Chapter VI: Part 6

The next morning, Saturday, the 5th of June, at 9 o'clock, we went on board the "Sardinian" (Allan Line), and soon after 10 began our voyage down the river. In the evening, at 7 o'clock, a meeting was held in the forecastle for the sailors, to whom my husband spoke for 20 minutes, and at 8 o'clock he conducted a Bible reading in the Chart Room. On Sunday morning, June 6th, he preached in the saloon, and every day had a Bible reading with the passengers. After entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence, we passed through six hundred miles of fogs and icebergs, which so greatly hindered the progress of the ship, that the voyage occupied eleven days instead of only eight or nine. On Sunday morning, June 13th, Mr. Mueller preached again in the saloon, and spoke in the afternoon from Job xvii. 9, at a little meeting in the Chart Room.

On Wednesday, the 16th, at 3 p.m., we landed at Liverpool, proceeded the next day to Bristol, and arrived on Ashley Down at half past 4; where the dear Orphan boys and girls received and welcomed us with hearty cheers. Near the lodge a number of Christian friends also had assembled to witness our arrival, and, at New Orphan House No. 3, we had the pleasure of greeting and shaking hands with nearly all our numerous helpers.

Thus ended our sixth missionary tour (marked in every way by the loving kindness of the Lord), in the course of which my husband preached 299 times at 42 different places.

SEVENTH TOUR.

CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.

_From Sept. 15th, 1880, to May 31st, 1881._

After Mr. Mueller had laboured for ten months in word and doctrine during his first visit to America, though he preached 308 times, he had to leave the country with 108 written invitations which he was not then able to accept. This led him to go to the United States a second time, when he stayed nine months, and spoke in public 299 times altogether; but on leaving found, that 154 written invitations remained unaccepted. On this account therefore, after staying in Bristol from June 17th, 1880, to Sept. 15th of the same year (where he laboured continually at the Orphan Houses, and in pastoral work belonging to the three chapels with which he is connected)--believing it to be the will of God that he should return to the United States, on Thursday, Sept. 16th, we embarked at Liverpool for Canada in the "Sardinian;" and, after a favourable voyage, on Sept. 26th, at 11 a.m., landed at Quebec.

During the passage, he held eight meetings; spoke at three Bible readings, and circulated about 200 little books amongst the passengers and crew. On the evening of the 26th, he preached at the Baptist Church, Quebec; and during the seven days that we remained held eight other meetings in the city. Whilst at Quebec, a Roman Catholic gentleman of high position, attended nearly all the services; we conversed with him afterwards; and he gladly accepted the three volumes of my husband's Narrative.

On Oct. 4th, at 8 p.m., we left Quebec by rail, arrived at Boston, in the United States, at 10 minutes past 5 on the following afternoon, and remained there five weeks. During that period, Mr. Mueller preached many times at the different places of worship, and attended the "Market men's prayer meeting" at noon, where he habitually gave addresses. This meeting was frequented chiefly by men of business, who met every day for prayer and exhortation from 12 to 1 o'clock. My husband preached also at East Cambridge, Chelsea, Newton, and Newtonville; addressed the students of the Theological Seminary at Newton Central, seven miles from Boston, and on Oct. 27th held a meeting for the students of the Theological Seminary of the University of Boston.

On Oct. 29th we went to Wellesley College, 16 miles from Boston, where, on that evening and the next morning, he addressed the 360 lady students who belong to it, many of whom were Christians. Neither in Great Britain nor on the Continent of Europe, have we ever seen educational establishments for young ladies equal to the Colleges which are to be found in the United States. When visiting four of these Institutions, we heard that the pupils are not only instructed in the various branches of a first-class education, but that the young ladies are carefully trained in a knowledge of housekeeping also, and of the numerous domestic duties connected with home life. By turns, they each do the portion of the daily work of the establishment assigned to them, both for the sake of learning _how_ it should be done properly, and also that physical exercise may be healthfully combined with the culture of the mind. The religious training at these Colleges too is excellent, and the spiritual interests of the young ladies are carefully attended to.

Before our departure from Boston, we visited Plymouth, New England, 37 miles distant, where Mr. Mueller preached at the "Church of the Pilgrims," an interesting place of worship, because it represents the Church erected by the "Pilgrim Fathers" on their first arrival in the United States. Plymouth is noted as being the place where they landed on the 22nd of Dec., 1620, and as containing the site of the first house ever built in New England. At "Pilgrims' Hall" are many interesting relics that belonged to them, brought over to America in the "Mayflower," which conveyed the strangers across the Atlantic to their new home. At Boston and in the neighbourhood my husband spoke 38 times in public altogether.

After leaving this city, Milford, Massachusetts, was our next resting place, where four meetings were held; and on Nov. 13th we left for Amherst. Here, on the following afternoon, at the College Chapel, Mr. Mueller addressed 339 students; in the evening, at the Congregational Church, he preached to a crowded congregation, and the next morning attended a pastors' meeting, when he addressed fifteen of his fellow labourers in the ministry, whom he sought to encourage in their service for the Lord.

From Amherst we went to Northampton, where, at Smith's College, he addressed 260 of the lady students. In this town. President Edwards resided for many years, and the Church, at which he ministered, was pointed out. On Nov. 18th we paid a second visit to Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, South Hadley, founded in 1837 by Mary Lyon, where, that evening and the next morning, Mr. Mueller addressed the 250 lady students who belong to it. From this Institution, many godly young women have gone forth as missionaries; and some Christian school-teachers of note, were trained and educated at Mount Holyoke. On the evening of Nov. 19th, my husband preached at South Hadley Church, early on the morning of the 20th, he gave a third address to the young ladies at the Seminary, and on the forenoon of that day we left for Hartford, Connecticut, 52 miles from South Hadley, where he preached six times, and addressed thirty of his brethren in Christ at a pastors' meeting. He held three meetings also in this city for the Germans.

