The next morning a letter arrived from San Francisco, written by a lady, who earnestly commended her only daughter to our prayers. This young person was converted at the age of 15, but two years afterwards became a prey to the delusions of Spiritualism, to which she clung tenaciously for nine years. At San Francisco, however, she heard Mr. Muller preach several times, and was so impressed by one sermon in particular, that her poor mother fully hoped she would be restored to soundness in the faith. She wrote--"You are the first person who has found the way to her heart for these nine years. She crossed the Bay last Sunday morning to hear you, and says she would not have lost that sermon for 100 dollars.
Oh! _how much_ I wish you could see her! but, as you cannot, what I want is, that you will make her case a special subject of prayer. She is dearer to me than my own life, and I would be willing to die a thousand deaths to save her. Oh! help by your prayers.--Mrs. ----."
Early on the morning of May 22nd, we went by rail to Stockton, 70 miles from San Jose, where, at 3 in the afternoon, Mr. Muller addressed 22 pastors, and about 130 other Christian workers for an hour and ten minutes, and, during our short stay, held two other meetings. At Stockton the heat became oppressive, and walking out of doors in the middle of the day was given up. There, too, at night we had terrible conflict with the mosquitos; but though we killed them by the score, could do very little in the way of exterminating the foe, so that our visit to Stockton was marked by a regular mosquito war. Our rest at night was so disturbed, that we were scarcely fit for travelling; but, having been repeatedly advised by several Christian friends, on no account to leave California without visiting the celebrated Yosemite Valley, in that State; and as my husband desired to have a little break for a few days, after so much constant preaching; on May 24th, at 8 a.m.
we left by train for Milton, 30 miles from Stockton. There, a large, old-fashioned conveyance, combining coach and omnibus together, was waiting for the pa.s.sengers, into which we, and several others stepped; and--drawn by four horses--were driven off towards the Sierra Nevada mountains. For some miles our road lay across an open plain, without houses, where the scanty vegetation was nearly burned up by the sun"s scorching rays, and what little wind there was resembled a sirocco; but, after a drive of fourteen miles, we arrived at Copperopolis--so called from the quant.i.ty of copper ore found there. At one o"clock, after changing horses, we left Copperopolis--reached Chinese Camp, eighteen miles further, at 4; and, after getting into a smaller conveyance, at 6 o"clock continued our journey, with only one gentleman pa.s.senger besides ourselves. Though often told that travelling by Californian stage-waggon would prove an adventure _never_ to be forgotten, scarcely were we prepared for the unpleasant jolting that now awaited us. Our coachman drove furiously. Rough and smooth, hill and dale, all were alike to him.
Now we were driven over one great stone, and then came into collision with another; and as for a drag, going down hill, such a thing was never thought of. The man was doubtless an experienced driver, or at any rate he was a fearless one; but, being ourselves sober-minded persons, unaccustomed to such "go ahead" proceedings, we should have been thankful to take things more quietly; and besides this, desired greatly to reach our journey"s end, with no bruises and without broken bones.
Through the Lord"s kindness, however, we reached Priest"s Hotel (on a high hill, twelve miles from Chinese Camp) in safety, where we alighted for the night; and, after a journey of eleven hours and a half, retired immediately to rest. Our room was small, and reminded us of the little apartment we occupied at the Hospice on Mount St. Gothard, Switzerland, but it was comfortable, and not a single mosquito was there to disturb our night"s repose.
The next morning we rose punctually at 4, and at 5 our journey in another stage waggon, drawn by five horses, was continued. The early morning air was cool and pleasant, and the sky unclouded; but our new driver urged on the horses also to their utmost speed, and, after rattling up and down steep declivities, and galloping along rugged roads, we reached the end of a stage of about 18 miles, and got into another waggon. Our next coachman, happily, was of a different mould, for _he_ conducted us slowly and carefully along. At 12 we reached the dinner station, and at 1 set off again in another waggon, with five fresh horses. At 3 o"clock we alighted at some "Big Trees," the largest of which was 66 feet in circ.u.mference, and 420 feet in height; and, through the trunk of a tree partially burned down, a road was being made, wide enough for two carriages side by side to be driven between the outside portions of the stump. After leaving the "Big Trees," our journey was continued, and, having gradually all the morning been going up hill, an elevation of about 8,000 feet above the level of the sea was shortly reached, where much snow lay upon the ground. At about 4 o"clock we began gradually to descend into the Valley; and, as the waggon was slowly driven down hill, the wonders of the great Yosemite (p.r.o.nounced Yozemitty) at every turn broke in upon us. Stupendous perpendicular precipices, as we advanced, reared their gigantic summits, like enormous walls into the sky; the Bridal Veil Waterfall, with its rainbow hues, looked beautiful; whole ranges of rocky peaks and towering heights were seen; and one Cataract succeeded another, until at last, soon after 6 o"clock, we drove up to Barnard"s Hotel, exactly opposite the Falls of the Yosemite.
