# Dr. Hughes Old, with the Lord



## Travis Fentiman (May 24, 2016)

Friends,


Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old, affectionately known as Scotti, one of the world's leading historians of Christian, reformed worship, and a friend, went to be with our Savior at about 10:30 this morning, Tuesday, May 24, 2016. 

Three weeks ago, I was able to see Scotti in his home. I asked him, 'What song was it that Jesus was singing when He was going to the grave when it says in the gospels that after the Last Supper He sang a 'hymn'?'

He replied, 'Psalm 118'. We were able to sing to him Ps. 118, the end of the great Hallel:

'O set ye open unto me
the gates of righteousness;
Then will I enter into them,
and I the Lord will bless.

This is the gate of God, by it
the just shall enter in.
Thee will I praise, for thou me heard'st
and hast my safety been.'


Knowing that he loves the things of God's Word, especially from the original languages, I told him, where we sing of 'salvation' in the psalter, the Hebrew word is 'Yeshua' 'Jesus'. Jesus was singing his name in the prophesy of his death and resurrection. Ps. 118:14 'God my Salvation [Jesus] is become, my Strength and Song is He.' He exclaimed: 'That's amazing!'

Scotti in his last weeks, days, and hours was full of faith, trusting in God and our Savior. His death was a whole burnt offering unto the Lord. When I was with him this last Lord's Day, the last words I heard breathed from his lips, barely articulate, though with all of his strength, was the doxology:

'Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.'​

'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.' Rev. 14:13

Reactions: Edifying 1


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## bookslover (May 24, 2016)

Do you know where he was when he died? What city and state?

He was born on April 13, 1933. So, he went to be with the Lord at 83.

I understand that he was born in Redondo Beach, California. Is that right?

I have what is now, I think, his last book: _Holy Communion in the Piety of the Reformed Church_ (2013). It's very good.

Come to think of it, he died just one month after T. H. L. Parker, the great Calvin scholar, died (on April 25, at 99).


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## Reformed Covenanter (May 24, 2016)

bookslover said:


> I have what is now, I think, his last book: Holy Communion in the Piety of the Reformed Church (2013). It's very good.



That is one I plan to read really soon. It is sad to hear that he has died.


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## Jake (May 24, 2016)

Interesting former thread on the PB about his views on angels/demons. I find some who dismiss him because of this, but most in this thread think his view is acceptable: http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php/59850-Hughes-Oliphant-Old-Biblical-belief-of-Satan-demons


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## C. M. Sheffield (May 24, 2016)

Thank you Travis. I am encouraged by the witness of his faith in the hour of death. My God grant us all such dying grace.


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## Travis Fentiman (May 25, 2016)

Here is some more about my experiences with Dr. Old:

He attended an OPC church in New Hampshire that my family began attending last year. He was at public worship every week up until about a month ago. Just before that, a few months ago, he had the honor of baptizing his only grandchild (he is a retired pastor from the PCUSA and wanted 'to go down with the ship').

He loved children and took a special liking for my two little ones. He was especially fond of my little, 1.5 year old Matthew Henry, and told me affectionately of the story of how he first found out about Matthew Henry (of old). When visited him in his home about 3 weeks ago, the first thing he did was (as they came up to see him and hugged him) bless them. He said he wanted to because that is what Jesus did, taking little ones into his arms and blessing them.

Later, lil' Matthew Henry was saying 'truck', 'truck' as he saw trucks go by on the street outside through the window (trucks are his favorite toy). Then he would say 'bye-bye' when they went by. Dr. Old (being mostly blind), said 'bye-bye', thinking that he was leaving. Annie, my bride, told him that he was just saying bye-bye to the trucks passing through the window. As Matthew Henry then said 'bye-bye', each time Dr. Old said 'Bye-bye truck!'

He spent his last amount of time when he was able to work, editing up previously published books and articles of his, which Mary, his bride helped him greatly with, as Dr. Old has been mostly blind for the last few years. He said months ago that he was going to try and start writing another book, on Christ and the arts.

Life had become dreary and tiring for him in the end (with the infirmities of old age), and so we sought to cheer him up the best we could when we would see him. He always wanted to talk theology, and looked forward to it, though he was very friendly in conversation besides this. He had to go the hospital a few months back. The nurse said that he was very out of it (not coherent). While he was rather unaware of his surroundings (being mostly blind), I can testify that he was very with it, as he simply was talking about what was on his mind: historical theology (something nurses don't always clue in on).

In the last year that I was graced to be with him, the thing that strikes me the most about him was his evident, sincere faith and love for God.


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## Travis Fentiman (May 25, 2016)

bookslover said:


> Do you know where he was when he died? What city and state?
> ...
> I understand that he was born in Redondo Beach, California. Is that right?




