Oct. the 1st and 2nd, he preached in German, at "Le Temple," and held a
"German-French" meeting at the same place on the 3rd; that is, he
occupied the pulpit, and spoke in German, whilst a French pastor, in the
desk below, translated his Sermon into French. The congregation was very
large, and Monsieur Nagel succeeded admirably with the translation. On
the 4th, Mr. Mueller held a second meeting of the same kind at Le
Temple, when he was listened to with the deepest interest and attention;
and the following morning a French brother called to congratulate him on
the success of his ministry at Neuchatel, "for"--said he--"Toute la
population a ete saisie et emue." On Oct. 6th my husband preached at the
Salle des Conferences; on the 7th he spoke in English at the Oratoire,
and, on our return in the evening, the following letter from one of his
French hearers arrived by post.
"Tres Reverend Monsieur le Pasteur Mueller de Bristol,--Soyez beni pour
le bien que vous m'avez fait! Depuis neuf ans, sans relache, les plus
cruelles epreuves m'ont ete dispensees. Il a plu au Seigneur, apres des
annees d'affreuses maladies, de me retirer une mere adoree, femme
eminente, puis, un pere bien aime, une soeur unique, un neveu cheri
comme un fils, et d'autres afflictions, et ensuite et en meme temps,
d'une maniere particulierement douleureuse, les trois quarts de ma
fortune. Il a plu au Seigneur de m'envoyer coup sur coup, tous les
dechirements, toutes les douleurs, toutes les difficultes de la vie, et
de me laisser ainsi a l'entree de la veillesse, dans le plus douleureux
isolement. Ma foi, jadis si ferme, defaillait, le decouragement
m'ecrasait; souvent je ne pouvais plus prier, et j'arrivais a un etat de
mort spirituelle. Soyez beni Monsieur le Pasteur! Il me _fallait_ votre
parole simple, ferme, concise, energique, convaincue, ardente, brulante
de foi et d'amour, pour me raviver un peu. Soyez beni, cher et venere
Pasteur! J'ai suivi, quoique Suisse Francaise, toutes vos conferences,
et s'il plait a Dieu, j'irai vous entendre encore demain, au culte
allemande, lundi an soir, a la Chapelle Anglaise, et mardi, au dernier
sermon allemand. Adieu, cher et venere Pasteur; que votre Dieu tout
puissant, tout bon, vous conserve pour sa gloire, et pour le bien de
tous les mal-heureux. Une soeur sous la croix."
On the evening of the 8th, at "Le Temple," Mr. Mueller gave a farewell
address to the inhabitants of Neuchatel, and on the 11th we left for
Lausanne, where, on the 13th and 14th, he preached at "Le Temple
Allemand," which was crowded in every part. On the 15th, he held an
English service at the Chapelle Ecossaise, and on the 16th and 17th,
preached in German--with translation into French by Monsieur Duprat--at
the Chapelle des Terreaux. The next evening he held another English
service at the Chapelle Ecossaise; on the morning of Sunday, the 20th,
attended a Brethren's meeting for the breaking of bread, where he gave
an address, and in the evening preached again at the Temple Allemand in
German. On Oct. 21st he preached in English at the Chapelle du Valentin,
and, on the 22nd, in German at the Chapelle de Martheray; upon both
occasions with translation into French. On the 23rd we took a drive to
the Cimetiere de la Sallaz, and visited the tomb of Manuel Matomoros,
the well known Spanish brother, so long imprisoned in his native
country for Christ's sake, who died at Lausanne some time after his
liberation (aged 32) from the effects of ill-treatment received during
his confinement. The grave of the departed one--situated in a beautiful
part of the Cemetery--was surrounded by an iron railing, and covered by
a flat stone monument, raised a little above the surface of the ground,
on which the following inscription in Spanish could easily be read:--
MANUEL MATAMOROS
DE
MALAGA.
8 Octobre, 1834. 31 Julio, 1866.
"Porque yo me resuelvo en que lo que en este tiempo se padece
no es de comparar con la gloria venidera que en nosotros ha de
ser manifestada."--Rom. viii. 18.
"Y nos gloriamos en la esperanza de la gloria de Dios."--Rom.
v. 2.
"Por la ovra de Cristo ha llegado hasta la muerte."--Fili
(Phil.) ii. 30.
