1909] Reminiscences of Dr. Fletcher. 205 



matters, but he was also uniformly and consistently occupied 

 with spiritual affairs. As a loving adherent of the Anglican 

 Church, he gave to her interests an unbroken support and the 

 same unfailing attention that all his duties received, and was ever 

 a regular and devout attendant at its services. During our earlier 

 companionship we attended for some time the St. James' Church 

 in Hull, (since burnt) the rector of which was the late Canon 

 Johnson, whose kindly words and actions endeared him to all 

 his parishioners. 



Fletcher was not content to be merely a church-goer, but as 

 a lay-reader he took the service whenever necessary in several of 

 the suburban and rural churches. At Billings ' Bridge and Ottawa 

 East I have on various occasions listened to services which 

 gained an added beauty from his clear-voiced and sympathetic 

 reading. He was also for many years Superintendent of the Sun- 

 day school at Ottawa East and took a great interest in the wel- 

 fare of the school and of its attendants. Often on Sundays T 

 went to meet him when the school closed, in order to walk home 

 with him, and usually found him the centre of a group of smiling 

 children, for with them he ever was on the most friendly terms 

 and thev loved him for his many acts of kindness and his unfail- 

 ing genialitv and sympathy. They, as well as their parents and 

 teachers, have deep reason to grieve for the noble Christian man 

 who was so long their trusted friend and helper, whose hand and 

 heart were open to all who had need of assistance or sympathy. 



No words of mine can give more than a faint idea of his real 

 worth and character, but fortunately these are already widely 

 known. He was truly a lovable man, one of those superior 

 natures whose mental and moral attributes rapidly distinguish 

 them as leaders of thought and action, whose kindly words and 

 generous deeds cause them to be esteemed and beloved by all who 

 come in contact with them. Faithfully and zealously he laboured 

 early and late, with all his forces, to advance the welfare, not only 

 of the agricultural classes, but of all sections of our fellow-citizens. 

 Year by year the seed was sown, often in stony and improfitable 

 ground, but ever with some increase in the garnered harvest. 

 Others will take up the work he initiated and organized, and 

 their way will be smoother and easier by reason of his unselfish 

 and unremitting toil and watching. 



The members of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club may 

 continue to show their esteem and affection for our departed 

 friend and leader, and to honour his memory, by steadfastly 

 striving to maintain and advance the investigations and studies 

 to which he sq. ardentlv and successfullv devoted his great abil- 

 ities .^C4^ 