On Nov. 27th we went to New Haven, Connecticut (the seat of Yale College, founded in the year 1700); and whilst there, through the courtesy of the President and of the University chaplain, Mr. Mueller had opportunities of addressing a considerable number of the students, for whom he held two meetings. This was an important service, which he gladly undertook, having heard of great blessing resulting from his labours amongst the students of Colleges, Theological Seminaries, and Universities, both in Europe and America.

At New Haven he preached twelve times, and once at Fair Haven in the vicinity. Four of these meetings were in German; at one he addressed a number of pastors, and at another spoke to 140 children belonging to the Orphan Asylum.

On Dec. 8th we left New Haven for New York, and remained there fourteen weeks and three days; because, during our two former visits to America, having been able to give but little time, to this, the largest city in the United States, Mr. Mueller considered it right to remain as long as possible, that he might do what he could for the spiritual welfare of the people. The population of New York is about one million four hundred thousand. It contains upwards of three hundred thousand Germans, and as at Brooklyn there are two hundred thousand more, he had abundant opportunity of labouring amongst them. The English-speaking population of this city, Brooklyn and the neighbourhood, is about one million and a half. We remained therefore at New York from Dec. 8th, 1880, to March 19th, 1881.

During the whole of this period, my husband preached 69 times in the city, 15 times at Brooklyn, once at Harlem, twice at Hoboken, New Jersey, twice at Tremont, once at Washington Heights, and twice at Union Hill, New Jersey--92 meetings altogether, 38 of which were in German. That winter was the coldest that had been known in New York for thirty years, and the many long drives my beloved husband took at night to Brooklyn and other places, seven, eight, or nine miles from our hotel, when the weather was most severe, were very trying, especially as it was necessary to cross a ferry, where the ice was occasionally so thick, that it was with difficulty a passage could be forced through it by the steamer. Constrained by the love of Christ, however, he persevered in a service, that would have been considered, by most persons of his age, an arduous undertaking; but though he _felt_ the cold, was not allowed to suffer from it in the least.

On March 19th we went to Newark, New Jersey, a city of about 120,000 inhabitants, amongst whom there are more than 30,000 Germans. Before our arrival, a series of services for them had been arranged, so that for three weeks Mr. Mueller preached exclusively amongst the Germans, and not until a later period, at the large American churches of the city. During our visit to Newark, he preached three times at Elizabeth, twice at Orange, twice at Bloomfield, gave long addresses at two meetings for pastors, held three meetings for Christian workers, conducted one service for Theological students, and preached 26 times at Newark.

On April 18th we went to Port Chester, where he preached four times; on the afternoon of April 22nd we left for Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 464 miles distant; and on the morning of April 23rd, arrived at the Monongahela Hotel, Pittsburg, after travelling all night. There, my husband held nine meetings in English, and nine in German (as Pittsburg and Alleghany, an adjoining city, contain about 60,000 Germans) and attended two meetings of German and American pastors whom he addressed.

Pittsburg (which is a very large manufacturing city) was enveloped in one vast cloud of smoke, and fine particles of dust, so that, although the weather was at times sultry and oppressive, it was necessary always to keep the windows shut. "This city is at the head of the river Ohio, at the confluence of the Alleghany and the Monongahela, and is situated in a district extremely rich in mineral wealth, whilst its vicinity to inexhaustible coal and iron mines, has raised it to great distinction as a manufacturing place. The immense extent of its manufactures, and of the coal and oil trade of the city can be realized, from the fact, that within the limits of what is known throughout the country as Pittsburg, there are 35 _miles_ of manufactories of iron, glass, steel, copper, oil, woods, cotton, and brass, without including manufactories of various other materials."

On May 12th we left Pittsburg, and, after passing one night at Philadelphia, returned to New York on the 13th, where Mr. Mueller fulfilled a few preaching engagements, before our embarkation for England on the 21st. During this our third tour in the United States, he preached 244 times altogether. At eighteen of these meetings, he addressed German or American pastors; fifteen were held for the students of Universities, Theological Seminaries, and Colleges; and seven for Christian workers.

On Saturday, May 21st, we embarked for England in the "Britannic," and, after a most favourable passage, landed at Liverpool on May 30th. The next day we returned to Bristol; and, on reaching Ashley Down in the afternoon at half-past 4, were cordially welcomed home by many hundreds of the Orphan boys and girls, who, with several Christian friends and a large staff of helpers at the Orphan Houses, were waiting our arrival. Thus ended this seventh missionary tour, a long journey by land and water, which (like our previous travels) was marked from beginning to end by innumerable mercies.

EIGHTH TOUR.

EGYPT, PALESTINE, ASIA MINOR, TURKEY, AND GREECE.

_From August 23rd, 1881, to May 30th, 1882._

After remaining in Bristol for eleven weeks, on August 23rd, 1881, we set off for Dover on our eighth missionary tour; crossed over to Calais on the 24th, went on to Paris, and, having started for Switzerland on the 25th, arrived at Berne on the 27th.

