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R. Laird Harris: A Great Servant of the Lord

April 2008

Dr. R. Laird Harris passed away Friday, April 25, 2008, in Quarryville, Pa. Harris was a former moderator of the PCA and the Bible Presbyterian Synod. He was also a founding faculty member of Covenant Theological Seminary, where he was a professor and chairman of the Old Testament Department from 1956 until he retired in 1981.

Throughout his life Laird was active in church leadership, serving as chairman of the Fraternal Relations Committee of the Bible Presbyterian Church (BPC) during the late 1950s when discussions began concerning union between the BPC and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, General Synod. He remained on the committee through 1965 when that union took place, forming the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES). In 1982, the RPCES joined the Presbyterian Church in America. Harris was elected moderator that year for the 10th General Assembly of the PCA.

John MacRae, pastor at Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church, said that Harris stayed active in Bible studies and was faithful to watch chapel services and church services on television in his later years. “He was always eager to praise the Lord,” MacRae said, “and he rejoiced in all the astonishing work that God is doing. He was a great servant of the Lord, and of our denomination.”

Harris’s funeral will take place at Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church in Quarryville, Pa., on May 1 at 2 p.m.

(Material for this article was taken from the PCA Historical Center, where the R. Laird Harris papers are archived.)

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First Name:
Richard Ellis

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Ballwin, Mo

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I am an active member of Chesterfield Presbyterian Church. I remember taking classes from Dr. Harris in the late 60s and always had high respect for his insights and faithfulness to the Scriptures. He has influenced many of the Lord's servants.

2008-04-30 23:02 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Daniel Pruitt

Last Name:
Belton, S. C.

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I remember Dr. Harris from my years of Seminary. He was a Godly man who loved the Lord and loved teaching Old Testament. He will be missed.

2008-05-01 06:58 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
TE Stephen Welch

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Nova Scotia

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Another great servant of the Lord has entered into his eternal rest. Dr. Harris left a great legacy and made a wonderful contribution to the church. May the Lord bless his family and comfort them with peace. I pray that the Lord will raise up a new generation of men like Dr. Harris. I long to meet him at the marriage supper of the lamb and rejoice with him for eternity.

2008-05-01 10:23 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Dick Jones

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St. Charles, MO

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Dr. Harris also contributed to the NIV Bible translation(Leviticus) along with fellow professors at Covenant Seminary Elmer Smick, Harold Mare, Wilbur Wallis, & George Knight. I remember that all of these men taught Sunday School and provided pulpit supply at various times at nearby Covenant Presbyterian Church where I attended. It was a priviledge to have such a wealth of Bible knowledge in one church.

2008-05-01 16:04 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Joan Preston

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St. Louis, MO

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He had a big impact on our family and my husband had the highest regard for him. He was one who really led my husband to a closer relationship with the Lord. I always learned and grew under his Sunday School lessons that opened Scripture to me in a wider sense and I will never forget him.

2008-05-01 21:44 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Ned Bustard

Last Name:
Lancaster, PA

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My wife grew up attending church with Dr. Harris and his wife. Then recently while visiting my grandmother Agnes Bustard at Quarreyville we had the unexpected treat of finding them living across the hall! We had some lovely conversations with him. What I will never forget was that even up to the end of his life Dr. Harris was working hard for the Kingdom. One day when I visited I found him diligently compiling a harmony of the Gospels.

2008-05-14 07:48 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Jim Phillis

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Hendersonville, NC

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In the mid 90's, I had the privilege of working on a special committee of Heritage Presbytery with Dr. Harris. He was still a student of the Scriptures and was eager to hear the views of a less experienced man. I benefitted from his encouragement and seeing his humility.

2008-05-14 08:51 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Richard Raines

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Industry, PA

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He was a man of great knowledge of the Bible and in the area of science about creation and evolution. Also, he was a humble man that always had time to answer students' questions outside of the classroom and invited students to his home for meals. I once sat at the Harris' Sunday table between Dr. Laird Harris and missionary Homer Emerson as they discussed the translation of the Old Testament into Quachwen.

2008-05-14 08:53 Permalink Reply