Tribute to Morton H. Smith

It is with some tentativeness that I write this about a man whom I have known for only a few short years. There are many others who have known him far longer and can share much more than I ever could. Nevertheless, when I heard the news that the seminary where I received theological training (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) decided to grant Dr. Morton H. Smith emeritus status, I was overjoyed. The news of this can be found here. I had to smile when I first saw the GPTS news link because the photo used was taken with our camera, though there is some debate amongst the three photographers in the family as to who actually took the photo.

It was taken during the 2011 GPTS Spring Theology Conference. His love of preaching the word and Reformed theology was always evident to me. I had him for four classes at GPTS, the seminary which Dr. Smith helped begin. Teaching the truths of the Reformed faith always seemed to give him such life and fire in his eye. There was one particular time that I saw this which will always be ingrained in my memory. In my first year (2008-9) at GPTS, I had the class called "Introduction to Reformed Theology" in which he taught out of his Harmony of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms. Midway through the semester, Dr. Smith became quite ill with some kind of upper respiratory illness. One class was cancelled and the next week Dr. Pipa, the President of the seminary, taught the class in his place indicating that if needed he would take over and finish the class for Dr. Smith. Well, it wasn't needed and Dr. Smith returned to the classroom, though he was still recovering and a bit weak due to the illness. Yet that day he returned to the classroom as he taught the class, I watched his strength return and the gleam in his eye get brighter and brighter as he joyfully taught the doctrines of the Reformed faith which he loved so dearly. It was so evident that he loved God and His word and this was clear every time he taught or preached at the seminary.

Dr. Smith with Dr. George W. Knight III

Dr. Smith was also a consummate churchman. He was the first stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) - a position he held for 16 years. In 2000 he was elected to be the moderator of their General Assembly. Dr. Smith loved and still loves the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wrote a book that played an important role in the formation of the PCA in 1973. This book is entitled How Is the Gold Become Dim. It was required reading for my class on Presbyterian Church History. As I read the book, which traced the decades of decline of the PCUS, I was struck by how long Dr. Smith and others like him endured so many severe theological errors; he loved the church and fought hard to keep her from drifting rather than jumping ship too hastily to form another denomination. Eventually, he and others made the difficult decision to leave the PCUS and form the PCA in 1973. People in the church ought to take a lesson in patience from Dr. Smith and not be so hasty to leave their church over issues even though they may very well be legitimate. While some folks may leave a church over one issue found in one sermon, Dr. Smith pressed on despite many issues over the course of a couple of decades. On the other hand, ministers and elders of the church ought to read his book to avoid the same kind of theological decline Dr. Smith witnessed in the PCUS. As cliché as it might sound, history has a habit of repeating itself. I have always found it remarkable that the decline of various denominations around the world bears so much similarity with one another. Read his book and see if you recognize the same signs of theological decline in your own church.

Dr. Smith signing my copy of his Systematic Theology

It was an honor to learn from Dr. Smith during my years at seminary. I hope and pray that I can have even half of the love and devotion to God, the Bible, the Reformed faith, and the Church as Dr. Smith still has. Thank you Dr. Smith for your service to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church; thank you for the example you gave to me and many others; may God give you many more years of faithful service to His Church. May God continue to raise up such defenders of the faith in Christ's Church.