Before starting with Dr. Elmslie on his return to Amritsar, the following testimonies to the value of his work in Kashmir, and of Medical Missions in general, may be suitably introduced:–
The Bishop of Calcutta entered the following remarks in the visitors' book:–"During my present stay in Kashmir I have twice been present at Dr. Elmslie's reception of patients, and bear willing testimony to the great interest and practical usefulness, as well as to the wise and Christian character of his proceedings. He presents Christianity to the people in its most obviously beneficent aspect; and for this union of care for men's souls with the healing of their bodies the gospel narrative furnishes us with the very highest justification and precedent. It is but little that we can, at present, do to make known to the people of this country the blessings of Christ's salvation; but I quite believe that Dr. Elmslie is knocking at the one door which may, through God's help, be opened for the truth to enter in. I heard two Hindustani sermons from his catechist, addressed to the sufferers from various maladies, who were gathered in the verandah, one on the Lord's prayer, and the other on the parable of the sower. Both were excellent, simple, unpretending, suited to the hearers, placing before them plain Christian truth, and without any offensive remarks on their own religions, or the very slightest political allusion. The fact that there are not (and, under present circumstances, apparently cannot be) any properly educated doctors in Kashmir, makes Dr. Elmslie's presence here an act of Christian benevolence, quite apart from its missionary character; and I cannot but hope that this, joined to the quiet efforts of the chaplain to keep alive in English travellers a feeling of Christian faith and responsibility, will at least remove from the minds of the people any prejudice against the Gospel which may, I fear, have been excited by the too frequent misconduct of Englishmen visiting the valley. On all accounts I heartily commend Dr. Elmslie's efforts to the sympathy of all thoughtful persons, and I feel sure that he will be guided by prudence, as well as zeal, and will not forget what is due to the wishes of the Government of the country, while, at the same time, he will of course maintain the directly Christian character of his work."
The subjoined was written by the Rev. W. G. Cowie, M.D., chaplain on duty in Kashmir:–"Dr. Elmslie has asked me to state here any suggestions I may have to offer respecting the system pursued by him at his daily receptions of patients. I have been present on several occasions during the last four months, and much pleased each time by what I saw and heard. I frequently ask natives of Kashmir what they think about the Medical Mission, and am invariably told by them that they consider Dr. Elmslie's work a great blessing to the poor of Srinagar, and of the valley in general. I am not acquainted with the working of any other mission whose system I consider so hopeful as that adopted by Dr. Elmslie; and during my expected sojourn in England and Scotland (in 1866-67), it will afford me the greatest pleasure to advocate the claims of the mission on the Christian public in every way I can."
One more testimony may be introduced, by the Rev. G. Yeates, M.A., missionary, Moultan:–"As a brother missionary, I feel great pleasure in adding my testimony to the value of the Medical Mission in Kashmir, as conducted by Dr. Elmslie. While in Srinagar, I have frequently been present at his receptions of patients, as also at Islamabad, when he visited that town, and have enjoyed the meetings very much. I have seldom heard gospel truths more faithfully preached than in the addresses to the patients, which, along with the prayer that followed each, could not have been better suited to the audience. The spirit of love was manifested in all that was said, while the more tangible appeal to the senses which followed, in the way of medicines and advice, afforded a strong proof of the intention to benefit them which, under God's blessing, cannot but result in good."
CHAPTER IX.
WAYSIDE MINISTRIES AND WORK IN AMRITSAR.
In India Dr. Elmslie had two homes–if indeed he had a home at all, for he spoke of himself as being like Noah's dove, without a resting place for the sole of his foot–two homes and three spheres of labour. For six months in the year he lived and worked, as we have seen, in Kashmir. Then going each season to and from this, his main centre of action, he had no home whatever–sometimes like his Divine Master he had no place to lay his head–but he had a precious sphere of usefulness in wayside ministries amongst the sick and suffering, of which he gladly availed himself; and then for a few months in the year, in Amritsar, or some other city, he opened a dispensary and carried on his Medical Missionary operations. Leaving the beautiful valley we shall accompany him as he moves by the Pir Panjal towards Amritsar, exemplifying as he goes the heaven-appointed plan of missions–HEAL AND PREACH.
"Journal, October 20th, 1865.–Road to Haripur rough, but the scenery more and more beautiful, reminding me of the dear Scotch Highlands. No shelter at Haripur, so breakfasted on the path-side and set out for Aliabad Serai, which is near the very highest point to which we ascend the Himalayas. Road all precipitous and rough, a pony indispensable for comfort, but not quite free of danger, for as I was urging my tuttoo up one of the knotty points of the mountain he fell back. I threw myself to one side and escaped all injury, but the pony went rolling down the rocks for some distance. The scenery from Haripur to Aliabad is very grand; the towering mountains are covered with magnificent pines, and deep down in the ravine below, there dashes a wild river, its course fretted by many a boulder. About five P.M. I reached the Serai, tired and longing to rest, very hungry, but my servants had not arrived. The night was bitterly cold, and I had to spend it without even a blanket to cover me, for my servants had stayed at the foot of the last ascent and did not arrive till morning."
"A little beyond Aliabad Serai the traveller reaches the summit of the pass, about 12,000 feet above sea level. On it there stands a watch-tower, inhabited by the guardian of the pass. The view is inconceivably grand, it entrances one, making one forget all the fatigues of the journey and rejoice in the glories of God's creation. India's plains lie stretched before you, with an intervening foreground of marvellously verdant mountains, while towering above and around are the thousand snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The descent is not so easy as it seems at first. The paths are precipitous, and often dangerous, and always lonely. The marches from one Serai to another are sixteen miles." On arriving, tired and footsore, Dr. Elmslie often found that his servants were far behind him, and he was thankful to accept the hospitality of the natives, and to partake of milk and chipatties gladly supplied by them. At every resting place he called the sick, and did what he could to relieve their sufferings, while his catechist addressed them from the Word. He writes, "I am delighted to be able to follow Qadir Bakhsh in his addresses now: his similes are always apt; for instance, to-day when speaking of faith he said, 'Faith is like a seed which the Holy Spirit takes and sows in the heart; from the seed grows the Christian tree, and the fruit of the tree is good works.' Though tired, I felt impelled to say a word or two about God's unspeakable love. The people listened with marked attention." Again he writes:–"October 25th.–Soon after leaving Rajaori we saluted a company of Chinese Mussulmans on their way to Mecca, and again we met in the Serai at Sialsui–a wretched mud building in which I took refuge from a thunderstorm. Qadir Bakhsh told me he had had a long conversation with one of them, and it had ended in his asking him for a Testament. He could read and speak Persian, he said, so I called him and had some conversation. I learned that he came from Foochow, one of four Mussulman cities in China, and, anxious to show his repentance for sin, he had set out on the pilgrimage to Mecca. I tried to show him the utter impossibility of any man obtaining eternal life through mere repentance without an atoning sacrifice, such a sacrifice as our blessed Saviour had offered up. He listened to Qadir Bakhsh and me silently, and again expressed his desire to possess a copy of the 'Injil.' Not having any with me in Persian, we gave him a copy of the Old Testament, and he was much pleased. He read the Decalogue with great interest. Poor fellow, he said he had been nine months on his pilgrimage already. What a lesson in earnestness! Lord, bless thine own word to this deluded follower of the false prophet.
"While conversing with him, the Kotwal of the village and his followers had come in. Afterwards we had a remarkably interesting conversation with a very intelligent Kashmiri, who had been listening attentively to all that was said to the Chinaman.