1. For about eight months before I left England, I had seen it to be the
Lord's will, that I should go again that year to the Continent for a
season, and had made my journey and service, during that period, a daily
subject of prayer from Nov. 1844. I left Bristol on July 19th and
returned on Oct. 11th, 1845.
2. I should have greatly preferred to preach the Gospel in the streets
or in the market places in Germany; but for that there was no liberty. I
did therefore what I could, in spreading about eleven hundred copies of
my Narrative, and tens of thousands of tracts. In this I was
particularly encouraged by remembering that that great work, at the time
of the Reformation, was chiefly accomplished by means of printed
publications.
3. We travelled in a hired carriage for 17 days, each day about 40 or 45
miles. I had a box, containing about thirty thousand tracts, made on
purpose, behind the carriage, and in the fore-part several portmanteaus
filled with tracts and copies of my Narrative in German. As we went on,
my dear wife and I looked out for travellers who were coming, or persons
on the road side. It was just the time when the potatoes were taken up,
and thousands of people were thus either close to the turnpike road, or
only a little way from it. The front of our carriage had glass windows,
so that we could see all the persons before us, and on each side. As
soon as the carriage was near enough, I held the tracts or a copy of my
Narrative out to them, and requested them to accept them or sometimes
beckoned the working people to come up to the carriage, which almost
without exception they readily did, and then received a book or tract.
In case of genteel persons, whom we sometimes met, I repeatedly ordered
the driver to stop, and I got out of the carriage, and handed the books
or tracts to them. Often also I walked up a hill, and then conversed
with the persons whom I joined, or gave tracts more extensively in this
way.
4. The reason why we pursued this plan of travelling was, a, that I
might myself circulate as many as possible; b, that the tracts and
Narratives might be scattered over as extensive a tract of country as
possible; c, that I might be able to accomplish it, before the police
could prevent it. On the road side, before entering villages and towns,
or after we had left them, I gave away freely. Now suppose this came to
the ears of the police, as no doubt in many instances it did; before any
measures could be taken, we might be at a distance of 5, 10, or 20 miles
from the spot; for we travelled, as I said, from 40 to 45 miles daily.
This was indeed an expensive way of circulating the tracts, and wearing
to body and mind more than can easily be perceived; but it was a most
effectual way, and a precious service to be allowed to be engaged in for
the Lord. When we had finished our journey, lasting 23 days, we were
completely worn out for the time.
5. At first we sometimes threw down the tracts to persons, out of the
carriage, when they were not near enough to have them handed to them.
This, however, we discontinued on the second or third day; for I judged,
that, as we would not throw down Bibles, Testaments, or smaller portions
of the Holy Scriptures, so these tracts also, filled with the truth of
God, and written for the honour of God, should not be thrown down; and
that we would rather not give them at all, than in this way. I purposely
notice this, as many Christians are in the habit of throwing tracts out
of a carriage, as I did at first. I might put them secretly in drawers,
or on the table, or under the table-cover in inns, or elsewhere, where
they afterwards might be found; but I could not feel any longer happy in
not treating them with all reverence, because they contain the truth of
God.
6. Perhaps the reader may ask: What has been the result of this labour
in Germany? My reply is: God only knows. The day of Christ will declare
it. Judging from the constant labour in prayer during 8 months before we
went the second time, and day by day while we were on the Continent, and
day by day for a long time after our return, I am warranted to expect
fruit, and I do expect it. I expect abundant fruit in the day of
Christ's appearing. In the meantime my comfort is, that 220,000 tracts
have been circulated, many of which through the providence of God found
their way not only into the darkest places of the Continent of Europe,
but went also to America and Australia. Further, the 4000 copies of my
Narrative in German, are almost all circulated. And again, the
publishing of my Narrative in German, led me to do the same in French,
which was accomplished about three years later. Further, these tracts
were reprinted at Hamburg and at Cologne, and are circulated by other
Christians; in addition to which, my having published them in Germany
led me to get them stereotyped in England, and they continue to be
circulated in many countries.
7. I only add, we continued our service in a similar way, after we had
left Cassel, from whence I wrote the last letter to the church in
Bristol; and in many respects it was the most interesting part of the
service.
December 31, 1845. There have been received into communion 53 during
this year, and 1055 since our coming to Bristol, which, with 68 whom we
found in fellowship, makes 1123. Of these, 115 have fallen asleep, 65
have been excluded, 57 left us, and 193 left Bristol; so that there are
only 693 brethren and sisters in fellowship at present.