A Kernel of Wheat: Remembering a Gentle Giant of Faith and Scholarship

A giant has fallen asleep, but has left precious legacies of roots and wings to all whom he touched.

On July 5, 2008, in the company of his loved ones, Clifford H. C. Edwards passed away from a fast-spreading cancer at Riverview Health Centre. He was 84 years old.

Here was Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba, Queen’s Counsel, Chair of Law Reform Commission, member of the Order of Canada and Order of Manitoba, but, most distinguished of all, a “faithful servant” of the King.

Cliff was a giant of a man. He was my legal history professor in law school in 1972 and my conscience thereafter.

Cliff was a man of quiet faith and great moral fortitude. I remember attending his Wednesday noon-hour Bible study sessions with other law students in his office – the Dean’s office. Cliff made it all right to practice faith in a highly secular subculture.

Cliff was indeed, as praised by many, a fantastic teacher. His lectures, like his Sunday sermons, were clear, concise, to the point, and well illustrated with anecdotes.

Yes. It’s true that Cliff loved alliterations. He used this literary convention to sculpt memorable concepts in his audience.

On many occasions when I happened upon Cliff, he would kindly, with a smile, remind me that I should help my wife in taking our four young boys to church every Sunday, instead of letting her struggle with carrying two tiny ones and shepherding the two older ones to church. It was Cliff’s attempt to disciple me. But, he did it so gently and so … effectively, not right there and then, but, certainly years afterwards in helping to save my soul.

The last time I saw Cliff was at the Tuxedo Shopping Centre parking lot outside Safeway three months ago in March. We had a brief chat. He looked frail. Those were one of many opportunities I regret having missed in telling him how much he had impacted me and my life, as he had many others on his life’s pilgrimage.

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

Now, Cliff is with the Lord, and indeed, we can all hear the trumpet sounded on the other side as he had sown many seeds of salvation for those who cared to pay heed.

Thank you, Dean Edwards, as you were so affectionately and respectfully called, for caring about my God-precious soul.