After Mr. Mueller had preached many times there, had held meetings at Maennedorf, Waedenschwyl, Zuerich, Basel, and Stuttgart, having been led through the advice of a brother in Christ, to decide on visiting the Holy Land, on Thursday, Oct. 20th, at 2 p.m., we embarked at Marseilles in the steamer "Said," for Alexandria. My husband had had it particularly laid upon his heart to comfort and encourage the missionaries from Great Britain, America, Germany, Switzerland, and other countries, who labour in the East, because their trials and difficulties are great; and he desired to visit some of the German colonies, that he might preach amongst them, and encourage the German pastors in their work. After leaving Marseilles, for eighteen hours the weather was very rough, but as the wind gradually abated, the sea became calm; we anchored in the Bay of Naples for a few hours, and at half-past 2 on the afternoon of Oct. 26th, landed at Alexandria.

Here the Scotch minister, the German pastor, and the German deaconesses showed us much kindness; and, during the ten days that we remained, Mr. Mueller had a considerable amount of work. He preached repeatedly in German at the Prussian Hospital, held meetings in English at the Scotch Free Church, addressed the children of the Scotch Jewish Mission Schools, and the children of the American United Presbyterian Mission Schools, and preached at the German Church.

On the afternoon of Nov. 3rd, we went by rail to Ramleh, six miles distant, which has a cooler climate than Alexandria, and contains a few handsome residences, where some of the wealthy inhabitants of the city live. On the way, we passed four cemeteries, one Jewish, another Catholic, a third Greek, and the fourth Mahometan. The tombs in the Mahometan burying ground were of an Oriental character, and very unlike monuments erected over graves in European cemeteries. We passed a palace belonging to the Khedive or Viceroy of Egypt also. A large grove of palm trees laden with dates had a most luxuriant appearance. At Ramleh, at a small chapel, Mr. Mueller addressed a congregation of Catholics, Jews, and Protestants who understood English; and on the 4th, at the Scotch Mission School, conversed with several Jewish girls, by means of Arabic translation.

In going to and from the meetings, we noticed the great variety of costumes worn by persons who passed us in the streets. Loose, white garments, and red turbans with gold ornaments, were worn by the Turks; most of the women were closely veiled, so that their eyes only could be seen; and a few had veils arranged in such a manner, that one eye alone was visible. Brass ornaments too, fixed between the eyes, were generally worn by _un_-veiled women, which disfigured their countenances much. Most of the poor walked about barefoot, and some Arabs, in thin clothings, slept soundly, as they lay stretched at full length by the side of the pavement in the streets. During our short stay at Alexandria the heat was great; as late in the year as the beginning of November, the thermometer sometimes registered 90 degrees, and the flies and mosquitos were most troublesome.

On Nov. 4th Mr. Mueller preached a farewell sermon at the Prussian Hospital, in German, and on the 5th we went by rail to Cairo, where he preached for the German pastor, and held meetings in connection with the American Mission; openings for service being numerous in this city as well as at Alexandria.

On Nov. 9th, we set off early in an open carriage, with a dragoman as interpreter, to see the Pyramids, ten miles from Cairo, which are reached by a good road under a shady avenue of trees; and a little before noon alighted near "the great Pyramid of Cheops, 460 feet high, which was erected as a tomb, about 30 centuries ago, when its construction employed 100,000 men for twenty years. The exterior of this Pyramid was once smooth, but it is now rough and uneven, presenting 206 steps from one to four feet high, by which an ascent to the summit is made. From this point the view includes the Nile, the minarets of Cairo, the plain where the French defeated the Mamelukes, the site of Memphis, the great African Desert, a multitude of tombs, and two other Pyramids. From Gizeh to Memphis on the west side of the Nile, about 70 Pyramids can be counted, all burial places of kings, with tombs and chapels adjoining them. A quarter of a mile from the nearest Pyramid, lies the Sphinx, a stone lion 102 feet long, now heavily buried in sand, having a human face 18 feet in length; but the head and part of the neck only are now visible." Our walk to the Sphinx was oppressively warm, for the sun shone with a brightness that was dazzling. The heat and glare too from the sandy ground on which we trod, made the atmosphere around like the hot air issuing from an oven. Troups of Bedouin Arabs congregate in the neighbourhood of the Pyramids, who flock around strangers and volunteer their services as guides.

Besides visiting the Pyramids, before our departure from Cairo, we walked through the Museum, which contains a valuable collection of Egyptian curiosities, consisting of statues, pottery, manuscripts of the Pharaohs, and other relics, some of which are supposed to be nearly 4,000 years old; but the most remarkable objects in the Museum are the mummies. These are embalmed bodies (principally of Egyptian Kings), recently discovered, and amongst them (it is said) is the mummy of that great oppressor of the Israelites, the Pharaoh, during whose reign they had so much to suffer, until delivered by Jehovah through His servant Moses.

On Nov. 11th, we left Cairo for Ismailia, and from there proceeded in a small mail steamer (via the Suez Canal) to Port Said, where we arrived two hours after midnight. At this town Mr. Mueller preached twice in English, and on Sunday, Nov. 13th, at the former of these two services, were fourteen English sailors who had recently been shipwrecked. Their lives therefore having been so mercifully preserved, he took advantage of the circumstance to press upon them the acceptance of the gospel. At Port Said he held only one German meeting, upon which occasion, fifteen young men and women from Bohemia (who gained a livelihood by exercising their talent for music) were present, all of whom were Roman Catholics. To each a copy of the Bible or New Testament in German was given, and the fourteen sailors were presented with Bibles or Testaments in English. After this German service was over, a meeting was held also for the breaking of bread, where Mr. Mueller gave an address in English.

