FOURTH YEAR'S WORK IN KASHMIR.
The following short note from Dr. Elmslie to his mother forms a suitable
introduction to another season's work in Kashmir:–
"_Srinagar, Kashmir, 14th May 1868_–.... I am once more in Kashmir, in
my old house on the banks of the broad-bosomed Jhelum. I travelled from
the Punjaub by the Rattan Pir,–many an extensive field of snow I had to
cross, many a stiff climb to make. We had some interesting meetings with
sick on the way, and now my dispensary is in full working order in
Srinagar. The people are flocking to me. I have heard rumours of
opposition, but as yet have not experienced it this year. The common
people love me, and hear me gladly; it is a very sweet thing to be loved
by the poor and needy. The demand for shawls is low just now, and the
consequence is that there is much distress among the shawl makers. They
are selling work at half its proper value, in order to save themselves
from starving.
"TO C. J. RODGERS, ESQ.–My mental food on the journey was Boswell's Life
of Johnson. It has given me many a good laugh, and much instruction. It
is a delightful book. How severe the old lexicographer is on the Scotch!
Never mind, we can bear it. All he says is sheer abuse, and will not
harm us.
"TO MRS. CLEGHORN.–I arrived here on the 1st instant, and have now my
dispensary in vigorous working order. How I long to be allowed to settle
here, and to carry on my work without these periodical breaks! I am like
Noah's dove. The work greatly suffers by these frequent interruptions;
as you can easily fancy. Will you make this a matter of prayer? I long
for an hospital too; that is another desideratum for both the medical
and the spiritual work. If you saw the shifts I have to make, you would
be amazed and smile. But I firmly believe that there is a better day in
store for poor Kashmir. I need not now tell you of my griefs and
disappointments and discouragements; suffice it to say, I have all
these. But should we expect to be different from our Divine Lord? It is
enough for the disciple to be as his Lord. I count upon your prayers.
"One of the two converts of last season is reported to have died in
Amritsar, shortly after his arrival there. They say he died declaring
his firm faith in Jesus. The other convert must have left Amritsar
before my return, for I was unable to find him."
"_Journal, Sunday, May 10th._–Church in the morning. Many pretty things
in the sermon, but little theology. I had my old friends the blind and
lame for their service in the afternoon, and distributed alms among
them. In the evening feasted on Conybeare and Howson's Life of St. Paul,
taking notes of all that is most valuable in the book. Received letters
from Dr. Bell, E. M. M. S., and from Brinckman; greatly tempted to open
them."
Dr. Elmslie never opened his letters on Sabbath, fearing lest some of
their contents should be of such a nature as might distract his mind
from spiritual things; he often found good reason to confirm him in this
practice.
"_Journal._–Help me, O Father, in striving to do Thy will! Make my every
motive pure! May love to Christ be the grand motive power within me! I
think I have some genuine love to my precious Saviour, but it is not
enough, alas! it is deplorably small; O increase it, Lord!"
To a friend he writes,–"I am sorry to hear you say you are cold. You
must be in the shade. Come out into the _sunshine_. Coldness is a sign
of diminished vitality, and if your spiritual vitality is lessened, then
there must be some obstructing cause at work preventing the vitalizing
sap from flowing out of the great Root into you, one of the branches.
Make an examination, and may you detect the baneful cause, and have
grace given you to remove it immediately."
"_13th._–Had a large reception of sick in early morning. Resumed study
of Kashmiri with my pundit. Dined with –– in the evening. I thank Thee,
O God, for any measure of boldness Thou didst give me to speak out on
several points.
"_14th._–Began class with dressers and assistant for the study of
Materia Medica and Chemistry. Two sepoys attended the reception for the
sick to-day; they were importunate in imploring me to help them to get
away, for out of their nominal wage of six chilkies a month, they never
receive more than three. Saw a lovely fire-fly this evening, a rare
thing here.
"_18th._–Number of patients very large to-day. Several operations.
Lambardar of Islamabad present, from whom I removed a cancerous tumour
in the neck two years ago; no appearance of return of cancer. Taught my
assistants and studied Kashmiri as usual. I am told that Nasir Shah has
prohibited the people from attending the Medical Mission Dispensary. If
a woman go, she is to be divorced from her husband; if a man go, he is
to be divorced from his wife. He is the leading Mussulman judge of the
city, and is spreading reports that the Doctor Sahib makes his medicines
of swine's flesh and blood. Before a marriage is celebrated the
officiating priest reads a proclamation that if either man or woman go
to the Doctor Sahib, there will be a divorce!
