Chapter XI: Work in Chamba

After leaving Srinagar, Dr. Elmslie came down to Amritsar, but instead of re-opening his dispensary, the Committee of the Punjaub Medical Missionary Society deemed it proper to send him up to Chamba, of which the reader has already heard, to carry on mission work there during the cold season. He thus writes from Amritsar to his mother:–

"_17th November, 1866._–EVER DEAREST MOTHER,–I hope long ere this reaches, you may have received some of the letters which I wrote to you from Kashmir. I cannot tell you how grieved I am to learn you have been so long without hearing from me. I wrote to you regularly, but, as many of my other letters have also gone astray, I strongly suspect that the native officials have seized on them to discover what I say of Government matters to my friends. Your having received so few during the past season confirms my suspicions in this matter. You must not be anxious in future. I shall continue to write regularly, and you may be sure if there were anything wrong some of my friends here would let you know. I am brimful of health through the goodness of God. My heart is brimful of joy, my faith in our precious, precious Saviour is getting gradually stronger and stronger, and I delight more and more in His honourable service. I have just reached Amritsar. If you have a map at hand you will readily ascertain the route I took in this journey from Kashmir. In the north-west corner of the map of India you will, by careful inspection, discover the position of the following places: Baramula, Uri, Poonch, Bimbhar, and Amritsar. This was almost all fresh ground to me. We had to cross a mountain pass about nine thousand feet above the level of the sea, twice the height of your famous Lochnagar, and with the exception of my catching a very bad cold, everything went well. We followed the same old plan of holding receptions at each of the villages and towns where we rested on our march, for the purpose of doing some good in a medical point of view, and also, and chiefly, to scatter a few of the precious seeds of the life-giving Gospel by the way, in the sure hope of its springing up at some future time, and bearing fruit to the praise of God. The people everywhere received us gladly, took our medicine and medical advices thankfully, and listened patiently to our news of the Gospel. Those who could read received parts of the New Testament and tracts. Pray, dearest mother, to our heavenly Father for His rich blessing on the labours of your loving son. We are most powerful when most prayerful. I am now drawing up an account of the Kashmir Medical Mission during the past year, and writing a lot of letters in reply to a heap which had accumulated for me during my march.

"_Amritsar, 17th November, 1866._–MY DEAR THOMSON, ... I heard delightful news the other day–news which will assuredly gladden your heart. Mr. Rudolph, one of the American missionaries stationed at Loodiana, the Punjaub, told me that some months ago two Kashmiris came to him desiring to receive instruction respecting Christianity. They said they were Mussulman priests, that one of them had heard the Gospel for the first time in his life, at the Medical Mission Dispensary, Srinagar (during its first season), that what he had then heard had taken such a hold of him, that he felt an insatiable thirst for more knowledge about this new way of life, that as it was fraught with very considerable danger to be an inquirer after Christianity in Kashmir, he had resolved to find his way to the plains of the Punjaub, where he could with safety satisfy his thirst. Before setting out on his pilgrimage he prevailed on another of the priestly order to accompany him. They both reached Loodiana, were introduced to Mr. Rudolph, and he who had heard of salvation through a crucified Redeemer, at the Medical Mission Dispensary in Srinagar, was baptized after receiving sufficient instruction from Mr. Rudolph. He is now a most zealous and consistent Christian. His companion, too, is making progress in Divine things. Mr. Rudolph expects he will be baptized very soon. Here is some fruit _already_–never dying fruit. I cannot tell you, my dear friend, how brimful of joy my heart is, and how thankful to God too, for this great blessing. I feel now doubly strong, doubly hopeful, and doubly willing to labour on ministering to these wicked, dirty, and despised, Kashmiris. This is the Lord's doing. Let us wait on Him, let us wait _patiently_ on Him. May not the prayers offered up by the friends of medical missions at your last winter's meeting have had something to do with this? We shall know some day when we get to the other side.

