Read Ebook: The Preaching Tours and Missionary Labours of George Müller (of Bristol) by M Ller Susannah Grace Sanger

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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.

On Feb. 13th we left Charleston for Savannah, the chief city of Georgia, and travelled all day slowly by "accommodation train" through one of the great American swamps, a morass with stagnant water and luxuriant vegetation on each side of the railway.

"This route lies within a few miles of the coast, and passes through many of the seaside and lowland towns and villages of the State, situated in the midst of the wildest, richest scenery. For miles the rails are laid on piles passing through marsh and morass, and crossing swift rushing streams; but it is in regions of this nature that the grandest and most tropical vegetation is to be found. In this country of miasmas, fever, and excessive heat, where, in the summer months, few but the negro can exist, the most profuse and abundant vegetation thrives luxuriantly. Extensive pine forests, lofty cypresses wreathed with garlands of grey moss, the bay and the laurel covered with the vines of the wild grape or ivy, and immense live oaks, line the road on each side. Wild flowers grow in profusion during the spring and summer, and the canebrake rises to a height of ten, twelve, or fifteen feet. In these regions alligators abound, which delight in the muddy, stagnant waters, and find in them a river home."

We passed many negro log-cabins, built where the ground was tolerably firm; but they were wretched-looking habitations, damp and miserable, many of them being mere hovels of a most unhealthy character. Though the rice fields, cotton, sugar, and tobacco plantations may be benefited by a constant supply of moisture, the damp heat produced by the sun's scorching rays in summer, as they fall upon this marshy ground, is exceedingly unhealthy, and produces yellow fever, which is often most fatal in the Southern States.

Upon our arrival at Savannah--a beautiful city with plantations of orange and lemon trees growing in winter in the open air, and adorned with geraniums, creeping plants and various choice flowers--we accepted an invitation to the house of Mr. Charles Green, a Christian merchant; and during our short stay were entertained at his mansion most hospitably. Whilst there, Mr. M?ller preached at the Baptist, Independent, Presbyterian, and Methodist Episcopal Churches, gave addresses to the girls of the Episcopal Orphan Asylum, of Whitefield's Orphanage in Georgia, and spoke to the children of the Preventive Home. Before our departure from Savannah, we took drives to Buonaventura Cemetery, to Plantation, and to Thunderbolt, and particularly noticed the luxuriant, but peculiar-looking, Spanish moss which attaches itself to the trunks and branches of the trees, and grows in great profusion all through the Southern States. Being of a grey colour, it is unlike European moss, and forms a long, deep fringe, a kind of sweeping, mournful drapery, which, as it is waved about by the wind, has so melancholy an appearance that it seems appropriate for cemeteries, where it is found in great abundance.

On March 4th, at 3.45 p.m., we left Jacksonville, and travelled all night in a train where the sleeping arrangements were more comfortable than usual. The following day we crossed the Chattahoochee River, and in the course of our journey became interested in a gentleman, very ill in consumption, whose severe cough had reached us often in the night. He had been staying in Florida for the benefit of his health; but, as he said, "I can't talk," we ventured to hand him a couple of tracts; "Eternity," and "How is it with you?" which there is reason to believe he read. The train stopped at Dawson, Eufala, and many other places; and at 9 o'clock on the evening of the 5th, we arrived at Montgomery, in Alabama, after a tedious journey of 483 miles. Here, desiring to get on quickly to Mobile Mr. M?ller preached a few times only; and, on the morning of the 9th, we rose at half-past 5, in order to continue our journey further South. In the course of it we passed several large cotton plantations, where cotton of the previous year still remained upon the plants; peach trees in full blossom were growing wild in great abundance, fir and pine trees by the million lined each side of the railway, and occasionally "turpentine orchards" containing the fir trees from which turpentine is made, were close at hand. At a distance of about 20 miles from Mobile, we crossed the rivers Alabama and Tombigby--fine broad streams, filled with water to the brim--a few creeks, and a great quantity of marshy ground; and afterwards entered one of the great "swamps," with which the Southern States abound. At length, after 11 hours' slow travelling by "accommodation train," at 7 p.m. we reached Mobile, 180 miles from Montgomery, and were most kindly received there by Judge Horton and his family, to whose house we went. In this city, Mr. M?ller held a number of meetings, which were numerously attended, and had daily happy intercourse with Christian friends.

