ject.

The duchess used to delight in surrounding herself at Huntly Lodge with
those who were specially set apart for the service of God. The ministers
from time to time assembled there, first gathering together for prayer
and conference, and then in a more open meeting, at which the duchess
and her friends were present, and finally at family worship.

Schools for the poor were munificently founded by the Duchess of Gordon.
The schools at Huntly, which were commenced in 1839, were finished in
1843. They consisted of infant schools, schools for older boys and
girls, and also an industrial school for training fifty girls for
service. When living in Edinburgh, she built large schools in the
destitute district of Holyrood. The lady of Huntly was indeed a worthy
precursor in the great work of general education. One excellent plan of
religious instruction she adopted in her own household. A weekly class
was formed of her female domestics, She had prepared a large number of
questions. To each of the class she gave each week a slip of paper
containing one question. This was to be answered before the next
meeting. There was no one in the establishment who could help feeling
that the mistress took the deepest interest in him or her.

VII.

ANXIETIES AND REST.

The Duchess of Gordon had been brought up an Episcopalian. But when in
May, 1843, the great Disruption took place, when four-hundred and
seventy-four ministers of the Church of Scotland took up their cross for
Christ, resigning their earthly livings for conscience sake, the duchess
was deeply moved by this heroic act of self-denial, and eventually,
after much thought and prayer, she joined the Free Church, becoming a
member of Free St. Luke's Church. She had left the Church of England,
but she loved and honoured it to the end of her life. "I have not time
for entering into my reasons for separating from the Church of England,
but they were purely conscientious; and I believe I could never be a
blessing to the little body of English Episcopalians, if acting against
my conscience. They want God's blessing, not man's help; the latter
without the former is a curse. Put not your trust in any child of man.
But I am not against those dear friends, and can feel myself more at
liberty to help them now than before, because I am now acting openly in
all things. May the Lord Jesus enable you to look to Him, and to feel
and say with Luther, 'Lord, I am Thy sin, Thou art my ri