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PREACHING TOURS
AND
Missionary Labours
OF
GEORGE MUeLLER
(OF BRISTOL.)
BY
MRS. MUeLLER.
1883.
LONDON: J. NISBET & CO., BERNERS STREET.
TO BE HAD ALSO IN BRISTOL, AT THE BIBLE AND TRACT WAREHOUSE
OF THE SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTION FOR
HOME AND ABROAD, NO. 34, PARK STREET; AND THROUGH
ALL BOOKSELLERS.
DRYDEN PRESS:
J. DAVY AND SONS, 137, LONG ACRE, LONDON.
[_All Rights Reserved._]
ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.
INTRODUCTION.
Before the perusal of this book is entered upon, it seems desirable that
I should myself state to the reader, what led me to undertake these
missionary tours. It may be well to refer also to the objects I had
particularly in view in connection with them; to mention how far the
desired result has been attained; and to notice a few other points
relating to these journeys.
During many years the thought occurred to me again and again, that it
might be the will of God I should seek to benefit His children and the
unconverted, not through my publications only, but by ministering
personally amongst them in other places besides Bristol; but my position
as pastor of a large church, and as Director of a great Institution,
which seemed to require my constant presence, for a long time put aside
the thought. At last, however, when staying in the Isle of Wight in the
autumn of 1874, finding that my preaching at Ventnor and Ryde had been
unusually blessed and valued, I judged, that, having very efficient
fellow labourers in the Church at Bristol, I could be spared, and that
my absence would not be particularly felt. With reference to the work on
Ashley Down, too, as Mr. Wright had for many years been an able helper
in connection with it; as he had by that time been appointed Co-Director
of the Institution; and as I had laboured in word and doctrine in
Bristol (almost exclusively) for forty-three years; it was laid upon my
heart to go from city to city, and from country to country, in order to
benefit (if possible) both the Church of Christ and the world at large,
by my ministry and experience. Accordingly, after much prayer and
waiting upon God, I decided upon devoting a very considerable portion of
my time habitually to this service, as long as health and strength
should be continued to me.
The objects I have in view in undertaking these tours are the
following:--
1. To preach the Gospel in the simplest way possible, that persons may
understand how the blessing, which sinners receive through faith in
Christ, is to be obtained. Many who are really in earnest about their
salvation, are nevertheless without peace, because they rest upon their
_feelings_. They do not see that every one, who is convinced that he is
a lost sinner by nature, and confesses this before God, passes sentence
upon himself (so to speak), that, if he depends solely on the perfect
obedience of the Lord Jesus unto death, even the death on the cross and
upon His substitutional sacrifice, he receives the forgiveness of all
his sins, _is_ justified the moment he believes in Jesus and shall not
perish, but have everlasting life. Rom. v. 1; Acts x. 43; John iii. 16.
2. During my pastoral labours for many years I found, that numbers of
true children of God are without the knowledge of their standing in
Christ. They do not enter into the fact, that they _have_ passed from
death unto life, that they _are_ regenerated, pardoned, justified,
accepted in the Beloved, and are no longer under condemnation. Now,
having entered into all this experimentally for more than half a century
myself, I desire (with the help of God) to bring others also to an
apprehension of these blessings; and how greatly this service is needed,
is obvious from the fact, that there are great numbers of preachers of
the Gospel and pastors, who, being without the knowledge of their own
personal salvation, are, in consequence, entirely destitute of any real
peace and joy in the Lord.
3. Another object I aim at is, to bring Christians back to the Holy
Scriptures; to urge them to try everything by the word of God, and to
value that _only_, which will stand this test. I endeavour therefore, to
lead believers to become _lovers_ of the Bible, by exhorting them to a
daily, systematic, consecutive reading and study of it; for I know from
an experience of more than half a century the blessedness of doing this
myself, and also, what loss I experienced during the first three years
after my conversion, from not attending to it.
4. Further, I aim at a removal of sectarianism, at promoting brotherly
love amongst true Christians; and with this object in view go amongst
all real believers, by whatever name they are called, _provided_ they
are sound in the foundation truths of our holy faith. Though not
agreeing at all, with some of their opinions and practices, I
nevertheless preach amongst all, having seen for many years how greatly
the heart of the Lord Jesus must be grieved by the disunion that exists
among His own true disciples. On this account, therefore, I have sought
(in my feeble measure) to unite all real believers; but, as this cannot
be done, by standing aloof from our brethren in Christ, until they see
eye to eye with us, in every point, I have gone amongst them, and have
united with them, in so far as nothing has been required of me which I
could not do with a good conscience.
5. As for more than half a century I have seen how very little _real_
trust in the Living God there is (generally speaking), even amongst true
Christians, I have sought also in these my missionary tours,
particularly, to strengthen their faith; because, in the course of my
pastoral labours, the blessed results of _real_ confidence in God on the
one hand have come to my knowledge, and the misery of distrusting Him
also on the other.
6. Both in my public ministry of the Word, and private intercourse with
Christians, I seek to lead my fellow disciples to more real separation
from the world and deadness to it, and to promote heavenly mindedness in
them, according to the Scriptures. At the same time, however, I warn
them against _extravagances_ (such as sinless perfection in the flesh),
which are not to be found in the Word of God.