"This morning, (the 19th), I received your paper on the _Status of native medical mission agents_. I do not mean to say anything on the subject just now, but will do so, soon after our conference, which is to be held next week, God willing. Very many thanks for sending it. The subject will be discussed at the conference. I hope to send a full account of our proceedings, so far as medical missions are concerned.

"_Amritsar, 3d December, 1866._–EVER DEAREST MOTHER,–This very evening I set off for Chamba, my new sphere of labour for the next four months. In a former letter I told you about the Rajah's invitations, and about the mission I am about to inaugurate. It is apparently an interesting field of labour."...

On reaching Chamba, Dr. Elmslie wrote as follows:–

"_Chamba, among the Himalayas, 3d July, 1867._–MY DEAR THOMSON,–You will see, from the heading of this letter, that I write from Chamba, which God in His providence has opened to Medical Missions. It is situated to the south-east of Kashmir, and to the north of the Punjaub. Chamba forms a country, through the midst of which one of the _five rivers_ of the Punjaub–hence the name Punjaub–flows. The Ràvi is the name of the river. The whole valley is surrounded by lofty mountains–the genuine Himalayas–whose peaks are at present covered with snow. Up to this time, no snow has fallen in the valley. The winter is temperate, and very much what I suppose the best parts of the South of England are. I learn the people of the valley enjoy excellent health as a rule. Aguish fevers prevail to some extent, with spleen complications. Bronchocele (goitre) is exceedingly common among both men and women–as much amongst the former as the latter. On entering the valley, the other day, I was particularly struck with the joyful and happy appearance of the people. As they went along, they kept cheering themselves with songs. This is an agreeable contrast to the inhabitants of Kashmir, who, poor people, have had the song knocked out of them by iron-handed tyranny.

"The population of the valley is 101,664, and that of the city of Chamba, the capital, 6000. The medical missionary, therefore, will not have very heavy work. But now let me tell you how it was that an application was made for a medical missionary for Chamba.

"Last hot season, much to the joy of the Rajah, one of the Ranees, or regal wives, gave birth to a fine boy. Both mother and child went on well for some time, but by-and-bye the little one sickened and died. The grief of the Rajah was unbounded, and he had the idea that if he had possessed European medical skill his infant son would have been spared to him. Shortly after this heavy bereavement, the mother of the deceased child, who was the favourite Ranee, also fell sick and died. The Rajah now besought his Superintendent, who is the British representative at his court, to procure for him a European medical man from the supreme Government, and that he would give £10 a month, house, dispensary, hospital, and all current expenses towards the defrayment of the doctor's salary, &c. The Rajah was told the Government could not supply him with a doctor, as they were greatly in want of doctors themselves. By the advice of the superintendent, who is a Christian man, the Rajah now increased the £10 a month to £20, and urged the Punjaub Medical Mission Society to undertake to supply Chamba with a medical missionary. About this time another son of the Rajah's died, and he became still more importunate. Various communications were sent home to get a man for the station, and so important did the Punjaub Medical Mission Society consider this opening, that they agreed to allow me to spend the cold season in Chamba, instead of Amritsar."

This Chamba arrangement is important, and deserves consideration. The principle that underlies it is familiar to us, cases involving it having frequently passed under our notice. Planters in Northern India, merchants in South America, and others located in out-of-the-way places, who know that no skilful physician, who proposes to make money by his profession, would ever look near them, catch at the idea of a medical missionary, because they think they may get a first-rate doctor at a moderate cost. _They obligingly seek to turn our self-sacrifice to their own profit._ Dr. Elmslie does not seem, at first, to have realised the bearings of such an arrangement, for he wrote quite jubilantly about it, and with a hopefulness which events did not justify; but soon he grasped the principle in its full significance, and spoke and wrote against it earnestly. In a letter to Mrs. Burns Thomson, he says:–