The tomb of this beloved brother was an interesting object, and the
Cemetery, in which it was, looked beautiful; for, although the autumn
was so far advanced, roses, and other flowers were in full bloom. That
evening Mr. Mueller preached at the Presbyterian Church, and on the 24th,
at the Temple Allemand, he gave a farewell address; when, at the close
of the service, Pastor Wagner--in the name of the Evangelical
Alliance--thanked him, in the presence of the whole congregation, for
his labours at Lausanne. Before our departure we saw a lime-tree at
Prilly, measuring 14 yards round the trunk, which was said to be 1,000
years old; but, though the branches were large, and its circumference
was great, it looked small compared with the "Big Trees" of California.
On the afternoon of Oct. 25th, we left Lausanne and embarked in a
steamer at Ouchy (a small port on the Lake of Geneva) for Vevey. There
Mr. Mueller preached at the German Church in the evening; but, in
consequence of a heavy thunderstorm and the torrents of rain which fell,
the congregation was very small. On the following Sunday morning we
attended a Brethren's meeting for the breaking of bread, where he spoke
in English, with translation into French; in the evening he preached at
the German Church a second time, and on the 28th held his last meeting
at Vevey, at the same church.
The next day we went on to Montreux, where he preached that evening, and
the next morning at the German Church. On the morning of Oct. 31st, and
Nov. 1st, and the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 3rd, at the Eglise
Ecossaise, he addressed large congregations of visitors staying at
Montreux, Bex, Aigle, Clarens, Vernex, and Vevey, and, on the evening of
the 3rd, preached at the Eglise Libre in German, for the last time at
Montreux. This town--sometimes called the Nice of Switzerland--is
generally considered the most beautiful on the Lake of Geneva; and the
Dent du Midi, the lake scenery, and the mountain ranges round it, are
very grand. Before our departure, we went through the Castle of Chillon,
upon the margin of the lake, which is built in the style of the middle
ages, and is now used as a prison for the whole Canton de Vaud. Its
dungeons--hewn in the foundation rock, and extending 100 yards beneath
the Castle, where, in the 14th and 15th centuries, thousands of Jews
were decapitated, and other cruelties committed--are shown to strangers.
After leaving Montreux, we visited Bex, Aigle, and Yverdun, at each of
which places Mr. Mueller held meetings; and, on Nov. 9th, went on to
Geneva, where a series of services had been arranged for him by the
Evangelical Alliance. There he preached at the Salle de la Reformation,
the Casino, the Eglise Rive Droite, the Eglise Lutherienne, the German
Swiss Church, the Lutheran Church, the English-American Church, and the
Oratoire de l'Eglise Libre, to very large congregations. On the 18th, at
the Salle de la Reformation, a meeting was held expressly for pastors,
theological professors of the University, and theological students, whom
he addressed for an hour, and afterwards replied to questions that were
asked. Whilst at Geneva, we visited the Protestant Cathedral Church of
St. Peter, built in 1024, where Calvin used to preach; and saw the
house in which he resided, and another in the Rue des Chanoines, where
he died. The Bibliotheque Publique, founded by Bonivard in 1551,
contains 70,000 volumes, Calvin's manuscripts, and some autographs and
portraits of celebrated persons. There also, fastened to a high stand,
was "La Bible Vulgate" of the 10th century, a ponderous volume,
_written_ by the monks throughout with pen and ink. During our walks at
Geneva, the Mont Blanc range, in French Savoy, about 45 miles distant,
formed a conspicuous and beautiful object in the landscape, the highest
point of which is 15,780 feet above the level of the sea. On Nov. 20th,
at the Oratoire de l'Eglise Libre, Mr. Mueller held his last meeting at
Geneva, and spoke in English upon that occasion, with translation into
French, by Professor de la Harpe.
On the morning of the 21st, at half past 10, we left by rail for Lyons,
France; and, after a journey of 130 miles, reached our destination in
the afternoon at half past 4. Exactly opposite the windows of the hotel
to which we went, on a very high hill, called La Fourviere, the other
side of the river, stood the Church of Notre Dame, with a gilded statue
of the Virgin, 20 feet high, standing on its cupola, with arms
outstretched; for Lyons is considered by the Papists to be under the
protection of Mary, and as especially--"Consacree a la sainte vierge."
