolution: he ‘stumbled’ on expository preaching as on successive
Sundays he found himself, as if by accident, preaching consecutively through a portion
of Romans. As he began to see the effect of such preaching he sensed that here was
a wiser, richer, more fruitful and more lasting way in which true Christian character
would be built; now he must go deeper.

The extravagances came to an end; extensive corporate prayer on Saturday nights 
became the order of the day– and would remain so throughout the years. The apostolic
model: ‘prayer and the ministry of the word’ (**Acts 6:4**) became the staple diet
of congregational life.

He continued to find the light of Scripture breaking into and reshaping his thinking–
and as he did so, he drew the congregation through the experience with him!– until
his theology became increasingly moulded by Scripture and distinctively Reformed
in character.

He preached (and wrote) his way through the entire Bible several times. And it is
doubtful if any living minister has so lovingly and enthusiastically read the chapters
of the Westminster Assembly’s _Confession of Faith_ to his congregation the way 
Mr. Still frequently did.

Certainly few others will have read with such enthusiasm so much of John Owen’s 
writings (as well as portions of John Murray’s commentary on Romans) to the teenagers
and students who at various times and in different places sat under his ministry!

In this covenant theology Mr. Still found a doctrinal resting-place and focus for
his growing convictions on the nature of the life of the church.

Those who knew Mr. Still well personally will recognize that these paragraphs do
not begin adequately to express the many-sidedness of his life and work, or what
it was like actually to sit under his ministry and to be cared for and pastored 
by him.

Perhaps, therefore, a few words of a more personal nature may be added without intruding
into this brief tribute.

I first came to hear Mr. Still preach when I was seventeen. For three decades thereafter
he taught and exemplified for me the grace of God in the gospel of Christ and, for
all the age gap, made me his friend.

He invested loving care, prayer and time in my life in a manner and to a depth which
would be impossible to describe. He was, at various times, counsellor, encourager,
comforter and cautioner.

He cared for and loved my family; he sorrowed with us in our griefs and rejoiced
in our joys; he seemed to take more delight than we ourselves did in any hint of
fruitfulness, success or honour we experienced.

And he always sought to think the best of us.

Perhaps the most touching thing of all for me personally was to witness the way 
his being seemed to melt with a mixture of humble incredulity and thankful gratitude
to the Lord whenever we tried to express to him what his life and ministry had meant
to us.

What was especially remarkable about all this is how the same quality of love could
have been showered on so many others.

Yet it was; we knew it, as did they. It would grieve him, I know, if I did not immediately
add that this was all of grace. But it was also very evidently of grace.

He had clearly learned from the Lord Jesus how to love many with the same love which
was simultaneously completely individualised.

Perhaps I can say nothing more telling about Mr. Still than that since his death
every time I have thought of how he now contemplates the face of the Lord Jesus 
Christ a further thought has immediately and instinctively followed: How glorious
that Saviour must be who can and does recreate His grace so lovingly in such frail
humanity!

William Still was a burning and a shining light. Those who knew him best will inevitably
feel that they will not see his like again, and sense an unrepayable debt for the
privilege of receiving his ministry and the Christ-centred affection of his pastoral
care.

He walked with God and has entered into his rest in the Saviour whom he trusted 
and loved; his works will follow him.

He was, indeed, a prince and a great man (**2 Samuel 3:38**).”

–Sinclair Ferguson, “[William Still (1911-1997), Minister of Gilcomston South Church, Aberdeen, 1945-1997](https://tollelege.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/3e1e8-william-still-obituary.pdf),”
[_The Banner of Truth Magazine_](https://banneroftruth.org/us/magazine/), No. 409(
Oct. 1997): 6-10.

More quotes from [Sinclair Ferguson](https://tollelege.net/category/sinclair-ferguson/)·
More on [Romans](https://tollelege.net/category/romans/)