To His Sister (Tarnapol)

Tarnapol, 1st October, 1839. My dear Eliza, — I wrote to you all from Bucharest, the capital of Wallachia, the ancient Dacia. I have hardly had breathing time in which to write you since. But a& we are now settled for a day in one of the Jewish towns of Poland, I write to let you know our welfare. Indeed we have need, Eliza, of continual thankfulness, for we are kept as well, and as quiet and comfortable, in the midst of our wanderings, as if we were at home. Those that leave any thing in this world for Christ get it all made up, even in this life, an hundred-fold. We have now almost learned to be wanderers, looking upon no place as a resting-place. We have not yet got into the world of civilized men. For some days we have been in Poland — poor, unhappy Poland, bearing still the traces of its

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sufieriDgs. We are in Tarnapol, a very nice, clean town, prettily situated on a winding stream, with Wooded hills around. I suppose you never heard its name before, and neither did I till we came among Jews. I know not whether it has been the birth-place of warriors, or poets, or orators. Its flowers have hitherto been born to blush unseen — at least by us barbarians of the north. But, if God revive the dry bones of Israel that are scattered over the world, there will rise, from this place, an exceeding great army. I wrote Mr. Candlish from our quarantine at Bossanze, on the Austrian frontier. I hope he may receive the letter in safety. We put it in the Post-office at Chernowitz. I there gave a full* account of our journey; but if I were to refer you to that, I know mamma would not be satisfied without the more personal and domestic details; so I will fight our battles o’er again, and again think I hear the cry of the Moldavian postilion, as he outstrips the wind on these vast plains.

I2th Sept — We left Bucharest for Foxani, or Fotoschani, a drive of 24 hours. The reason why it is better to drive on night and day is, that if you stop, your only place of

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repose is the floor of a lonely post-house, where they have neither meat nor drink; and then, if you sleep long, the horses may be taken away by some other traveller, and you left forlorn in the wild. Our Brashovanka, which the Vice-consul at Galatz lent us so kindly, was a very comfortable place, and we covered ourselves with furs and mats, so as to keep out the cold night-air. I got at Bucharest a cloak of foxes’ skins, which keeps me quite warm, night and day. Our foreaxle broke the first stage, which cost us po broken bones, but 3 hours’ delay while a gipsy mended it. There are thousands of gipsies in these two provinces — 80,000, 1 believe. The greater part are bought and sold as slaves. Some buy their freedom, and wander. I intended to have written about them to Mr. Candlish, but forgot. There is a society for the benefit of the gipsies in our own country. Might not that society extend its care to the wanderers of Egypt over the whole world? Their likeness to the inhabitants of Egypt in skin, features, clothing, manners, is very remarkable. At Foxani, a nice open town, we put up at a very tolerable khan, kept by a little Spanish oflScer, who was very obliging. We paid an interesting visit also to the Jews.

I4th. — We rode to Birlat. We could not get the post, so a Wallachian peasant drove us with his own 4 horses. If you look at the map, you will see that the road crosses the Sereth — a gentle river — and goes often within sight of it all the way. You can easily imagine the’ open valley and smooth hills like tho*se of Dumfriesshire — the cottages, surrounded with their wicker-fence, and the wll worked by the long pole. My father will explain to you the principle upon which the cross-beam helps up the bucket. I wrote Mr. Grierson from Birlat. We spent the Sabbath there in our khan very quietly. We went to the Greek churches, and also to the synagogue. The old churches, both there and in Poland, are entirely of wood. They are curious old-fashioned places. In the* morning every-body goes about 8 o’clock. The service consists merely of prayers, and seeing the priest take the mass. The afterservices are quite deserted. In one, we found only the priest and his 2 deacons, reading away as hard as they could. The pulpit is prettily ornamented, but never occupied. No voice of salvation sounds through the pictured walls. No page of holy writ is read. No prayer in the name of Jesus only offered. I often wonder whether the trumpet will ever be sounded in these dark lands, or whether judgment will come first for all their abominations. The new churches are of brick or stone, and really handsome, with the steeple glancing with tin.

