Read Ebook: The Preaching Tours and Missionary Labours of George Müller (of Bristol) by M Ller Susannah Grace Sanger
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FIRST MISSIONARY TOUR.
ENGLAND.
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. M?ller 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. M?ller 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.
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. M?ller 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 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. M?ller 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. M?ller 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 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. M?ller 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 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 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.
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. M?ller 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. M?ller 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. M?ller 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.
THIRD TOUR.
CONTINENT OF EUROPE.
In the following Narrative, passages which describe cities and places in Europe and America 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. M?ller 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 Neuch?tel, 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.
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 Z?rich 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 M?nster--an immense Church--to about 1,900 persons. On Sept. 25th we went by lake steamer to M?nnedorf, 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. M?ller had preached twice at M?nnedorf, and held two meetings at W?denschwyl, a small town on the opposite side of the lake, we returned to Z?rich; 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 Z?rich 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 , 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.
On Oct. 24th we left Heiden and went to Constance, where, on the evening of that day, Mr. M?ller 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 , 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 Br?hl 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 , Mr. M?ller 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 M?lhausen, and afterwards visited Strasburg, Stuttgart, Kornthal, Ludwigsburg, Reutlingen, Ober-Urbach, Heilbronn, Carlsruhe, Gernsbach , Heidelberg, Mannheim, Frankfort on the Maine, Darmstadt, Bonn, Cologne, D?sseldorf, M?lheim, 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. M?ller addressed the Theological Students of the University; and at Barmen, spoke to the Missionary Students at the Mission House. M?lheim an der Ruhr, Barmen, and Elberfeld were found by us the green spots 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 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, 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. M?ller preached at the Br?der 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 M?lheim, 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.
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. M?ller 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, , 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. M?ller preached several times, and afterwards we visited L?beck , Hanover, Bielefeld , Soest , 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. M?ller continued to preach until May 21st, when we went by steamer to Arnheim , 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."
On June 3rd we went to Zeist, an interesting Moravian settlement, where my husband preached three times, and afterwards visited Haarlem, Leyden, and the Hague , at each of which places he held several meetings. Those at the Hague were attended by many both of the upper and the lower classes, but by none belonging to the middle ranks of life. Before our departure from the Hague we spent a few hours at Scheveling, a small sea-port on the Dutch coast; and on June 13th left for Rotterdam, where Mr. M?ller spoke the same evening at a Conference. The following evening he gave another address at the Conference Hall, and on June 15th preached at one of the Reformed Churches, to a large Congregation. This was his last service on the Continent. During this long tour, there is the fullest reason to believe, that God greatly blessed his labours at all the places that we visited. On June 16th we left Rotterdam for England, vi? Brussels, Calais, and Dover, and arrived in London on the 18th. On the 21st he spoke at one of the Mildmay Conference meetings; on the 23rd gave an address at the noon prayer meeting, and on Sunday preached in the afternoon and evening at the Conference Hall to very large congregations. These services brought the labours of his third missionary tour to a close, and on June 25th we left London and returned to Bristol.
FOURTH TOUR.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
After returning from the Continent, a few weeks were spent at the Orphan Houses on Ashley Down, where everything was found to be going on well; but, after much prayer, considering it to be the will of God we should respond to the letter of invitation received at Amsterdam, and visit the United States, on August 18th, 1877, we went to Liverpool, in order to embark for Canada, having been strongly advised to take the shorter sea voyage to Quebec instead of going to New York. On the morning of Sunday, the 19th, Mr. M?ller, spoke at the Albion Hall, in the evening he preached at Toxteth Tabernacle; and whilst we remained at Liverpool held three other meetings.
On Thursday afternoon, August 23rd, we went on board the steamship "Sardinian" and sailed at 7 in the evening. The following morning we touched at Moville, on the North coast of Ireland; and, after waiting there a few hours, to take in the mails, steamed out into the Atlantic. Our cabin, the chief officer's deck room, was tolerably comfortable, and the voyage, though rough, was a favourable one upon the whole. Off the Island of Newfoundland, the weather became cold, and the progress of the vessel was retarded considerably by fogs; but on August 30th, the welcome cry of "land!" from the steerage passengers was heard, and when the fog lifted, Belle Island on our right was in full view, at a short distance only from the ship. On the evening of that day Mr. M?ller held a meeting in the forecastle for the sailors and steerage passengers, and spoke afterwards in the Chart Room to as many of the cabin passengers as were able to attend. On the 31st we entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence--460 miles in length--where a heavy sea was running, and soon came in sight of the island of Anticosti, inhabited only by bears and wolves.
