Gathering Jewels | Page 5

excursion train, and called at several places, and in the evening took a

cabin passage for Glasgow, Scotland. I went from Greenock to
Glasgow in the train; I arrived on Thursday morning in Glasgow, about
six o'clock, and went to my brother-in-law's, Mr. William Darroch. The
day is cold, blowing, and showers.
Glasgow, Sabbath morning, May 23d.--Heard the Rev. Mr. Douglass
lecture from the 6th chapter of Matthew.
Afternoon.--A lovely day. Heard another minister preach in the same
church, from the 3d chapter of Philippians, and 8th verse: "Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but lost for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord."
Tuesday, May 25th.--I went with Mrs. Darroch and her daughter,
Maggie, to Edinburgh, and after visiting the castle, and a number of
other places of interest, returned to Glasgow the same day.
Saturday, May 29th.--Returned to Belfast.
Sabbath morning, May 30th.--A beautiful day. Heard Dr. Houston,
pastor of my boyhood, lecture from the 13th chapter of John; then
preach from 1st Thessalonians, 3d chapter, 12th and 13th verses.
Lecture in the evening, from the 6th and 7th chapter of Revelations. I
took dinner and tea with Rev. Dr. Houston and his family. A fine day
throughout.
Before returning to this country he expressed his love and unfeigned
gratitude to the memory of his sainted mother (who early taught him
the ways of God) by erecting a substantial monument over her grave to
perpetuate her revered name.
After spending two years in Europe he returned to New York, and was
elected an Elder in the Allen Street Church.
On Easter Sabbath, April, 1877, he was regularly installed into office as
a Ruling Elder.
So I ask Thee, Lord, to give me grace My little place to fill, That I may

ever walk with Thee, And ever do Thy will, And in each duty, great or
small; I may be faithful still.
Of course, the life-work of such a man as we are contemplating was
full of little peculiarities (eccentricities, society calls them), which even
his most intimate relations with the world does not divulge to the
inquisitive of his day. It is only after such men pass away and their
relatives are permitted to look into the "private jewel-box," as it were,
that we come across the brilliant diamonds of thought, the glowing
rubies of expressed gratitude and, may be, some softly-tinted pearls of
faith, hope and charity, all lying together in the receptacle which, even
if humble in workmanship, is full of priceless treasures.
The Bible of our friend was very often used for over forty years, until it
showed that it was never allowed to preserve a dainty appearance
through a want of use, nor the dust to accumulate on cover or edge by
reason of its owner's non-usage of the sacred pages. It was a useful
Reference Bible, and, no doubt, of immense value and comfort to him,
for the pages are pretty well worn, even where no marks are made
indicative of favorite passages, etc.
Next among the eccentricities of our friend was the disposition to keep
a quiet order of memorandums, and a diary extending back for many
years, from which had we the space to spare in this book we would
place before the world some of the gems found in his jewel-box, as
indicative of the man's industry and the Christian's freedom from
ostentatious display.
Help each step upon the way, Strength sufficient for the day, All things
easy in Thy might, Work for thee a felt delight.
Courage, patience, grace supplied, All things needful--at Thy side;
Such my happy lot will be, Working, dearest Lord, with thee.
Agreeably with the spirit of our labor, we will take an impartial view of
our friend as a Christian, in the eyes of the world, and among laymen
generally. That he was no drone in the Christian hive, all the world
could see; that he was active and unusually laborious for Christ and the

Church, no one who follows the spirit of the sermon eulogizing his
memory, or who reads this work, can deny; as an Elder of the Church,
he was faithful in anything he was requested to perform, especially in
public prayer-meeting, individual devotional study, and
self-contemplation.
His sympathy for suffering humanity in any form, was, indeed, very
large, in fact so easily moved, that he would habitually visit the sick
members of the Church after being relieved from such duties. To him
all men and women were brothers and sisters, the distance of
relationship (if very strained and far between in some instances), he
would claim, was closer, more congenial, and intimate in others.
As a builder among the builders, a workman among the workmen of
the temple; or as a brother among brethren of the same house,