ary 1887 we spent together in Peking. The
week of prayer in January 1888 we spent together in Tientsin. These
were seasons of great enjoyment. On parting we spoke of having a
week together again in April 1889. That is not to be. The full
extent of the loss will take some time to realise.

'The prospect of Dr. Roberts settling permanently here in the
autumn gave light and brightness to the outlook. My faith is not
gone, but it would be untrue to say that I am not walking in the
dark. I shall do my best to hold on here single-handed; but I
earnestly hope that I am not to be alone much longer. Something
must be done. There is a limit to all human endurance.

'Amid many storms we are holding on our way, and making progress
among the Chinese. Of the Mongols I have nothing cheering to
report. They come around and daily hear the Gospel; but, as yet at
least, there it ends. I look into their faces to see whom the Lord
is going to call, but have not seen him yet apparently. Meantime, I
am getting deeper and deeper into Chinese work and connections, and
sometimes the thought crosses my mind that my knowledge of
Mongolian is not employed to its best advantage here. On the other
hand, I see more Mongols here than I could see anywhere on the
Plain.'

God's ways of dealing with His work and the workers are often very dim
and obscure to finite understanding. Humanly speaking, no man in China
could less easily be spared than Dr. Mackenzie; no man in all that vast
empire more needed the joy of fellowship than he to whom it had just
been granted. But the indomitable spirit shines clearly through the
words of Gilmour: 'It would be untrue to say that I am not walking in
the dark. I shall do my best to hold on here single-handed.' Seeing
God's hand, as he did, in these sorrowful events, and believing that Dr.
Roberts also was following the path of God's will, he turned again to
his lonely tasks. But it was at a heavy cost. His health was giving way
faster than he realised. The views of his brethren at Peking, that he
would break down under the strain of the isolation, were to some extent
justified. The home authorities did what they could, but nearly a year
elapsed before Dr. Smith, who was appointed to succeed Dr. Roberts,
reached Mongolia, and when he did so his first duty he felt was to order
Mr. Gilmour to visit England for rest and cha