r mirth in the task before him. He
had no idea of what a pastoral visitation meant to the Johnstones. Of
course, he had heard very often of the strange old ways of his
grandfather's time, but considered them as belonging to the dim past.
But Glenoro had not quite emerged from the ancient ways. In the good
old days, so lately gone, when Mr. Cameron had visited the members of
his congregation, a pastoral visitation was not merely a social
function, but a solemn religious ceremony. The minister might discuss
with the heads of the family such light matters as the crops or the
weather before or during tea; but afterwards, when the family gathered
in the best room with their pastor in the midst, temporal affairs were
put aside and there was a season of deep heart-searching. There were
the Catechism and Scripture verses to be heard from the younger members
of the family and personal questions to be asked. The minister must
know just what progress each one was making on the upward road. There
were virtues to commend and mistakes to rebuke. Then, after the
reading of a chapter from the Book and the singing of a psalm, there
were a few deep, earnest words from the pastor, words which steadied
many a careless youth and instilled into the hearts of the children the
knowledge that God and Right are the only factors to be reckoned with
in this world. The ceremony was concluded with a long and fervent
prayer by the minister, as old and young knelt around the family altar,
a prayer which included a distinct comprehensive petition for each
member of the family and one from which they all arose strengthened and
bettered and ready for the battle against wrong.

Still more solemn had been the visitations of John Egerton's
grandfather. That grand old apostle lived in the hard, rough days, and
his coming was often looked forward to with dread. His scorching
rebuke of sin, his powerful personality and his complete consecration
combined to make his visits a sort of foreshadowing of the great
judgment day.

But John McAlpine Egerton belonged to a different era. He honestly
wanted to do his duty, but his duty on this occasion, he felt,
consisted in making himself agreeable to the Johnstone family, not
knowing that the head of the household cared not a whit how
disagreeable his pastor might be so long as he was solemn. The old
man, ashamed of his harsh remarks, was silent and moody. His young
pastor's interests were his own and he