7. As the Lord enables me, I give instruction also about the true
character of the present dispensation and the end thereof, and strive to
lead the Church of Christ to look for His second coming as her great
hope.
In these nine long missionary tours, I have gladly embraced every
opportunity also of having meetings with ministers and pastors of
Churches, both for the sake of encouraging them in their service, and
that I might benefit them through my own experience of fifty-seven years
in the ministry of the Word. I have availed myself too of every
opportunity of addressing students in Universities, Theological
Seminaries, and Colleges, and have had opportunities likewise of
addressing 1,000 or 1,500 Christian workers at a time, and of seeking to
benefit them by my experience. This kind of work I have now been able to
do in twenty-two different countries; for after having spent a
considerable time in such labour in England, Scotland, and Ireland, I
was led in the providence of God to Switzerland, Germany, Holland,
France, Spain, Italy, Canada, the United States, Egypt, Palestine,
Syria, Asia Minor, Turkey, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Russia,
and Russian Poland.
The reader may now be desirous of asking--"And what has been the
_result_ of all this service?" My reply is--The day of the Lord alone
will reveal it. Here on earth but little can be known, comparatively, of
the fruit of our labours; yet, as far as I have been permitted to see,
even _here_, there is good reason to believe, that I have not been
directed to _one single_ place, regarding which there was not manifest
proof, that the Lord sent me there, on account of the visible blessing
which rested on my labours.
It may be desirable also to state, why an account of these missionary
tours has been published in _this form_, as several of these journeys
have already been referred to in the Reports of the Scriptural Knowledge
Institution. The reason is, that, in the Reports a very brief account
only of them has been given, and that always in detached portions. Now,
as my dear wife has invariably accompanied me in my travels, during the
past eight years, and has kept a journal regularly of my labours for the
Lord, we judged that a connected and much fuller account of them might
be given in a book, than could be published in any other manner. Through
a perusal of this Narrative it is hoped also that Christians may be led
to give themselves to prayer for blessing on this my past service, and
that God may help me in any future labours, to which, in His providence,
I may yet be called. We considered likewise, that, in this way,
Christians may be led to give themselves to prayer for the countries, in
which I have been labouring; and, lastly, that, with God's blessing,
other _aged_ and _experienced_ brethren and pastors may be led to devote
the _evening of their life_ to similar service. God has been pleased
within the last thirty-five years to raise up thousands for evangelistic
work; but, it is well known, that there are comparatively very few who
labour amongst the _churches_, and can bring the experience of a _long
life_ in the service of the Lord to bear upon the _assemblies_ of
Christians whom they visit. If, through the reading of this book, God
should be pleased to incline the hearts of aged, experienced, and very
godly servants of Christ, to devote their declining years to the
visiting of _Churches_, both my dear wife and myself shall consider
ourselves abundantly recompensed for our attempt to serve Him by
publishing this Narrative. Hundreds of times, both separately and
unitedly, we have besought our Heavenly Father to bless this labour for
Him, and we are sure that He will graciously answer our request.
It now remains only, that I say a few words regarding the photograph,
which is given in this book.
During the last thirty years I have been asked many hundreds of times,
both verbally and in writing, for my likeness; but my reply has
invariably been: "As I do not wish to direct attention to myself, but
to my Lord and Master, I must decline to comply with your request."
Notwithstanding this, however, applications for my portrait have been
continued, and are still made more than ever. Twenty years ago I was
offered L500, if I would allow it to be published; but the offer was
declined for the reasons already given. Since we have been travelling
about, in almost every town or city, where I have laboured (with very
rare exception) this request has been renewed; and very often has been
made by _many_ residing in the _same place_. Again and again
photographers (brethren in Christ) have called and begged me to let them
take my likeness, because so many friends desired to possess it. Whilst
at St. Petersburg, a Christian gentleman came to see me (who, together
with his wife, after a state of long spiritual deadness, had been
revived in soul through my ministry), and on taking leave of me, with
the probability that we should never meet again on earth, begged
earnestly for my photograph; but I gave the answer, which has always
been given under such circumstances. As recently as during my last stay
in London, I received a letter from a photographer, stating that a
servant of Christ, who was going to publish the photographs of certain
well known pastors and teachers, desired particularly to include mine
amongst the rest; but his application succeeded no better than others of
the same kind have done. This very day on which I am now writing,
another request for my photograph has been made to me by letter, and
many hundreds of times have I thus been entreated for my likeness, but
in vain.
And what has been the result of all this? In consequence of my steadfast
refusal to be photographed, several _representations_ of me (for
_likenesses_ they cannot be called, as I never sat for one of them) have
been published, without my knowledge and against my will. A religious
periodical, extensively circulated in America, containing one of these
portraits, has gone all through the United States. An enterprising
photographer tried once to secure my likeness too, by an instantaneous
process, as I was driving in an open carriage up a hill, but was foiled
in the attempt. A portrait of George Mueller also, with a _most doleful_
expression of countenance (conveying not the slightest idea of the happy
man he really _is_), has been going the round, and occasionally has come
before me, even in the houses of my best friends. In the fear of God,
therefore, I have come to this conclusion: Since the public _insist_
upon having a portrait of me (whether I like to give it or whether I do
not), let my beloved Christian friends at least have a photograph that
is a _real_ and not a false representation of their unworthy brother in
Christ; and especially, let it be one with a pleasant, cheerful
expression of countenance, that will glorify and not dishonour the Lord
I love; for our very _faces_ even should show forth His praise.
