In the grand tapestry of life, there are threads that shine brighter, threads that weave stories of such profound depth that they transcend the ordinary. One such thread is the life of Norman Phillips Campbell. It is with a sense of profound respect and admiration that I pen this forward. Campbell left an indelible mark not only on Trinity College, Kandy, but also on the countless lives he touched with his spirit of service.
Born in Chicago and educated at Oxford, Campbell was a brilliant scientist, tipped to be the next Lord Kelvin. Yet, he chose a path less travelled – when he chose to serve as a missionary teacher at Trinity College in what was then Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), saying “I believe I would do more for science itself by teaching the elements to a people new to it, and training the young there to give their contribution to it. But above all I want to serve Christ…” His dedication to service and his Christ-like compassion were legendary, earning him the love and respect of all who knew him – especially the poor and marginalised.
In the words of Alexander Garden Fraser, the Principal of Trinity who recruited him, Campbell was “the crowning glory” of the College. Fraser wrote after Campbell’s death, “I have only indicated the greatness and wonder of a man I have known who was like Christ… he was our pride, and to win his smile we would have gone far.” It is this greatness and wonder that we celebrate as we delve into the pages of this biography.
Campbell’s legacy at Trinity College is multifaceted. He served as a Professor of Chemistry and Scout Master, founded the Social Service Union, and designed a number of buildings at Trinity. It was in the Social Service Union that left the deepest imprint of himself, and which in turn defined the spirit and character of the school. His undivided devotion to science and the person of Christ has become a part of the identity of Trinity College, a gift for which we remain profoundly grateful.
As he left Trinity to join England’s war effort in 1914, he explained to his students why he felt he must enlist. “…every evil thing that you and I have done during all our lives has helped to bring on this war” he argued, and “evil grows as… the circles widen when a pebble is thrown into a still pool.”
Having taken responsibility for his own sin which led to the war, he felt he must therefore atone for it. “If peace were declared to-morrow, it would not make things better. The evil which brought about this war would be left exactly where it was.” “…war is not simply killing, it is also a willingness to be killed, if need be, not for one’s own sake, but for the sake of others; it is this that ennobles war” he reasoned.
Having been wounded in a gas attack in 1915, he returned to the field. On 3rd May 1917, he died of a gunshot wound to his shoulder, near Arras in Northern France.
This digitised version of Campbell’s biography, written by his wife Lettice Margaret Campbell and first published in 1922, is a tribute to his extraordinary life. It is my hope that the readers will find inspiration in Campbell’s story, just as I have. His life serves as a reminder that the pursuit of knowledge and the spirit of service are not mutually exclusive, but rather, they can and must coexist and enrich each other.
As you read, may you be inspired by the life of Norman Phillips Campbell - a man of science, a man of faith, and above all, a man of service.
