Four Winds — L.M. Montgomery / Lucy Maud Montgomery

Alan Douglas threw down his pen with an impatient exclamation. It was high time his next Sunday's sermon was written, but he could not concentrate his thoughts on his chosen text. For one thing he did not like it and had selected it only because Elder Trewin, in his call of the evening before, had hinted that it was time for a good stiff doctrinal discourse, such as his predecessor in Rexton, the Rev. Jabez Strong, had delighted in. Alan hated doctrines-"the soul's staylaces," he called them-but Elder Trewin was a man to be reckoned with and Alan preached an occasional sermon to please him.