The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-14

 was Sir Walter Scott, whom he read and studied very carefully. So eagerly and conscientiously did he study the Waverly novels, with their prefaces, introductions, and notes, that he be- came saturated with the very spirit of Scott. He selects four authors as his masters in the stages of his mental development, viz.-scott, Thomas Carl yle, Matthew Arnold and Seeley of ''Ecce Homo" fame. By the way, it were we'll for us all if, in our reading, we confined ourselves to as few auth ors. The illimitable and slipshod style of reading at the present day is greatly to be deplored, for, look where we may in the annals of literature or society, no butterfly reader ever attained to any eminenee as a thinker or author or even as a well-informed member of so- ciety. While passing through the cur riculum of the New college he was much attracted by the mystical preach ing of what was known as the Bonar school. The head of this class of re- ligious teachers was Dr. Horatius Bonar, the well-known hymn writer, and MT. Watson, though not in strict sympathy with the doctors conserva- tism, found his preaching very con genial. Contrasting his favor at this time for the suhtleties of mysticism, and his practical devotion of later one can almost mark the stepping stones of his generic development and pause for an instant to consider the scope and breadth of this mans mind point that we can get the best and clearest view into the depth of the knowledge of human nature and it's re- quirements that mark alike his preach ing and practical religion, and beams forth from every pore of his published works.
 We now come to the period of Mir. Watson's life when he sheds youthful clothing and dons the garb of man. l hood
 He acts for short time as assistant ito Dr. J. H. Wilson, Barclay church, Edinburgh, and then becomes minister of the Free church of Logic Almond, now almost immortallzed as Drum toehty." It was while in this charge that the young minister laid the foun- dation of that structure which has since made him so famous. His parish was small the work was light and pleasant, and he found abundant time to study the ways, manners and char acters of the people among whom he l lived.
 As a result of this study we can all | most live the simple lives and partici- pate in the hopes, fears and beliefs of all the different characters ''toiling, re- l joicing and sorowing," in the fictional parish of Drumtochty. For not one of | his ideal characters existed in his mind alone, they all had their prototypes In his mind alone, they all had their pro- 1 totypes in the real And here, be it said, in one word lies the secret of Ian MacLaren's great popularity as char acter artist Even while minister of Logie-Almond he conceived the plan of | a book much on the same lines as he has published twenty years later. We l ought probably to be thankful for this delay as we are all the richer for this twenty years experience. But he was not long to remain secluded in his quiet rural parish. His fame as a brilliant preacher had spread beyond | the confines of the "Drumtochty" hills and he soon received numerous invita- tions to spheres of busler life. He ac- cepted one from St. Matthews, Glas- gow, as colleague ito Dr. Samuel Miller. Although a divine of the old school and very pronounced in his views, Dr. Mil | Ter was wont to declare that he never heard Watson say anything to which he could not say amen. It may be well to keep this in mind in face of the present day rumors of heresy and prob ably heretical trials. After three years labor in Glasgow, MT. Watson | became minister of new Presbyterian 1 church, built in Sefton Park, Liverpool. | Here he found his true sphere. The neighborhood was young, but gradually rising, and the young minister was 'hus able to draw around him people of his own type and after his own heart. He, himself says that he, thinks he only began to find himself after he had set tied in Liverpool. Soon after this he received the degree of D.D. from his alma mater He was minister of one of the largest and most influential con- gregations in Liverpool. His fine church was constantly crowded, and among English preachers of the pres- ent day he held a Foremost if not the first place. He wrote all his sermons, but he does not conflne himself to read ing them. His preaching is character ized more by great force and clearness than by redundant Reclamation. Touches of pathos, brilliant description sinew of all his discourses. For re- puted wit, he very seldom stopped to humour in the pulpit. He has all his parents reverence for things divine, and his services, in Lefton Park church satisfy the most fastidious by their breadth of culture and devotion. Those who heard him preach and lecture here can bear me out in what l have just said I had the pleasure of hearing him both preach and lecture. and, to 1 those who did not, l may explain my own impression of this wonderful man. In personal appearance alone he, at once, commands respect. Standing well over six feet in height broad and pow erfully built in proportion, fine open features, high strong forehead, clear kindly eyes, which light and flash in moments of excitement, massive jaw denoting great strength of character, and forceful well-moulded lips, all por- tray an almost ideal man. His pulpit style is graceful and impressive. He cares little for mere effect, never using the stagey action and gesture and hol-