"_19th._–A poor sepoy came to the dispensary some days ago complaining
of severe pain; on examination, it was found that he is suffering from a
large abdominal aneurism. He told me he had been ordered off to Gilghil.
I wrote a short certificate stating that he was utterly unfit for such a
journey. He came to-day and told me he had shown his certificate to his
Colonel, and that he had fined him a year's pay, ordering him to set out
for Gilghil tomorrow; 3,000 sepoys have already gone.
"News from home not good; my mother is ill. Have written to ask the
Committee to sanction my return home next cold season. If this is right,
I ask God to grant it; if not for His glory, I sincerely trust that my
request may fall to the ground.
"_28th._–A large gathering of sick to-day. I feel nervous, and
irritable, and restless. O God, give me strength and grace, let Thy
blessing rest upon me in my work, or rather in Thy work, which Thou hast
been pleased to entrust to my care.
"_29th._–W. M., merchant, called on me to-day, to ask when the great
Sahib was coming to Kashmir to dispense justice. He told me that there
is no tariff of taxes, but that each official may charge what pleases
him at the time, and according to the influence and tact which the
merchant may have. On the Murree and Abbottabad roads the merchant is
compelled to unpack his goods at each stage, and the officer on duty has
power to make him pay anything he pleases. This man takes shawls and
cloth from Kashmir to Persia, selling them there for money and precious
stones, especially turquoises. He replied in answer to my question, as
to what would make Kashmir prosperous, that a code of good laws, or a
change in the administrators of those laws would be necessary. He added
that if the Maharajah would reign in person and afford opportunities for
the poor to make their wrongs known to himself, the state of the country
would be very different; the great Mogul Emperors took an active part in
the business of the State, and ever lent a ready ear to the complaints
of the poor. Where fidelity and principle are low, it is absolutely
necessary that the ruler of a State should exercise keen scrutiny over
his subordinates. In the evening I had an interesting conversation with
Sher Ali Khan, on one remarkable feature of Christianity, _i.e._, that
it takes cognizance of the thoughts and intents of the heart of man–that
it deals primarily with them.
"_30th._–Went with my assistants to the Nasim Bagh, where there is a
grove of most beautiful Chinar trees, planted by one of the Mogul
Emperors. We visited the prison on the Dal lake, and saw some men boring
a four pounder–they can make an eight pounder, but no larger. Saw men
bruising grain by means of a grinding stone driven by water. I was told
that there were no prisoners in jail at present, that the Maharajah had
caused the prisoners' quarters to be pulled down. I ascertained that
there were between two and three hundred prisoners within the prison
boundaries, but the officials were afraid of their making complaints of
the treatment which they receive from their keepers; it is said to be
very cruel. The lake is covered with water-lilies just now.
"_Sabbath, 31st._–One hundred and sixty-two patients today. One man told
me that his brother had beaten a cow so that blood had been drawn. He
was cast into prison, and previous to the arrival of the English, had
been removed he knew not where.
"Received letters from my brother, from Acklom, and from Dr. Farquhar.
It is very remarkable that my most welcome letters usually come on
Sundays, as if to tempt me to open them. Have felt happy to-day, and had
much of the spirit of prayer. My text for to-day–'He is faithful that
promised.'"
"_Srinagar, 6th May, 1868._–MY EVER DEAR MOTHER, (After some advices and
expressions of sorrow about her failing health, he writes): Those
infirmities of age will not pass away–will rather increase. Happy
thought it is that those very infirmities are but carriers to the shores
of a better land, where there is full, perfect, and endless joy. It is
this hope which gives resplendent glory to the sunset of the ransomed
soul."
On the 9th of June 1868, he writes to Lieut. Acklom:–... "The opposition
this year to my work in Kashmir is very much less than last. This is
shown beyond a doubt, by our numbers. Last year up to this date we had
three hundred and ten patients, this year during the same time the
numbers on the roll are seven hundred and fifty-nine. The mission this
year, so far as numbers go, is more prosperous than it has ever been.
