one Duncan Monach； Mrs。 Hanning； who was a sister of Thomas Carlyle；
and her two daughters。 On the voyage they escaped the usual hardships；
and their fare appears to us in these days to have been abundant。
The weekly ration was three quarts of water； two ounces of tea；
one half pound of sugar； one half pound molasses； three pounds of bread；
one pound of flour； two pounds of rice； and five pounds of oatmeal。
The reason for this migration is succinctly stated by the head of the house。
〃I know how hard it was for my mother to start me； and I wanted land
for my children and a better opportunity for them。〃 And yet his parents
in their time appear to have 〃started〃 him pretty well； although his father
was obliged to confess； 〃I never had more of this world's goods
than to bring up my family by the labour of my hands honestly；
but it is more than my Master owned； who had not where to lay His head。〃
They allowed him that very best means of education； a calmness of the senses；
as he herded sheep on the Cheviot Hills。 They put him to the University
in Edinburgh； as a preparation for the ministry； and supplied him with
ample oatmeal； peasemeal bannocks； and milk。 In that great school of divinity
he learned the Hebrew； Greek； and Latin； he studied Italian；
and French under Surenne； him of blessed memory even unto this day。
John Eckford in 1839 married Margaret Christie； and he went far afield
for a wife； namely from Newbiggin in Forfar； where for fourteen years
he had his one and only charge； to Strathmiglo in Fife。 The marriage
was fruitful and a happy one； although there is a hint in the record
of some religious difference upon which one would like to dwell
if the subject were not too esoteric for this generation。
The minister showed a certain indulgence； and so long as his wife lived
he never employed the paraphrases in the solemn worship of the sanctuary。
She was a woman of provident mind。 Shortly after they were married
he made the discovery that she had prepared the grave clothes for him
as well as for herself。 Too soon； after only eight years； it was her fate
to be shrouded in them。 After her death probably because of her death
John Eckford emigrated to Canada。
To one who knows the early days in Canada there is nothing new
in the story of this family。 They landed in Montreal July 11th； 1851；
forty…four days out from Glasgow。 They proceeded by steamer to Hamilton；
the fare being about a dollar for each passenger。 The next stage
was to Guelph； then on to Durham； and finally they came to the end
of their journeying near Walkerton in Bruce County in the primeval forest；
from which they cut out a home for themselves and for their children。
It was 〃the winter of the deep snow〃。 One transcription from the record
will disclose the scene：
At length a grave was dug on a knoll in the bush
at the foot of a great maple with a young snow…laden hemlock at the side。
The father and the eldest brother carried the box
along the shovelled path。 The mother close behind was followed
by the two families。 The snow was falling heavily。 At the grave
John Eckford read a psalm； and prayed； 〃that they might be enabled
to believe； the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
unto them that fear Him。〃
John McCrae himself was an indefatigable church…goer。 There is a note
in childish characters written from Edinburgh in his thirteenth year；
〃On Sabbath went to service four times。〃 There the statement stands
in all its austerity。 A letter from a chaplain is extant in which
a certain mild wonder is expressed at the regularity in attendance
of an officer of field rank。 To his sure taste in poetry the hymns were
a sore trial。 〃Only forty minutes are allowed for the service；〃 he said；
〃and it is sad to see them ‘snappit up' by these poor bald four…line things。〃
On Easter Sunday； 1915； he wrote： 〃We had a church parade this morning；
the first since we arrived in France。 Truly； if the dead rise not；
we are of all men the most miserable。〃 On the funeral service of a friend
he remarks： 〃‘Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God；'
what a summary of the whole thing that is！〃 On many occasions he officiated
in the absence of the chaplains who in those days would have as many
as six services a day。 In civil life in Montreal he went to church
in the evening； and sat under the Reverend James Barclay of St。 Pauls；
now designated by some at least as St。 Andrews。
VIII
The Civil Years
It will be observed in this long relation of John McCrae that little mention
has yet been made of what after all was his main concern in life。
For twenty years he studied and practised medicine。 To the end
he was an assiduous student and a very profound practitioner。
He was a student； not of medicine alone； but of all subjects
ancillary to the science； and to the task he came with a mind braced
by a sound and generous education。 Any education of real value
a man must have received before he has attained to the age of seven years。
Indeed he may be left impervious to its influence at seven weeks。
John McCrae's education began well。 It began in the time
of his two grandfathers at least； was continued by his father and mother
before he came upon this world's scene； and by them was left deep founded
for him to build upon。
Noble natures have a repugnance from work。 Manual labour is servitude。
A day of idleness is a holy day。 For those whose means do not permit
to live in idleness the school is the only refuge； but they must prove
their quality。 This is the goal which drives many Scotch boys
to the University； scorning delights and willing to live long；
mind…laborious days。
John McCrae's father felt bound 〃to give the boy a chance；〃
but the boy must pass the test。 The test in such cases
is the Shorter Catechism； that compendium of all intellectual argument。
How the faithful aspirant for the school acquires this body
of written knowledge at a time when he has not yet learned the use of letters
is a secret not to be lightly disclosed。 It may indeed be
that already his education is complete。 Upon the little book
is always printed the table of multiples； so that the obvious truth
which is comprised in the statement； 〃two by two makes four〃；
is imputed to the contents which are within the cover。
In studying the table the catechism is learned surreptitiously；
and therefore without self…consciousness。
So； in this well ordered family with its atmosphere of obedience；
we may see the boy； like a youthful Socrates going about
with a copy of the book in his hand； enquiring of those；
who could already read； not alone what were the answers to the questions
but the very questions themselves to which an answer was demanded。
This learning； however； was only a minor part of life； since upon a farm
life is very wide and very deep。 In due time the school was accomplished；
and there was a master in the school let his name be recorded
William Tytler； who had a feeling for English writing
and a desire to extend that feeling to others。
In due time also the question of a University arose。
There was a man in Canada named Dawson Sir William Dawson。
I have written of him in another place。 He had the idea
that a university had something to do with the formation of character；
and that in the formation of character religion had a part。
He was principal of McGill。 I am not saying that all boys who entered
that University were religious boys when they went in；
or even religious men when they came out； but religious fathers
had a general desire to place their boys under Sir William Dawson's care。
Those were the days of a queer； and now forgotten； controversy
over what was called 〃Science and Religion〃。 Of that also
I have written in another place。 It was left to Sir William Dawson
to deliver the last word in defence of a cause that was already lost。
His book came under the eye of David McCrae； as most books of the time did；
and he was troubled in his heart。 His boys were at the University of Toronto。
It was too late； but he eased his mind by writing a letter。
To this letter John replies under date 20th December； 1890：
〃You say that after reading Dawson's book you almost regretted
that we had not gone to McGill。 That； I consider； would have been
rather a calamity； about as much so as going to Queen's。〃
We are not always wiser than our fathers were； and in the end
he came to McGill after all。
For good or ill； John McCrae entered the University of Toronto in 1888；
with a scholarship for 〃general proficiency〃。 He joined the Faculty of Arts；
took the honours course in natural sciences； and graduated from
the department of biology in 1894； his course having been interrupted
by two severe illnesses。 From natural science； it was an easy step
to medicine； in which he was encouraged by Ramsay Wright； A。 B。 Macallum；
A。 McPhedran； and I。 H。 Cameron。 In 1898 he graduated again；
with a gold medal； and a scholarship in physiology and pathology。
The previous summer he had spent at the Garrett Children's Hospital
in Mt。 Airy； Maryland。
Upon graduating he entered the Toronto General Hosp