An’ our folk wadna let her awa’, man;
For when there was trouble or death in the house,
She tended the sick-bed as quiet as a mouse,
An’ wrought three folks’ wark aye sae canny an’ douce,
Ye wad thocht she did naething ava, man.”
James Ballantine.
ALTHOUGH Mr. Walker found, when he came to the parish of Blinkbonny, that the congregation was very much smaller than it had been under Mr. Barrie, he did not manifest a spirit of rivalry towards the Free Church; and, as his pulpit work did not require much preparation, owing to his having a good stock of sermons to fall back on, he set himself first to visit every house in the parish. He was a kind, sensible, neighbourly man, and had a quiet way of giving useful hints, and, where needed, remonstrances or reproofs that often produced good effects.
While Mr. Morrison, the Secession minister, was the best theologian, and Mr. Barrie the best preacher, Mr. Walker was the best pastor. When one met Mr. Morrison, he was “complaisant” and heavy. Mr. Barrie was polite, but he seemed at one time abstracted, and at another as if he was too late for some engagement; but Mr. Walker was courteous, affectionate, interesting, and interested. In their preaching, Mr. Barrie was the most rousing and popular, Mr. Morrison the most profound and exegetical, Mr. Walker the most sympathetic and practical. Next to the Bible, Mr. Walker’s favourite book for pulpit preparation was Matthew Henry’s grand old Commentary. Mr. Morrison, on the other hand, consulted a great variety of authorities, ranging from Augustine and the Fathers to Robert Hall. Mr. Barrie drew largely from Calvin, Boston, Flavel, and the Puritan divines, as well as from the church historians, Knox, Neander, d’Aubigné, McCrie, etc.; and between the three, Blinkbonny was well off for ministers.
TO ALL THE COUNTRY DEAR.
Mr. Walker took great interest in the administration of the poor laws, and as a member of the Parochial Board he pled the cause of the deserving, and firmly opposed the demands of the indolent or lazy, got up local flower-shows, and gave cottagers and others useful hints as to their gardens, so much so that these became the pride of the place. He was unsparing in his extermination of all preventable nuisances and everything injurious to the health of the community, tried to get a better play-green for the boys, joined in the game of curling, and, stout as he was, he was a tough opponent, but at the same time a very pleasant man to play with. Although he never intruded his profession, he never forgot, far less disgraced it, and Blinkbonny soon came to look on him as the most useful man in the place—just a very fine man; and although leisurely in some of his ways, he was well qualified to take an active part in public affairs.