Theology 1.0: Who is James Gilmour?

James Gilmour (1843–1891) was a Scottish Evangelical Christian missionary, best known for his dedicated (and often lonely) work among the Mongols in the late 19th century. 

Born on June 12, 1843, in Cathkin, near Glasgow, Scotland, to James and Elizabeth Gilmour, he studied at the University of Glasgow. Inspired by the Great Comission (Matthew 28:19-20), he offered himself to the London Mission Society (LMS) for Mongolia—a vast, nomadic region dominated by Lamaist (Tibetan) Buddhism. At that time, there was a notable lack of missions there.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20

Ordained on February 10, 1870, he sailed shortly afterward, arriving in China (then based in Peking/Beijing) to prepare. Unlike earlier LMS pioneers (such as Edward Stallybrass and William Swan, who had worked in the north near Siberia earlier in the century), Gilmour operated from the southeast, using Peking as a base.

His work
Gilmour's approach was methodical. In the summer, he made long, arduous itinerating trips across the Mongolian plains, living among nomadic herders, sharing their tents, food, and hardships. He traveled on foot or horseback, often in harsh conditions.

During the winter he returned to Peking to work among Mongols who came to the city for trade or other reasons, while also continuing language study and medical work.

He learned Mongolian (and improved his Chinese), practiced simple medicine to gain access to people, preached, distributed tracts and books, and engaged in conversations about faith. 

In 1874, he married Emily Prankard (whom he had corresponded with from England) in Peking. They had a happy marriage and children, but it was marked by tragedy: Emily died in 1885, and their youngest son died in 1886. In 1883, he wrote Among the Mongols, a vivid, firsthand account of Mongol life, customs, superstitions, daily habits, and his travels. It remains a valuable window into 19th-century Mongolian culture from a missionary perspective.

The work was extremely difficult. Mongolia was deeply steeped in Buddhism, and many felt little need for Christianity. For the first four years, he saw no converts. It took 14 years before his first known Mongol baptism—a nomadic layman named Boyinto.

Death
In 1891, after a brief return to China, Gilmour attended a committee meeting but was suddenly struck by a severe case of typhus fever. He died on May 21, 1891, in Tianjin (Tientsin), China, at age 47, after about 21 years of missionary service.

Despite the slow results, Gilmour earned affection from many Mongols, who reportedly called him “Our Gilmour.”