"Mr. ––, of ––, wishes the medical missionary to be considered as the servant of the Rajah,–a grand mistake, as you can easily see. Such an arrangement would be sure to have a prejudicial influence on the medical missionary's work. I hold, and I hold it firmly, that the earthly master of no medical missionary should be a _heathen_–a professed heathen–however favourable to Christianity he may appear to be. I must tell you that the native princes of India, from their seeing how pleased the British Government at present is with the establishment of medical dispensaries in native states, are very anxious to gain the favour of Government in this easy and cheap way. It stands to reason, my dear Mrs. B. T., if a medical missionary receive his wages from a heathen prince, that the credit of the missionary's labours goes to heathenism, and not to Christianity. If a heathen prince approves of medical missions for the physical good that they bring to his people, and wishes to have such a mission established in his state, let him contribute to the common funds of some Missionary Society who will be prepared to send a medical missionary to that particular state to labour as their (the _Society's_) agent. The Punjaub Medical Missionary Society is ever ready to entertain such cases. But an arrangement like this does not suit these praise-seeking natives. They must have agents of their own; _heathens_ must have _Christian_ agents to convert their people!!! No, the native princes know right well that as soon as a Christian man enters their service, his Christian influence is in a great measure nullified. Let me remind you that the history of Christian missions verifies this statement. Our medical missionaries, therefore, must not be the servants of heathens, but must labour independently, or in connection with some missionary society."

There is another aspect of this principle. For example, a dozen planters subscribe, say £10 each, towards the funds of a missionary society; and they pledge themselves to contribute that sum annually _on condition that the medical missionary shall be bound to attend professionally on themselves and their families_. "Now to this arrangement," writes Dr. Elmslie, "I strongly object, for several reasons. It is very evident, from the nature of this condition, that these planters are trying to drive a bargain for their own advantage. In fact, they wish a European doctor, and, moreover, they wish him cheap. You must also know that these planters are in all probability scattered over a large area, and that to attend them and their families would be very likely to eat up the lion's share of the medical missionary's time and energies. Now this brings me to another axiom in medical missions abroad. The medical missionary should not be bound to attend a single European (save his brethren in the mission). Medical missionaries sent out under the auspices of missionary societies are intended for the natives of the countries to which they are sent. In such countries as India and China, our fellow countrymen can easily obtain the services of medical men if they are only willing to remunerate them sufficiently. They have only to write home to Scotland or England for a medical man, mentioning his salary, which must, of course, be proportionate to their own large incomes. It makes one angry to see our countrymen taking advantage of a charitable work like medical missions to save their own pockets. I hold, therefore, that our medical missionaries should not be bound to attend professionally on any Europeans. Moreover, medical missionaries, as long as they are servants of any missionary society, should not be allowed to give themselves out for this sort of practice. Such practice may fill their purses, but it will and must impair their usefulness among the natives of the country to which they have been sent. A medical missionary's time and energies are limited; he should husband them, therefore, with extreme care. If he has any spare time after his labours amongst the natives, let him rest, or engage in some study bearing on his work."

The Chamba arrangement was about as hopeful a measure of this nature as can well be imagined, but it did not work well. The Rajah gave a very honourable equivalent for the modicum of professional service he asked in return; and the Punjaub Medical Missionary Society, one would suppose, secured in articles 5 and 6 of the Rajah's Administrative Order, the independence of their agent, and perfect freedom for him in the prosecution of missionary work. These articles run thus:–

"5. The Chamba medical missionary shall have full liberty to prosecute the calling of a Christian missionary, in the same way as he would be allowed to do, were he employed in any of the provinces of India which are under the immediate administration of the British Government.

"6. The medical missionary shall be bound, on my demand, to render to me, and to my immediate relatives, due professional attendance; but beyond this I will not interfere in the way in which he may see fit to carry on his medical duties in Chamba."

What could be more explicit? And yet, Dr. Elmslie soon found himself involved in a complicated and unpleasant correspondence regarding these very rights.

