Sometimes men pay the least attention to what they see most often. They can drive a familiar route to work on ‘auto-pilot’, noticing few details along the roadside. Physiological developments in children pass unnoticed by parents who see them every day. We, however, become conscious of our oversight as soon as someone points out these overlooked details. A similar experience can occur in reading familiar passages of Scripture. Repeated acquaintance with the wording can leave the language imbedded in our memory, while disabling our inclination to think deeply about the meaning. We appreciate, therefore, the aid of those who come alongside and draw our attention to insights we have failed to observe. Hugh Martin proves an ideal help in this regard.
While we hope that the many works of men like M’Cheyne, Bannerman, and the Bonar brothers have wide circulation, we also realize that not everyone has time or energy to commit to an in-depth reading of all of their works. We are grateful to note that there is a helpful resource now available to keep before us the earnest focus of our forefathers. None Other Name: Daily Devotional Readings from the 19th Century Scottish Ministers, by Leen J. van Valen brings together a curated selection of some of the finest examples of this focus.
The greatest thing in man is mind. But in a fallen world, the best mind degenerates and is subject to all the vicissitudes and decay inherent to our condition. In the twenty-first century, talk of the mind invariably turns to thought of the brain. And what will the physical brain of man be in heaven and in the new earth? This is one of many interesting questions that receives consideration from Rev. Hugh Martin, in one of his letters included in the compendium “Christ Victorious, Selected Writings of Hugh Martin,” recently published by the Banner of Truth Trust.
