JOURNEY TO INDIA.
As mentioned by Dr. Elmslie in his letter to Mrs. Coldstream, it greatly
lessened the trial of parting from his mother, that she came at length
to be willing to give him up to _foreign_ service. Long after his own
mind was satisfied that he was called to labour amongst the heathen in
distant lands, the mother failed to see that there was any need that her
darling son should go so far from home. Sometimes she tried to introduce
the subject, to plead with him from _her_ standpoint; but whenever she
approached it, he held up his hand, and, with an earnest deprecating
gesture cried, "No! mother, no." Having got, as he believed, his
marching orders from the "Captain of Salvation," he could not confer
with flesh and blood. "Let her tell Jesus," he used to say; "_He_ will
put all right," and He did, for she gave him up willingly; and fondly
she blessed him. It aggravated the trial on both sides that Mrs.
Elmslie's other son–a sailor–was then far away from home; but William
did his utmost to arrange for her comfort after his departure. His first
note addressed to her after rejoining us in Edinburgh bears date,
"_Friday night_," and was written after special prayer by a few friends,
that the Lord would graciously sustain and comfort her: "My dearest
mother ... cheer up. I am well, and our loving Father is supporting me
graciously in this hour of trial. He will sustain both of us if we lean
on His almighty arm. I leave in an hour for London after very laborious
work in Edinburgh. Every one is very kind to me. God bless and comfort
you.–Your loving son, WILLIE."
"_Southampton, 19th September 1864._–MY EVER DEAREST MOTHER,–When I
dropped you my last note I was indeed in a very great hurry, for I had
but a few minutes before leaving for London. Dear Mr. Ritchie's coming
with me has been a source of great pleasure. I heartily wish he were
coming all the way to India. After transacting all my business in
London, we went down to Windsor, and spent the remainder of Saturday and
Sunday with Uncle Stewart and Emma, who welcomed us most cordially. Vine
Cottage is a little paradise of a place, I wish I could transport you to
it, dear mother; how much good it would do you. We went to church in old
Windsor where we heard a pitiably poor sermon. In the afternoon we went
to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle; there was no sermon, but the
music was very grand. I believe most of the members of the choir are
professionals....
"I am really well now, dearest mother. I trust you are leaning on God
and rejoicing in Him. _Rejoice in the Lord alway._–Your ever loving son,
WILLIE."
"_Southampton, 20th September 1864_, '_Poonah._'–Just about to sail.
Sorry about you, dear mother; only kept up by the knowledge that the
Lord Himself is with you. Lean hard on the Lord, and may He spare us to
meet! The Lord bless you and comfort you. I shall write from Gibraltar
in a very few days.–Your ever loving son, WILLIE."
"_Poonah, off the coast of Portugal, Sept. 24._–MY EVER DEAR MOTHER,–We
expect to arrive in Gibraltar to-morrow morning, and I cannot let an
opportunity pass without posting a few lines for you.
"I have great reason for thankfulness to our gracious Father for all His
kindness since I left you. With the exception of one day's sickness, I
have kept well even through the heavy swell on the Bay of Biscay....
"I daresay you feel curious to know how I like board-ship life, and who
my fellow-passengers are. We have Englishmen, Scotchmen, Irishmen,
Dutchmen, and old Indians on board, and among the servants there are
natives of India and China. Poor things, they are so looked down upon; I
long to be able to speak a kind word to them, and to tell them that God
loves them. There are two others in the cabin with me,–one a Christian
man, an officer from the Punjaub, who knows the missionaries there. He
also knows Dr. F––, and speaks highly in praise of him.
"We have three clergymen with us, one of whom is Archdeacon of Madras,
to whom Major R–- proposed that we should have morning prayers, and
this has been begun. Only a few have, as yet, attended, but it was
pleasant to unite in thanking God for His great goodness, and to claim
fulfilment of the promise that where two or three are gathered together
in Christ's name, He will be in the midst of them. To-day we had a
larger attendance.... My own morning reading is the Bible; I also have
had great pleasure in reading 'Gentle Life.' Our usual routine is: at 9,
breakfast; 10, prayers; reading till 12, the hour for luncheon; on deck
reading or conversing till 4, when the summons to dinner is heard. I
must tell you what a fix I was in the first day at dinner. You know what
a fear I have of being called on to carve; but where do you think I
found my place at table, but right before a dish of fowls! I had to do
my best, but have managed to avoid that seat ever since. After dinner
there is the same round of reading, talking, or playing chess. I long to
be in India, settled to work, for this kind of life is mere vegetating.