For this I give God hearty thanks. The devil seemed to make a gigantic
effort to crush us, but thanks be to God, we still live and work. Your
last letter was precious to me; how marvellous it is that we who are in
ourselves impure, and unworthy, are nevertheless in the sight of God
perfectly holy and worthy, on account of the perfect holiness and
infinite worthiness of our adorable Divine Redeemer which are imputed to
us. Christ is our righteousness, as well as our everything else. Are we
not prone to forget this precious cheering Bible truth? Hence the
feebleness and gloom of many of God's people. The more we identify
ourselves with Christ, the holier, the happier, and the stronger we
become, for He is our righteousness, He is our joy, He is our rock. The
Christian needs to know the depravity, and the desperate wickedness of
his own heart, but having _known_ it somewhat, he requires to be ever
looking unto Jesus in whom we and God are revealed. Look steadily to
Jesus, dear Acklom, there sin is revealed, there love is revealed; there
is no danger of your forgetting your sins and their deserts if you look
to Jesus. Some say there is danger, but this is a great mistake, for
Jesus is the price–the infinitely valuable price which the loving Father
gave to atone for our sins, and to enable the Father, without doing
violence to His attributes of justice and holiness, to pardon, justify,
and save such sinful and unworthy creatures as we are. What beauty and
harmony there are in the Gospel scheme as made known to us in the
infallible word of God!"
To the same,–"_Srinagar, 8th July, 1868_.–I should say that the two
surest signs of a man's being a true Christian, are _growth_ and
_gladness_–growth in the Christian life,–the Christian graces–growth
manifest to the man's own consciousness, and manifest too to his fellow
Christians; and gladness rooted and grounded on what Christ, God's own
well beloved Son, has done for him, suffered for him in Gethsemane and
Calvary, and is now doing for him at God's right hand in heaven. There
is something wrong when a Christian is not a happy man. Considering
everything he ought to be the happiest of men. For myself I know that
whenever I have lost that serene and inexpressible feeling of a full and
filling joy, it has been caused by some cloud of unbelief, a looking
away from Jesus, a surrendering to the world or the devil, a forgetting
of the grand work of life. The Christian's joy is not a boisterous joy,
but is like the calm sunset peacefulness which pervades this fair valley
in the '_gloamin_.'"
"_Srinagar, August, 1868._–MY DEAR THOMSON,–I was grieved to learn that
you had been compelled to leave home in search of health. Three lectures
in one week, and then a ducking into the bargain! The old Martha spirit,
Thomson–the bustle and the lots of service. O that we could mix the
Martha and the Mary. What an excellent compound they do make. To
influence the world we need to be _full_, and running over with faith
and love. To be so we must often, Jesus-like, repair to the mountain
side, or desert place, _alone_. It is often a great blessing for a
Christian man to be laid aside for a little from the busy engrossing
pursuits of this high-pressure life, which in these days we are forced
to live. Even the Christian life is not exempt from this pernicious
feature of our age. God did not stop your work; He only modified it for
a season, and made praying your working. Doubtless the workers in prayer
are most successful. I often wish I had half a dozen old, faithful,
loving, lonely women, praying for me and my work. But though a _visit_
to the desert may refresh, we must not stay there, for sinners
now-a-days won't come after us as they went after John; and so I hope
dear Mrs. Thomson and you are again in the pit digging for diamonds. I
entirely agree with you in your remarks on the relative position which
piety and cleverness should hold in the medical missionary character.
Without any doubt, piety first, and then attainment. Nothing but the
cable of love to our precious Saviour, will be able to keep us fast to
our moorings in these stormy days. I have scarcely left time to speak
about my own work. So far as numbers go, this is by far the most
successful year of the Kashmir Medical Mission. We have treated nearly
2000 patients during the last two months. Opposition at present is
_asleep_, only asleep and nothing more. It cheers me greatly to know
that you remember me and Kashmir in your prayers."
"_Srinagar, 24th August, 1868._–MY DEAR ACKLOM,–It is too bad of me to
be so dilatory in writing to you, but the truth is, I have been in a sea
of troubles. My native doctor I found out to be a great thief, and I
gave him his leave immediately. This of course increased our work very
greatly. He was also a '_din-raiser_' and succeeded admirably. I fear he
has completely spoiled one of my native dressers,–Thomas,–whose conduct
this season has been far from satisfactory.... You complain of a cold
heart! The fact is our hearts–all human hearts–are as fickle as April or
the thermometer. It is well to remember that the connection between our
body and our affections is very intimate, and very often extremely
disadvantageous to the Christian. A heavy dinner, a sluggish liver, or
constipated bowels, will frequently freeze our affections, or rather
make them as flat as thunder does beer. But let us not brood over the
coldness. Our union to our blessed Saviour, and our possession of
eternal life through His merits, does not depend upon, or vary with our
feelings and affections,–were it so, this would make salvation like
Joseph's coat, of many colours. Remember Jesus' dying words, for they
are very precious, '_It is finished_.' What is finished? Man's
salvation. It is sad to think that we sinners, for whom the glorious
Jehovah gave up His only begotten Son, should have cold ungrateful
hearts towards Him who gave so much for us. _The place to warm our
hearts is the cross._"...
