"A little progress is being made in the valley. The first school established in Kashmir by the Maharajah has just been opened. Its history is the following. The father of the family of which I have already spoken, was particularly desirous that his two sons, two very fine lads, should learn a little English. He asked me if I would teach them. I said I had not time to do so, for my medical and other duties; but I would allow one of my assistants, who knew a little English, to teach his sons. One of the two lads has been very regular in his attendance, and has made some progress. A report of all this was carried to the Diwan, the Maharajah's representative in the valley. Thereafter, a vigorous effort was made to get the father to give up sending his son to the mission bungalow to learn English. The effort failed, however. The father, I must tell you, is a Pathan, and is not so much afraid of the Kashmir Government as indigenous Kashmiris generally are. The Maharajah, in due time, received a full account of all that was going on; and His Highness, after some time, gave orders for the opening of a school for the teaching of Arabic, and desired the Diwan to try to prevail upon Sher Ali, my Pathan friend, to desist from sending his sons to the Doctor Sahib to receive instruction in English. In this effort, I am happy to say, the Diwan has failed. The boys come daily to us. This class for Arabic, got up primarily to decoy Sher Ali's sons away from us, is the first Government school the valley has seen during the reign of Gulab Sing and his son, the present Maharajah. The class, I am told, is intended exclusively for the sons of those who may be called the nobility of Kashmir. It is a pity the language was not Persian, and the school intended for any who was willing to attend. This is trying to boil the kettle from above."
The dispensary was closed on the 19th October, and Dr. Elmslie and his assistants returned to Amritsar.
Shortly after his arrival in Amritsar, he had a pretty smart attack of fever, to which he thus refers.
"Amritsar, 22d December, 1868.–My dear Mallett,–I would have written to you before this time, had I not been in the sick list for the last three weeks. I have had a very sharp blow of intermittent fever, which has extracted all the pith out of me, besides running off with a good many pounds of my flesh. However, I am mending rapidly now, and expect soon to be myself again–I mean as to strength. The less we are ourselves the better, dear Mallett. Oh, to be more Christ-like, to have more of His wise, humble, submissive, loving mind. The mind of Christ! What a treasure to have! May our heavenly Father graciously grant you and me more and more of it.... I have put off my visit home for another year. The parent Society (Church Missionary Society) were most gracious in granting me leave to go home this cold season. A whole year sooner than the time specified when I left England. How is God's work prospering with you? Dear Mallett, let me wish you and Mrs. Mallett a very happy Christmas and New Year. If the dear Saviour is present with you, then assuredly Christmas cannot but be happy. For if we have everything else, and want Jesus, then the season is no Christmas, but a worldly and sensual occasion. May the Master preside at His own feast, and make you His guests really happy."
CHAPTER XV.
WAYSIDE MINISTRIES AND WORK IN KASHMIR.
The work of Dr. Elmslie since he came to India, has been detailed so fully, that a brief notice of this his fifth year's labours may suffice. In Amritsar the dispensary was opened in the cold season as usual, and upwards of six hundred patients were treated, surgically and medically. When it was closed, he again betook himself to Srinagar to toil amongst his much loved Kashmiris.