Soon after our arrival, a German pastor called, and gave us an
interesting account of his labours at Lyons during the preceding 27
years. This large, beautiful city, the second in France, is a stronghold
of Popery; and, when he first arrived, no Protestant services could be
held there; but after a terrible struggle to obtain _some_ religious
liberty, through the influence of the British ambassador, permission to
hold Protestant meetings was at last granted by the Government,
_provided_ the preaching should always be in German, and never in
French. For the Protestants to derive any benefit, however, from this
permission, was _extremely_ difficult, on account of the furious
opposition of the Romish priests, "who (said he) if they had been able
to do so, would gladly have burned me at the stake;" but now, as their
animosity is somewhat less fierce, French and German Protestant services
are regularly held. The population of Lyons--about 350,000--is divided
(this pastor further stated) into two classes, one half of whom consists
of bigoted Papists, and the other of Infidels and Rationalists. There
is, however, a _very_ small Protestant community in this city, amongst
whom a few real Christians are to be found.
On Nov. 22nd, Mr. Mueller preached at the Chapelle Evangelique, Rue de la
Lanterne, in English, with translation into French by Monsieur Monod.
Many assembled to hear him; the presence and power of the Holy Spirit
were felt; and it was a happy meeting. On the morning of Sunday (the
24th), he preached at the German Church--a small, insignificant building
in a neighbouring street; and in the afternoon held another meeting at
the Chapelle Evangelique, where, considering the character of the
population, the congregation was very large. Before our departure, we
went to the top of La Fourviere to see the prospect from the summit,
which embraces the whole town and the surrounding neighbourhood for many
miles. "Lyons, which is the chief manufacturing city of France, is
situated at the junction of the rivers Saone and Rhone, the former of
which is crossed by nine bridges, the latter by eight. It contains
upwards of 10,000 establishments for the manufacture of silk, which
employ 120,000 looms, support 140,000 persons, and produce annually a
supply of goods valued at nearly four hundred millions of francs."
On Nov. 25th, at the Chapelle Evangelique, my husband preached for the
last time at Lyons. The next morning we rose at 5; at a quarter before
7, left for Marseilles, and, after travelling for many miles through the
Valley of the Rhone, reached our destination at half past 3. On the
27th, Mr. Mueller preached at the Temple Evangelique, an "eglise
nationale," where the congregation was large, and included several
pastors and members of the Consitory. The service did not begin until
half past 8. On the following evening he preached again at the Temple;
addressed the children of Miss Renger's school in French on the
afternoon of the 30th; and, on the evening of that day, and the
afternoon of Dec. 1st, preached again in German at Le Temple. On the
evening of the 1st he gave a farewell address, in English, at the Temple
Evangelique, and on Monday morning, Dec. 2nd, we left for Nismes by
express at 10.45.
As this town is a "Protestant centre," my husband preached that evening
at the Chapelle Wesleyenne to a crowded audience; and the following
afternoon a Christian gentleman conducted us through the town, to point
out the Roman antiquities for which Nismes is famous. The principal
building, the Amphitheatre--erected as long ago as from A.D. 138 to
160--is a very remarkable ruin. It is in the form of a vast oval or
elipse, and contains tiers of stone seats one above the other, rising
around it to a considerable height. In the central area, conflicts
between gladiators, and combats between condemned criminals and wild
beasts, formerly took place; and here many persecuted disciples of the
Lord Jesus Christ were torn in pieces by lions and other savage animals
that were let loose upon them. The caverns, where prisoners were
confined, and some dens in which the wild beasts were shut up, are still
in existence. This Amphitheatre is 400 feet long, 303 wide, and 64 high,
and was large enough to seat 25,000 people. When all its antecedents are
remembered, a fearful interest attaches to the place.
During our short stay at Nismes, Mr. Mueller held other meetings, which
were conducted at the Chapelle Wesleyenne, the Eglise Libre, and at the
house of a Christian gentleman residing in the town. Before our
departure, we visited some rocks and stone quarries, about two miles
distant, where, during a persecution of the Protestants in the reign of
Louis XIV., the little Church of Christ at Nismes used to assemble for
religious worship, because its members were not permitted to hold
meetings in the town.