The next morning (Sunday, May 26th) Mr. Muller preached in the large dining-room of the hotel, where he addressed the visitors of the house, and of the two other hotels in the Valley. A gentleman from San Francisco, another from the Eastern States, a lawyer from Washington, two gentlemen from England, some ladies, and a number of other persons formed the congregation. After the service we conversed with several, and distributed little books and tracts amongst them, which were gratefully accepted. Being without hymn books, there was no singing; and our only music was the thunder of the Cataract close by.
The next morning we surveyed the "Falls of the Yosemite, three in one, formed by a stream of water which takes a leap of 1,600 feet from the top of the rock into a vast basin of rock, where, gathering strength, it again leaps forth a distance of 434 feet, and, falling between the North Dome and the Three Brothers, rebounds, and takes its final plunge of 600 feet into the Valley. Twenty-four thousand gallons of water roll over the edge of the cliff every minute; and probably no Falls in the world can be compared with these in _height_." During our brief sojourn in the Yosemite, we visited all its chief points of interest. "This Valley is on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas, and is a narrow gorge about 10 miles long and half a mile in width, enclosed within gigantic granite precipices like monstrous walls, which rise, almost unbroken and perpendicular, to a height of from 4,000 to 6,000 feet above the green, quiet vale beneath. Its most remarkable features are its perpendicular walls, and their great height, as compared with the narrow width of the Valley. In the spring and early summer it is one vast flower garden, and plants, shrubs, and flowers, of every hue, cover the ground as with a carpet. El Capitan is the most prominent attraction it contains, which, though not as high as some of its giant neighbours, is remarkable for its isolation, height, prodigious breadth, bold shape, and defiant att.i.tude, as it stands up like an enormous wall, the Great Chief of the Yosemite. It is 3,300 feet above the Valley,--which is itself 4,000 feet above the level of the sea--is solid, ma.s.sive, seamless, thousands of millions of tons in weight; and its grey granite sides, dest.i.tute of vegetation, are perpendicular."[B] The Bridal Veil Waterfall leaps a distance of 940 feet into the Valley, and a beautiful rainbow was produced by the sun"s rays as they fell upon it. From Artists" Point and Inspiration Point, a fine general view of the Yosemite is obtained; and three miles off is Mirror Lake, at the foot of, and between the North and South Dome, which reflects every rock, ledge, and mountain like a mirror. The Cathedral Rocks, the Sentinel Rock, the Three Brothers, etc., also form a portion of the mountain scenery. The Vernal Fall (or Cataract of Diamonds) and the Nevada Falls, in wild, romantic situations, are also grand and beautiful; but, as the wonders of this neighbourhood, if entered into fully, would require a volume, a minute description of them cannot be attempted.
[B] "Nordhoff"s California."
On May 29th we rose at half past 4, and at 6, after taking outside seats, started, with ten other pa.s.sengers, in a stage waggon, drawn by five horses, on our return journey. Our drive _up_ the mountains, which was slow and gradual, occupied several hours; but in the afternoon we began to descend them on the other side, when the road became wider and the route less solitary, and at 4 o"clock a cart approached, in which a man and woman were seated. They drew up on one side of the road to let us pa.s.s, when, just as our waggon reached the spot, the woman stood up and eagerly called out, "Is that George Muller?" "It is," was the reply.
"Then I _must_ shake hands with you, Sir. I have read your "Life of Trust," and it has been a _great blessing_ to my soul." With this the good woman leaned forward and stretched out her hand; we shook hands also with her husband; but who they were, and whence they came, we knew not, nor was there any time to ask. Her last words were, "Pray for me!"