"Srinagar, 7th May, 1869.–My dearest Mother,–Just before departing from Lahore on the 14th April, I wrote a brief letter to you, telling you I was well and happy, and was to start for Kashmir for the fifth time. I am now, dearest mother, able to tell you that our heavenly Father has vouchsafed to me and the mission servants, a safe journey over those lofty mountains that raise their snow-covered heads so proudly up to heaven. Last year, or the year before, I gave you some particulars respecting this interesting route. You may remember that I mentioned that the road by which I have come to Kashmir this year, was the route followed by those splendid emperors who lived in Delhi as their capital, and ruled over nearly the whole of India. All along the route there are remains–ruins–of their serais or rest-houses, and right imperial those wayside inns must have been in the days of yore. But the glory hath departed, and the imagination has now to people them with emperors and their queens and their gorgeous retinues. You may remember too, that I told you formerly that we have to cross two mountain passes that lie in our way. The first one is called the Pass of the Ratan Pir, which is some seven thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is covered with the dark green pine and the beautiful rhododendron. The other pass is that of the Haji Pir, and is about seven thousand four hundred feet above the sea. This pass is neither so beautiful nor so easy to cross, for in ascending to it we had to make steps out of the snow that lay on its face. And then on reaching the ridge, mile upon mile of dazzling white snow lay before us. It is impossible to do justice to the view. It was one of surpassing grandeur, purifying and elevating the soul to that glorious and almighty God, who by the word of His power had called this beauty and grandeur into existence. One would think that the inhabitants of this lovely valley, and those grand lofty mountains would be purified, and have their devotional feelings raised to God their Creator. But sad to tell it is not so. The extensive, unsurpassed, and varied beauty and grandeur with which they are ever surrounded, falls upon them without effect, as if they had no more soul than the beasts that perish. If I remember rightly, I sent you a photograph of the snowy Haji Pir Pass. We reached Srinagar on the 30th April, having been a fortnight on the march, which, as has been my wont, I did on foot, walking every inch of the way. On the march, at each halting place, we gave notice that we should see all the sick who should come to us, and prescribe for them. This news soon brought us an interesting group of patients with their friends, some of them as usual coming from great distances. The Gospel of life and love was then preached to those perishing ones. Some listened wonderingly, others listened unbelievingly and unaffectedly. But the message of life through Jesus Christ, God's own dear and well-beloved Son, was preached, and the seed of the Word may have fallen into the rifts of some rocky hearts, and may at some future time spring up and come to fruit to the praise and glory of God. My work, dearest mother, is very much that of a sower. I may never see much of the fruit of my labours. Blessed be God, He has vouchsafed to let me see some,–some among my own countrymen, and some among the heathen. An officer in the army, and one who is related to the highest authorities in India, has come all the way to Kashmir to see me, because he regards me as his spiritual father. God blessed to his soul a discussion which I had with a gentleman, one night at dinner, two years ago. What a glory it is to receive from God, to be the means, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, of leading a sin-laden soul to Jesus, the Divine burden-bearer. I tell you these things, dearest mother, to cheer and comfort you. After considerable delay and trouble, I got my dispensary into working order, and began operations yesterday. You will be happy to learn that the attendance yesterday was larger than it ever was before, on the first day of the season.–Your own loving, and dutiful son, Willie."
"Journal, 6th May.–To-day opened dispensary. I, and Qadir Bakhsh, and the two dressers met in the dispensary, and all kneeling down, implored the blessing of that God whose servants we are. I felt much affected, and had my heart greatly drawn out in prayer. I felt my joy and faith increased. After thus placing ourselves and the work in God's hands, we went to the tent pitched on the lawn behind the mission bungalow, and there were found sixteen patients with their friends assembled. Part of the Sermon on the Mount was read to the suffering and interesting little group, who were seated on the velvety grass; and briefly, simply, and practically explained to them. The quiet and the attention of the little company were marked. After the short address, a brief prayer was offered up for the Divine blessing, and this ended the religious exercises. The medical and surgical part of the proceedings then began. One of the patients present was the brother of the chief judge of the valley.
"10th May.–A large turn out of patients to-day. Began an hour earlier. Snow rapidly melting on the mountains. Have bread as good as English every day. Had greens to-day to dinner. No potatoes, because too dear. Air fragrant with the odour of the Iris. The Iris is generally found covering the graves of the Mussulmans–three kinds, the white, the purple, the yellow. I am greatly cheered by the remarkably unusual spirit of inquiry that prevails among the people, both Hindoos and Mussulmans. All day long some one is present, with the catechist, hearing him read and expound the Gospel, or discussing with him on the subject of religion. Never before have I seen such readiness to converse on religious subjects as this. May the Lord bring many to a saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.