On the following day, at 2 p.m. we went on board a large Russian mail steamer bound for Jaffa, and found that, besides the saloon passengers, there were about 100 Russian pilgrims in the steerage of the ship, accompanied by their priests of the Greek Church, who were all travelling on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These pilgrims performed their religious services on deck, where they bowed, crossed themselves repeatedly, and turned their faces eastward towards the Holy Land. They looked very poor, and were dirty in their habits and appearance. Each individual belonging to this company was supplied with a copy of the Holy Scriptures in Russ, at a nominal price, by a Scotch Evangelist, and a colporteur, who labour for the Lord habitually at Port Said.

After a favourable passage, on Nov. 15th, at 8 a.m., we arrived off Jaffa, on the coast of Palestine and (as there is no harbour to the town) anchored about a mile distant from the shore; but on account of cholera at Mecca, had to remain there for quarantine four and twenty hours. On the 16th, however, at 8 a.m., the Turkish doctors permitted us to land; but the passage from the steamer to the shore, in a boat rowed by eight Arabs, was exceedingly unpleasant, the waves at Jaffa being tremendous when the wind is high.

From the ship's deck, the town had a striking and even beautiful appearance; but, on walking through the streets, we found them only filthy lanes, and were glad to take up our abode at the Jerusalem Hotel, situated in a pleasant locality, at some distance from the shore. As there is a large German colony at Jaffa, and American and English missionaries reside in the town, Mr. Mueller was able to preach both to German and to English congregations, and with Arabic interpretation, when neither of these languages was understood. He preached also at Sarona, another German colony, three miles distant, and held meetings in German at the house of a Russian Baron residing at Jaffa. On Nov. 21st, at the residence of the English clergyman, he addressed about 60 persons at half-past 4; and on the following day preached at a Hall belonging to Miss Arnot (a Christian lady from Scotland) who has a large school for Arabic children. On the morning of the 24th he spoke at the Dispensary to a congregation consisting of Mahometans, Jews, and members of the Greek Church, when the Syrian doctor (a Christian) translated for him into Arabic; and on the 25th addressed 100 individuals, including natives, and English-speaking persons, with Arabic translation, at the same place. On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 27th, he gave an address at the Baron's house in German, and in the afternoon preached (for the English clergyman,) on the second coming of Christ.

During our walks at Jaffa, we greatly admired the plantations of orange and lemon trees which flourish there luxuriantly; and the high, thick hedges of prickly pears, cactus, etc., which abound, show that the warmth of the climate is semi-tropical; but the town itself consists of poor bazaars, dismal houses, and dirty, crooked lanes, which repel visitors instead of inviting them to sojourn there.

After a sojourn of twelve days at Jaffa, at 7 o'clock on the morning of Nov. 28th, we started for Jerusalem in an open Russian waggon, drawn by three horses (the only kind of conveyance to be obtained), and noticed that between Jaffa and Ramleh--where we stopped for an hour--the land was tolerably well cultivated, and looked fertile. At half-past 12, as the horses required further rest, we alighted at a little roadside inn, and in two hours our journey was resumed. Now we travelled through a district called in Scripture, the "Mountains of Judaea," where the aspect of the country became wild and desolate. Palestine (spoken of in the Old Testament as--"A land flowing with milk and honey," and as--"The glory of all lands") is now barren, rocky, and uncultivated; and it is evident that the curse of God rests not only upon the Jews, but upon their _country_ also, which is now under Turkish rule.

Nevertheless, the day is coming when Jehovah will remember the _land_ also; for at the return of the Lord Jesus, when Israel as a nation will be converted and restored, "The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose."

At length, after a trying journey of twelve hours, over a rough, rugged road, nearly covered with large, loose stones, at a quarter-past 7, we reached Jerusalem and alighted _outside_ the Jaffa gate, because carriages cannot enter the city, as the streets are far too narrow and too badly paved, for conveyances of any kind to be driven along them. At the Mediterranean Hotel, we engaged a pleasant corner room upon the first floor, from which there was a fine view of the Mount of Olives; and the terrace on its flat roof (where we took our daily walks) commanded an extensive prospect. It included the Mosque of Omar on Mount Moriah, where the Temple formerly stood, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mosque on Mount Zion, which contains the tomb of David, the site formerly occupied by Herod's Palace, the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, The Citadel, or Tower of David, most of the public buildings in the city, and the Mount of Olives. During our stay at Jerusalem, Mr. Mueller held numerous meetings in English and in German, and preached habitually in these two languages, both with and without interpretation into Arabic. At a church where Arab Christians assemble for worship he preached with translation into that language; at Zion School (founded by Bishop Gobat) he addressed the teachers belonging to it; spoke in English and in German at the Jewish School of Industry; preached six times in part of a building called St. John's Palace, now fitted up as a German chapel; gave an address at the lecture room of the English Church; spoke to the children of a Syrian Orphanage outside the city, two miles distant, with Arabic interpretation; addressed 108 Arab girls in German twice at the Talitha Cumi boarding school; spoke in English, without translation, to 135 boys and several gentlemen and ladies at Bishop Gobat's school; attended a Dorcas meeting two afternoons, where he addressed a considerable number of ladies, in German; spoke a second time at the Syrian Orphanage with Arabic interpretation, and upon two different occasions addressed the patients at a small hospital for lepers outside the city. He spoke twice also to the patients of another hospital.

