What a spiritual blessing this old saint was to me soon after I became a Christian around 45 years ago when I was only fifteen years old. When doubts, fears, and spiritual battles seemed to overwhelm me at the beginning of my pilgrimage, firstly his books, then meeting up with him a few times for spiritual counsel was enough to make me aware of Satan's dirty tricks and equip me for the road ahead. He seemed such an old man to our fellowship group where the ages ranged from about 15 to 26, yet he was dearly loved by us, because we could see in him someone who truly loved God and one who dearly loved those he ministered to.AK
He was born in Aberdeen in May 1911, the son of William and Helen Still, both from the little fishing village of Gardenstown. From his earliest childhood, young William was taken to the meetings of the Salvation Army Corps in Aberdeen. Already by the age of thirteen, he was a decided Christian. But his childhood and teens were dogged by weakness that at times was almost crippling – and from which he was rescued only by the intervention of a Glasgow physician.
William Still came to his ministry as a child of some of the dominant influences of the evangelical world of the mid-twentieth century: the theology of The Salvation Army, the general ethos of The Scofield Reference Bible, and the emphases of the older quasi higher-life type Bible teachers. In the post-war years there were bright and busy evangelistic meetings with large numbers of converts ‘falling into the Lord’s hands like plums’, as he put it.
Then came the first revolution: he ‘stumbled’ on expository preaching as on successive Sundays he found himself, as if by accident, preaching consecutively through a portion of Romans. He saw that the task to which God was calling him was to build strong Christian character through the ministry of God’s Word, patiently expounded and searchingly applied to the consciences of his hearers. Putting these convictions to the test, he abandoned the Saturday night evangelistic rallies and began a prayer meeting instead.
He continued to find the light of Scripture breaking into and reshaping his thinking – and as he did so, he drew the congregation through the experience with him – until his theology became increasingly moulded by Scripture and distinctively Reformed in character. He preached (and wrote) his way through the entire Bible several times.
There were no organizations in the congregation, with the minor exception of a Sunday School for children under seven. Beyond that the church was seen as a family, and its gatherings were regarded as relevant to all the members. This applied equally to the two Sunday services, the mid-week Bible Study and the Saturday night meeting for prayer. His central emphasis was on the ministry of the Word and prayer, worship and fellowship, and the consequent witness of the church as individuals and as a fellowship in the city and beyond.
On his eighty-sixth birthday, William Still demitted the pastoral charge of the congregation he had served with unstinting devotion for 52 years. He died in July 1997.
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The Rev William Still
Rev William Still, born May 8, 1911, died July 30, 1997
The son of an Aberdeen fish merchant, the Rev william Still was the longest serving minister in the Church of Scotland when he retired from his charge at Gilcomston South Church earlier this year on his 87th birthday.
A leading evangelical minister in 1970 he was a founder member of the Crieff Brotherhood, a group of ministers who campaigned for the retention of traditional values and beliefs within the Kirk and who became known as the ''Stillites.''
Mr Still was born into a Salvation Army family and was self-educated from the age of 13 when illness forced him to leave school.
As a teenager he followed his father into the family business but lasted only a few months claiming he couldn't stand the smell of fish.
After a period as a piano teacher and then as an organist at a Methodist Church he planned to become an officer in the Salvation Army but once again ill health struck and he was forced to leave the Salvation Army training College in London.
When they refused to admit him a second time he decided instead, at the age of 29, to train for the ministry at Christ's College in Aberdeen which he was able to attend while remaining at home. During a spell as an assistant at Springburn Hill Church in Glasgow he was badly injured when he fell between the platform and a train at a station in the city.
It was while convalescing he underwent what he described as a ''second conversion'' and was ''all aflame with the Gospel in a new way.''
He said he was a ''fire and brimstone preacher in his early days'' and it caused
him a lot of upset but he did gain a reputation for filling the pews and in 1945 he was invited to become the minister at Gilcomston South Church.
When he arrived it was run down and the Presbytery had twice tried to close it down, but within months the church was so packed he was inviting people to sit a little closer together and share a hymn book.
It has grown to be a major force for evangelism in the Kirk.
Mr Still was no stranger to controversy and the declining standard of dress of young people attending church wearing ''drab rags and bags'' was one of the subjects on which he voiced his opinion.
He also attacked TV soap opera EastEnders for portraying religion inaccurately.
In spite of poor health he insisted on preaching twice every Sunday until his retirement in May. In his retirement speech he described falling church attendance and subsequent church closures as ''scandalous''.
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland the Rt Rev Sandy McDonald said: ''The death of William Still marks the end of a very distinguished and dedicated ministry in the Church of Scotland.
''A great bible teacher and a much loved father in the faith to countless ministers over the last 53 years, I believe he will be remembered as a good and faithful servant of Christ and the Church.''
Mr Still remained unmarried and is survived by his sisters Barbara and Rene and youngest brother David
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