Knox Church, Elgin, was his dominion, its moral and
material affairs his jealous interest, and its legitimate
expansion his chief pride. In "anniversary" sermons,
which he always announced the Sunday before, he seldom
refrained from contrasting the number on the roll of
church membership, then and now, with the particular
increase in the year just closed. If the increase was
satisfactory, he made little comment beyond the duty of
thanksgiving--figures spoke for themselves. If it was
otherwise Dr Drummond's displeasure was not a thing he
would conceal. He would wing it eloquently on the shaft
of his grief that the harvest had been so light; but he
would more than hint the possibility that the labourers
had been few. Most important among his statistics was
the number of young communicants. Wanderers from other
folds he admitted, with a not wholly satisfied eye upon
their early theological training, and to persons duly
accredited from Presbyterian churches elsewhere he gave
the right hand of fellowship; but the young people of
his own congregation were his chief concern always, and
if a gratifying number of these had failed to "come
forward" during the year, the responsibility must lie
somewhere. Dr Drummond was willing to take his own share;
"the ministrations of this pulpit" would be more than
suspected of having come short, and the admission would
enable him to tax the rest upon parents and Bible-class
teachers with searching effect.
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