Jerusalem, when compared with European cities, is now only a small town (round which the traveller may walk in less than 50 minutes) containing a population of about 28,000, which includes the Jews, of whom there are 8,000. These Israelites are generally very poor, and settle in Jerusalem, because money is frequently sent there from Europe by wealthier Jews for the relief of their poorer brethren in Palestine; but at the present time, there is no indication whatever of any gathering of Jews on an extensive scale from other countries to their own land. The missionaries who labour amongst them, meet with comparatively little encouragement in their work, for the number of true converts from Judaism to Christianity is _extremely_ small, a fact mentioned, not as a discouragement for service, but to stir up Christians to prayer. Since our return from Palestine, however, these brethren have (it appears) been more successful in their labours, and have had great cause for thankfulness.

On the afternoon of Dec. 3rd, we joined a party of English friends, and rode on donkeys to Bethany, a mile and a half distant, the English clergyman kindly acting as our guide. On our way we crossed the Brook Kidron, saw the Garden of Gethsemane, now enclosed by a wall; and visited the cave, hewn out of a rock, where it is supposed Lazarus was buried. An old ruined house, said to have been the dwelling place of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, was also pointed out. From the summit of the Mount of Olives the view embraced a portion of the Dead Sea, 25 miles distant, the plain of Jordan, the well-watered plain which Lot chose for himself, the Mountains of Moab in the distance, the neighbourhood of the Cave of Adullam, and a small part of the river Jordan which flows into the Dead Sea. The weather was magnificent; after sunset the whole scene was lighted up by the full moon which shone brilliantly, and coming down the Mount of Olives, we had the finest view of Jerusalem, that is to be obtained from any point. The Garden of Gethsemane, containing eight very old olive trees (considered by some, from their ancient characteristics, to be coeval with the period of our Lord's history on earth) we passed both on our way to and from the Mount.

On the morning of Dec. 9th, we rode on donkeys to Bethlehem, six miles from Jerusalem; and, after lunching in a cloister of the Latin Convent, visited a church erected on the spot, where (according to tradition) the manger stood, in which after His birth our Lord was laid. During our stay at Jerusalem, we had opportunities also of visiting the various places of interest for which the city is celebrated. The Via Dolorosa, the Mosque of Omar, (built on the site formerly occupied by Solomon's Temple,) the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (erected, according to tradition, on the spot where our Lord was crucified), Absalom's Pillar, the Pool of Bethesda, the site of Herod's palace, the ruins of the Castle to which Paul was taken, and the Pool of Siloam, were all visited in turn. One of the most memorable places in the city is--"The Wailing Place of the Jews"--where, every Friday afternoon, shortly before sunset, they assemble to bewail the calamities that have befallen their land and city. On Dec. 2nd we saw about 200 Israelites gathered close to some immense old stones--the remains of the Temple it is supposed--which (after praying and bowing repeatedly) with tears in their eyes, they kissed.

About one third of the present small population of Jerusalem (28,000) consists of Mussulmans; the rest are Jews, Christians of the Greek, Armenian, and Roman Catholic Churches, and a very few Protestants. There are 25 Convents, 10 Monasteries, and three large Synagogues within its walls. The Jaffa Gate, situated near the Citadel or Tower of David, is one of the principal entrances to the city, and the southern portion of the town (between the ancient Temple and part of Mount Zion) is the quarter occupied by the Jews.

In the streets of Jerusalem, day after day, we saw numbers of men, women, and children standing about half-naked, or clothed in miserable rags; and strangers cannot walk a short distance even, without being besieged for alms by the beggars that abound, not a few of whom are lepers. They hold up their disfigured hands and arms, and, pointing to their dreadful sores, follow visitors persistently, entreating them, in piteous, lamentable tones of voice, to have compassion on, and help them.

Whilst at Jerusalem, from the windows of our room, we saw many funeral processions pass, when the remains of the deceased were borne along, either in open coffins, or in coffins with glass covers to them; and on Dec. 23rd, the funeral of a child, belonging to the Greek Church, took place outside the city walls, whose body, was lowered into the grave _without_ a coffin.

As there are no carriage roads in Palestine, with the exception of the one from Jaffa to Jerusalem; being unwilling to undertake long journeys of many miles on horseback, in order to visit the numerous places of interest usually resorted to by strangers, we did not travel any further into the interior of the country; but, after remaining at Jerusalem for nine weeks and two days, on Feb. 1st, 1882, returned to Jaffa. There, heavy gales of wind, and violent storms of rain, which lasted several days, detained us until Feb. 8th; the weather became also unusually cold, and as there were neither stoves nor fireplaces in the rooms of our hotel--because fires are seldom wanted in Palestine, we suffered greatly from the wintry climate.

During this our second visit to Jaffa, Mr. Mueller again held meetings for the Germans; and on Wednesday, Feb. 8th, the violence of the gales having to some extent abated, we embarked for Haipha (or Kaifa) on the coast of Palestine, about 70 miles north of Jaffa. Our passage, however, in a small boat, to the Austrian steamship "Flora" (lying at a considerable distance from the shore) during weather still tempestuous, was most trying and even dangerous; for, after riding over heavy breakers, and getting clear of the rocks, our boat was tossed about upon the waves for nearly half an hour; and, after at last we reached the ship, a favourable opportunity of getting a footing on board (to be seized just at the right moment as the boat was lifted upwards by the waves) had to be closely watched for, when one after the other, at the risk of our _lives_, we had _to spring_ on to the steep ladder staircase, that led up towards the deck. At 2 o'clock the vessel sailed, and on the evening of that day, at half-past 9, we arrived off Haipha, where, in consequence of the roughness of the sea, and our distance from the shore, it became a question whether we should disembark _at all_; but after considering the matter, and praying over it, we resolved to brave the disagreeables and land. Some time elapsed before the boat, which had been sent ashore with passengers, returned; but soon after midnight we stepped into it, and, with less discomfort than had been experienced at Jaffa, were rowed safely to the beach. There, some German brethren were waiting our arrival with an open waggon, in which, during torrents of rain, we were conveyed to the Hotel du Mont Carmel, a mile and a half distant, where we arrived soon after one o'clock.

