“There is not, of
course, any difficulty in explaining the indifference of the modern secular
mind to Chalmers, neither is it surprising that churchmen of liberal persuasion
should lack enthusiasm for his memory.
What is more problematical is the question why evangelical Christianity
itself should have made so little of him these many years.”
—Iaian Murray, The Christian Heritage of Scotland
“To know Chalmers is to love him, and to wish to be like
him. Those to whom the cause of
Christ is dear can but seek that a double portion of his spirit should be upon
them.”
—Adam Philip, Foreword to Thomas Chalmers: Apostle of Union
“What I thirst to read is Chalmers’ life….I cannot conceive
of a wiser, greater or better man.
Every part of his character was colossal; he had the heart of twenty
men; the head of twenty men; the energy of a hundred. He has not left his equal in the world.”
—John Mackintosh
“You ask me to tell you about Dr. Chalmers. I must tell you first, then, that of
all men he is the most modest and speaks with undissembled gentleness and
liberality of those who differ from him in opinion. Every word he says has the stamp of genius; yet the
calmness, ease and simplicity of his conversation is such that to ordinary
minds he might appear an ordinary man.” —Mabel Grant
“Truly I consider him as raised up by God for a great and
peculiar work. His depth of
thought,
originality in illustrating and strength in stating are unrivalled in
the present day. In other respects
he is too sanguine. He does not
sufficiently see that a Chalmers is necessary to carry into effect the plans of
a Chalmers.”
—Charles Simeon
“It was his contagious ‘enthusiasm for humanity’ that
invested him in the eyes of students, as well as congregations, broad Scotland
over, classes and masses alike, with an admiring reverence assigned to one of
the old Prophets of Israel.”
—J.R. Macduff
“During his life of sixty-seven years, Chalmers gave
forty-four years of public service.
Twenty of these he spent as a minister in three parishes—twenty-four he
spent as a professor in three different chairs.”
—Adam Philip
“Choose Him, then, my brethren. Choose Him as the Captain of your salvation. Let Him enter into your hearts by
faith, and let Him dwell continually there. Cultivate a daily intercourse and a growing acquaintance
with Him. O, you are in safe
company, indeed, when your fellowship is with Him.”
—From the Last Sermon of Thomas Chalmers at Kilmany