Our stay, however, was but short, for on the morning of March 15th we bade them all adieu, and set off for New Orleans, Louisiana, 141 miles distant, where, after stopping at 25 stations, travelling through inlets of the Mississippi Sound, much swamp and water, and crossing the Bay of St. Louis by a railway bridge two miles in length, we arrived at a quarter before nine, on the evening of the same day.

At New Orleans my husband held many meetings, including services at the Canal Street Presbyterian, Carondelet Street, and Methodist Churches; he preached also in German, at three different places of worship, and gave two addresses, one to the 250 coloured students of Leeland College, and the other to the coloured students of Straight University, 215 in number. New Orleans, which is the chief cotton mart of the world, contains a large Roman Catholic, French, and Spanish population, and is said to be the most wicked city in the United States. During our visit, Popish processions frequently passed along the streets, and little or no regard was shown for the Lord's Day, when business was carried on as usual. Before our departure we visited the Orange Groves and Lake Pontchartrain; but with this exception, saw very little of the neighbourhood.

On Sunday, April 7th, Mr. M?ller began his work by preaching in the morning at the Second Presbyterian Church, and in the evening at the Pilgrim Congregational, when, upon each occasion, the audience was immense. On the 8th, he gave an address on prayer at the Methodist Episcopal Church, to crowds of hearers, and preached at Pine Street Presbyterian Church on the evening of the 9th. On the 10th and 11th, he held meetings at the Second Baptist and at Lafayette Park Presbyterian Churches, and on the 12th addressed an assembly of at least 2,500 at the Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, the largest in the city. On the 13th, at the German Protestant Orphan Home, nine miles from our hotel, he spoke to 161 orphans in German, in the presence of their teachers and other persons; on Sunday morning the 14th preached at Dr. Brookes's Church, Walnut Street, on the second coming of Christ, and on the evening of that day, at the Mercantile Library Hall, addressed a mass meeting of Germans, about 2,000 in number. On the morning of the 15th, he attended a meeting for pastors--when he spoke to 150 for an hour and 20 minutes--and in the evening preached at a German Church, at the corner of Autumn and Tenth Streets. On the 16th, a meeting for Christian Workers was held at the First Presbyterian Church, when he addressed a congregation of 1,200, and on Wednesday evening, April 17th, preached a farewell sermon at Dr. Brookes's Church, from the Epistle of Jude, verses 20-21, with great power and solemnity. Throughout the whole of our stay at St. Louis the meetings were exceedingly large, on week evenings as well as on Sundays; and the interest and attention manifested throughout the whole series of services were most encouraging.