After changing horses twice, towards evening we reached a district upon level ground, which had been cut up into a vast number of furrows and channels for gold digging, where hundreds of acres had been cleared completely of the precious metal. At 6 o"clock we reached Priest"s Hotel, and were afterwards driven at a rapid rate down the steep hill close to it. A ferry boat then conveyed us across the Tuama River whilst seated in the waggon; the horses waded through Wood"s Creek, and at last we reached the Garret House, Chinese Camp, where at half past 7 we alighted for the night. The next day we rose at half past 3, and at a quarter before 5 were again "en route." At the Union Hotel, Copperopolis, we arrived in two hours and three-quarters, and at half past 10 reached Milton, from which place we went on immediately by rail to Stockton, where our luggage (which had been telegraphed for) was sent to meet us at the station.
At a quarter past 12 on the same day (May 30th) we left for Sacramento, the capital of California, 48 miles from Stockton, where Mr. Muller preached at one of the Churches in the evening to about 1,000 persons.
The next morning, at 10 o"clock, he held another meeting, and in the evening preached, for the third and last time, at Sacramento to a very large audience.
On June 1st, at 2 p.m., we set off by the Central Pacific Railway for Salt Lake City; on the 2nd distributed little books and tracts amongst the pa.s.sengers, by whom the train was crowded; and at 8 a.m., on June 3rd, reached Ogden, where, branching off for Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah--1,068 miles West of Omaha, and 916 East of San Francisco--we arrived at 11.40 the same morning. "It lies in a great valley, extending close to the Wahsatch Mountains on the North, with more than 100 miles of plains stretching towards the South; beyond which, in the distance, rise snow-covered mountains, the highest of which is 11,400 feet above the level of the sea. The waters of the Great Salt Lake are _so_ salt, that no living creature can exist in them. The city covers an area of nine square miles, its streets--or roads--are long and very wide; and, as each dwelling has a garden, or orchard, the whole place looks like one large plantation." In the evening, at the Congregational Church, Mr. Muller preached the gospel in this city (which is the great stronghold of Mormonism), in the plainest, clearest, most decided manner; and on the following day had interviews with several Christians.
Before our departure we visited the great Mormon Tabernacle, said to hold 13,000 people. It is of wood, and has 46 pillars of red sandstone, with an immense dome resting on them like a roof; but it did not look large enough to contain more than from 9,000 to 10,000 at the utmost.
Lion House, the former residence of Brigham Young, was also pointed out.
His body lies buried in a miserable, neglected piece of ground--a sort of back yard--and his grave is covered by a large, flat stone, bearing an inscription; but what the epitaph upon it was, we did not care to ascertain. The residences of his 18 wives are also in the city. From Camp Douglas, a military station which stands upon an eminence outside the town, Salt Lake City appears embowered in trees, and little more than the roofs of the houses are visible.
In the evening Mr. Muller preached at the Methodist Church, where he addressed a large congregation, including several Mormons; and after the service conversed with many of the hearers. Having been told that his ministry was more needed at Salt Lake City, than at almost any other place in the _world_, he greatly regretted being unable to hold other meetings; but as our time was limited, and engagements had been made for other places, we could not possibly remain. The morning of June 5th, therefore, was fixed upon for our departure, when we rose at a quarter before 5, and at 7 o"clock left by train for Ogden, 35 miles distant, whence, after engaging a "section" in a Pullman"s carriage, we set off, at 10, by the Union Pacific Railway, for Omaha.
The train (a very long one) was full of pa.s.sengers, and, when seated in the carriage, we heard that a gentleman, an invalid, had died suddenly the night before, whilst travelling on the Central Pacific Railway.
After he had retired to his berth, a violent fit of coughing came on, which occasioned the rupture of a blood vessel, and in three minutes he was dead. He was not accompanied by any relative or friend. Some railway officials carried his body immediately into the smoking compartment; but though the circ.u.mstance was concealed from the other pa.s.sengers as much as possible, the sad event soon became generally known. On the 6th we breakfasted at Rock Creek; reached Summit House, Sherman, 8,235 feet above the level of the sea, at half-past one; dined at Cheyenne; and, after travelling for some hours, reached the prairies on which there were a few wild antelopes and immense herds of cattle, followed by men on horseback keeping them together. At 2 o"clock, on June 7th, we reached Tremont, and at 4.30 arrived at Omaha, a journey of 1,032 miles from Ogden. At a quarter before 5 our journey was continued, when, after crossing the Missouri, we went on to Council Bluffs, and there got into a train with an hotel car attached to it, containing a kitchen and a dining-room. On June 8th we rose early, breakfasted at 7 in the dining-room, reached Davenport at 11, and, after crossing the Mississippi, arrived at Rock Island, the other side of the river. Later in the day we crossed the Illinois, and at 4 in the afternoon arrived at Chicago, after a journey of 503 miles from Omaha.
