"What of your friend Urquhart?" at last exclaimed the father. A change came over the face of Duff. Doubtless his heart beat faster, not only because his father's word had touched a wound, but because the moment had come for him to say something which he too well knew would give his dear hearers pain. "Urquhart is no more!" cried Duff, thus suddenly announcing the death of the youth who had devoted himself to Missionary work, but who had been summoned early to his rest before he could enter on such labours. Then, gathering courage to say what he felt must be said, Duff slowly and wistfully added, perhaps glancing at his poor fond mother, "What if your son should take up his cloak?" By which he meant, should take up his Mission work and go out to India in his place. "You approved the motive that directed the choice of Urquhart, you commended his high purpose." Then Duff added the words which announced his own dedication to the cause, words which must have thrilled to his parents' souls, "'The cloak is taken up.'" The father and mother were at first too much startled to speak. We are not told what followed. The parents were pious indeed, but they may have felt somewhat as holy Abraham felt when called on by God to offer up the only son whom he loved. We do not know whether the mother threw her arms round the neck of her son and wept, or if the father's face betrayed an inward struggle. We only know that both parents consented at last to part with their hope and pride, never perhaps in this world to behold his dear face again. They would not hinder him from obeying the call of his God, heard in his childhood's dream,—"Come up hither, I have work for thee to do." And what was this work taken up by Duff, as a legacy from his friend, a work for which he was ready to leave and to suffer all? Ere the Lord Jesus left earth He gave a last charge to his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." In the command followed a promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end." Obeying that command, and resting on that promise, from the earliest ages Christians have gone forth to give glad tidings of salvation to other nations. Men, aye and women, have cheerfully left country and home to say to those thirsting for eternal life,— "'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!' We have found the Fountain of life, and we bid you also come and drink. Oh! Weary and heavy-laden with the burden of sin, come to Him who has taken away 'our sin.' Christ has opened the door of heaven to us, and we would not enter alone. Come dear brothers—sisters, come Hindu, Mahomedan, Sikh, come all ye children of men, share with us the inheritance of glory, share with us the Kingdom of Heaven!" What Duff thought of a Missionary's calling may be shown from his own words. A Missionary Committee had offered to send him out to labour in Calcutta, and after much prayer and searching of heart he was able to write thus:—