James Gilmour was born in Cathkin, Scotland on June 12, 1843. He came from a long heritage of Christians. His mother use to gather him and his brothers around her and tell them missionary and Bible stories, this is probably what began his interest in the mission field. Being raised in a farming community, he loved to explore the woods and fields.
James did very well in school, and went on to attend Glasgow University. It was here that he called on the Lord to save him. He used his time and money wisely, and was known for his godliness. Once, he poured out a fellow students beer onto the ground. As he was doing so, he replied, "Better on God's earth than in His image." Meaning it would be better to pour it onto the ground than to put it your body.
He set his sights on the mission field. He said, "The soul of an Indian seemed as precious as the soul of an Englishman." The London Missionary Society sent him to Chestnut College for further training as a missionary. His ministry started where ever he was with street preaching and personal witness.
He set sail for Mongolia from Liverpool in 1870. His ministry didn't stop while on the trip, though. He was made chaplain of the sailing vessel and held Bible studies with the crew.
After 3 months sailing, he reached Peking and began studying the Chinese language. About a month after his arrival, there was a massacre of 13 French Catholic missionaries in one of Peking's port cities. His response to this was "our death may further the cause of Christ more than our live could do." Though the threat of their death was always possible, God protected James as he studied to go to Mongolia.
As he endeavored to enter Mongolia, however, there was trouble with his passport. He had to obtain another one from Peking. He stayed with a Scotch trader in Kiachta while trying to get this fixed.
By the end of 1870, he had decided to share a tent with a Mongol. He spent 3 months with this man and was able to learn much of the Mongol language. Living with an actual person from that culture gave James the advantage of learning the customs and thinking of the native to which he would soon be ministering. Within a year, he could read the Bible in Mongolian and write the language.
In 1872, James and another man, Mr. Edkins, visited the Mongol holy city of Woo Tai Shan. He was amazed by the carnality of this place. And, though he tried with all his might to teach these people of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the end of 1874, he still couldn't claim one convert.
During this lonely and trying time, James decided to ask the Lord for a wife to help him in his labors. He often visited the home of Mr. Meech in Peking. He saw a picture of Mrs. Meech's sister on the wall. Though he had never met or talked to her, he wrote her a letter asking her to marry him and help him in Mongolia. A week after her arrival, they married. James found that Emily Prankard was a true Christian in word and deed, and a great help to him in the ministry.
They spent a year in Peking, and then in 1876 took their first steps into the terrain of Mongolia. Mrs. Emily Gilmour picked up the language quickly and was very happy serving the Lord in the hard place. The deserts of Mongolia were a very rough place, and lonely. The Gilmour's found that they needed to often return to Peking and recouperate.
This furlough to Peking was not a vacation from his ministry. While there, James would seek out Mongols and talk to them of Salvation. He also worked on witnessing materials. He even visited Hsiao Chang during a famine and preached Christ to them. Everywhere he found an ear to listen, he would put the gospel forth.
Many visiting Mongols took the gospel back to their communities from the city of Peking because of James' witness. But, his main open door was medicine. He was able to talk to many through their need from relief of ailments.
In 1882, he took a trip back home to England. He published a book telling of his labors entitled Among The Mongols. The book captured the attention of many who likened him and his adventures to that of Robinson Crusoe.
At the end of 1883, he and Emily returned to Peking.
In 1884, he packed a bag and took a journey into Mongolia. He lived liked one of them, and it was in this way that after 14 years he finally was able to claim one convert. After miles of walking, he finally reached a remote community of huts. The mandarin of the little village met him and invited him into his hut for tea.
James began witnessing to the mandarin, who had heard about Christ before. The man said that he wanted to accept Him as his Savior.
James noted that even though the population of Mongolia was very small that it was very hard to have a private conversation with anyone. Wherever he would witness, there would be family sitting close by or lying nearby in beds. Anyone within range of the conversation would just jump in as if it were normal to comment. If you tried to lock them out, you'd be accused of plotting, leave for a talk and walk and you'd be accused of worse.
Amid this wonderful blessing came a darkness. Emily had become very sick and in September 1885, she passed away. James was alone again.
He continued preaching, witnessing, and praying for the Mongolian people. He became a vegetarian, dressed like them, and lived like them in order to win some. The Mongols had never seen a foreigner who lived as they did. His average daily living expense was about 6 cents.
During one month, it was estimated that he saw around 6,000 people in need of medicine, traveled over 1,800 miles, gave out about 4,500 tracts, and preached to more than 24,000 people.
When he took another furlough to England in 1889, he was so sickly thin that his friends couldn't recognize him. While here, he wrote another book, Gilmour And His Boys, about his time with his children after Emily's death.
His burden for the people of Mongolia was still strong in his heart. He returned to North China in 1891, where he contracted Typhus Fever. He died on May 21st. Wherever news of his death arrived in Mongolia, men would cry that "their Gilmour was dead".
Only God knows the extent of James Gilmour's reach. His life may not have shown much by way of professing converts, but everywhere he went people heard about the Lord. James truly fulfilled the great commission!