On April 21st all through the day we continued to travel in the midst of a wild, barren, desolate region, with long ranges of lofty, snow-capped mountains in the distance, and snow in great abundance everywhere. There was neither foliage nor vegetation, and though the railway carriages were warmed, the cold outside was piercing. For several hours we passed repeatedly under snow sheds, of which there were considerable numbers; and, in consequence of our detention on the previous day, arrived at the breakfast station very late. In the afternoon, at 3 o'clock, Evanstone, 6,870 feet above the level of the sea, was reached, and towards the evening we descended gradually towards the valleys, where the wild and desolate character of the scenery gave way to grandeur and magnificence. At Ogden we arrived at 7 o'clock, and after waiting there an hour and a quarter, changed trains; but were obliged to be satisfied then merely with a "section," as the only little private room in the next train had been engaged. On April 22nd we rose at half past 5, at 9 a.m. reached Elko, Nevada, 5,650 feet above the level of the sea, and afterwards travelled across the American alkali desert, consisting of vast plains covered with sage brush, bounded by long, snowy mountain ranges. At Wells, an elevation of only 5,030 feet above the level of the sea, where the train stopped for half an hour, we observed groups of Indians, wrapped either in scarlet blankets or in striped woollen mantles dyed with brilliant colours. They wore curious looking hats, trimmed with feathers and wide ribbons, and had their faces painted with patches of vermilion. At some of the stations a few Chinese also were standing about, with their hair plaited in long tails, reaching nearly to the heels. At Bewawe and Battle Mountain there were more Indians, and towards evening we reached Winnemucca, where several copper-coloured men and women gathered round the train. On the morning of April 23rd, at a very early hour, we entered California, and then the ascent of the Sierra Nevada Mountains became so steep that two locomotives were employed to draw the train up hill. At short intervals strong wooden snow sheds, like tunnels, had been erected, as a protection to the railway against injury from heavy snow drifts; but they could be regarded only as necessary evils, on account of the interruption they occasioned to the possibility of seeing everything around. At 6 o'clock we reached Summit Station, 7,042 feet above the level of the sea, an elevation to which the train had been gradually mounting in the night, and here a magnificent prospect of indescribable grandeur suddenly burst upon our view. Far above the station innumerable mountain peaks were towering towards the sky; the sun, which shone brilliantly, lighted up the snow to a whiteness that was dazzling; deep abysses, chasms, and ravines surrounded us; millions of pine and fir-trees were growing up the mountains' sides; and thousands of feet far down below, valleys clothed with the richest verdure, added beauty to the scene.

During the construction of this wonderful mountain railway, it is said that the sum spent upon blasting-powder alone amounted to a million dollars. At 8 o'clock, the door of our compartment was thrown open, and the conductor called out, "Cape Horn!" when all the passengers jumped up immediately and looked intently out of window, for the train was travelling slowly along the very edge of a precipice, 2,450 feet in height; a point from which an extensive landscape of great beauty could be seen extending far and wide. After leaving "Cape Horn," we crossed a timber bridge, erected over a portion of the valley, proceeded to "Emigrant's Gap," thence to Colfax, and afterwards descended the mountain with a rush, further on into California, where the weather was warm, and the country looked most beautiful, the trees being covered with foliage, and the ground highly cultivated everywhere. For many miles we passed rich meadow land, and numbers of large trees; the fields were covered with grass, intermingled with brilliant masses of wild flowers; lupines, eschcoltzias, wild roses, geraniums, etc., were flourishing in many places, and millions of Californian poppies of an intense yellow, deepening into orange colour, outshone all the rest. An American gentleman once said: "I never saw flowers till I saw them in California." At half past 10 we arrived at Sacramento, and, after remaining there an hour, travelled all day through a beautiful part of the country, favoured with fine summer weather. In the course of the afternoon Livermore and Niles were reached, the train stopped a few minutes at San Jos?, and finally we arrived at Oakland, a suburb of San Francisco, where two gentlemen entered the carriage who welcomed us cordially, and earnestly invited my husband to preach there. At 5.35 we alighted at the station, where two brethren were kindly waiting to receive us, with whom we went on board the "El Capitan," a large ferry steamer; and, after crossing the Bay, landed at San Francisco, where our friends conducted us to the rooms they had engaged at the Palace Hotel.

Thus ended our journey of 2,390 miles , accomplished in six days and five nights, the longest railway journey we had ever taken at one time; and truly thankful to the Lord were we for His protecting care during our travels, and for the comforts of the resting place now provided for us.

