great power as a
missionary.

'When he met a Mongol he would exchange a few words of Mongol with
him, and it was wonderful to see the man's face light up as he
heard his own tongue. All the Mongols knew that he could speak
their language, and as one of the few who did.

'As we returned to the town and were walking along the street, many
of the passers-by would bow; and here and there a shopkeeper would
give him a friendly bow. Sometimes he would buy a few peaches or
apples, and not unfrequently he would give a sweetmeat vendor two
cash for two sweets, handing one to me.

'About half-past four we returned to the inn, and then, as a rule,
some people would be there waiting to see him. Mr. Sun, the
box-maker, used often to come to read the Scriptures with Mr.
Gilmour, and then they would discuss various points; Mr. Sun giving
his opinion, and then Mr. Gilmour putting him right. Sometimes an
outsider would drop in, and then, not unfrequently, Mr. Sun would
talk to him about the Gospel.

'About six Mr. Gilmour had some cocoa and bread. At the time of the
lighting of the candles Mr. Gilmour had made it a rule for the
Christians to assemble for evening prayers, and, accordingly, they
all turned up then. A Chinese table was placed in the centre of Mr.
Gilmour's room, and three wooden forms were placed round the table
for the accommodation of the preacher and the Christians. Mr.
Gilmour and I used to sit on chairs at the vacant side of the
table. On the table stood two Chinese candlesticks, each surmounted
by a Chinese candle. A Chinese candle is made from the castor bean,
and is fixed to the candlestick by running the iron pin on the
latter into a hollow straw in the end of the candle. Then we also
had a Chinese oil lamp. The upper vessel is simply a little
earthenware saucer, containing a little oil, and in it lie some
threads of cotton (a cotton wick). This is made to project over the
edge of the saucer and is then lighted. The lower part of the lamp
is simply an earthenware receptacle, in which the oil for
replenishing the lamp is kept, and, while in use, the little lamp
is supported in it. This often used to remind me of the parable of
the virgins, and in reading that parable by the light of such a
lamp one is able to make it very realist