James Gilmour (1843–1891), Scottish missionary to Mongolia, went forth with heroic, though lonely, efforts to preach the gospel to a people steeped in forms of Buddhism, spending summers with nomadic1 Mongols on the plains of Mongolia, and winters with Mongols in Peking [Beijing]. He took on the dress and culture of the land‚ learned their language, often traveled on foot, and lived in their yurts.2
He labored in eastern Mongolia until his death at age forty-seven, after twenty-one years of missionary service.
He was willing to be all things in order to win some trophies of the cross. He became a vegetarian to win some. He dressed like a shopkeeper and ate porridge, native fashion, in the street in order to win souls for Christ. His living expenses averaged about six cents per day.
Upon reaching a new city he pitched his tent on a main thoroughfare, and from early morn till late at night healed the sick, preached, and talked to the curious. During one eight-month campaign he saw about 6,000 patients, preached to nearly 24,000 people, sold 3,000 books, distributed 4,500 tracts, traveled 1,860 miles and spent about $200, and added, sadly, that but two people openly confessed the Lord. He longed for a helper on his field, but his missionary society was unable to supply him with one. At last, when one did come, the first thing he did was to send Gilmour home on furlough. He won few souls in his lifetime‚ but many were converted by his influence after his death. He was lovingly referred to by the Mongolians as "Our Gilmour."
(James Gilmore: Mongolia’s: Our Gilmore, accessed March 8, 2012.)
Find out more!
To learn more about this man of faith, see “Mongolia’s: ‘Our Gilmore’” for James Gilmore’s missionary biography.
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 NIV)
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15 NIV)
Footnotes:
1. nomad: somebody who belongs to a group of people who move seasonally from place to place to search for food and water or pasture for their livestock
2. yurts: collapsible circular tents of skins, widely used by Mongolian nomads
Contributed by R. A. Watterson, based on web excerpts. Illustrations by JNH.
Copyright © 2012 by The Family International