'I hope that these arrangements may not seem unwise to you, and
will commend themselves to you far enough to have your consent if
not your warm approval. For myself I am thankful that God has given
me faith enough to trust Him so. It has taken time to come to this.
Myself is a small matter--it takes more faith to trust for one's
children. Just fancy old Abraham offering his Isaac. Just fancy,
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Let us respond to
God's love.

'Your loving son,
'JAMES GILMOUR.'

In compliance with his wish a sum amounting to several hundred pounds
was sent out to Peking and there banked by him. Had not the many
difficulties which Chinese habits placed in the way prevented the
completion of negotiations, there is hardly any doubt that James Gilmour
would have himself spent this money on his own mission-field. He died
before any of the negotiations for premises which he had commenced
reached a successful issue. As he had not specified in his will that
this sum was to be devoted to mission work, the trustees of his boys
have had no alternative, and have felt it their duty to consider it a
part of his estate, the income of which should be devoted to the
education of his sons. But the intention of James Gilmour was clear and
well known, and it is to be hoped that the interest felt by many friends
in his life and work will prove strong enough to secure a permanent home
for the mission as a memorial of its founder, and on the site of his
glad and self-sacrificing toil.

A year or two later, in a letter to his boys, he seeks to enforce the
duty of careful, systematic giving to God.

'Ch'ao Yang: August 19, 1890.

'I wonder if you are giving a tenth of all the money you get to
God. I think it is a right thing to do and a good thing. Mamma did
it: I do it: and God never let us want for money. I would be glad
if you would like to do it. But don't do it merely to please me.
Don't do it except you can do it gladly. God likes people to do
things gladly. I am quite sure you would get blessing by it. Money
given to God is never lost. And it is easier to begin the habit now
than later.

'When you give it to God you can put it into the London Missionary
Society box; it would