On the evening of that day, Mr. M?ller gave an address at a meeting in the saloon, and early on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 1st, the mail bags were landed at Rimouski, where a few passengers went on shore. The remainder of the day was occupied in going up the River St. Lawrence. On its northern bank, a long range of mountain district extends for many miles; and on its southern side close to the river's brink, numbers of white houses--the homes of French-Canadian settlers--are dotted along the shore for a great distance. In the evening, as we drew near Quebec, the "Sardinian" fired guns as a signal of her approach; and at half-past eight we reached Point Louis, South Quebec, after a voyage of nine days, six hours and a half, and anchored alongside the wharf. From the landing-place a carriage conveyed us up a steep hill to the Hotel St. Louis, where a number of letters awaited our arrival, containing a warm welcome to America, and numerous invitations for my husband to preach in the United States. On Sunday evening, Sept. 2nd, at the Baptist Church, he preached for the first time in Canada, and the following day at a Hall in the city held two other services. We had happy interviews also with several Christian friends. An abundance of work would have been ready for him at once at various places in Canada; but as the letter of invitation, received at Amsterdam came from pastors in the United States, it seemed right to go there first, and particularly to Brooklyn, where Mr. Thwing resided.
On the morning of Sept. 4th, some friends took us in a carriage to see the beautiful Falls of Montmorenci, nine miles distant, where the river of that name, after leaping for miles over a rocky bed, rushes with great velocity to the edge of the high rocks over which it falls, and pours its snowy cataract 250 feet into the valley below. Quebec is beautifully situated, and is a place of great historic interest. Near the town are the "Plains of Abraham," and the spot where General Wolfe fell. A monument erected to his memory and to that of Montcalm, stands upon it. The Citadel, sometimes called the "Gibraltar of America," is a fortress upon the summit of a very high rock, from which there is a magnificent view of the St. Lawrence, and of the surrounding neighbourhood. At 6 o'clock on the evening of the 4th, we went on board a river steamer, and, after a favourable night passage, at 7 the next morning, arrived at Montreal, where some brethren waiting on the landing-stage asked us to remain; we did not, however, accept their kind invitation, and at 9 o'clock started for Toronto, where, after a long railway journey of 333 miles, we arrived at half-past 11 the same night. On the 6th we went on, vi? Hamilton, to Niagara, and--having decided to remain there till the next day--spent the afternoon in surveying the wonders of the celebrated "Falls," situated on the River Niagara, a strait connecting the floods of Lake Erie and Ontario.
The first distant view of them was rather disappointing; but a closer inspection revealed their magnitude and grandeur to the full. "The waters for which the Niagara forms an outlet cover an area of 150,000 square miles, floods so grand and inexhaustible as to be totally unaffected by the loss of the hundreds of millions of tons which they pour every hour through succeeding centuries over rugged, perpendicular cliffs into the depths beneath."
The next afternoon, at half-past 2, we left for New York, travelled in a Pullman's sleeping-car all night, and at 7 on the morning of Sept. 8th reached our destination, after a journey of 446 miles. From the terminus a carriage conveyed us to Brooklyn, "the City of Churches," about seven miles distant, where--at the Pierpoint House--we remained for six weeks. On Sunday morning, Sept. 9th, at Dr. Talmage's Tabernacle , in the absence of Dr. Talmage, Mr. M?ller was most affectionately introduced to the audience by Professor Thwing, who in the course of a short speech from the platform, paused for a few moments, and shaking hands with him before the assembled multitude welcomed him to the United States. Mr. M?ller then addressed the congregation, and preached for three-quarters of an hour with much help from the Lord. In the evening he spoke again at the Tabernacle, and after the meeting, amongst the numbers who pressed forward to greet us was a sister in Christ, one of the former Orphans from Ashley Down, who has been married for many years.
