of the parish would be unattended to; accordingly his
Session offered him a stated assistant to help him in his parochial
duty. With this proposal he at once concurred. Mr. Gatherer, then at
Caraldstone, was chosen, and continued to labor faithfully with him
during the remaining days of his ministry.

In the beginning of the year he published his _Daily Bread_, an
arrangement of Scripture, that the Bible might be read through in the
course of a year. He sought to induce his people to meditate much on the
written word in all its breadth. His last publication was, _Another Lily
Gathered_, or the account of James Laing, a little boy in his flock,
brought to Christ early, and carried soon to glory.

In the middle of January 1843, he visited Collace, and preached on I
Cor. 9:27: "A Castaway"--a sermon so solemn that one said it was like
a blast of the trumpet that would awaken the dead. Next day he rode on
to Lintrathen, where the people were willing to give up their work
at mid-day, if he would come and preach to them. All this month he was
breathing after glory. In his letters there are such expressions as
these: "I often pray, Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can
be made." "Often, often I would like to depart and be with Christ--to
mount to Pisgah-top and take a farewell look of the church below, and
leave my body and be present with the Lord. Ah, it is far better!"
Again: "I do not expect to live long. I expect a sudden call some
day--perhaps soon, and therefore I speak very plainly." But, indeed,
he had long been persuaded that his course would be brief. His hearers
remember well how often he would speak in such language as that with
which he one day closed his sermon: "Changes are coming; every eye
before me shall soon be dim in death. Another pastor shall feed this
flock; another singer lead the psalm; another flock shall fill this
fold."

In the beginning of February, by appointment of the Committee of the
Convocation, he accompanied Mr. Alexander of Zirkcaldy to visit the
districts of Deer and Ellon--districts over which he yearned, for
Moderatism had held undisputed sway over them for generations. It was
to be his last evangelistic tour. He exemplified his own remark, "The
oil of the lamp in the temple burnt away in giving light; so should
we."

He set out, says one that saw him leave town, as unclouded and happy
as the sky that was above his head that bright morning. During the
space of three weeks