And now in conclusion, I have one earnest request to make, which is
this: that (after yielding to the desire for my likeness so very long
expressed, and having had it published) my friends will have the great
kindness to refrain from applying either to me or to any of my helpers
at the Orphan Houses for it, under the supposition that the photograph
can be obtained in the form of a "carte-de-visite." _As it has not been
published separately from this book, it cannot possibly be had in any
other form than is given here._ One especial reason I had for inserting
it in the book, and for not allowing it to be published separately, was,
that as the amount of work we have at the Orphan Houses is already very
great, I earnestly desire that it may not be increased by our having to
respond to continual applications by letter for my photograph, which in
all probability would be made, if the likeness could be obtained
separately. I am sure, however, that nothing further need be said on the
subject, as all my dear Christian friends, who really love and esteem
me, will at once see how reasonable and important my request is.
GEORGE MUeLLER.
NEW ORPHAN HOUSES,
Ashley Down, Bristol.
_July, 1883_.
CONTENTS.
FIRST TOUR.--England.
_From March 26th to July 6th, 1875_ 1
SECOND TOUR.--England, Scotland, and Ireland.
_From August 14th, 1875, to July 5th, 1876_ 3
THIRD TOUR.--Continent of Europe.
_From August 16th, 1876, to June 25th, 1877_ 11
FOURTH TOUR.--Canada and the United States.
_From August 18th, 1877, to July 8th, 1878_ 26
FIFTH TOUR.--Continent of Europe.
_From Sept. 5th, 1878, to June 18th, 1879_ 87
SIXTH TOUR.--United States and Canada.
_From August 27th, 1879, to June 17th, 1880_ 139
SEVENTH TOUR.--Canada and the United States.
_From Sept. 15th, 1880, to May 31st, 1881_ 171
EIGHTH TOUR.--Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia
Minor, Turkey, and Greece.
_From August 23rd, 1881, to May 30th, 1882_ 179
NINTH TOUR.--European: Including Germany,
Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Russia, and Russian
Poland. _From August 8th, 1882, to June 1st, 1883_ 209
FIRST MISSIONARY TOUR.
ENGLAND.
_From March 26th to July 6th, 1875._
As the origin of these Missionary Tours has been fully explained in the
Introduction to this book, it will be unnecessary to advert to the
circumstances which led to them any further. It may therefore now be
stated, that on March 26th, 1875, Mr. Mueller and myself set off upon our
first missionary journey to a few places in England, and began by
visiting Brighton, where he preached several times. He held one meeting
also at Lewes; and after he had preached repeatedly again at the
Presbyterian Church, the Pavilion Dome, etc., at Brighton, we went to
London, where, on the evening of May 6th, he addressed a very large
congregation at Mr. Spurgeon's Tabernacle. On May 8th, we went to
Sunderland, where he preached six times, and on the 25th proceeded to
Newcastle, at which town he held a meeting at one of the Wesleyan
Chapels, and gave a long address to Christian workers at a Union
Prayer-Meeting the next day. He preached at Newcastle also on May 26th,
and on the 27th we returned to Sunderland. There he preached on the
morning and evening of May 30th, attended a Union Prayer-Meeting the
following day, at which he spoke for three quarters of an hour, and gave
a farewell address on June 2nd. On the 3rd we went again to Newcastle,
at which town he held eighteen meetings--making a total of sixty-two
since we left home on March 26th--and thence returned to London, where,
on June 24th and 25th, he spoke at the Conference Hall, Mildmay Park,
and was one of the speakers who addressed about 3,000 persons on the
evening of the 27th. On July 1st we went to Notting Hill. There my
husband preached at the Talbot Street Tabernacle four times, and on the
evening of June 5th addressed 1,500 Christian Workers for nearly an hour
and a half at the "Edinburgh Castle," London--a service which brought
his first preaching tour to a close.
On July 6th we returned to Bristol, where, besides working daily at the
Orphan Houses, and transacting much business connected with the other
branches of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, Mr. Mueller preached,
as usual, several times; and after remaining at home for five weeks and
four days, we set off again upon our missionary travels.
SECOND TOUR.
ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND IRELAND.
_From August 14th, 1875, to July 5th, 1876._
On August 14th, 1875, we went to London on our second tour, of which,
for the sake of brevity, it may be desirable to give a very short sketch
only.
On the 15th my husband preached in the afternoon and evening at the
Mildmay Conference Hall, when on the latter occasion he addressed about
3,000 persons from 1st Peter i. 8; and during the 15 days we were in
London he preached 14 times altogether. Whilst there, he held several
meetings also at the Mildmay Conference Hall for the benefit of young
converts. Messrs. Moody and Sankey, after their long service in England,
Scotland, and Ireland, had by that time returned to the United States;
and as these devoted servants of Christ, whose labours were so
abundantly blessed in the conversion of sinners, were unable to remain
long in the places they visited, Mr. Mueller had it especially laid upon
his heart to preach in the large cities where they laboured, in order
that, through his long experience in the ministry of the Word, he might
help young converts, and instruct them more than (from want of time)
these brethren had been able to do.