During our visit to Brooklyn, Mr. M?ller held a great number of meetings. On Sept. 12th he spoke at the Fulton Street prayer meeting, New York, and besides his regular preaching, visited Orphan and other Institutions, ministered amongst the Germans , and continued actively engaged in the Lord's service until Sept. 20th, when we went by river steamer up the Hudson, to the city of Hudson, and attended a Convention, where be gave three addresses. On the 22nd we returned to Brooklyn, and on the following morning and evening he preached at Plymouth Church. On the 24th he spoke again at the Fulton Street prayer meeting, preached in German at Newark on the 25th, addressed the German students of the Theological Seminary at Bloomfield on the 26th, attended meetings for pastors, whom he addressed, visited a Homoeopathic Institution, preached at Williamsburg, East Brooklyn, on Oct. 7th, and continued day after day to labour uninterruptedly, until Oct. 20th, when we went to Boston, after he had spoken in public at Brooklyn and the other places above mentioned 50 times.
At Boston Mr. M?ller began his work by speaking on Sunday morning, Oct. 21st, at Mr. Moody's Tabernacle--a large building which holds 7,000, but where on this occasion, as rain fell heavily, the congregation was comparatively small--and in the evening he preached at Park Street Church. On Oct. 22nd he held a meeting at Berkeley Street Church, and the next morning was called upon by an inquirer, a young man under deep conviction of sin, who, having experienced an overwhelming consciousness of his lost condition by nature, during the sermon of the previous evening, was so affected that he could scarcely speak for weeping. During our stay at Boston my husband held meetings also at Dr. Cullis's Chapel; addressed the 350 young ladies at Wellesley College, 15 miles from Boston; preached at the Clarendon Street Baptist Church, at Warren Avenue Baptist Church, at Charlestown; spoke at Dr. Cullis's Faith College; addressed 500 school teachers at Cambridge; preached at Dudley Baptist Church, at Boston Highlands, at Clarendon Street Church; visited Dr. Cullis's Institution for Consumptive patients, whom he addressed, when Dr. C. remarked, "But for your example, all this would never have been in existence"--and continued his labours until Nov. 3rd, on which day we went to Newburyport.
There, on the morning of the 4th, at the Old Presbyterian Church--founded by George Whitefield, and where he ministered--Mr. M?ller spoke from Isaiah liii. 5, 6, and read out of the Bible which belonged to that eminent servant of Christ, a circumstance noted with interest by the hearers, as this Bible is not generally used. He occupied a pulpit also which stands just above the spot where the remains of Whitefield lie interred. In one corner of the Church a handsome monument has been erected to his memory, and the vault is shown in which his coffin rests; but when the lid was removed, the skull and a few bones only could be seen of the celebrated man, whose voice once reached the ears of tens of thousands, and whose eloquent appeals, in years gone by, made careless, unconverted sinners tremble. The following inscription is upon the monument:--"This Cenotaph is erected with affectionate veneration to the memory of the Rev. George Whitefield, born at Gloucester, England, Dec. 16th, 1714, educated at Oxford University, ordained 1736. In a ministry of 34 years, he crossed the Atlantic 13 times, and preached more than 18,000 sermons. As a soldier of the cross, humble, devout, ardent, he put on the whole armour of God, preferring the honour of Christ to his own interest, repose, reputation, or life. As a Christian orator, his deep piety, disinterested zeal, and vivid imagination, gave unexampled energy to his look, action, and utterance. Bold, fervent, pungent, and popular in his eloquence, no other uninspired man ever preached to so large assemblies, or enforced the simple truths of the gospel by motives so persuasive and awful, and with an influence so powerful on the hearts of his hearers. He died of asthma Sept. 30th, 1770; solemnly exchanging a life of unparalleled labours for his eternal rest."
On Nov. 9th we took a drive to Mount Holyoke Seminary, South Hadley, founded by Mary Lyon; a most interesting and important Institution, where, in a large Hall, Mr. M?ller addressed the 225 lady students and their 25 teachers. We afterwards walked through the beautiful and extensive grounds connected with the Seminary, were conducted through its various Departments, and visited Miss Lyon's grave. From Amherst, on Nov. 10th, we went to Providence, Rhode Island, where my husband preached four times to large, attentive audiences, and--at the request of the President--addressed the Students of the University. After leaving Providence we proceeded to New York. There he spoke for an hour at the Bible Union meeting, preached at the Baptist Central Church, and at the Hall of the Young Men's Christian Association addressed a very large German congregation, including about 30 German ministers. On the 15th, at the Presbyterian Church, Orange, New Jersey, he addressed the teachers of 22 different Sunday Schools with reference to their service, when the building was crowded with an immense congregation; and on the 16th, preached at a Baptist Church, New York.
