“Truly, sir, you are quite enthusiastic about my old pastor, and I suspect you have read the poet Wordsworth’s delightful sketch of his character, with the materials for which he was supplied by some of his surviving descendants; if not, I recommend you to lose no time in doing so. My recollections of him are of a humbler kind, but perhaps not less interesting; to me he has been more than a father. His divine words yet live in my memory—I wish I had always followed his good advice, and good example! “His habits, as you know, were quite upon a level with the plain and homely rustics of the village. He lived as they lived, and worked as they worked. But he lost no spiritual influence, or even worldly respect by this; on the contrary, by excelling them all in those pursuits of which they could judge, he gained credit among them for being always right in matters wherein they were less informed. I believe the clergy, by their too frequent ignorance of, or contempt for, common things, often lose an influence among the uneducated, which all their knowledge of divinity can never make amends for. Walker was the best shepherd on the mountains, and was not the less qualified thereby for being the spiritual shepherd of his people.” “You remind me,” said I, “of a good old parson of Buttermere, who was really a learned and sound divine, but was most esteemed by his flock as being the best wrestler in all the country side!” “That sounds ridiculous enough,” said he, “but what good thing is there which does not become ridiculous in its excess? Good Mr. Walker, however, was of a different stamp. He was at peace with himself and all the world. He ne’er had changed nor wished to change his place. Where he was born, there he lived, and there he died. He baptized, married and buried, almost every individual of at least two generations in his parish; and where he laid them in their last resting-place, there he lay down himself, waiting his final reward. I have myself always much respect for a dead body, knowing that it shall live for ever; and I always think that he who cares little for the bodies of them that sleep in JESUS, is often little better than an infidel. It is not the soul only that is immortal, the body is immortal also!