Machen hated having his picture made

...but he's smiling in this painting!

Machen and the young faculty of Westminster had an appointment to sit for a photograph in 1931 (now colorized). There’s a record in an article or biography of how little he enjoyed it—the time away from work, the general inconvenience, the heat of the lights (before the days of flash photography)…everything about it. The photograph itself is a visual record of how little he enjoyed the session.

Front, L-R:

• Ned Stonehouse (age 29), New Testament

• Oswald T. Allis (age 51), Old Testament

• J. Gresham Machen (age 51), New Testament

• Paul Woolley (age 29), Church History

• Cornelius Van Til (age 36), Apologetics

Standing, L-R:

• John Murray (age 32), New Testament

• Allan MacRae (age 29), Old Testament

…obviously not amused! But there is a beautiful painting (below) where he is smiling…sorta. At least he does not appear to harbor any violent intentions towards the painter. I have lots of respect for those who do not show their teeth when being photographed, even when smiling—Machen has a pursed-lips smirk. Curbing one’s enthusiasm is very important.

Here’s a final tidbit: Machen had his suits made with an extra large interior pocket or two to hold normal-sized books, since he was never without a book.

(My assumption/recollection is that this portrait is the property of Westminster Theological Seminary.)