On Sunday morning (the 9th) Mr. Muller preached at the First Congregational Church, to about 1,500 people; and in the evening held a meeting at Mr. Moody"s Tabernacle, which seats 3,000. It contained an immense audience, and numbers--including the choir--were on the platform "Hold the fort, for I am coming," was sung with great spirit at the opening of the service, the vast audience joining heartily in the chorus; and after prayer and the reading of the Scriptures, my husband spoke for an hour with much help and earnestness. When the meeting was over, William Howell, an orphan, formerly on Ashley Down, who left in 1860, came up to shake hands with us. He was delighted to meet his early friend and benefactor.
On the following afternoon, Mr. Muller spoke at Farwell Hall for an hour and a quarter to an audience of about 2,500, including many pastors; after the meeting we shook hands with mult.i.tudes, amongst whom were two more Orphans, formerly on Ashley Down, and on the morning of the 11th, we took a drive with some friends through Chicago, when the scene of the great conflagration of October, 1871, was pointed out.
"It had its origin in a small wooden barn or cow-shed, in the Western district of the city, and, the fire gradually increasing, the flames, fanned by a strong westerly wind, at last raged like a furnace, sweeping everything before them; so that stone, iron, brick, and other hard substances were burned up like chaff, the intensity of the heat being indescribable. From the very outset the fire had been completely beyond the control of any human agency, and it was only after it had raged with the utmost fury for upwards of four and twenty hours, that a great storm providentially drenched the city, and stopped the progress of the flames. The number of buildings destroyed was 17,450, and 98,500 persons were rendered homeless; but the hearts of millions were touched by the catastrophe, and from all parts of the world contributions for the relief of the sufferers were sent in. Three millions and a half of dollars promptly came to hand, and were the means (under G.o.d) of saving Chicago from the horrors which usually follow such an awful calamity."
On the afternoon of that day, Mr. Muller preached again at Farwell Hall; and in the evening we attended a "reception," at a gentleman"s house, where about 50 Christian friends had been invited to meet us. On the morning of the 12th my husband addressed about 200 pastors and ministers for an hour and a quarter; and in a note from a hearer received afterwards the writer said,--"The meeting this morning was one of _power_. I do not know of better days in the churches and in Farwell Hall than these. The witness our Lord has sent by Mr. Muller is one of our greatest blessings." In the evening my husband preached at Dr.
Gibson"s Church from the Epistle of Jude, verses 20, 21, and on the following morning spoke (for the last time at Chicago) at Farwell Hall, on the Second Coming of Christ, to nearly 2,000 people, a subject which led many to inquire about this truth, who afterwards obtained light respecting it.
In the afternoon at 5 o"clock, we left by rail for Cleveland, Ohio, 353 miles from Chicago; travelled along the sh.o.r.es of Lake Michigan--a great inland sea, 500 miles in length, and from 90 to 100 miles in breadth; and on June 14th, at 7 a.m., arrived at Cleveland, where Mr.
Muller preached six times at the great Tabernacle to immense congregations, occasionally numbering about 3,000. His last address, on June 17th, was upon the Second Coming of the Lord, when he spoke with great help and power. At Cleveland we remained a short time only; for having (when at San Francisco) received an earnest invitation to return to Washington, on account of the blessing which accompanied his ministry during our first visit; on June 18th, at 5 p.m. we left, and after a journey of 524 miles, arrived at Washington the next morning at 9 o"clock. Here Mr. Muller held seven meetings, including services at Lincoln Hall, the Calvary Baptist, Wesley, Fourth Presbyterian, and Lutheran Memorial Churches; and, on Sunday evening, (June 23rd,) at the Metropolitan Church, he preached a farewell sermon from 2nd Tim. iv. 7, 8.