"_Chamba, 3d January, 1867._–TO DR. CLEGHORN.–The dispensary is now open, and patients are treated _daily_. Medical missionary dispensaries should be open _daily_. Some are not, I am greatly astonished at this. I fear practice amongst Europeans has something to do with this. We medical missionaries need constantly to remember we did not leave home to be doctors to our own countrymen, who can in most cases be attended by other medical men, but we left home to labour among the perishing heathen, that by the blessing of God on our medical labours we may lead these same perishing heathen to the truth as it is in Jesus."

About a month after, to the same friend he says, "Within the last four weeks we have had four cases of lithotomy, one of which is well, and has left for his own home; the other three are progressing favourably. I am of opinion stone is extremely common in Chamba, goitre too is met with by the hundred. The biniodide of mercury rubbed in locally, and exhibited internally in the form of pill at the same time, works wonders. This medicine is far more effectual than iodine alone."

TO HIS BROTHER.–"_Chamba, 2d January, 1867._–DEAREST STEWART,–I am delighted to hear you are once more at home beside our dear mother, whom it is our delightful duty and privilege to cherish and comfort.... I know nothing will please her so much as to see you give evidence of being a lover of Jesus.

"I am not going to preach to you, dear Stewart–Dr. Davidson will do that with all the love and skill for which we honour him, but there is one question which I wish affectionately to ask you. It is this, 'What think ye of Christ?' Oh, love Him, dear Stewart, and serve Him with all your heart, with all your might and main. May God who has done so much for us in the past greatly bless you, and guide you, and enlighten you, and fit you for glory. May the sunshine of a Father's reconciled countenance ever rest on you!–Your loving brother, WILLIAM.

"_Chamba, 19th January, 1867._–DEAREST MOTHER,–You do not tell me enough of yourself. Let me share all your trials as well as your pleasures. I think I can sympathise. The more we know of the great Sympathiser the better we can feel with others; the more we know of the great heart of God overflowing with unquenchable love, the more our hearts are enlarged, and enabled to weep with those who weep, and to rejoice with those who rejoice. I trust you really do bask in the sunshine of a reconciled Father's love and grace. Jesus was never so dear to me as He is now. Oh how manifold are His loving kindnesses to me! Bless the Lord, O my soul.

"I have now got the Medical Mission Dispensary in full working order here. We had a large attendance to-day, and I addressed them in Urdu. They listened attentively to all I said about the unsearchable riches of Christ, and I do so enjoy speaking to them about Him. One here and another there in the crowd heard the good news with apparent joy."

TO C. J. RODGERS, ESQ.–"_Chamba, February 3d, 1867._–So you have got a clock to preach to you! You could not have a better monitor, for who can look at a clock and hear its _tempus fugit_ tick-tack without being reminded of the shortness of this life, and of the near eternity with all its dread verities. _One life!_ only one have we. How short that life on earth! _So much to be done, and so little time to do it._"

"_Chamba, 5th February, 1867._–MY DEAR MALLETT.... We do indeed enjoy innumerable precious opportunities of speaking for Jesus our adorable Redeemer. Blessed be God there is no lack of such privileges. I don't know how it goes with you, dear Mallett, but as for myself, I have frequently sad cause to mourn over the misimprovement of these most invaluable opportunities. It is so very difficult to be always earnest, always watchful, always full of Jesus, always looking far ahead into that awful eternity, to which time is hurrying us along with such lightning speed. Oh what an endless journey of improvement lies before us. My dear M., if we are ever to be like our beloved Saviour, we must be much in His transforming company. We must meet Him at the '_trysting_' place of His throne of grace. We must study His holy Word more humbly, teachably, and prayerfully, and we must realise that we possess an ever present Saviour, for, 'Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Pray for me, my dear M., that I may attain to this more and more. I will not forget you. We can help each other mightily."

Written in apology after a discussion with ––.