On the evening of Friday, April 26th, at the lecture room of the Calvary Presbyterian Church, Mr. M?ller gave his first address at San Francisco; and, after the meeting was over, James Wilkinson, an orphan formerly on Ashley Down, came up to speak to him. He had been living in the United States for fifteen years, and was not only converted himself, but had been used by the Lord as an instrument of great blessing to the souls of others. On Sunday morning, April 28th, Mr. M?ller preached at the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Tyler Street, to about 1,800 people; in the evening he addressed nearly 2,000 at the same church; and on the 29th preached at the Metropolitan Temple to a congregation of 800.

On the 30th, a gentleman called in his carriage and took us for a drive to Cliff House, seven miles distant, near the Golden Gate, a strait two miles wide, which leads from the Bay into the Pacific Ocean. Many years ago the spot on which San Francisco now stands was covered with hills formed of sand, blown there in immense quantities from the shores of the Pacific by the strong winds which constantly prevail; but now a "magnificent city" has been erected upon the site that formerly was nothing but a barren waste. Upon arriving at the coast of the Pacific, we took a walk upon the beach, a vast region composed entirely of sand, which, as no rain falls in California from the middle of April until October, becomes extremely troublesome, because it is blown inland in prodigious quantities for miles by the trade winds, for which that locality is noted. During the winter rain falls every day; but frost, except in the mountains and northern portions of the State , is unknown. During our walk the tide was nearly high; but when low, beautiful shells in great variety are found upon these shores. After walking some time upon the sands, our friend conducted us to Cliff House, an hotel built upon a high rock overlooking the ocean, where, from a balcony, we had an opportunity of observing the sea-lions, by which the rocks that stand out in the sea are frequented. Hundreds of these curious, amphibious creatures were there, with their pointed heads, and bodies shining with salt water. Some were basking in the sunshine on dry portions of the cliffs, others were plunging into the sea, several were climbing up sloping places on the rocks, and others were barking discordantly. Soon after our arrival at Cliff House, a young waiter introduced himself as the brother of Emma Evans, one of the orphans formerly on Ashley Down. He knew we were in the United States, and having often heard Mr. M?ller preach in Bristol years ago, recognized him with great delight, and before our departure presented us with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, as a little token of his gratitude.

After our return to San Francisco, on the evening of that day, my husband preached at the First Congregational Church, to a large assembly, with great help and earnestness. Amongst the congregation were some Chinese, who occupied front seats near the pulpit. On the afternoon of May 1st we visited China Town, situated in a part of San Francisco called Sacramento, which is thickly peopled with Chinese, where thousands of them live. The ground floors of many of their houses contain shops filled with curious and costly articles, manufactured by the natives of China and Japan; but most of the Chinese live down in places like cellars underneath their shops, where they dwell crowded together, smoking and eating quantities of opium. On the evening of that day, Mr. M?ller preached at Broadway German Methodist Episcopal Church, when he addressed a large number of Germans in their own language; and the following evening held a meeting at a church in Howard Street. On May 3rd, we walked to the top of a hill not far distant, and from it looked down upon the Bay, and upon San Francisco.

"The first house ever built there was in the year 1835, which was the commencement of a village, afterwards called 'Yerba Buena,' or good herb, from a medicinal plant growing in great abundance in the vicinity. At the present time, great numbers of eucalyptus trees flourish in the neighbourhood; which, from their sanitary properties, are considered a great blessing to the people. In 1847 the name of the city was changed to San Francisco; in 1848 , the population had grown to 1,000; and from this small beginning it steadily increased, until in 1870 it reached 149,482. Now, the city contains about 256,000 inhabitants, including 50,000 Chinese, and many thousands of negroes."

On the evening of that day, Mr. M?ller preached at the Calvary Presbyterian Church, to about 1,200 people, when he spoke for nearly an hour and a half, with great power and earnestness. On Sunday, May 5th, he preached in the morning at the First Baptist Church, and in the evening at the Calvary Presbyterian, from Romans viii. 28-30, when the Church was crowded to the utmost, the body of the building and the galleries being so thronged, that numbers who could not gain admittance went away. His appeal to believers, and words of warning to the unconverted, were of a weighty, solemn character. Several gentlemen and ladies occupied seats upon the platform, and the steps leading up to it were filled with hearers. On the 6th, at 2 in the afternoon, he attended a meeting of pastors belonging to the city and the State , when he addressed about 150 of his brethren in the ministry for an hour and 20 minutes. In the evening at the Tabernacle, Tyler Street, he preached a farewell sermon. The congregation was large; numbers took leave of us as they left the building, and a beautiful bouquet of choice flowers was handed in as a parting gift by a gentleman who once lived in England.

