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Hugh Black
Hugh Black (March 26, 1868 – April 6, 1953) was a Scottish-American theologian and author. Black was born on March 26, 1868, in Rothesay, Scotland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Glasgow in 1887, and studied divinity at Free Church College Glasgow from 1887 until 1891. Black was ordained in 1891 and became associate pastor at St George's Free Church in Edinburgh in 1896, where he worked with Alexander Whyte.Hugh Black (March 26, 1868 – April 6, 1953) was a Scottish-American preacher, theologian, and author whose ministry bridged pastoral service and academic theology, impacting congregations across Scotland and the United States for over five decades. Born in Rothesay, Scotland, to parents whose details are not widely documented—likely a modest Presbyterian family—he grew up immersed in the Free Church tradition. He graduated with a Master of Arts from the University of Glasgow in 1887 and studied divinity at Free Church College Glasgow (1887–1891), ordained in 1891 without further formal degrees, though he later received honorary Doctor of Divinity titles from Yale (1908), Princeton, and Glasgow (both 1911). Black’s preaching career began as assistant pastor at Sherwood Church in Paisley, Scotland, followed by a decade as associate pastor at St. George’s Free Church in Edinburgh (1896–1906) under Alexander Whyte, where his eloquent sermons earned him renown as a “whitener” to Whyte’s “blackening” style. Emigrating to the United States in 1906, he became Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City (1906–1937), preaching at college chapels and guest pulpits like Central Congregational Church in Providence, Rhode Island, with a focus on practical faith and evangelism. He pastored First Congregational Church in Montclair, New Jersey, from 1930 to 1937, retiring to write and lecture. Author of works like The Art of Being a Good Friend (1899) and Christ’s Service of Love (1907), he married with family details unrecorded and passed away at age 85 in Montclair, New Jersey.
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Hugh Black emphasizes the importance of recognizing goodness in all places and people, urging believers to embrace kinship with those who do good and to rejoice in the victories of the Cross through various channels. He highlights the arrogance and sinfulness of setting up barriers that exclude those who do not align with our views, stressing the need to tear down pride and prejudice to welcome all who sincerely love the Lord Jesus as brethren. The sermon underscores the spiritual insight required to appreciate God's grace working through diverse individuals and the humility needed to step aside and celebrate God's work accomplished through others.
Wide Tolerance
"He that is not against us is for us" (Mark 9:40). When we think of the tolerance of God with all of us, His patience, His longsuffering with our slowness of heart, His wide, rich mercy, His free gospel of grace, how miserable are the petty barriers and limits which we set up, how sinful is our arrogance with which we unchurch and excommunicate all who do not see eye to eye with us, and follow not us! It is the mark of spiritual insight to be able to recognise goodness everywhere, and assert kinship with it, to feel in sympathy with it, to accept it, and thank God for it, to claim fellowship with every good man, to share in every good work, however unauthorised by man, if only it have the stamp of God's approval. Also, it is the highest triumph of grace in us to be willing even to be set aside, to see others do the work our own hands long to do, to be willing to be superseded, to rejoice in every victory of the Cross through others, to stand aside and praise God for every evidence of His power and mercy to the world through other channels than our own, to tear away all pride and prejudice and receive as brethren all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, to comfort ourselves with the inspiring thought that He has so many instruments beyond our narrow circle, to find peace and joy in believing that he who is not against us is for us.
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Hugh Black (March 26, 1868 – April 6, 1953) was a Scottish-American theologian and author. Black was born on March 26, 1868, in Rothesay, Scotland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Glasgow in 1887, and studied divinity at Free Church College Glasgow from 1887 until 1891. Black was ordained in 1891 and became associate pastor at St George's Free Church in Edinburgh in 1896, where he worked with Alexander Whyte.Hugh Black (March 26, 1868 – April 6, 1953) was a Scottish-American preacher, theologian, and author whose ministry bridged pastoral service and academic theology, impacting congregations across Scotland and the United States for over five decades. Born in Rothesay, Scotland, to parents whose details are not widely documented—likely a modest Presbyterian family—he grew up immersed in the Free Church tradition. He graduated with a Master of Arts from the University of Glasgow in 1887 and studied divinity at Free Church College Glasgow (1887–1891), ordained in 1891 without further formal degrees, though he later received honorary Doctor of Divinity titles from Yale (1908), Princeton, and Glasgow (both 1911). Black’s preaching career began as assistant pastor at Sherwood Church in Paisley, Scotland, followed by a decade as associate pastor at St. George’s Free Church in Edinburgh (1896–1906) under Alexander Whyte, where his eloquent sermons earned him renown as a “whitener” to Whyte’s “blackening” style. Emigrating to the United States in 1906, he became Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City (1906–1937), preaching at college chapels and guest pulpits like Central Congregational Church in Providence, Rhode Island, with a focus on practical faith and evangelism. He pastored First Congregational Church in Montclair, New Jersey, from 1930 to 1937, retiring to write and lecture. Author of works like The Art of Being a Good Friend (1899) and Christ’s Service of Love (1907), he married with family details unrecorded and passed away at age 85 in Montclair, New Jersey.