_Chamba, February 7th, 1867._–MY DEAR,–I am extremely sorry about our discussion on Monday last, because I readily confess that I am not at all satisfied with the part I played in it. To be told in the heat of debate that one is talking in utter ignorance of the subject, is rather trying. That I did not take this meekly or quietly, I am now very sorry; our Divine Master would certainly have acted thus; but I have much still to learn of the mind that was in Jesus. Let me say that, as the intention to cause another pain is as far distant from me as the north is from the south, I fully and heartily apologise to you for anything I may have said which gave you pain.–Yours, very sincerely, W. J. ELMSLIE."

TO HIS MOTHER.–"_19th February, 1867._–The Lord Himself make your soul a very garden in which He delights to dwell, so that you may be truly joyful! There is nothing like spiritual comfort. There is nothing like a well-grounded faith in Christ, God's own dear Son, our precious, precious Saviour. This is great riches. I hope you are basking in the glorious sunshine of His matchless love and favour, which are unquestionably better than life. But –– has not yet found the Saviour. This is an awful thought, and one which has for some time caused me much anxiety. What a thought for us, that we may be with Christ in glory, but find no –– there. We must pray, mother. The time may be short with all of us.

"In about six weeks from this date, I shall, God willing, be quitting Chamba for Kashmir. How thankful we ought to be that God in His all-good providence has cast my lot in a region so lovely.... In my soul there is perpetual sunshine. I have sins and temptations to battle against, both in my heart and in the outer world, but with Christ we are more than conquerors over all these.

"The Rajah is most favourably disposed towards the mission, so that my stay here has been extremely pleasant, although not free from difficulty. I have had some of the most serious operations to perform, and God, up to this time, has made all things go well with me in this respect. Two men, who have been attending the dispensary for some time, called on me to-day privately, to speak about the wonderful story of the cross. I have great hope of them.

"We dined to-day with the new Resident, to bid Mr. W. good-bye. The Rajah was present at table, but did not eat with us, being still a Hindu."

"_Chamba, 29th March, 1867._–MY DEAR MRS. THOMSON,–The reception of your and the doctor's letters was to me indeed a 'feast and a fine day.' It is always most cheering to the child of God to know that his brothers and sisters in Christ are holding up his hands by their prayers."

Speaking of the self-denial involved in the procedure of the friend addressed, he continues:–

"It is a glorious thing, although tremendously difficult to the flesh, to make sacrifices for our adorable Redeemer's sake. Nevertheless, if we are Christ's, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. It strikes me that it is just more of this self-denying and this up-taking of the cross that the world needs. It is undeniable that our own beloved Scotland is rapidly and generally becoming unbelieving and worldly....

"Oh that the young and rising sons of Scotland could be aroused. Oh that they could be freed from the galling chains of worldliness and money-worship, and could be made to believe that really to live for God and not for self–really to live for the good of our fellow-men, with the eye of faith and hope fixed upon the sublime and awful verities of an unseen, but coming world, is verily the perennial source of man's greatest happiness and glory. I am glad the doctor is trying to awake the sleepers. Stir him up to this work. It is with the young whose hearts have not yet become like baked bricks, that our hope is....

"I cannot tell you how grieved we all are here that no man has yet been found for Chamba. On the 1st April I leave Chamba for Kashmir. There is nobody to take my place. It is very sad to think that if the world had made the call, and offered a large salary, &c., instead of not having one applicant, we should have had perhaps a score. Ah, dear friend, this is certainly not as it ought to be. As I told you in my former letter, this is a most favourable and promising field for medical missions. I have spent an extremely pleasant winter in this lovely–physically lovely–valley. God has greatly blessed our medical and surgical work, and I am not without the hope that at least another star will be added to my crown from this winter's labours. A Brahmin, who has attended the Medical Missionary Dispensary for some six weeks, has manifested a delightful spirit of inquiry; and both Mr. Ferguson and myself entertain the hope that this man, through the help of God's enlightening and converting spirit, may soon declare himself on the side of Christ."