The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-10-27
A Wonderful Pastor.


An extraordinary instance of diver
sifed ability, joined to unwearied in
dustry, is presented by the life of Rev
Robert Walker, of Seathwaite, generally
known as Wonderful Walker"
Although he lived in obscurity, he
found no less biographer than the poet
Wordsworth, who gives an interesting ac-
count Of him in the notes to his Son
nets of the Duddon." The parish priest
SO finely delineated in the Excursion u
is also a picture Of Wonderful Walker
He was born in 1909, and was the son
of small statesman, who lived in Seath-
waite. He was the youngest of twelve,
and weakly child, on which latter ac-
count his father gave him what schooling
he could. AT the age of seventeen he
went to be schoolmaster at Gosforth,
near Egremont, and remained there two
years. He then removed to Buttermere,
where he acted both as minister and
schoolmaster, and received the usual small
salary and whittlegate. Before and
after school hours he labored at manual
occupation. He wrote his own sermons,
and did duty twice on Sundays. In sum-
mer he rose between three and four, and
went to the fields-in hay time with his
scythe, in harvest time with his sickle.
He ploughed, he planted, he tended
sheep on the fells; at other times he
clipped or salved-all for hire When
engaged in these employments he would
be at woSk long before the regular la
borers, and remain after they had finished
their days work. Nor was he less skill
full than diligent. In all such labors he
excelled In winter he occupied himself
In reading writing his sermons, and spin
ming, and making his own clothes and
those of his family Che was an excellent
spinner, knitting, and mending his own
shoes, the leather of which was of own
tanning. In his walks he never neglect
ed to gather and bring home the wool
from the hedges. He was the physician
and lawyer of his parishioners. He drew
up their wills, conveyances, bonds, etc.,
wrote all their letters and settled their
accounts, and frequently went to market
with sheep or wool for the farmers The
next step in his career was the removal
from Buttermere to Torver on the banks
of Coniston Lake, and taking priests
orders, soon after which he married a
respectable maid-servant, whose affections
he had gained at Buttermere, and who
brought him fortune Of $40, which he
forthwith invested in the funds.
Shortly after his marriage he obtained
the curacy of Seathwaite, where he lived
and othciated for sixty-seven years. AT
the time of Wonderful Walkers appoint
ment, and tormany years later, Seathwaite
church was without pews He used it as
schoolroom, and is described as seated
in his favorite place, near the communion
table, wearing cloak of his own making
His great-grandson tells us that wheI
the family was in want of cloth, Mr.
Walker would take his spinning wheel
with him to the school, where he also
kept a cradle-of course of his own max.
ing Not unfrequently the wheel, the
cradle, and the scholars, all claiming hi.
attention at the same moment, taxed the
ingenuity of even Wonderful Walker tx
keep them all going The Chapel wa.
afterwards pewed, and new schoo
built To the already long catalogue o.
his attainments and pursuits must be add.
ed knowledge of fossils and of plants
and habit of observing the stars and
winds. Indeed, the atmosphere was one
of his favorite studies. He made many
experiments on its nature and properties
In summer he used to collect flies and in.
sects, and by his entertaining descriptions
of them amuse and instruct his children
After long and useful life, which ex
tended over nearly the whole of the last
century, he died on June %, 1902, in the
ninety-third year of his age. In the
course of his long life he had, besides
bringing up and settling in life family
OF twelve children, amassed the sum OIL
$4,000, the result of marvellous industry
and self-denial. He was hero in hum
BILE life-a greater hero than many il
whose honor monuments have been erect.
ed.-F%a8er'S Magazine
Rest and RAros-