"'Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if Thou be near;
Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise,
To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes!"
–Your ever loving son, Willie.
Visiting Alexandria and Cairo, he writes of the interest with which he saw the classic remains in these cities, the palm trees, the camels, or ships of the desert, the crowded bazaars, and the many other characteristics of an eastern country. As a medical man he could not fail to notice the sad state of the eyes of many of the Egyptians. The whole voyage was full of novelty to him, and he tried, by minute descriptions of all he saw, to cheer his friends at home.
On the way up to Calcutta the vessel called at Madras. "I was one," writes Dr. Elmslie, "of a party who went on shore. We had but a short time to spend on land, so we had to be active. We first went to the Free Church Mission premises, which we found easily, owing to my recollection of the description given of them in the 'Free Church Missionary Record.' The Rev. Mr. Miller welcomed us most heartily. You may remember that he was a member of a literary society which met weekly in the College, of which Salmond and I were also members. He kindly showed us all the mission premises. We saw the various classes at work and were surprised at the extent of the students' scholarship. Everything is in first-rate order. We then drove on to see Mr. Paterson of the Medical Mission in Madras. We were fortunate in finding him at home, and both he and Mrs. Paterson were cordial in their welcome. Of course our whole conversation turned on medical missions, but it had to be short, as we were soon hurried off to our floating home."
Again he writes to his mother:–"S.S. Simla, 27th Oct. 1864.–My ever dear mother,–Hurrah! We are expected to reach Calcutta to-morrow forenoon. Since writing from the wild barren Aden I have feasted my eyes on the luxuriant verdure of Point de Galle, and breathed the 'spicy breezes' of which Reginald Heber sang, and now here I am drawing near to the field of my future labours.... During the voyage I have read a story called 'Trevelyan Hold,' in which you will find a not inaccurate description of my old master: 'Gentle Life;' 'Leisure hours in town,' do get, you would enjoy it, dear mother; 'True Yoke-fellows;' 'Life of Judson.' Pray, dear mother, that I may be like the noble Judson in all in which he resembled our blessed Saviour. 'Lady M. Wortley Montague's Letters' also have interested me much. You remember it was she who introduced 'Inoculation' from the east. Last, and best, I have read in my Greek Testament. The study of it has given me much enjoyment. Tell me everything when you write; the smallest details about yourself and all my friends, and dear Stewart, will be interesting to me. I hope you are not mourning over my absence, dear mother, but rather thanking God for sending me on the best and noblest of errands,–to win some hearts among the perishing thousands of Kashmir to the loving Saviour. Oh, dear mother, I long for the time when your heart and mine shall love Jesus purely and with all their strength. Pray very earnestly that our gracious Father may pour out upon us the sanctifying influences of His Spirit."
On the 28th October, about 3½ P.M., Dr. Elmslie landed in Calcutta, and in a letter to his friend, Mr. Ritchie, he refers to the ravages of the terrible cyclone, which just a short time before had swept over that region:–"It was a sad, sad sight, indeed, to see innumerable and unmistakeable proofs of the wild and irresistible fury of the recent cyclone, as we sailed up the Hoogley to the Indian metropolis. The whole surrounding country appeared to be in ruins. Houses were unroofed, others completely blown down, gigantic trees totally uprooted, and ships of the heaviest tonnage lay high-and-dry on the river's banks. By the liberality of the Europeans and Parsees, much of the consequent sufferings of the poorer classes have been relieved. The beautiful gardens at Calcutta are a total ruin. It will take a year at least to clear the ground of the trees that have been felled, and a hundred years to restore some of the most beautiful and valuable. How very friendly and unsectarian all evangelical denominations are here. All who profess to love and serve Christ seem to form one loving brotherhood, as it ought to be."