On August 30th we went to Stafford, on our way to Windermere and the
Lake District in the north of England, where a few days were spent; and
on Sept. 11th reached Kilmarnock, Scotland, at which town Mr. Mueller
preached morning and evening on the 12th. At Saltcoats he spoke on the
16th for an hour and a quarter at a Conference, and preached altogether
seven times at Kilmarnock in the Churches of that town.
On Sept. 20th we went to Dundee, where on the 21st he spoke at the
Conference Hall in the morning to about 1,200 people, and in the evening
addressed 2,000 in the same place. On the 23rd he gave an address at a
public breakfast, spoke at the Conference Hall again in the afternoon,
and held a third meeting in the evening. On Sept. 29th, at St. Peter's,
where McCheyne laboured, he preached from Psalm ciii. 3-5; held a
meeting on the 30th at the Free Memorial Church, preached on the evening
of Oct. 3rd at Kinnaird Hall to about 3,000 hearers, and during the 15
days we were at Dundee, spoke 17 times in public altogether. After
leaving Dundee and visiting Dalkeith, on Oct. 9th we went to Perth,
where Mr. Mueller preached five times, and on the 13th proceeded to
Glasgow, in which city, at the Convention, he gave two addresses, on the
14th, on the power of the Spirit, speaking on the first occasion to
about 5,000 people, and afterwards (by request) on the same subject to
an overflow meeting of 1,200.
On the evening of the 17th, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Glasgow, he
addressed an assembly of 3,000 from 1st Cor. xv. 1-2, when, at the
inquirers' meeting which followed this service, it was found that 20
persons were impressed, and that one individual had found peace in
Christ. Upon four subsequent occasions he preached at the same Theatre;
and on the evening of Nov. 3rd addressed a congregation of 1,000 at
Kirkentilloch, including eight or ten ministers who were present. On the
9th he spoke to 1,600 Sunday School and other Christian teachers at
Glasgow for an hour and a quarter, preached at Queen's Park Free Church
on the 10th, and on the 14th spoke at the Marble Hall from Ex. xii.
1-12. On Nov. 17th he held a meeting for young men at Queen's Park Free
Church, and on the 18th, at the noon prayer meeting, spoke for the last
time at Glasgow. During our visit of 36 days, Mr. Mueller spoke 38 times
in public altogether, with much help from the Lord, and there is reason
to believe that great blessing resulted from his ministry.
Our tour through Scotland would have been continued at that time, but
having received an earnest invitation to attend a Convention at Dublin,
fixed for the end of November, on the afternoon of the 19th we left
Glasgow for Greenock, and went by steamer to Dublin, where, after a
favourable night passage, we arrived on the 20th. On the 21st my husband
spoke in the morning at Merrion Hall, and preached in the evening at the
same place to a congregation of about 2,000.
On the 23rd he spoke (by request) at the Christian Convention to an
assembly of 400, consisting of ministers only, on "What is holiness, and
how is it attained?" and in the afternoon addressed 2,000 persons at the
same place on "Faith which worketh by love." On Nov. 25th he spoke again
at the Convention, gave an address at the noon prayer meeting also on
the 26th, and immediately after closing it, gave it over again (by
particular request) to an overflow meeting assembled at the United
Presbyterian Church close by. On Dec. 3rd he preached at the
Metropolitan Hall; and at the Exhibition Palace, on the afternoon of
Sunday, the 5th, addressed the largest congregation he had in
Dublin--2,500 persons, at least, being present. During the 20 days we
were there, he spoke in public 21 times altogether.
Not being able conveniently to remain longer in Ireland, in consequence
of having accepted invitations for other places, on Dec. 10th we left
Dublin, and went, _via_ Kingstown and Holyhead, to Leamington,
Warwickshire, where Mr. Mueller preached many times to crowds of hearers
at the Public Hall, the Wesleyan Church, the Albert Hall, the
Congregational Church, and at other places. He preached once at Warwick
also, once at Kenilworth, twice at Coventry, once at Rugby, on Jan.
4th, 1876, and gave a farewell address at the Public Hall Leamington,
from Ephes. vi. 10-18, the next evening. During our stay at Leamington
of 27 days, including the services just mentioned, and expositions of
the Scriptures to visitors at the Arboretum, a large Hydropathic
Establishment in the town, he held 46 meetings altogether.
On Jan. 7th we went to Liverpool, as he had been requested to preach for
a time at the great Victoria Hall there, erected for Messrs. Moody and
Sankey. On the 8th he gave an address at the opening of a small
Institution, spoke at the Albion Hall on Sunday, the 9th, and on the
evening of that day preached from Psalm xxiii., at the great Victoria
Hall, to between 6,000 and 7,000 hearers. During our stay at Liverpool
he spoke many times at the Victoria Hall, on Sundays, at the daily noon
prayer meetings, and at 7 o'clock every evening to very large audiences,
until Jan. 18th, when we went to the Conference at York, where he gave
addresses upon different subjects at three meetings, each of which
lasted about three-quarters of an hour. On Jan. 22nd we returned to
Liverpool, where he continued to hold services at the Albion and
Victoria Halls; on Feb. 6th he preached at Toxteth Tabernacle, and
continued to speak in public until the 14th. During the 35 days we were
at Liverpool, and the 3 in York, he spoke at 48 meetings altogether.
