The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-29

became associated with one Of the sur
vivors of the nrst Protestant mission
to the MongoIs. circumstance ~flc2
led to his appointment as missionary
to this people. and the following ear
he sailed for China On the long yoy-
age he interested himself IN the crew
Of the ship, and not only they but the
small critical and sceptcat audience
in the cabin soon came to respect ~the
only parson on board, as they termed
him.
From the beginning of Gilmoress ca
reer IN China he was destined to pass
through strange and thrilling expert
enceA The massacre of Tientsin oc-
Cured shortly after his arrival and the
country was in a state of fear ana un-
rest. but Gilmore's faith and courage
never failed him.
When asked why he had chosen to
spend his life in strange land and
bury his talents among a semi-barbar-
Gus people, Gilmore would make re-
ply: I'm place of assigning reason
for going abroad, would prefer to say
that I have failed to discover any rea-
son why I should stay at home"
IT was among the nornad Nfongols
that Gilmore spent most of his life, and
it was by living in their tents, mingling
in their family life and becoming one
of the people. that he learned their
language. ana gained the COAIlQCACS
and love Of the natives His life was
full of discomforts and perils, and Of
ten lonely, though he found no oppor-
tunity for the privacy which he sc
much craved. in the midst of his busy
life.
The deepest shadow in the life OF
this heroic missionary was the sorrow
in his own home. In 1875 he married
London woman whom he knew only
through mutual acquaintance and cor
respcndence. She went to Picking to
meet Gilmore, married him and nobly
shared his hardships, until her death
few years later. Unconventional as
their courtship had been, their life to-
gether proved a most happy one, but
the privatons and the discomforts or
the Monaghan climate proved too
much for the young wife. They re-
turned to England for e brief time,
hoping that they might thus prOlong
her life, and during this enforced alb
sence from his work Gilmore lost no
opportunity of bringing to the people
Of England the story of the needs OF
the Mongols The gifts which had dis
tinguished him as a student again
aroused the admiration of those who
came within his touch. and the gifts
of tongue and pen held his audiences
spell-bound and brought : D him re-
quests from many publishers for ar
ticles on this country and its people.
But the change of climate from which
sc much had been anticipated, coul
not overcome the deadly effects of the
expos IRE of the life in Mongolia, and
after short time Mrs. Gilmor. died.
leaving her husI and with the care of
thee boys, who later had to be sent
to England, leaving Gilmore indee1 be-
reft and heartbroken. but brave
enough to face his loneliness and fight
on in spite of the tragedy Of his life.
=
In the closing years of Gilmore's ca
reer d new work was forced upon him,
that of physician. He had received no
training for this work and only the
sternest necessity for relieving suffer
| ing caused him to undertake it. So
successful was he in many cases that
! the people placed unbounded faith in
his ability and nothing was regarded
as too obscure for the foreign healer
to cure. In the healing of their bodies
| Gilmore often found opportunities to
minister to the soul.
1t was at Tientsin. in 1891. at the
annual meeting of the mission that the
j end of Gilmore's life came, after a
brief illness. At the simple funeral
service the loyal Chinese friends of
! this brave soldier of the Cross paid 1T
to one who had indeed given his life
for China
GiImore's work is being continued in
spite Of his unt.meiy death. The Box
! er uprising scattered the workers. but
! the field is slowly being occupied again.
! Monaghan missions viii always be DIFF
hcult to carry on. but the work which
/ Gilmore undertook and carried on
against such overwhelming odds, will
Missionary Society Is continuing the
enterprise with the aid of other Chris
tan workers