The little town of Haipha is beautifully situated, on the sea shore, close to the foot of Mount Carmel. During the twelve days of our visit there, Mr. Mueller preached 14 times amongst the large colony of Germans, settled at this place, and here the Lord was pleased to grant a particular blessing upon his labours; for his ministry was the means of bringing about a complete revival amongst the people, who had previously been in a very dead state, spiritually. On Feb. 13th, accompanied by some German brethren, we rode on donkeys up Mount Carmel, and when near its summit, alighted at a Monastery, where the monks entertained us with cups of black coffee without milk, and glasses of mulberry wine, flavoured with lemon juice. They afterwards showed us into a Church containing (according to tradition) the cave in which Elijah dwelt, and finally led the way to a lighthouse standing on a rock, that we might see, from this elevated point, the magnificent prospect which extended far and wide. It embraced Mount Tabor in the extreme distance, Brook Kishon, the Valley of the Sea of Tiberias, the Bay and town of Haipha, with the houses of the German colony, the town of Acre the other side of the Bay, the plain of Esdraelon, and the vast expanse of the Mediterranean, stretching away as far as the eye could reach, which looked as unruffled as a sea of glass, and offered a striking contrast to the troubled waves at Jaffa. Being favoured with bright sunshine, and a beautifully clear atmosphere, the whole scene was viewed under particularly favourable circumstances. The place where Elijah slew the false prophets of Baal, and by prayer brought down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice upon the altar, is situated near Haipha; and after the drought of three years and six months, during which there had been neither rain nor dew--it was upon Mount Carmel he prayed, that Jehovah would again send rain upon the earth.

Before our departure from Haipha, we intended to visit Nazareth; but as there was no carriage road even _tolerably_ good, and as riding on horseback for nearly 40 miles would have been objectionable, serious difficulties were in the way. We desired to engage a Russian waggon, and did our utmost to obtain one, but the Brook Kishon (through which our route lay) being swollen from the recent heavy rains, and as the adjacent country was partially under water, its owner refused to let us have it, because the journey was impracticable. Though Haipha possessed attractions of its own, there were discomforts also connected with our visit; for the hotel accommodation was inferior and uncomfortable. Our apartment for instance had a rough, dusty, uneven stone floor, without any carpet; and even in cold, rainy weather, as it possessed neither fireplace nor stove, no fire could be had. The room too, from being scantily furnished, was comfortless in appearance; and though the sleeping accommodation was clean it was hard and uninviting. The meals, however, were good, and for wholesome, nourishing food we felt most thankful; but let no one visit small towns or villages in the Holy Land, and expect to find that they contain European comforts. The English clergyman at Nazareth (who had resided there for a considerable time) informed us, that throughout the winter he had one constant series of "domestic miseries" to contend with. Through the flat roof of his house, the rain leaked in, fuel was scarce and expensive, provisions were dear and not easily obtained, meat was tough and of inferior quality, and often little besides goats' flesh could be procured. He remarked also that visitors to the Holy Land, who frequent the best hotels at Jaffa and Jerusalem, and carry their comforts about with them, can form no conception of the real poverty of the country, and of the degraded condition of the _native_ population, as seen in the little towns and villages of the interior. As far as the hotels at Haipha, however, are concerned, they must be superior to the inn accommodation in some parts of _Asia Minor_, which, according to the guide books, is "_execrable_."

On the afternoon of Feb. 20th we left Haipha, in an open waggon; and, after alighting on the sea shore, were carried on the shoulders of Arabs across some shallow water to a boat, which conveyed us to a large Austrian steamer bound for Beyrout, Syria. At half-past 8 p.m. the vessel sailed; at 7 o'clock the next morning we reached our destination (where a most unpleasant rough landing in a small boat awaited us), and were afterwards conducted by a guide to the Hotel de l'Orient, at a short distance only from the landing place.

There we remained twenty-one days, and besides preaching many times at the Anglo-American Mission Church, and at the Church of the Deaconesses' Institution, Beyrout, both in English and in German, Mr. Mueller addressed the students of the Syrian College with Arabic interpretation, spoke to the Theological students for an hour, conducted a service for the Moslem girls at Miss Taylor's school, and held three meetings for Christian workers, in German. At the residence of Mr. Mott (a mansion on the hill) he held a large drawing-room meeting also, which was attended by a number of the principal residents and visitors of Beyrout, including His Excellency Rustem Pasha, Governor-General of the Lebanon, Pasha Rickards, Mrs. Eldridge, wife of the British Consul-General, the English clergyman and his wife, the Presbyterian minister, some visitors from the hotels, and many other persons.