Whilst engaged in these services he was greatly helped by the Lord, and
believers and young converts thanked him repeatedly for the blessing his
ministry had been to them. At the Victoria Hall one of the orphans,
formerly under his care--the commander of a merchant vessel--was
converted the _very first evening_ through his preaching.
On Feb. 15th we went to Kendal, where, on the 16th, he addressed about
800 people at the Friends' Meeting House, and held three other meetings
in the town, including two at the Sand Area Chapel. On Feb. 21st we left
for Carlisle, and here, on the evening of the 22nd, Mr. Mueller addressed
400 men and women, the work people of Messrs. Cann. The next day we
started for Annan, Scotland, a little town of 3,000 inhabitants, at
which place, on the 23rd, he preached at the United Presbyterian Church
to about 600 hearers. On Feb. 24th we went on to Edinburgh, where the
General Assembly Hall of the Free Church was at once kindly placed at
his disposal, that he might hold as many meetings in it as he pleased.
In this beautiful Hall every Sunday evening, and at the Noon meetings,
he addressed very large congregations during the six weeks that we
remained in Edinburgh. Besides these services, he preached at St.
George's Free Church, at North Leith Free Church three times, at Dr.
Chalmers's Memorial Church, at Bristol Street Baptist Church, Barclay
Free Church, etc., and held 53 meetings altogether. On April 6th we went
to Arbroath, at which place, and at Montrose, he preached eight times;
and at Aberdeen, where we arrived on April 16th, in 21 days he preached
31 times. In Edinburgh and at Aberdeen he had also two meetings, at
which he addressed a number of ministers for upwards of an hour; and at
the Free Church College, Edinburgh, spoke to the Theological Students
for about the same time.
On May 10th he held a meeting at the Free Church, Ballater; on the 12th
preached at Crathie Free Church, near Balmoral Castle; and after he had
held three other services at Crathie, we went by stage coach to Braemar,
where he preached once at the National, and once at the Free Church. On
our return to Crathie, two more meetings were also held there. Whilst at
this village, we became acquainted with a Christian housekeeper living
at Balmoral Castle, who kindly conducted us one afternoon through the
Queen's residence in Scotland; and, a short time before we left Crathie,
Her Majesty arrived at the Castle, whom we saw driving out occasionally,
accompanied by the Princess Beatrice.
After our departure from Crathie we went to Inverness, where Mr. Mueller
preached many times, and remained there until May 31st, when we set off
for Wick, about 15 miles from John O'Groat's House, in the extreme North
of Scotland. During our short stay at Wick, on the morning of June 1st
we took a drive to Canisbury, the parish in which John O'Groat's House
is situated, and walked upon the sea-shore, from which the Orkney
Islands can be seen. At 2 in the afternoon Mr. Mueller preached at
Canisbury Free Church, where the country people flocked in great numbers
from their little farms and cottages, three, four, and five miles off to
hear him; and after the service, at 4 o'clock we returned to Wick, where
he held a meeting in the evening.
On June 3rd we went back to Inverness, and here he resumed his labours
until the 8th, when, in consequence of the death of an aged lady
residing at Reading, Berkshire, who had made him her executor, we were
obliged rather suddenly to leave; but during our two visits to this
town, including the services at Wick and Canisbury, he preached 24 times
altogether.
From Inverness we went--_via_ Edinburgh and London, to Reading, where he
preached 13 times, and thence proceeded to London. There, during the 10
days we remained, he spoke ten times in public. These services brought
his second preaching tour to a close, and, on July 5th, we returned to
Bristol.
THIRD TOUR.
CONTINENT OF EUROPE.[A]
_From August 16th, 1876, to June 25th, 1877._
[A] In the following Narrative, passages which describe cities and
places in Europe and America (_marked as being quotations by inverted
commas_) have been taken either from "Appleton's Handbook of American
Travel," from "Bradshaw's Continental Guide," or from one of "Murray's
European Handbooks."
After being occupied daily for a few weeks at the Orphan Houses on
Ashley Down, and attending to business connected with the other branches
of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, besides ministering regularly
at the three chapels in Bristol with which he is connected, as Mr.
Mueller had it particularly laid upon his heart to visit Switzerland and
Germany, that he might labour in the gospel in those countries, on Aug.
16th, 1876, we went to Dover, crossed over to Calais the next morning,
and proceeding to Boulogne, where we stayed one night, continued our
journey afterwards to Paris, where we arrived on the 18th. During our
stay in Paris he preached five times at the Congregational Chapel, Rue
Royale, in English. Before our departure we visited Versailles and
Charenton-le-Pont, and availed ourselves of every suitable opportunity
upon these occasions of giving away little gospel books in French to the
numerous Roman Catholics we met with. On the 28th we started for Dijon,
remained there one night, and went on to Neuchatel, Switzerland, on the
29th. There, during our short visit of one day, we took a drive to
Chaumont, on the Jura, 3845 feet above the level of the sea, whence a
magnificent general view of the Alps can be obtained, and reached Berne
on the 31st.
