"Peshawur, near the Kyber Pass, 19th November, 1867.–At the Annual Missionary Conference it was agreed that I should visit this part of the mission field, and report as to the desirability of planting a Medical Mission here. Accordingly my friend Wade and I left Amritsar on Wednesday last, reaching Peshawur on Saturday. I have greatly enjoyed my stay here, and am much interested in the operations of the missionaries which are carried on chiefly among the warlike Affghans. The language usually spoken is Pushtoo. I purpose, God willing, returning to Amritsar on the 21st, finishing some writing work which I have on hand, and afterwards setting out for Calcutta, in order to lay the whole state of affairs in Kashmir before the Committee of the C. M. S. there.
"Calcutta, 20th December, 1867.–My ever dearest Mother,–Before you shall have received this letter another year must have begun its course. Let me with all a son's love wish you, my mother, and best and truest friend on earth, a very happy new year. May you this year get near to our dear Redeemer,–may you be able to realize His comforting presence,–may your faith in Him and in His great and marvellous work be strong,–may your will be made submissive to our loving Father's will,–and may you really consider that to depart and be with Christ is far better than to remain here. These precious blessings I wish for myself as well as for you. I commit myself to God's keeping; may He graciously spare me to be a help and comfort to that dear mother who has done so much on my account, and who now loves me as no earthly being can. May I be spared to labour for Christ in poor unhappy Kashmir! May God's rich blessing rest on my work. May He hear our prayers for the political and spiritual emancipation of that unhappy country. Oh that the spiritual darkness and tyranny and oppression which prevail in Kashmir were dispersed,–that God would raise Him up a people to praise Him there,–a people made free by the truth!
"I am sorry to tell you I have not been greatly encouraged by what I have seen and heard since I came to Calcutta. Kashmir is far removed from the head-quarters of the Indian Government, and few or none seem to care much about that poor oppressed people. But we will give God no rest from our prayers until He in His mercy and grace take pity on that deplorable valley....
"I feel brimful of health again; very different from my state during the cholera in Kashmir last season. Oh how very good God was to me during that trying crisis. I shall never forget it,–never cease to be grateful to Him who did so much for me then.
"I purpose, God willing, to leave this for the Punjaub next week.... Your ever loving and dutiful son, William."
On the same day (Calcutta, 20th December, 1867) he wrote to his much valued friend, Mr. Ritchie:–"Will you," he asks, "do a little commission for me? Mrs. –– my old lodging-house keeper, was so kind to me when I was under the cloud of adversity and trial, that I have never forgotten her kindness. She gave me a six months' credit when my exchequer was clean empty. Will you get the enclosed cheque for £5 cashed, and pay the money to her, saying that it is a small token from me of my gratitude to her for her kindness to me whilst a poor student in Edinburgh. May God bless her and hers." These were days of sore trial, and yet Elmslie never referred to them, but with thanksgiving. Again and again in these pages we find him praising God for his early discipline. In the same letter he says, "Many a time do I think of you, and the many happy days we spent together–the days of our college life–those were days full of happiness, seasoned with trial and difficulty. They were the very training we needed. We needed to have patience wrought in us–we needed to be braced up for the surmounting of no ordinary trials and difficulties, and our Father, in His wisdom and love, gave us the schooling which we required to fit us for the great battle of life."
Dr. Elmslie returned from Calcutta to Amritsar, and at once wrote to his beloved mother.
"Amritsar, 22d January, 1868.–To his mother.–... I am once more in my old quarters, having arrived here from Calcutta two days ago. I have now before me your two letters, which I shall answer bit by bit. You cannot tell what joy it gives me to know that you approve of my having stayed among the suffering inhabitants of Srinagar during the terrible plague. You say you are living in hope that God may be pleased to spare us to meet. The fourth year of my absence from you has begun, and at the end of the fifth year, it is my intention to avail myself of the opportunity I shall then have to return home to see you....
"Alas for my poor friend B., I fear his genius was of the unsanctified kind, which brings little or no joy or peace to its possessor. To be happy is to seek, first, the kingdom of heaven.... This world is a great school: poor –– has very difficult lessons to learn in it; may God help him. I find all my past experience useful. Our lessons are sometimes very disagreeable, but only let God our heavenly Father be our teacher, and they will all prove profitable. How kind God's people are to you, dear mother. It is a great comfort to me to know that so many show you kindness. May God bless them for it. Now I must tell you something more about my visit to Calcutta. It was arranged by Mr. Stuart, Secretary of the Church Mission Society, that I should have the privilege of an interview with the Governor-General, Sir John Lawrence. His Excellency invited me to breakfast with him on the 2d. He received me very kindly, his private secretary read prayers, after which we went to breakfast. I was the only stranger present, and he spoke freely on the subject of Kashmir, and the frontiers generally. He asked me many questions, and appeared to take an interest in the mission, to which he has all along contributed. The Government now know the condition of Kashmir.... Pray much for Kashmir, dear mother. I am sure you will be glad to hear that Sir Donald M‛Leod, in his report of the cholera which raged in the Punjaub last summer, makes honourable mention of the names of those who did valuable service during the epidemic; the name of your son Willie is in the list! This is a very small matter to us, dearest mother. I hope we work from love to Jesus, and never for the praise of men. Still I value the praise of good men; the opinion of bad men I reckon as the dust in the balance,–valueless....
"I have re-opened my dispensary here.... Now may the Lord bless you, and keep you, and comfort you throughout this year.–Your ever loving son."