an
ardent member of a missionary society, and a promoter of meetings for
prayer and fellowship, before such things had ceased to be regarded as
badges of fanaticism. While traveling through the neighboring parishes
in his vocation of tea-merchant, he acted also as colporteur,
distributing tracts and encouraging the reading of useful books. He took
suitable opportunities when they came to him of speaking to young men
and others on the most important of all subjects, and not without
effect. He learned Gaelic that he might be able to read the Bible to his
mother, who knew that language best. He had indeed the very soul of a
missionary. Withal he was kindly and affable, though very particular in
enforcing what he believed to be right. He was quick of temper, but of
tender heart and gentle ways; anything that had the look of sternness
was the result not of harshness but of high principle. By this means he
commanded the affection as well as the respect of his family. It was a
great blow to his distinguished son, to whom in his character and ways
he bore a great resemblance, to get news of his death, on his way home
after his great journey, dissipating the cherished pleasure of sitting
at the fireside and telling him all his adventures in Africa.

The wife of Neil Livingstone was Agnes Hunter, a member of a family of
the same humble rank and the same estimable character as his own. Her
grandfather, Gavin Hunter, of the parish of Shotts, was a doughty
Covenanter, who might have sat for the portrait of David Deans. His son
David (after whom the traveler was named) was a man of the same type,
who got his first religious impressions in his eighteenth year, at an
open-air service conducted by one of the Secession Erskines. Snow was
falling at the time, and before the end of the sermon the people were
standing in snow up to the ankles; but David Hunter used to say he had
no feeling of cold that day. He married Janet Moffat, and lived at first
in comfortable circumstances at Airdrie, where he owned a cottage and a
croft. Mrs. Hunter died, when her daughter Agnes, afterward Mrs. Neil
Livingstone, was but fifteen. Agnes was her mother's only nurse during a
long illness, and attended so carefully to her wants that the minister
of the family laid his hand on her head, and said, "A blessing will
follow you, my lassie, for your duty to your mother." Soon after Mrs.
Hunter's death a reverse of fortune overtook her husband, who had been
too