I mean to begin the study of Hindustani next week: this will be my chief
work for some months to come. Pray for me, dear mother. It is a very
difficult language; but you remember the miracle of the gift of tongues.
The Archdeacon is to preach to-morrow. I am sorry to think we are to
arrive at Gibraltar on a Sunday, as I shall not be able to go and
explore.
"I shall take up the thread of my story before we reach Malta, so as to
have a letter ready for you when the mail goes out....
"Good-night, dearest mother; may you enjoy much of the presence of the
good Spirit.–Your ever loving son, WILLIE."
"_Mediterranean Sea, S.S. Poonah, 28th Sept. 1864._–MY EVER DEAR
MOTHER,–We have had a very calm and pleasant run from the Rock, but now
we are being so roughly tossed by the blue waters of the Mediterranean,
that it is with difficulty I can write.... The Archdeacon and captain
arranged that worship should be in the evening on Sunday, as there was a
great deal of noise and bustle on the morning of the Lord's day. In the
evening, accordingly, everything was beautifully arranged. A large
awning was spread over the quarter-deck, a box erected as a desk, having
in front a large lantern, and the Archdeacon preached a very good sermon
from those words, 'What think ye of Christ?'
"After service I had an interesting conversation with a young Dutch
lady, who is evidently dying of consumption. She told me she had lived a
very thoughtless life, but the glorious light of the Gospel seems to be
dawning on her mind. I trust it is so, for her sun is fast setting.... I
have begun Hindustani, and am kindly helped by Major R.
"The Lord bless and comfort my dear mother.–Your ever loving son,
WILLIAM."
"_To the same._–Yesterday forenoon we arrived at Malta, and I had the
pleasure of visiting Valetta, its principal city, which is composed
chiefly of military forts of the greatest strength. I am told by
military men on board that the island is considered impregnable. Passing
along the main street of Valetta, we saw the Governor's palace. The
women almost all wore black mantles over their hair, in some cases
fastened with flowers. Every second person we met was a priest: there
are 1600 in the capital alone. We visited the great Church of St.
John's,–a truly magnificent building, so far as costly embellishments
go; but it is florid, and not in harmony with the sacred purpose of the
edifice. It reminded me of Notre Dame in Paris, but neither of these
buildings please me so much as Te Duomo in Florence, of which you have a
photograph. A host of importunate beggars besieged us as we entered St.
John's,–arrant rogues they seemed, every one of them. The son of Louis
Philippe was buried in this church, and over his tomb there is an
exquisite piece of sculpture.
"We spent a very interesting afternoon with Mr. Gibb, who took us to see
the depot of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the superintendent
of which is an old soldier, a soldier of the cross, too, and of the
right stamp for such a post. Four thousand Bibles were sold the year
before last, and through his laborious exertions no fewer than twelve
thousand were disposed of last year. There cannot but be fruit where
God's word is sown, accompanied as the sowing is, by many an earnest
prayer for the increase. Mr. G. next took us to see the Public Library
of Valetta, which belonged originally to the knights of Malta, and in
which I saw copies of the writings of the Fathers in Divinity. There is
a university in Valetta, and a capital normal school, in which, in
addition to a good education, the boys have lessons in shoemaking,
printing, and carving....
"We had to leave the young Dutch lady at Malta, as she was too ill to
stand a further voyage. I trust the Lord has begun a good work in her
soul, and that Mr. W., who has promised to act as minister to her, may
be the means of helping her heavenward. I am often with you in thought,
dearest mother, and trust you are enjoying peace and happiness. Turn
your heart to Jesus, as your flowers turn their heads to the sun, and
let your language be,–
"'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."