The climate of Beyrout is delightful. Whilst there, we walked through the beautiful gardens which belong to the Pasha, and took a long drive on the Damascus road, to the foot of the mountains of Lebanon, the tops of which were covered with snow. A visit to Damascus, which we had in contemplation, was abandoned, because it would have been necessary to rise at 3 o'clock, in order to travel by an early diligence. The journey of 70 miles too over a very rough road would have been very fatiguing; and having before us the prospect of much more travelling both by land and water, we decided upon giving up this excursion. Three days before we left Beyrout an exceedingly heavy sea rolled in for many hours upon the shore, making it impossible to undertake a passage from the land to a steamer in a small boat; it seemed probable therefore that our departure might be delayed; but as the wind gradually abated, on March 14th, we sailed for Smyrna, in Asia Minor, by the Austrian steamship "Jupiter."

On the following morning, between 6 and 7 o'clock, we anchored off Cyprus, in the Levant, which, after Sicily and Sardinia, is the largest and most important island in the Mediterranean; and from our cabin window had an excellent view of it. Larnaca, its chief port, is built on flat ground close to the sea; but high mountains rise behind the town, and a long range of hilly country extends for miles beyond it. Cyprus (of which Nicosia is the capital and seat of Government) is 120 miles in length and about 50 broad.

After remaining stationary for some hours, in the afternoon our voyage was continued, and on Thursday, March 16th, we sailed between the islands of the Archipelago, where, as the currents are swift and powerful, the sea became extremely rough; but towards evening the vessel got into smoother water, and at 10 o'clock we arrived off Rhodes, an island visited by the Apostle Paul, when returning from his third missionary journey.

At the expiration of a few hours, our voyage was resumed, and the next evening we touched at Chios, an island which in 1881 was fearfully devastated by earthquakes. There we remained four hours, and then went on to Smyrna, where on Saturday, March 18th, we arrived at 5 a.m.

Here Mr. Mueller found work immediately, and, during our stay, preached on the Lord's days twice, and every afternoon or evening in the week, but generally with interpretation into Armenian, Turkish, or modern Greek; and once, when addressing a congregation of Spanish Jews, with translation into Spanish. On the morning of Sunday, April 2nd, he preached to an Armenian congregation with Turkish interpretation, and in the afternoon at the Scotch Church, in English. These services were held at different places, including the Hall of the Smyrna Sailors' Rest, the Dutch Chapel, the Deaconesses' Institution, the Presbyterian Church, and the Armenian School Room.

On Tuesday, April 4th, we rose early; at 8 o'clock started by rail for Ayasaloup (a little village 48 miles from Smyrna, close to the ruins of Ephesus), and on our arrival at half past 10, took a guide to the Mosque and to the Temple of Diana, which are the principal ruins in that particular locality. The Mosque bears traces of having been a large, magnificent building, and contains granite columns from the Temple of Diana. It is now in a dilapidated state; but the view from it (which consists of extensive mountain ranges, and a long, wide, vast plain, extending far away for many miles, until lost sight of, in the distant sea) is grand and striking. At no great distance from the Mosque, in a very large hollow, sinking a little below the general level of the ground, are the ruins of the Temple of Diana; but the devastation there is so complete, that no trace whatever (as to form or outline) exists of the celebrated building which once occupied this site. One stone can scarcely be found upon another, and all that is left of this famous Temple are quantities of stones, either lying in heaps, or scattered about in the greatest confusion, and giving not the slightest idea of what the edifice must have been which stood there many centuries ago. Ephesus (and the whole neighbourhood for miles around) abounds with ruins of Theatres, Temples, Aqueducts, Towers, Tombs, Mosques, etc. There is a building to be seen also, called "Paul's prison," now in a ruinous condition; and a variety of ancient architectural curiosities, of a remarkable character, invite the inspection of travellers. The _solitude_ and _silence_ of the entire locality, however, are mournful and depressing; these numerous relics of departed magnificence, all crumbling away to dust, fill the mind with feelings of solemnity; and the whole scene affords a striking illustration of the vain, unsatisfying character of all that this poor world calls great and glorious. Happy are they, and they _only_, who, through faith in Christ, have _God Himself_ for their present and eternal portion! In the afternoon we returned to Smyrna, and on the following day, at 3 p.m., Mr. Mueller preached a farewell sermon at the Hall of the "Sailors' Rest," where a large number of persons assembled to hear him.

The next day (Thursday, April 6th), in the evening, we left Smyrna by steamer, reached the entrance of the Dardanelles the following afternoon, crossed the Sea of Marmora during the night, and at a quarter past 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 8th, reached Constantinople, where, at 6 o'clock, we disembarked, and, accompanied by a guide, walked up a high, steep hill, to the Hotel d'Angleterre, at Pera.

On the morning of Sunday, April 9th, Mr. Mueller preached in German at the Chapel of the Scotch Jewish Mission, and in the afternoon in English, at the Presbyterian Church. On the 11th he spoke in English at the Bible House, and the following evening preached again at the Chapel of the Scotch Jewish Mission. On the 13th he addressed an Armenian congregation, at the Bible House in English, with Turkish interpretation, when about 450 persons were present.

The next day he spoke to the children of an Orphan Institution, connected with the Scotch Mission, and on the 15th held a meeting for two hours at the Deaconesses' German Hospital, intended especially for Christian Workers. On Sunday (April 16th) we went to Bebek (a beautiful village on the Bosphorus, five miles distant) where my husband preached morning and afternoon in English, at the American Presbyterian Church; and the following morning at Haskiog, near Constantinople, addressed the children belonging to the school of the London Jewish Missionary Society, the orphans of a small Institution, and the children of the Presbyterian Jewish Missionary Society. The young people in these three schools (about 700 altogether) were Jews. On April 18th he spoke in French, German, and English, to three different departments of Jewish Schools, belonging to the Scotch Jewish Mission; and on the 19th preached in German at the Chapel of this Mission, to an assembly consisting principally of Jews, from Lamentations iii. 22-26. On the 20th he had a congregation of 500 Armenians, whom he addressed with Turkish interpretation, and this service was his last at Constantinople. During our stay of twelve days (including a few meetings which have not been specified) he spoke eighteen times altogether.