On Sept. 1st Mr. Mueller preached in _German_--for the first time
after 31 years--at the Free Church, where, because the crowd was so
great, notice was given that the next service would be held at the
French Church, a much larger building, in which accordingly a service
was conducted on the 2nd. On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 3rd, he addressed a
mixed assembly of about 1,800, consisting of pastors, young men, Sunday
School teachers, country women in their Swiss costumes, children, etc.,
at a large Hall called the Festhuette; and in the evening preached for
the third time at the French Church, with very great help and power. On
the afternoon of the 4th we went to Die Enge, a Hall on the side of a
steep hill at Berne, where 150 brethren and sisters in the Lord had been
invited by Col. von Bueren to meet us. After walking about for a short
time outside the building to gaze at the beauty of the distant Alps,
lighted up by the glory of the setting sun, whose departing rays shed a
lovely rose-coloured hue over their snowy summits, and hearing this
remark: "Le bon Dieu l'a fait expres pour vous donner plaisir," we
partook of coffee with our friends in the Hall, who heartily welcomed us
to Switzerland. Mr. Mueller then gave a short address, and afterwards
allowed the meeting to take a conversational turn, when he answered a
number of important questions that were put to him. Whilst at Berne he
addressed the girls and teachers one afternoon at Dr. Bloesch's Orphan
Institution, preached every evening until Sunday, the 10th--when he
spoke at the Festhuette, at 3 p.m., to about 1,900 persons--and preached
a farewell sermon at the French Church to nearly 2,000 in the evening.
The Lord helped him wonderfully, many persons appeared to be greatly
impressed, and it was a glorious meeting.
Having before him an immense amount of work, with the prospect of
preaching evening after evening for several months to large audiences in
the close, heated atmosphere of Churches, Halls, etc.; and desiring a
few days of entire rest and relaxation before the short days and cold
weather of winter should set in; we decided at this time upon a little
excursion amongst the mountains, and accordingly on Sept. 11th started
for Lucerne. At that town, which is in full view of Mont Pilatus, we
passed one night, and the next morning went by steamer across the lake
to Vitznau, at the foot of the Rigi. Thence we ascended the
mountain--which is 5,905 feet above the level of the sea--by cog-wheel
railway, and beheld from its summit a view unrivalled for extent and
grandeur. The panorama of lake and mountain scenery was magnificent, the
horizon presenting a circumference of 300 miles, and including in the
prospect 13 lakes, the snowy masses of the Bernese Oberland, the grand
range of the Jura from Geneva to Basle, and the mountains of the Black
Forest in Germany.
A considerable quantity of snow lay upon the ground in the immediate
neighbourhood of the Rigi Kulm, the cold was severe, and, as snow began
to fall, we were glad to find shelter, near the top of the mountain, at
an hotel. At half past 4 the next morning we rose and ascended the Rigi
Kulm, whence splendid ranges of innumerable snowy mountain peaks and
distant glaciers could be seen extending far and wide, to which,
illuminated as they were by the bright beams of the rising sun, a
gorgeous prismatic colouring was imparted; and there we stood for a
considerable time, gazing round upon that grand, wild, solitary, silent
region with an interest that could scarcely be exceeded.
"God of stillness and of motion,
Of the desert and the ocean,
Of the mountain, rock, and river,
Blessed be THY name for ever!"
At 10 o'clock we descended the mountain, embarked in a lake steamer at
Vitznau for Fluellen and Altdorf, and remained at the latter place until
Sept. 15th. On the morning of that day we started by diligence for Mont
St. Gothard, slowly ascended a mountain Pass by an Alpine road that
winds between stupendous precipices of enormous height, dark, frowning,
and perpendicular; and after crossing the Pont du Diable, and changing
carriages at Andermatt, drove on to the foot of the St. Gothard. From
that point a gradual ascent of the mountain (by carriage) was commenced;
the grand scenery and bold outline of the rocks becoming, as we
advanced, more and more striking and conspicuous; but all was soon
obscured by clouds and mists, and we alighted at the Hospice (situated
at the top of the St. Gothard Pass, about 9,000 feet above the level of
the sea) encompassed by a dense fog. In these regions _above the clouds_
the cold was so intense, that we were thankful to accept the very poor
accommodation afforded at the Hospice (a little inn intended principally
for the reception of travellers on their way to and from Italy), and, in
spite of the smoke from the cigars of some Italians that filled the only
room with a fire in it which the house contained, were glad to be
allowed to share it with them, and with any other travellers who
happened to come in. At 10 we retired to our room, which was a very
small one without a stove or fireplace, where the cold during the night
was severe. The next morning (the 16th) we rose early, and, finding
that clouds and fog still hung over the whole mountain region,
concealing entirely the beauty of the grand scenery around, we got into
the first diligence that stopped at the Hospice, and went down the
mountain at a rapid pace to Andermatt. From there we returned to
Altdorf, took the steamer to Lucerne, and went on by rail to Zuerich,
where we arrived in time for my husband to fulfil the engagements he had
made in that town for the 17th. On the following afternoon (Sunday) he
preached at the Anna Capelle to a large congregation, the Church being
crowded to the utmost, and the staircases and doorways filled; and in
the evening held a second meeting at the same place, which was also very
numerously attended.
At Zuerich he continued to conduct services every afternoon or evening
until the 24th, when he addressed a large audience at the Methodist
Episcopal Chapel in the morning, and preached in the afternoon at the
Frau Muenster--an immense Church--to about 1,900 persons. On Sept. 25th
we went by lake steamer to Maennedorf, and there were cordially welcomed
by Mr. Zeller, successor to Dorothea Trudel, who conducted us to
lodgings at a pretty cottage, with vines trained up against the walls,
in which she used to live. After Mr. Mueller had preached twice at
Maennedorf, and held two meetings at Waedenschwyl, a small town on the
opposite side of the lake, we returned to Zuerich; and on the evening of
Sept. 29th he preached at Wytikon, a village four miles distant, where
special arrangements for lighting the Church with lamps were necessary,
because evening services were never held. During our two visits to
Zuerich he preached in that town and in the neighbourhood 18 times
altogether.