On Dec. 7th we left Nismes for Montpellier, where Mr. Mueller preached
three times at the Eglise Reformee Independente, attended a prayer
meeting, where he gave an address, and held a conversational meeting at
the house of a Christian lady. In this town, just in front of our hotel,
was a piece of ground--now a large public garden--where, about the year
1720, pastors were hung, simply because they were Protestants. Other
servants of Christ, after their arms and legs had been broken with a bar
of iron, were left to suffer excruciating pain, until a final blow on
the chest--given as a "coup de grace"--terminated their agonies. "We
have been more persecuted" (said a gentleman who related these
particulars--a descendant of the Huguenots) "than any other race of
human beings under Heaven." How faint a conception have Christians of
the present day, who live in the comfortable, easy circumstances to
which most of us are accustomed, of the tribulation endured by disciples
of the Lord Jesus, in years long gone by, and even as recently as the
last century! The Christians of Montpellier were able to relate
numberless instances of the most infamous and wanton cruelty, practised
upon the Huguenots, before, during, and after the reign of Louis XIV.
On Dec. 12th, we rose at 5, left Montpellier by rail at 7 o'clock, and
went through Cette to Narbonne, from which place--after changing
trains--we proceeded on our journey; and at 2 o'clock reached Perpignan,
the chief town of the Pyrenees Orientales, at no great distance from the
Spanish frontier. The climate of Perpignan is generally mild, and in
summer is very hot; but just then wintry winds were sweeping over the
snow-covered heights of the Pyrenees, which made the atmosphere
unusually cold. This town is overlooked by a strong Citadel, and
contains several houses built in the Spanish style. Mont Canigou, 9,140
feet high, is in the distance. The next morning, at 10 o'clock, we left
Perpignan, and our journey was continued. For many miles long ranges of
the Pyrenees were on our right; and on the left, the deep blue waters of
the Mediterranean, were occasionally so close, that a stone might have
been thrown into them from the railway carriage; and after travelling
_through_ the mountains, by means of numerous tunnels, we--for the first
time--found ourselves in Spain. At Portbou, on the frontier, the usual
Custom House examination took place, and afterwards, as we advanced into
the country, the costumes of the people and the style of the buildings
became more and more Spanish in appearance. Here, as in the South of
France, there were vines and olive trees innumerable, and aloes, either
singly or in hedges, were growing wild in the fields or by the
roadside. As the train stopped at nearly every station, our progress was
but slow; but at half past 8 we arrived at Barcelona, where two brethren
were kindly waiting to receive, and to conduct us to the Fonda Las
Cuatro Nationes. There we took possession of two small front rooms at
the top of the house, with a south aspect and stone floors. The
sitting-room contained an open fireplace, in which we occasionally had
small fires, made of the dried roots of olive trees; but the weather
being generally mild and genial, they were not often needed. The street
below our rooms--one of the leading thoroughfares of Barcelona--was
crowded day and night.
The following morning a party of English friends, labouring in Spain,
called and welcomed us to the country most affectionately. On Sunday
morning, Dec. 15th, we attended a meeting for the breaking of bread,
held at a schoolroom in Calle San Gabriel, Gracia, where, at the
commencement of the service, a poor blind brother prayed, some portions
of Scripture were read by one of the brethren, and afterwards Mr. Mueller
spoke for half an hour, with translation into Spanish by Mr. Payne. The
breaking of bread followed, a hymn was sung, and the meeting was closed
with prayer. We then shook hands with our Spanish brethren and sisters,
and, amongst them, with the blind man just referred to, who, pointing
upwards with his finger, said in Spanish, "We shall all speak one
language _there_." Whilst talking his face was lighted up with smiles,
and he made us understand that he rejoiced greatly at our visit. He was
very poorly clothed, but a friend remarked, "He is rich in faith, and
has been a noble witness for Christ by reading the Scriptures aloud, in
raised type, in the streets and public walks of Barcelona."
