ishness as drew to
him the loyal affection of the whole community. Even such sturdy
Presbyterians as McTavish, the Rosses, Angus Frazer and his mother,
while holding tenaciously and without compromise to their own particular
form of doctrine and worship, yielded Mr. Rhye, in the absence of a
church and minister of their own denomination, a support and esteem
unsurpassed even among his own folk. Their attitude was considered to be
stated with sufficient clearness by Angus Frazer in McTavish's store one
day. "I am not that sure about the doctrine, but he has the right kind
of religion for me." And McTavish's reply was characteristic: "Doctrine!
He has as gude as you can expec' frae thae Episcopawlian buddies.
But he's a Godly man and he aye pays his debts whatever," which from
McTavish was as high praise as could reasonably be expected.

The audience comprised the total population of Wolf Willow and its
vicinity, as well as visitors from the country within a radius of ten or
fifteen miles.

Mr. J. H. Gilchrist, M. P., possessed the initial advantages of Scotch
parentage and of early Scotch training, and besides these he was a
farmer and knew the farmer's mind. To these advantages he added those
of a course of training in Toronto University in the departments of
metaphysics and economics, and an additional advantage of five years'
pedagogical experience. He possessed, moreover, the gift of lucid and
forceful speech. With such equipment small wonder that he was in demand
for just such occasions as a Dominion Day celebration and in just such
a community as Wolf Willow. The theme of his address was Canadian
Citizenship, Its Duties and Its Responsibilities, a theme somewhat worn
but possessing the special advantage of being removed from the scope
of party politics while at the same time affording opportunity for
the elucidation of the political principles of that party which Mr.
Gilchrist represented, and above all for a fervid patriotic appeal. With
Scotch disdain of all that savoured of flattery or idle compliment, Mr.
Gilchrist plunged at once into the heart of his subject.

"First, the area of Canada. Forty-six years ago, when Canada became a
nation, the Dominion possessed an area of 662,148 square miles; to-day
her area covers 3,729,665 square miles, one-third the total size of
the British Empire, as large as the continent of Europe without Russia,
larger by over one hundred thousand square miles than the United
States