On Oct. 1st we went to St. Gallen, and afterwards visited Hauptweil,
Heinrichsbad (a small Sanatorium), Herisau, Heiden, Niederuzwyl, Mollis,
Glarus, and Trogen, and on Oct. 23rd returned to Heiden. At all of these
places he held meetings with great encouragement and success, except at
Glarus, where the population is partly of an infidel character. Here
some young men entered the Hall, evidently intending to disturb the
meeting; but the service, nevertheless, was of a most solemn character.
On the following evening the number of hearers at the same Hall was
considerably larger, and the preacher was listened to with great
attention.
From the grandeur and sublimity of their mountain scenery, Mollis,
Glarus, and the whole neighbourhood for miles around, are wonderful
localities. These are no places, one would think, for infidels; for
here, if _any_where, the most careless even must be constrained to
acknowledge that "the strength of the hills is His also." On Oct. 20th
we went to Ragatz (situated in a picturesque spot on the Splugen Road,
in the Valley of the Rhine), and on the following morning took a drive
to Pfaeffers-Bad, three miles distant, in the narrow deep gorge of the
Tamina, between perpendicular cliffs of an amazing height, where, even
during the summer months, the sun shines only from 10 o'clock till 4.
The hot sulphur springs (temperature 94 deg.) are reached by a road of
planks at the bottom of the gorge, which has high precipices on each
side of it, only wide enough apart for the Bath House to stand on the
level ground between them. This Pfaeffers-Bad is considered one of the
most curious and remarkable spots throughout the whole of Switzerland.
On Oct. 24th we left Heiden and went to Constance, where, on the evening
of that day, Mr. Mueller held a meeting at a large Hall of the Insel
Hotel, which is situated on an island in the Boden See, or Lake of
Constance. This hotel used formerly to be a Dominican Monastery, and the
Hall, just referred to, was the Church originally belonging to the
building. An old tower, connected with the Monastery, in which John Huss
was imprisoned, is still standing close to the hotel. During our short
stay at Constance, three other meetings were held (two of them in the
town), and before our departure we visited the Council Chamber at the
Merchants' Hall, in which the Council sat by whom Huss was tried and
sentenced to be burned at the stake. The spot--now marked by a monument
near the Bruehl outside, where, in the year 1416, he and Jerome, of
Prague, suffered martyrdom, is also one of the interesting places in
this neighbourhood.
On Oct. 28th we went to Schaffhausen, visited the beautiful Falls of the
Rhine, and on the 29th, at the Johannes Kirche (an immense building),
Mr. Mueller addressed a congregation of about 3,000. Upon four other
occasions also he preached at the same Church, with great help from the
Lord. From Schaffhausen, on Nov. 3rd, we proceeded to Winterthur, and
after he had held two meetings there, left for Basle on the 4th. Here,
during the fortnight we remained, he addressed very large congregations
every evening, either at the great Hall of the Vereins Haus, at a Hall
belonging to the Moravians, or at one of the Churches. He addressed the
Theological Students of the University also, and spoke for an hour and a
quarter to 85 Missionary Students and their Teachers. On the 15th, at
Beugen, he held a meeting at an Institution for young men who were being
trained for teachers; on the 16th addressed 65 Missionary Students at
Creschona, and on the 17th preached at Lehrach. On Nov. 18th we went to
Muelhausen, and afterwards visited Strasburg, Stuttgart, Kornthal,
Ludwigsburg, Reutlingen, Ober-Urbach, Heilbronn, Carlsruhe, Gernsbach
(in the neighbourhood of the Black Forest), Heidelberg, Mannheim,
Frankfort on the Maine, Darmstadt, Bonn, Cologne, Duesseldorf, Muelheim,
Gladbach, Reydt, Viersen, Crefeld, Duisburg, Essen, Elberfeld, and
Barmen, at all of which places important, happy meetings--generally
crowded to the very utmost--were held, both at Halls and in the
Churches.
At Bonn Mr. Mueller addressed the Theological Students of the
University; and at Barmen, spoke to the Missionary Students at the
Mission House. Muelheim an der Ruhr, Barmen, and Elberfeld were found by
us the green spots (spiritually) of Germany, where it was refreshing to
be--on account of the great measure of spiritual life that existed
there. The details, however, of all these services are not given,
because it is undesirable to make this narrative too long; but it may be
interesting to mention that at Stuttgart he was honoured by an interview
with the Queen of Wurtemberg, who sent for him to the palace and asked a
number of questions about the Orphan Work in Bristol; and on Jan. 13th,
1877, at Darmstadt, he held a drawing-room meeting at the house of the
Court preacher, Mr. Bender, giving (by particular request) a short
account of his life and labours to a large company of gentlemen and
ladies assembled there. Upon this occasion four drawing-rooms were
thrown open, and Princess Karl, (mother of Prince Louis of Hesse,
husband of the late Princess Alice of England) Princess von Battenburg,
and several gentlemen and ladies connected with the Court were present.