Richard,

He was at home in bed when he died. He lived in New Hampshire, though I don't recall the town, it is 5 minutes away from West Lebanon. Yes, he was 83 when he died. I believe he was born in Redondo Beach, CA, as Rev. Danny Hyde said: 'One of my pen pals from afar over the past 20 years and fellow Redondo Union High School alumnus.'

He told me several months ago that he considered his first book, Themes and Variations for a Christian Doxology, to be the one that meant the most to him.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref...ch-Books-Submit.x=0&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=0​
He delighted to have Scripture read to him in his last days. I especially remember him squeezing my hand when reading 1 Cor. 15:

'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?... But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'​


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## Travis Fentiman (May 25, 2016)

Jake said:


> Interesting former thread on the PB about his views on angels/demons. I find some who dismiss him because of this, but most in this thread think his view is acceptable: http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php/59850-Hughes-Oliphant-Old-Biblical-belief-of-Satan-demons



Jake,


The impression from the small quote from Old and the following discussion on PB from the thread you linked is not the impression that I get from the fuller two paragraph quote from Old's book, which is quoted here.

While I do not have any more information than what is written in Old's book, it seems pretty clear to me from the fuller context that Dr. Old was not endorsing the view that Satan does not exist as a personal entity, but that he was admitting his own lack of faith in believing what would otherwise be the straight-forward teaching of Scripture, contra his background that he grew up in. It seems to me Old's expression is essentially the same as the person who cried out, 'Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief.'

Blessings brother.


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## bookslover (May 25, 2016)

A PCUSA guy baptized someone in an OPC church? Not sure how that works...


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## Travis Fentiman (May 25, 2016)

bookslover said:


> A PCUSA guy baptized someone in an OPC church? Not sure how that works...



Dr. Old was a minister for many decades in the PCUSA, mostly back in the mid-late 1900's. His ordination was valid, and that, per Scripture, not into a denomination, but into the universal, visible Church of Christ, whatever one thinks of any degree of communion (or lack thereof) with the PCUSA. The PCUSA being in some sense a Church, whatever one makes of all the other senses, their baptism by their (lawful) ministers into the universal, visible Church is valid. 

As far as communion with, and the public testimony of a PCUSA minister baptizing a child in an assembly of the Lord under the oversight of the OPC, I doubt it would fly with the session and presbytery under any other circumstances, but there is a large difference that Scripture recognizes between godly ministers in a very corrupt Church (with their attendent corrupt public testimony) who calls them to repentance, Eze. 3:18-19, and a minister that simply goes with and condones all such backsliding. Hence the services and functions of ecclesiastical power of Ezekiel, Jesus and many others in Scripture were valid, lawful and blessed of God, though done in a highly corrupt, and perhaps even apostate Church.


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## Travis Fentiman (May 25, 2016)

'And all the days of Hughes Old were 30,358 days; and he died.'

'So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.'

Ps. 90:12​


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## bookslover (May 25, 2016)

Travis, are you sure you don't know the name of the city or town where he died? Since you visited him in his home, and he died at home...


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## Travis Fentiman (May 26, 2016)

bookslover said:


> Travis, are you sure you don't know the name of the city or town where he died? Since you visited him in his home, and he died at home...



I had to ask my bride (I am not from the area, and we just drive there; there are numerous small towns in the area). It turns out that he is on the Vermont side, as we are, though the church Dr. Old attended, and I attend is in West Lebanon, NH. He lived in Hartford, VT:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/J...1915e3243458c6!8m2!3d43.6903419!4d-72.3203812

If you desire further confirmation of his death, see Rev. Glen Cary's independent testimony quoted on this page:

https://tonyreinke.com/2016/05/24/hughes-oliphant-old-1933-2016/

As well as the FB group page for Providence Presbyterian Church, OPC, West Lebanon, NH, which posting was put there by Rev. Tim Herndon of the OPC.


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## Wayne (May 26, 2016)

Have funeral arrangements been announced?

I would like to find someone who will be attending, who would also be willing to send me one or two copies of the bulletin prepared for the funeral service.


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## Travis Fentiman (May 27, 2016)

Wayne said:


> Have funeral arrangements been announced?



Wayne,


Yes. Here is his obituary with the funeral arrangements towards the bottom:

http://www.knightfuneralhomes.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=3732961&fh_id=12258


I can pick up two service bulletins for you. Just shoot me a message about it.



Also, it looks like I was mistaken above: his home that he died in was in White River Junction, VT.


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## bookslover (May 27, 2016)

Apparently, he was born in Torrance, CA, instead of Redondo Beach, CA. It says he attended Redondo Beach High School, however - hence, the possible confusion. And, I think the cemetery is also in White River Junction.

Is fact-gathering supposed to be this hard? LOL


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