On Dec. 15th, we left Philadelphia for Baltimore, where, the next morning , he preached at the largest Methodist Episcopal Church, which was crowded, the aisles, etc., being thronged; and in the evening held a meeting at the First Presbyterian Church, when this building also was filled--many had to stand, and others to go away for want of room. During the whole of our stay at Baltimore, my husband continued to labour uninterruptedly, preaching night after night to immense audiences; but as a minute account of his work in the various cities we visited, throughout our long tour, would take up too much space, a few particulars only of his ministry at the most important places can be given. On Dec. 21st, he spoke at a State Convention, in the presence of about 150 gentlemen connected with jails, reformatories, etc., who had assembled to consider this subject--"Is religious instruction an agent necessary for the reformation of prisoners?"--a question which was answered by him most decidedly in the affirmative.
On Dec. 22nd we went by rail to Annapolis, 21 miles from Baltimore, and by steamer afterwards down the Severn out into the Bay of Chesapeake, which is the largest Bay in the United States. On our return to Baltimore by water, we got into important conversation with some German infidels, and were glad to have opportunities of giving little books and tracts to them as well as to other passengers on board the steamer. On Dec. 25th, Mr. M?ller preached at the Independent Methodist Church, and continued to labour at Baltimore until the 29th, when we went to Washington. There, on the morning of Sunday, the 30th, he preached at the Congregational Church--the largest in the city--and in the afternoon at 3 o'clock at Lincoln Hall. On the evening of Dec. 31st, at Dr. Sunderland's Church, he spoke from Psalm ciii. 3-5, with particular reference to the close of the year, when he addressed his hearers with great solemnity, earnestness, and power.
On the morning of Jan. 10th, at half past 9, we accompanied Mr. Shipley, of Cincinnati , to the White House, to be introduced by him to the President and to Mrs. Hayes. They received us with much courtesy, and, after making some inquiries about our work in England, the former entered for half an hour into conversation with Mr. M?ller. Mrs. Hayes afterwards conducted us through the White House, a large old mansion, and showed us the State apartments, with the various objects of interest which this residence contains.
On Jan. 11th Mr. M?ller addressed about 1,000 Christian Workers, at the Lutheran Memorial Church, for an hour and 20 minutes; and on the 15th spoke to the coloured students at Howard University for an hour, where the work carried on is of a most important character. During the whole of our stay at Washington, his time was fully occupied, and he preached every evening, and sometimes twice a day, as long as we remained. On the 19th we visited the Capitol, which has a dome nearly 400 feet in height; from the top of which the river Potomac, Mount Vernon, Alexandria, Washington, and the whole neighbourhood could be seen, and afterwards walked through the Government Buildings, public offices, etc. On the morning of Sunday, Jan. 20th, Mr. M?ller preached at the First Baptist Church, and in the afternoon at 4 o'clock gave a farewell address at the Lutheran Memorial Church to a very crowded audience.
On the afternoon of the 1st we left Columbia for Charleston, the metropolis of South Carolina, seven miles from the ocean; and after a journey of 135 miles, arrived there on the 2nd, at half-past 12 in the middle of the night. There, on the morning of Sunday the 3rd, Mr. M?ller preached at the Citadel Baptist Church, and in the evening at Trinity Church; but in consequence of the rain, which fell heavily all day, the congregations were only small. On the two following evenings he held meetings at the Second Presbyterian Church, addressed the orphans of the Charleston Orphan Asylum on the 6th, in the presence of their teachers and a number of gentlemen and ladies connected with the Institution, and on the evening of that day preached at the First Baptist Church. On the following evening he held a meeting for Christian Workers, and on the 8th preached at Morris Street Coloured Baptist Church, with great help from the Lord, to 1,000 negroes and coloured people, and about 60 whites. On the morning of Sunday, the 10th, he preached at the Bethel Methodist Church, and in the evening at the Citadel Baptist Church, a very large building, where a union service or mass-meeting was held, which was crowded to overflowing, most of the churches in the town having been closed, that their congregations and ministers might be present. On the following morning he addressed a meeting of pastors for an hour and 10 minutes, preached in the evening at the Old Bethel Church for coloured people, and on the 12th held a meeting at the Centenary Church, where an immense congregation of negroes and coloured persons assembled, many of whom stood in the aisles and outside the doors, whilst numbers were unable to get in.
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