Most of Monday and Tuesday (16th and 17th) were occupied in travelling to Jassy. The country improves very much, being much more hilly and finely wooded. There are also marshes, however, which, you know, are not so wholesome. We got a sleep at Waslui, and saw the Jews kill their only sacrifice, a cock and hen. Next evening we got to Jassy in health and strength. It is really a pleasant town. Its 70 churches are very beautiful externally. It is spread over an immense space; and though most of the dwellings belong to the class of artisans, still there is a pleasant air about it. The Consul was all kindness, sending his carriage for us continually, and having us to dinner every day. The most of the inhabitants are Jews, so that we had full employment almost night and day. German is their universal language DOW. It is the only language that I have fairly stuck upon, notwithstanding Dr. Russefs kind labors upon me. Andrew gets on very well, and it is Mr. Caiman’s freest tongU3; so I keep to the Hebrew, to the great amazement of the Jews, very few of whom understand it. I generally get one who knows it to interpret to the rest. We saw some singular ceremonies of the Jews, it being their great day of atonement. Poor creatures, if they but knew the only atonement, it might be a happy day. In the evening they go home singing, supposing that they have obtained forgiveness by that day’s hard praying. One night we were at a wedding. We did not see all the ceremony, which is very curious. There was much feasting and dancing, in the first of which we were constrained to partake. The Prince, we understood, wished us to be introduced to him, and, as we thought it might be useful to our object, we consented; but he was taken unwell the very day we agreed to go.

20th Sept. — We left Jassy for Botoshani, which we reached in 12 hours — a fine clean town in a grassy plain, having 20,000 inhab* itents. Od the evening of the 21st we slept on the Austrian frontier, in the cottage of a Jew. The whole family came in to hear about Jerusalem, and every one had his questions to.be answered. We spent a quiet Sabbath there, and in the evening entered into quarantine. Our 5 days were spent in writing up notes, in study, &c. It was very comfortable quarters. The plague had broken out in Silistria, else we would have had no quarantine. On the morning of the 27th we left quarantine in a britska, hired from the neighboring town of Souchava. Austria we find a more civilized country. The roads are excellent, being macadamized after our manner. Passing through Souchava — a nice clean town with many spires — we passed through open meadow-land, fragrant with autumn crocusses, which we pulled in great nunfibers. The Carpathians, finely wooded, bound the view on the left. About 2 we came down upon the pretty town of Sereth. Here we dined in an inn and saw the Jews. The Austrian are a very suspicious people, so we have to use every precaution. Late at night we arrived at Chernowitz. Next morning (28th) we found it a very pleasant town. The houses are beautifiiQy white, being either white- washed or built of a chalky stone. There are 3000 Jews. We ▼isited them in their synagogue. The crosses and images in Austria are shocking. They are far more numerous even than in Italy. In this town there are some very fine ones. One of Mary at the foot of the cross, with the dead body of the Saviour in her arms. Another with Jesus on the cross and Mary standing below, a sword piercing her heart It would be difficult to count the crosses and images by the wayside and near villages. One crafty thing I have observed; — the saint is always represented as holding a cross or the infant Saviour in his arms, so that when accused of worshipping the saint, they can say that they are kneeling to the Saviour. We hired a nice carriage and 3 horses, to take us to Tarnapol, for 40 guilders, or L.2; the distance is about 20 German miles, or 100 English. Travelling here is amazingly cheap. We dined to-day most comfortably, having every thing we could desire for a shilling a-piece.