On June 24th we rose at half past 3, left Washington by an early train, and reached Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, at 11 a.m., where we visited the field upon which, on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of July, 1863, the great battle was fought between the Union forces of the Americans under General Meade, and the Confederate army under General Lee, when the latter was defeated with a loss of many thousands of men. "In the National, or Soldiers" Cemetery on the hill, there is a monument 60 feet high, around which are ranged, in semi-circular slopes, the graves of many who fell during the war. The divisions between the States are marked by alleys and pathways radiating from the monument to the outer circle, the rows of graves being divided by continuous granite blocks, a few inches high, upon which are the name and regiment of each soldier, as far as could be ascertained. Originally about 32,000 corpses were interred in this Cemetery, but eventually the Southern States removed the bodies of their own soldiers and deposited them elsewhere." To look upon this burial ground, literally _sown_ with the corpses of the slain, was an affecting sight; but Jesus is coming and the resurrection, when "_all_ that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of d.a.m.nation." This Cemetery is kept in beautiful order by the Government.
After leaving it, we returned to Gettysburg, and in the evening a meeting was held at the College Church, when Mr. Muller addressed the students at Pennsylvania College, the students of the Theological Seminary, and a large number of other persons for an hour and 20 minutes. On June 25th, we rose at 5, and leaving Gettysburg by the 6.45 train, reached New York the same afternoon, where we remained until Thursday, the 27th, and on the afternoon of that day, at 2 o"clock, sailed in the "Adriatic," (White Star Line,) for Liverpool. On Sunday morning, June 30th, Mr. Muller gave an address from John xiv. 2, 3, to the cabin pa.s.sengers, ship"s officers, and a few steerage pa.s.sengers in the saloon, and held a conversational meeting likewise in the afternoon.
On the following Sunday morning, July 7th, he gave another address in the saloon, a service which closed his labours for that tour. In the course of it he spoke 308 times in public, and we travelled nineteen thousand and fifty miles by land and water altogether. At 3 p.m. we landed at Liverpool, returned the following day to Bristol, and upon arriving in an open carriage at the top of Ashley Hill at half past 4, found a little army of the Orphan boys and girls, with almost all our helpers at the Orphan Houses, waiting to receive us. There, as we slowly drove along, the boys cheered heartily, and the girls waved their handkerchiefs, determined (as a by-stander remarked) to give us "a right royal welcome"; and at the entrance of New Orphan House No. 3, a crowd of children closed around us, with loving, friendly greetings.
FIFTH TOUR.
CONTINENT OF EUROPE.
_From Sept. 5th, 1878, to June 18th, 1879._
After remaining at the Orphan Houses on Ashley Down for eight weeks and three days, (a period which gave Mr. Muller time to attend to business connected with the Scriptural Knowledge Inst.i.tution, and to resume his public ministry in Bristol,) on Sept. 5th, 1878, we went to Dover, crossed over to Calais the next morning, and reached Paris by rail at 6 p.m. On Sunday, the 8th--morning and evening--my husband preached in English at the Chapelle Evangelique, Rue Royale, and held another meeting there on the evening of the 9th. On the following day we left Paris for Dijon, and pa.s.sed the night there; rose at 4 the next morning; and, after continuing our journey to Neuchatel, proceeded thence to Berne, where we arrived at 7 o"clock. On the evening of Thursday, Sept.
12th, Mr. Muller preached in German at the Salle Evangelique, which was crowded to overflowing, the lower part of the building, galleries, and staircases being thronged. On the 13th, he held a meeting at the Eglise Francaise; on the 14th addressed some poor people at a small Inst.i.tution at Muri, near Berne; on the 15th, 16th, and 17th, preached at the great Eglise Francaise to very large congregations; gave an address on the morning of the 18th, at a Seminary near the Fest Hutte to 65 young men who were being trained for teachers; and at 2 p.m. the same day we left by rail for Thun, 18 miles from Berne. From there we drove to Gurzelen, a village on the mountains, three miles from Thun, in a lovely situation near the Alps, where, for the benefit of the poor of that locality, my husband held two meetings at a Vereins Haus, which was crowded with people from the country. On Sept. 19th we returned to Berne, and the following evening attended a social meeting of Christians at "Die Enge,"
where he gave an address, and afterwards answered some important questions that were put to him. On the afternoon of Sept. 21st he spoke to between 600 and 700 Christian workers--including 300 teachers of different denominations--at the Salle Evangelique; held a meeting on the afternoon of Sunday, the 22nd, at the Fest Hutte, and on the evening of that day preached a farewell sermon, at the Eglise Francaise, to an immense audience. On this occasion his subject was the Second Coming of the Lord, on which he was enabled to speak with great power, and much to the profit of his hearers, as we heard afterwards. At the close of this meeting, before the benediction, Colonel von Buren rose, and, on behalf of the Christians of Berne, thanked him publicly for his visit to the city; and here, before proceeding any further, it seems desirable to make the following observations:--
Some of the readers of this Narrative may possibly feel inclined to say--"With so much travelling from place to place, so many public meetings, and such continual intercourse with strangers, how does Mr.