The two Princesses shook hands with us very kindly afterwards, and
expressed much interest in the account which had been given.
On March 24th we left Barmen for Cassel, where, on Sunday morning, the
25th, at half past 9, Mr. Mueller preached at the Brueder Kirche to about
500 people, and in the afternoon, at St. Martin's Kirche--the largest
Church in the city--to only between 600 and 700, a circumstance which
showed how low the state of spiritual life was at Cassel compared with
that of Barmen, Elberfeld, and Muelheim, where the Churches were so
thronged, that, even when the rain fell in torrents, they were not large
enough to contain the people who crowded to the meetings, though many
had to walk to them six, eight, or ten miles. The congregations,
however, increased in size continually.
Whilst at Cassel we took a drive to the Palace of Wilhelmshoehe, four
miles distant, situated in a beautiful park, surrounded by extensive
grounds where, in 1870, after his ignominious defeat at Sedan, Napoleon
III., the late Emperor of the French, was sent as a State prisoner by
the present Emperor of Germany.
On March 28th we left Cassel and went to Halle, _via_ Eisenach, to visit
the Wartburg (an old Castle standing on a steep hill, 1,355 feet in
height, where Luther was concealed in 1521) and explored the interior of
the building. The sitting-room, occupied by the great Reformer, when he
translated the Scriptures into German, is shown to visitors. His chair
also, and an old bedstead upon which he slept, are preserved as objects
of interest. The Wartburg contains a small chapel likewise, and numerous
valuable relics. At 9 in the evening we reached Halle. The next
afternoon Mr. Mueller spoke at the great Hall of Francke's Orphan
Institution from Heb. xi. 4, and on March 30th gave an address on
prayer at the same Hall, upon which occasion he made particular
reference to the life and labours of Francke, because the example set by
that devoted servant of Christ of founding an Orphan Institution, in
dependence upon God alone for help, was a great encouragement to him
when he began his Orphan Work in Bristol. Whilst at Halle we went
through the Orphan Asylum, founded by Francke in 1698, and visited the
different departments of the Institution. My husband called also upon
his old friend Dr. Tholuck, Counsellor of the Upper Consistorium of
Prussia, and Professor of Theology at the University of Halle, who was
then living.
On March 31st we left Halle for Berlin, and on the way there went to
Wittenberg, a fortified town on the Elbe, to visit the Schlosskirche,
which contains the tombs of Luther and Melancthon. Here, too, we saw the
Church doors upon which, on Oct. 31st, 1517, Luther's 95 Theses against
the doctrine of Indulgencies were posted up, introducing the
Reformation; and at an old Monastery were conducted to the room where he
lived as an Augustine Monk, and shown the cup out of which he used to
drink. In the market place is a great bronze statue of the Reformer, and
another of Melancthon near it. We visited an Oak also, which marks the
spot where, on Dec. 10th, 1520, Luther burned the Pope's bulls; saw the
exterior of Melancthon's house; and afterwards, continuing our journey
by rail, arrived at Berlin late the same evening. There, as long as we
remained, Mr. Mueller preached nearly every evening at one of the various
places of worship in the city, and held meetings at St. Johannes Kirche,
Old Moabit, the Erste Vereins Haus, the Christus Kirche, the Moravian
Brethren's Hall, etc. On Sundays he preached regularly twice. The
audiences generally were very large. On April 7th, Count Bismarck, (a
cousin of Prince Bismarck), came a distance of 125 miles on purpose to
see and hear him, because my husband's Narrative had been made a great
blessing to his soul.
On the 21st we visited Potsdam, on the morning of the 23rd left Berlin,
and in the afternoon arrived at Stettin, Pomerania, near the Baltic.
Here Mr. Mueller preached several times, and afterwards we visited Luebeck
(one of the three great Hanse towns, about 200 miles from Stettin),
Hanover, Bielefeld (in Westphalia), Soest (a very remarkable old
Hanseatic town), and Ruhrort, at each of which places he preached also
repeatedly. On May 16th we arrived at Nimeguen, Holland, where he held a
meeting the same evening at the Dutch Reformed Church, and on the 17th
visited an Orphan Institution for 450 children, seven miles from
Nimeguen, established in consequence of the blessing which has rested
upon the Ashley Down Orphan Houses, and carried on in the same spirit in
which our own Institution is conducted. There he addressed the children
with translation into Dutch, and we afterwards went through the various
Departments of the Asylum. At Nimeguen, Mr. Mueller continued to preach
until May 21st, when we went by steamer to Arnheim (a beautiful town in
Guelderland, on the banks of the Rhine), and afterwards visited Utrecht,
at each of which places he held meetings repeatedly. On May 26th we
reached Amsterdam, where he preached several times, either in German, or
in German with translation into Dutch; and whilst there a letter arrived
from the United States, signed by the Rev. E. P. Thwing, and four other
pastors, earnestly inviting him to labour in America.
"Amsterdam is built upon piles driven through 50 or 60 feet of peat and
sand, and is protected by dykes. Its numerous canals and 95 islands are
spanned by 300 bridges. The diamond cutting industry of Amsterdam is the
most celebrated in the world, and supports 10,000 workmen, 9,000 of whom
are Jews. At Koster's the Kohinoor and other diamonds were cut."