Leaving Chernowitz at 11, we got as far as JagUnsky, a Polish village. We crossed the Dneister — a fine, deep, flowing river — on a bridge of boats, at a beautiful small town called Zaiesky. The whole place belongs to a converted Jew. He is now a Baron — was not at home, but we went through his beautiful gardens. He is very kind to his old brethren. From Zaiesky we have been in Galician Poland. Polish and German are the two languages. We meet with many also who speak Latin with great fluency. You know in Hungary it is the universal language. We spent the Sabbath at Jaglinsky — a pleasant place. We went to two Catholic churches to see their superstition. It is truly lamentable. We went to the Jews the same evening, and saw a very singular ceremony, that of “giving honor to the law.” The Rabbi and 3 others, with each a copy of the law in his arms, marched round and round, and then leaped and danced in a most extraordinary manner, all the rest singing and clapping hands. It is the Feast of Taber- ^nacles; and you remember the Jewish proverb, that if a man has not seen the month of the Feast of Tabernacles, he does not know what joy is. The Rabbi afterwards invited us to stay and speak with him, which we did; and Mr. Caiman, our Hebrew- fel* low-laborer, laid before them all a simple and affectonate statement of the Gospel. They were very kind to us.

2(Hh. — We left our khan and proceeded through a bleak country to Tamapol. We passed through Zadkow, a cold, exposed town ;-^through Copochinski, a pleasantly situated town; — and through Trembowla. In each of these places, and in all the villages, the Jews form fully one-half of the population, so that we never stopped to water the horses, or to get a shoe on without being surrounded by these bearded sons of Abraham. At 6 or 7 in the evening we came in sight of this place.* We got our carriage put up and went to the synagogue. We have caused quite a commotion in the town. To-day there has been a crowd of Jews at our door the whole day. Some of their nicest young men have come to speak with us. This is the last day, the great day of the feast, when Jesus stood and cried (John vii). This made us often think of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. To-morrow we leave for Brody — 8 miles German, 40 English. We TarnapoL have hired a Jewish vehicle. That is our farthest point in a northern direction; then you will notice, mamma, we turn west to Lemberg and Cracow, if our heavenly Father thus guide us. We are in his hands, and could not be in better.

The effects of my fever have entirely left, me. The confusion in my head is quite gone, and I am fully stronger than I was before. My locks are not yet grown. The weather is fully colder than your September weather, but fine and clear. To-day October begins; and by the beginning of November we may be in England. My dear people! I have never written to them since I left Italy. In Syria it was almost impossible to write, and after my fever I could not for long. I will try and write this week or next. I do hope ihaWl may be fully restored to them. My heart I can hardly say ever troubles me. Still I feel as if every small exertion would bring it back. However, it is entirely in our God’s hand, and I trust we shall find our chief joy in submission to him. I do trust you are all well. I hope you wrote to Warsaw, as we have sent word that our letters may meet us at Berlin. I

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can only commit you all, morning and evening, to His care* who alone presenres me, and has been so near to us all along. I feel persuaded that he will not suffer us to lose any thing by our seeking the good of his Israel. I hope John Bonar has consented to dispense my next communion, and that the chief Shepherd will himself feed my flock. Deai; people! my heart yearns over them at a distance. How happy I am they have such a fine youi man as Bums to care for them! I am afraid you will be attempting a journey across the Tay again to see that all be right — perhaps my father also. How are Miss Collier, Miss Camegy, and Miss Duncan, and all my deaconesses? and how art thou thyself, my own deacooess and helpmate of thy poor brother? Dost thou grow in grace, and in the knowledg Af our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? It is the only way to be kept from falling. Remember the resolution of dear Jonathan Edwards, which I used to make thee read so often — that he would learn something new out of the Bible every day. Do thou likewise, my dear sister. “Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way.” Now, dear Lizzy,

FAMILIAR LETTERS.

this is the first letter you ever got from Poland, and nnayhap it may be the last. Keep me on the lips of thy heart, night and day, when thou dra west near to Him who is -invisible, through Him who was manifest in flesh for us, and be sur that you are always remembered by me. Give kind love to Willie for me. What I write to thee I write to him and all. Farewell till we meet, and believe me your affectionate brother,

RoBT. Murray M’Chetne.

I have still a good deal of deafness, and hope you have sent the address of the German aurist. You see I need to be humbled. 21