Whilst at Constantinople, we saw the exterior of a few of the principal public buildings in the city, and from the Mosque of San Sophia, which stands upon high ground, overlooking the Bosphorus, had a distant view of the Barracks at Scutari, where Florence Nightingale and her helpers so nobly attended the sick, wounded, and dying soldiers, who fought during the Crimean war. An ancient Egyptian Obelisk from Cairo, about 3,000 years old, covered with hieroglyphics, was also pointed out. The Bazaars of Constantinople, consisting of lofty stone cloisters or arcades, lighted from the top by domes, are extensive, numerous, and very oriental in appearance. Each trade has its particular quarter, and the various dealers have small shops with rooms behind them for their wares, which are often of a costly and valuable description.

On the afternoon of April 14th, a religious service of the dancing Dervishes was held at one of their Convents, within a few minutes walk of our hotel. There were 18 performers altogether, who wore brown mantles, and high, round caps made of felt. At a particular signal, they all fell flat upon their faces; but afterwards rose, and walked a few times round the room, with folded arms, bowing and turning slowly many times. Their mantles were then suddenly cast off, when they appeared in long, full, bell-shaped petticoats and jackets, and, after stretching out their arms to the utmost, began gravely and deliberately to dance and revolve (that is, to spin round and round like a top) for about fifteen or twenty minutes, as rapidly as possible. The sight was instructive, inasmuch as it gave rise to a feeling of the deepest gratitude to God that the wild, religious delusions of these poor Dancing Dervishes were not ours. "Who maketh _thee_ to differ from another, and what hast _thou_ that thou didst not receive," should ever be the language of our hearts. The howling Dervishes we did not see, but heard that they carry on their religious performances at Scutari.

On April 18th we took a drive to "Sweet Waters"; on the 19th went by steamer up the Bosphorus, to the entrance of the Black Sea, 20 miles from Constantinople; and on the 20th visited the great Turkish Cemetery, and the English Military Burying Ground at Scutari, in Asia Minor. The former is an enormous grave yard, where many hundreds of thousands of corpses lie interred. It contains numbers of cypress trees, under which are the graves of the departed Mussulmans, marked by innumerable high, narrow tombstones, standing upright, and huddled so closely and indiscriminately together, that they formed a perfect labyrinth. Most of the graves had each two upright stones, partially painted over with bright colours--blue, green, red, or yellow, and bore Turkish epitaphs in characters of gold inscribed upon them. On the top of many of these tombstones, a carved Turkish fez cap and tassel also stood out in bold relief. The Cemetery was not enclosed, and the vast number of graves it contained, presented such a wretched, confused, disorderly appearance, that no Christian passer-by would ever wish his last earthly resting-place to be in a Mahometan Cemetery, amongst Mussulmans!

After leaving this burial ground, we passed the Barracks (used as an English Hospital during the Crimean war, the scene of Miss Nightingale's memorable labours), and then reached a spot from which there was a fine view of the Sea of Marmora, Prince's Islands, and Stamboul (as the ancient part of Constantinople is called), the Golden Horn, the town of Chalcedon, etc. A short drive further brought us to the British Military Cemetery--a beautiful enclosure, planted with trees and shrubs--which was laid out with grass nicely mown, and neat gravel walks. A few flowers also were in bloom, and the whole was kept in perfect order, either by a gardener, or the lodge-keeper at the entrance. Part of the ground sloped gradually towards the Sea of Marmora, the sun shone brightly upon the Cemetery, and the whole enclosure looked so peaceful, quiet, and even _hallowed_, compared with the Turkish burial-ground we had just quitted, that the superiority of Christianity to Mahometanism was vividly conspicuous. This Cemetery contains the graves of 8,000 of the British officers, soldiers, and sailors, who died of wounds received in the Crimean war; and the bodies of British residents in Constantinople may likewise (by permission) be interred therein. Upon the first monument that attracted our attention was the following touching epitaph:--"In memory of Julian Henry Layard, Lieut. 37th N. Hampshire Regiment, assistant military attache to the British Embassy at Constantinople, who died of typhoid fever while on duty with the Turkish forces under Suleiman Pasha in the Shipka Pass. Born 15th May, 1850, died Sept. 24th, 1877. This monument has been erected by his parents Col. Frederick and Ida Layard, in testimony of their undying loss. Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts, oh! Lord." Further on was a large, handsome, white marble monument, a column between 20 and 30 feet high, which had angels carved upon it, with folded arms, drooping wings, and down-cast countenances; and on one of its four sides was the following inscription:--"A la memoire des officiers, des soldats, et des marins de l'armee Anglaise, et de la flotte, morts pour la patrie, dans la guerre de la Russie en 1854, 1855, et 1856. Ce monument a ete eleve par la reine Victoria et son peuple, en 1857." After leaving the Cemetery, we took a drive through Scutari before returning to the Hotel d'Angleterre. Constantinople, including Stamboul and the suburbs of Galata, Pera, Tophana, and Scutari, contains a population of upwards of a million.