s was also dogging Gilmour for money, and altogether they
worried him; but he settled up everything. The premises were resold, and
as Gilmour put it, "it was the funeral of that little church." They were
threatening to prevent our leaving the town, as there seemed some doubt
in Gilmour's mind as to whether we would be able to get a cart; these
fears were disappointed; Li San got a cart for us.'

Before Dr. Smith had passed many days in the society of Mr. Gilmour it
became clear to the practised eye of the medical man that his colleague
had been overstraining his health and strength. Notwithstanding his
buoyancy and occasional high spirits all through his long years of work,
James Gilmour had been subject to spells of severe depression. There are
a very large number of brief entries in his diary to that effect. 'Felt
blue to-day' is a frequent phrase, followed soon in the great majority
of instances by words indicating a speedy recovery. Special events, that
from time to time had a direct adverse influence upon his work,
developed this state of mind rapidly and profoundly. The inevitable
recall of Dr. Roberts, already described, is a case in point, and the
diary at that season contains entries like these:

'_April 26, 1888._--These last days have been full of blessing and
peace in my own soul. I have been able to leave things at Ta Cheng
Tz[)u];, and my colleagues all in God's hands.'

'_May 7._--Downcast day. No one to prayer.'

'_May 9._--In terrible darkness and tears for two days. Light broke
over me at my stand to-day in the thought that Jesus was tempted
forty days of the devil after His baptism, and that He felt
forsaken on the cross.'

'_May 27, Sunday._--Service, Romans xii. Present, four Christians.
Great depression.'

The most constant force acting in the direction of mental depression was
what appeared to him like the want of immediate success. He longed with
an eager and almost painful intensity for signs that Gospel light had
broken in upon the mental darkness of the men with whom he was in daily
contact. He yearned for evidence that the love of Christ was winning the
love of Chinese and Mongol hearts, as a mother yearns over her children.
Hope deferred as to his medical colleague, ever recurring difficulties
defeating all his efforts to secure suitable premises for his work,
failure on the part of natives whom he had begun to trust, and all these
thin