Born in the same year with our Lincoln, he was a great muscular man and horseman; a great orator, a great political strategist, a great scholar, a great writer, great statesman and a great Christian.

The crowning glory of his character was a stalwart faith in God's Word, and in the cross of Jesus Christ.

He honored his Lord, and his Lord honored him.

Wordsworth drew a truthful picture of Gladstone when he portrayed "The man who lifted high Conspicuous object in a nation's eye, Who, with a toward or untoward lot, Prosperous or adverse, to his wish or not, Plays in the many games of life, that one Where what he most doth value must be won; Whom neither shape of danger can dismay, Nor thought of tender happiness betray; And while the mortal mist is gathering, draws His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause." Who has not wept over the brilliant and beloved Dr.John Brown's unrivalled story, "Rab and His Friends," and been charmed with his picture of "Pet Marjorie"?
What student of style will deny that his "Monograph" of his father is the finest specimen of condensed and vivid biography in our language?
When his "Spare Hours" appeared in America I published an article in the "Independent" entitled, "The Last of the John Browns," several copies of which had been forwarded to him by his friends in this country.

On my arrival in Edinburgh, July, 1862, he called on me at the Waverly Hotel and invited me to breakfast with him.
He had the fair Saxon features of Scotland, with a smile like a Summer morning.