Oor ain folk times

240 SANCTIFIED COMMON SENSE
Many a time he has preached in the forenoon at
Edzell, afternoon at Lethnot, and again in the evening
at Edzell, walking all the way both to and from the
distant Lethnot church.
He was very diligent in visiting his flock and in
catechising the children, but always in such a kindly
way that his visits were looked forward to with eager
delight by both old and young. He did all the work
of his scattered parish on foot, and walked to Brechin
or Montrose to the stated meetings of presbytery. He
was Clerk to the Synod of Angus and Mearns, and also
to the Presbytery of Brechin, and was well versed in
ecclesiastical law and procedure.
My brother George, who saw more of him in his
later years than any of the rest, has sent me a few
notes which perhaps give a better risumd of the
salient points of the old minister's character than
anything I could give, and I therefore present these
just as I received them. He says :
' I am just jotting down my recollections at random,
and can only give you the bare statements without elabo-
ration. Papa had a keen sense of humour, a strong sense
of duty, loyalty to his convictions, an utter disregard
for consequences if convinced that his proposed course
of action was right, great tenderness of heart, and
sympathy with and for poor people and any one
in trouble. He used hospitality without grudging,
was as liberal as he could possibly be with his
ofttimes straitened means, denied himself continuously
for the sake of his children, and ever sought to make
the manse one of the happiest homes in the world.
He was fond of all sorts of manly pastimes, and was