Muller find time to attend to his _own_ spiritual welfare? Whence does he obtain refreshment for the inner man _himself_? How do matters stand between his _own_ soul and Christ?--because persons who are continually engaged in ministering to others, more than any cla.s.s of individuals that can be mentioned, require divine grace and wisdom for them_selves_." The reply to such inquiries is this. Through the goodness of the Lord, he is a man _given_ to the reading of the Scriptures and to prayer. Whether travelling or at rest, a day _never_ pa.s.ses, without his devoting as much time as possible to the diligent, prayerful study of the word of G.o.d. He is a man of _one_ book; and that book is the Bible.
Besides reading the Scriptures regularly together early in the morning; in the course of the day, whenever there is time, my husband employs it in studying the Bible, in meditation, and in prayer. He waits habitually upon _G.o.d_, and thus it is, that day by day, his spiritual strength and vigour are renewed. This opportunity is taken, however, of commending him earnestly to the prayers of the Lord"s people; whether he may be known or unknown to them personally.
On Sept. 23rd, at 9 in the morning, some sweet singing outside the door of our room announced the unexpected arrival of Dr. Blosch, a party of Orphan girls belonging to the Inst.i.tution he has founded, and four teachers, who all stood outside in the pa.s.sage until the German hymn was finished; when a large bouquet of flowers from the gardens of the children was handed in, a wreath of ivy, and an address in German, beautifully written, congratulating Mr. Muller upon the approach of his birthday (on the 27th) and giving him Isaiah liv. 10, as a Scripture portion. These young girls brought a small contribution also from their own little pocket money, for the Orphans on Ashley Down. Their whole visit was of a most touching character. After my husband had spoken to them for a few minutes, they sang another hymn; we then shook hands with them all, and the whole party took leave of us.
On the 24th, we left Berne for Thun, at 10.40 a.m., proceeded thence by steamer to the other end of the lake, and afterwards went on by rail to Interlaken, where we arrived at 2 o"clock. There, at half-past 3, Mr.
Muller preached at the English Church in German; but, as the weather was unfavourable, the congregation was very small. On the evening of the following day, however, when he held another meeting at the same Church, the audience was about five times as large as it had been on the previous afternoon. Interlaken is in the vicinity of the glaciers of Grindelwald, the Faulhorn, and the Wengern Alp; and is within a few miles of the waterfalls, Giessbach, on Lake Brientz, and Staubbach in the Valley of the Lauterbrunnen. The Jungfrau also, and other mountains, can be seen from the town. From Interlaken, on the 26th, we went to Thun, the chief town of the Bernese Oberland, where, on that evening and the next, he addressed crowded congregations at the German Methodist Church. On the 28th, by particular invitation, we returned to Gurzelen, where, on Sunday morning (29th), Mr. Muller preached at the village Church to a congregation of country people, some of whom had walked many miles to hear him. This place of worship was a quaint, old-fashioned building. An hour-gla.s.s on a stand (intended, probably, to remind the preacher of the flight of time, and to admonish him not to be too long in delivering his discourse) projected conspicuously from the pulpit. In the evening, my husband held a meeting at the Vereins Haus, and there addressed a very crowded congregation.
On Sept. 30th, we went to Neuchatel, in French Switzerland, where, on 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. Muller 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 Muller 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. Muller 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. Muller 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 circ.u.mference 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. Muller 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. Muller 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 ma.n.u.scripts, 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. Muller held his last meeting at Geneva, and spoke in English upon that occasion, with translation into French, by Professor de la Harpe.