The Rector of Roxburgh: a Story for Our Own Times

The Rector Of Roxburgh: A Story For Our Own Times by William Hickling. The tale follows Marmaduke Walton, rector of St. Mark's in the New England town of Roxburgh, and his wife Mary as they contend with parish debt, social divisions, and a call to a broader Christian mission. Through his struggles with unpaid salaries, a hostile wealthy warden, and the temptations of self-promotion, Walton learns to emphasize liberality and service over personal comfort. He launches a parish-wide reform, including a missionary convocation, a Sunday-school for mill workers, and a plan to raise funds by transforming attitudes toward wealth and philanthropy. Tragedy strikes with the death of their daughter Eva, deepening their faith and commitment. A later wave of reform leads to renewed prosperity, enlarged church facilities, and an unexpected call to a prestigious urban post that Walton chooses to decline, remaining in Roxburgh with his wife and community.