"_Srinagar, 2d October, 1868._–TO REV. MR. MALLETT.–Don't you think we
are apt to forget that we have not yet finished our spiritual education?
We are apt to forget that in all that befalls us, our heavenly Father is
making everything subservient and conducive to our spiritual nourishment
and growth in grace. What we need, you and I, M., is more of that
spirit–that Christ-like spirit, which, looking lovingly and confidingly
up into the Father's benign face, ever says, 'Father, not my will but
Thine be done.' If there is matter for thankfulness on my part in your
letter, there is in my circumstances much which ought to make _you_
thankful when you compare your lot with mine. Here I am almost as lonely
as John in Patmos. Without a tender loving wife to cheer me with her
hearty sympathy. This great blessing _you_ have, and doubtless you feel
very grateful to God for the blessing. How expansive our capacity for
happiness is. In all probability before you were married, you thought if
you only had a wife you would be contented and happy. You got the wife,
and now want something else. And doubtless if you got that something
else, you would long for something more. Don't you think that this fact
of our spiritual nature points to the strong probability of there being
a future state? This is an argument apart from the Scriptures. This
thought in passing."...
"_Srinagar, 5th October, 1868._–MY DEAR MOTHER,–Long ere now you will
have got my letter, in which I tell you that although the Church
Missionary Society in Salisbury Square, London, have most generously
granted me permission to visit home this cold season, instead of next
winter, according to agreement, I have after much thought and prayer,
decided on _not_ going home till the close of next year, as was
previously arranged.... I am busy collecting materials to make a
Dictionary of the Kashmiri language, of which there is not one. I hope
when I come home, to employ part of my time in having it published....
Then again, dearest mother, one or two natives are in a very promising
religious condition. I should like to be with them a little longer
before making a considerable break in my visits to the valley.... I feel
greatly drawn to this unfortunate country and people. The power of
sympathy and kind deeds has very greatly melted their prejudice,
bigotry, and ill will, and gained for the precious Gospel a patient and
dispassionate hearing. The people generally now consider me their
friend, and it would do your old heart good, and lift it up in warm
gratitude to God, to hear the poor people praying for blessings on the
head of your dear Willie. This is all God's doing, for He alone has
given me a heart willing and capable to sympathise with these poor
people, and to help them in their distress. I know that my presence here
has some influence for good on the heartless, bigoted, and tyrannical
government which rules over this most beautiful country. Pray much for
us, dearest mother."
A few days before closing the dispensary, Dr. Elmslie wrote a long
letter to Mrs. Lake, from which the following passages are taken:–
"_Srinagar, 12th October, 1868._–I fear medical missions are not likely
soon to spread in the Punjaub, or, indeed, anywhere else. Men and money
are so scarce. You will be sorry to learn that nothing has, as yet, been
done with respect to the training of native medical missionaries. I
refer to the Lahore Medical Missionary Training Institution. I think the
friends of this most needful and feasible scheme are waiting to see the
good people of the North-West carry out their intention of setting on
foot such an Institution. I think this delay is a pity, because their
success is not likely to benefit the Punjaub. They will have enough to
do to supply home, not to speak of exporting. And I fear, even if the
Institution of the North-West prove a success, that we in the Punjaub
shall not be able to prevail upon our Punjaubi converts to go all the
way to Agra or Allahabad for their medical education. Besides, in my
opinion, this is altogether unnecessary, seeing we have a good Medical
School in Lahore.
"You and Colonel Lake will be happy to learn that this year, so far as
medicine and surgery are concerned, has been very successful,–indeed,
the most successful year the mission has yet seen. From the 8th May last
till the 12th October, to-day, a period of five months and four days,
4161 individual patients have received medical and surgical aid at the
Mission Dispensary. All these persons have heard the gospel, more or
less, and many of them have obtained books. Many of these people come
very considerable distances. We have had several merchants from the
interior of Asia as patients. Some of these have seen the Russians. But
nearly the whole of the number are Kashmiris, living in the valley or on
the surrounding mountains. Those people are much less bigoted than
formerly. We can speak to them much more freely and plainly, without
fear of offending them, and a very large number of the inhabitants of
the valley, both high and low, now look upon us as their friends, and,
in their difficulties and sorrows, come to us for advice and sympathy.
"As to decided converts, there is none this season. One family is in a
very hopeful condition, as also my pundit. They are nothing more than
hopeful. May God reveal Himself in Christ to them, and influence their
hearts with love to Him, for what He has done for them.
"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."