How is your sick sister?
I am going to see her again shortly." That sentence or two had stuck to the old Christian for over forty years.

It had grappled his pastor to him, and this little narrative gave me a fresh insight into McCheyne's wonderful power.

His ministry was most richly successful, and largely because he kept in touch with his people, and was a great pastor as well as a great preacher.
I determined from the very start in my ministry that I would be a thorough pastor.

A very celebrated preacher once said to me: "I envy you your love for pastoral work, I would not do it if I could, I could not do it if I would; for a single hour with a family in trouble uses up more of my vitality than to prepare a sermon." My reply to him was: "That may be true, but, after all, the business of a minister is to endure these strains upon his nervous system if he would be a comforter, as well as the teacher of his people." My practice was this: I devoted the forenoon of every day, except Monday, to the preparation of my discourses.

My motto was: "Study God's Word in the morning, and door-plates in the afternoon." I found the physical exercise in itself a benefit, and the spiritual benefits were ten-fold more.