On the evening of that day, Mr. Mueller preached, with Spanish
interpretation, at another large schoolroom in the city. On the
following Tuesday afternoon, at the house of a Wesleyan minister, he
held a meeting for English Christian Workers in Spain, and addressed the
party there assembled, with reference to their labours, for upwards of
an hour. Conversation respecting the Lord's work in that dark Popish
land, was freely entered into afterwards, and the meeting was of so
profitable a character, that, though it had lasted two hours and a half,
no one was willing to leave, until a promise had been given that another
should be held the following afternoon. The next day, accordingly, all
met again at the same time and place, and continued for two hours and a
half together. On Thursday morning, Dec. 19th, we accompanied Mr. Payne
to visit four of the Spanish Day Schools, which are entirely supported
by the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. They are in
Barcelonetta (or little Barcelona), a poor part of the city, where, on
the first floor of one of the houses, we found two schools (one of big,
and the other of little boys) assembled. One master, a converted
Spaniard, was present; but the other, in consequence of indisposition,
was unable to attend that day. The boys were all quiet and orderly in
their behaviour; and, after the younger ones from the other schoolroom
had come in, Mr. Mueller--with the help of Mr. Payne as a
translator--began speaking to them as follows:--"My dear children, I
love you all very much, and pray for you every day. I long from my
inmost soul to meet every one of you in Heaven; but, in order that you
may go to that happy place, as poor, lost, guilty sinners, you must put
your trust in the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who was punished in our
room and stead; for His blood _alone_ can cleanse us from our sins."
After preaching the gospel further to them, he related a few particulars
about the Orphan boys on Ashley Down, and mentioned that _some_ of them,
about the same age as those he was addressing, were true disciples of
the Lord Jesus Christ, who, at an early age, had been led to trust in
Him wholly as their Saviour. It was most interesting to look upon these
poor Spanish children--gathered out from the mass of popery and
infidelity around--and to know that they were brought habitually under
Christian influence and teaching. There were about 150 of them, and
their parents were all either Papists or Infidels. Two schools for
girls, under the same roof, downstairs, were close at hand. The room for
the elder girls was large, but it was below the level of the street, and
a short flight of five steps led down to it. When the children were
seated, Mr. Mueller spoke to them from a low platform; afterwards they
sang a hymn, and then a pretty little girl, about six years old, with
black hair and very bright dark eyes, was mounted on a form, when she
repeated the 128th Psalm in Spanish with great ease, and apparently
without missing a word. Another followed with the 24th Psalm, and then
an older girl, of about 13, repeated a long Spanish poem, referring to
the love of Christ, His death, etc., in a firm, clear voice, without the
slightest hesitation or inaccuracy. She could have gone on with a great
deal more; and the other children, too, were ready with portions of
Scripture and with hymns; but our time did not allow us to hear any
further recitation. Close to the large room was a smaller one, devoted
to a school for Infant Girls; an interesting company of _little_
children, who understood the Catalan dialect only. Mr. Payne's Spanish
had therefore to be translated into Catalan by the governess, a second
interpretation, and in this way they were told that the kind gentleman
from England, who was speaking, loved them, cared for them, and was glad
to see their bright, merry, little faces. We gave them a text also, "The
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin," to carry home
to their parents. Thus ended our visit to these schools, a work so
blessed and important, that we hope, by prayer, long to hold up the
hands of those who are engaged in it. In the afternoon, at the house of
the Wesleyan minister, Mr. Mueller held a third meeting for Christian
Workers, and on the evening of that day preached at the Wesleyan Church.
The next morning, at 10 o'clock, we visited two more of the schools,
supported by the funds of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and went
first to the boys who were on the ground floor. They first of all sang a
hymn; and, after Mr. Mueller had addressed them, answered several
questions asked by the master, and repeated portions of Scripture with
great ease and readiness. The girls' school upstairs was next visited,
where we inspected the children's writing, and their needlework. They
excel in penmanship; and articles of needlework, beautifully made by
them, were on sale for their own benefit. This room contained also a
small but interesting school of Infant Girls. In the evening my husband
preached again at the Wesleyan Chapel, and, on Dec. 21st, we inspected
the San Gabriel schools, where two sheets of texts in ornamental
writing, beautifully executed, one from the boys and the other from the
girls, were presented to us. We visited a small school of Infant Girls
also conducted at the same place. This visit closed our inspection of
the ten Barcelona day-schools, supported entirely by the funds of the
Scriptural Knowledge Institution, which were all in a most satisfactory
condition.
In the afternoon we walked up Mont Juich, which overlooks the
Mediterranean and the whole of Barcelona and the neighbourhood. This
city is situated in a beautiful and highly-cultivated country, and is
the capital of Catalonia. It is a place of great trade, carrying on
various manufactures, and has some fine squares and promenades; but the
streets, generally speaking, are narrow, with very high houses that
exclude the air and sunshine.