On May 8th we left San Francisco and went to Oakland, where Mr. M?ller preached in the evening at the First Baptist Church. On the 9th he addressed 1,000 people at the First Congregational Church, and on the 10th preached to about the same number at the First Methodist Church. On the 11th a gentleman took us in his carriage to visit the University of California, six miles distant, which stands upon high ground, commanding a distant view of the Bay, Government Island, Goat Island, etc.; but we could see only the exterior of the buildings, as they were closed to visitors on Saturdays. On our return we drove through Oakland, a name derived from the fine groves of "live oaks," in the midst of which the town was originally built. These trees are not ornamental only, but they serve to screen the place from the fierce gales that blow through the "Golden Gap" in summer, to the force of which Oakland is particularly exposed; for the climate of San Francisco and the neighbourhood has this peculiarity, that in summer the strongest and most trying winds prevail, though, at all times of the year, trade winds from the Pacific set in every morning at 11 o'clock, and last for about five hours. During our drive, the only discomfort was the dust, which, from the lack of rain in this country, soon becomes extremely troublesome; and the scorching heat of the sun would have been overpowering, if it had not been tempered by breezes from the Bay. On Sunday morning, May 12th, Mr. M?ller preached at the First Methodist Episcopal Church, from 1st Chron. 4-10, to a large, attentive audience, and, when the service was over, Sheang Chack, a Chinese convert, who labours amongst his own countrymen, came to shake hands with us.

In the evening my husband preached at the First Presbyterian Church, a large building in the shape of an amphitheatre, where there was a "Union Service," all the principal churches having been closed, that their congregations might attend this meeting. He spoke for an hour from Lamentations iii. 22-26; but the crowd was so great that hundreds were unable to obtain admittance. After the service, a pastor said--"We have had a glorious meeting." On the afternoon of the 13th, Mr. M?ller addressed the young ladies at Mills' Seminary, six miles from Oakland; in the evening he preached in German at the Methodist Episcopal Church; and on the following day attended a Sunday School State Convention at San Francisco, where he addressed many hundreds of Christian Workers for an hour and a quarter.

Early on the morning of May 15th we left by rail for Santa Cruz, in South California, on the Pacific coast, 120 miles from San Francisco; and after a tedious journey reached our destination at 4 o'clock. Rooms had been engaged for us at Pope's Cottage, a boarding-house in a lovely situation on a hill, about a mile from the sea shore; and in the evening at 8, Mr. M?ller preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church, where we were heartily welcomed both by the pastor and the congregation. On the following evening, he held another meeting, also at the same church.

On May 30th, at 9.30 a.m., we set off, vi? Pajaro, for San Jos? ; and, after a journey by rail of 70 miles, arrived there in the afternoon at half-past 2. At the Auzierais Hotel, the following letter from a pastor at Oakland, was awaiting our arrival:--

"Oakland, May 15th, 1878.

That night at 8 o'clock, Mr. M?ller preached for the first time at San Jos?, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, where, though it was Saturday evening, there was a large congregation. He preached also on the morning and evening of Sunday the 19th, to crowded audiences at the same Church. At the close of the latter meeting, numbers of friends came forward to shake hands with us, who, in the warmest terms, expressed delight at our visit to their city. "San Jos? is in the middle of the Santa Clara Valley; and, in consequence of its healthful climate, which is a medium between the cold winds of the coast, and the hot valleys of the interior, is much resorted to by invalids. One street is occupied entirely by French inhabitants, and another quarter only by Chinese." During our stay there, on May 20th, we took a drive through Alameda Valley, to Santa Clara, a beautiful little town three miles distant, which contains several Churches, Schools, and the Pacific University. Here Mr. M?ller preached twice; and besides the inhabitants of Santa Clara, several persons from San Jos? came over to attend the meetings; but we remained one night only, and late on the evening of the 21st returned to San Jos?.

