Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/165

Rh Guthrie. His wonderful geniality, his extraordinary conversational powers, were as remarkable as his great pulpit eloquence. His church was always so crowded that it was impossible for strangers to get admittance save by ticket, but Dr. Guthrie gave Mr. Carter a permanent order for admission, and he and his family attended Free St. John’s more than any other church in Edinburgh.

Mr. Carter gives the following account of a delightful trip on the Continent with Dr. Guthrie’s family.

“In August, one morning, I was leaving our lodgings, when I saw Dr. Guthrie and his son David approaching. They said they were going to the Evangelical Alliance in Geneva on the following Monday, and had come to bid me good by. They spread their map on my table, and showed me their plan and route. The Doctor then turned to me and asked, ‘Can you go with us?’ My wife joined them in urging me to go, and I went. We reached Paris on Tuesday evening. There were ten of us in all; most of them were of Dr. Guthrie's family. A more delightful company I never met. We were seated at the tea-table in the hotel, when a gentleman came behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. It was Dr. Macduff, author of many delightful books which I had published. I looked at him, and he said, ‘My wife is here, and would like to see you.’ He showed me his route, and I said I would diverge from the Guthrie plan for two or three days and go with him. Dr. Burns, brother of Mrs. Guthrie, and late Moderator of the General Assembly, also went with us, as it would give us an opportunity of seeing Basle and Zurich. I had thus the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with Dr. Macduff, who proved a most charming companion. After parting from him we rejoined the Guthrie