The next morning Mr. M?ller 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.

"Nordhoff's California."

At a quarter past 12 on the same day we left for Sacramento, the capital of California, 48 miles from Stockton, where Mr. M?ller 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.

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.

The train was full of passengers, 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 circumstance was concealed from the other passengers 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 Mr. M?ller 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. M?ller 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 multitudes, 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 of saving Chicago from the horrors which usually follow such an awful calamity."

In the afternoon at 5 o'clock, we left by rail for Cleveland, Ohio, 353 miles from Chicago; travelled along the shores 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. M?ller 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 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. M?ller held seven meetings, including services at Lincoln Hall, the Calvary Baptist, Wesley, Fourth Presbyterian, and Lutheran Memorial Churches; and, on Sunday evening, at the Metropolitan Church, he preached a farewell sermon from 2nd Tim. iv. 7, 8.

After leaving it, we returned to Gettysburg, and in the evening a meeting was held at the College Church, when Mr. M?ller 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," for Liverpool. On Sunday morning, June 30th, Mr. M?ller gave an address from John xiv. 2, 3, to the cabin passengers, ship's officers, and a few steerage passengers 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 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.

After remaining at the Orphan Houses on Ashley Down for eight weeks and three days, 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 Evang?lique, Rue Royale, and held another meeting there on the evening of the 9th. On the following day we left Paris for Dijon, and passed the night there; rose at 4 the next morning; and, after continuing our journey to Neuch?tel, proceeded thence to Berne, where we arrived at 7 o'clock. On the evening of Thursday, Sept. 12th, Mr. M?ller preached in German at the Salle Evang?lique, 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 Fran?aise; on the 14th addressed some poor people at a small Institution at Muri, near Berne; on the 15th, 16th, and 17th, preached at the great Eglise Fran?aise to very large congregations; gave an address on the morning of the 18th, at a Seminary near the Fest H?tte 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 Evang?lique; held a meeting on the afternoon of Sunday, the 22nd, at the Fest H?tte, and on the evening of that day preached a farewell sermon, at the Eglise Fran?aise, 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 B?ren 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:--

On Sept. 23rd, at 9 in the morning, some sweet singing outside the door of our room announced the unexpected arrival of Dr. Bl?sch, a party of Orphan girls belonging to the Institution he has founded, and four teachers, who all stood outside in the passage 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. M?ller upon the approach of his birthday 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. M?ller 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 , Mr. M?ller 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-glass on a stand 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 Neuch?tel, 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. M?ller 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 Neuch?tel, "for"--said he--"Toute la population a ?t? saisie et ?mue." On Oct. 6th my husband preached at the Salle des Conf?rences; 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.

On the evening of the 8th, at "Le Temple," Mr. M?ller gave a farewell address to the inhabitants of Neuch?tel, 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 Cimeti?re 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 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.

"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 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. M?ller 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 for Vevey. There Mr. M?ller 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.

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 Fourvi?re, 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--"Consacr?e ? la sainte vierge."

On Nov. 22nd, Mr. M?ller preached at the Chapelle Evang?lique, 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 , he preached at the German Church--a small, insignificant building in a neighbouring street; and in the afternoon held another meeting at the Chapelle Evang?lique, where, considering the character of the population, the congregation was very large. Before our departure, we went to the top of La Fourvi?re 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 Evang?lique, 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. M?ller preached at the Temple Evang?lique, an "?glise 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 Evang?lique, 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 Wesl?yenne 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.

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