Shadows of the Pestilence
Mr. Knill did not expect, of course, that his path in God’s service would long remain unmarked by tribulation; but he scarcely anticipated that the pestilence, which dismissed him from India, would confront him again among the snows of Russia. Yet that terrible messenger was commissioned to give a sober colouring to all the transactions of the two years upon which we now enter, and finally to cast a deep shadow over his cheerful home. The year after the cholera ravaged the peninsula of India, it proceeded to China, and the islands of the adjacent archipelago. Three years later, it entered the Russian territory, at Astrachan, and, having warned Europe, withdrew for seven years. At the close of that period it reappeared in the same city, and, steadily advancing along the shore of the Volga, reached Moscow in the autumn of 1830, and St. Petersburg in the summer of 1831.
The sense of the presence of this power will make itself apparent in most of the letters and entries now to be quoted; but as it did not interrupt, but rather quickened exertion, the usual record of the mixed occurrences of successive days, will convey the most faithful picture of the time. Early in the summer, a family, which had conferred no small honour on the little church, and had contributed incalculably to the personal happiness of Mr. Knill, sailed for their native country.
‘’June 25,1830. — Wednesday. — At five this evening I set off in Mr. Baird’s steamer for Cronstadt, with our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Venning, on their way to England. I spent a part of every day with them this week, breakfasted with them this morning, and united with them for the last time in prayer. It was a most affecting season. — Lord, sanctify these trying scenes! I know Thou art able. Oli yes; Thou canst make darkness light before us, and every bitter thing sweet. — The recollection of what they have done for me calls for my deepest gratitude, and the knowledge of the good they have received from my ministry, should ever fill my heart with praise. — Paul plauteth, Apollos watereth, but Thou, 0 God, givest the increase. — We went on board the Dutch steamship, which is to carry our friends to Travemunde, and at half-past nine we took an affectionate farewell, and left them. — 0 my God, do Thou be ever with them, to guide, comfort, strengthen, and make them very useful. Wherever they go, do Thou make them to shine as lights in the world.
‘’June 26. — At Cronstadt. Slept little during the night; thought being busy with the dear friends from whom I had parted. They have been for many years the most kind, tender, generous, loving friends that ever I had in my life, and, blessed be God, their love increased rather than diminished, as our separation drew near. They have left me their house to dwell in for a season. What a favour is this!
“July 21. — Galernay Street. Many and great were the blessings which God granted me in the last house. Thousands of poor sinners have seen or heard of that house in the Fanarnay, from which they received Bibles,
Testaments, Psalters, prayer-books, and tracts. — Lord, I will praise Thee for that mercy; graciously grant that the house into which I have now entered may also prove to be a house for Thee. It has already been a ’ house of prayer,’ a ’ refuge for the needy,’ and ’ as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.’ Lord, help me here to honour Thee, for Jesus’ sake.
“August IL — Heard from the Rev. W. Glen of Astrachan. Great distress prevailing on account of the cholera-morbus. Mr. G. has told me where to find his will in case of his death. — Yet, 0 Lord, preserve him to advance Thy glory. Amen.”
Mr. Knill received the letter referred to in this notice on the evening of Saturday, and when he appeared on the Sunday niorning, his people instantly perceived its effects on his countenance. To explain himself, he read those parts of it which described the entrance of the disease into the Mission House at Astrachan; how it struck down one of the missionaries, and then the wife of the Sarepta Commissioner; and how, after the funeral of that lad J, the bereaved husband, fleeing with his three motherless children, was overtaken and buried by the roadside, three stages from the city. The painful picture was relieved by an account of the almost miraculous recovery of Mrs. Glen; and when the words of her husband were given, “I cannot tell you how it comforted me, while I stood in awful suspense by her side’, to see her confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners,” Mr. Knill turned to the congregation, and addressed to them the most moving appeals to make instant preparation for meeting God, and closed with an invitation to all who felt that they had committed themselves to Christ, to commemorate, with the church, on that morning, at His table. His dying love. “It was a season,” says one who was present, not to be forgotten; and, after the lapse of nearly thirty years, is still fresh on the page of memory.”
Septemher 15, 1830. — Held a meeting at my house to beseech the Lord to preserve us from the cholera.
“September 21. — Remarkable day. In the morning a man from the hospital came for
Hebreu, Tartar, Finnish, and Russian Testaments; and I had the pleasure of supplying them.
“Septemher 28. — In the evening preached on the ministry of angels: a solemn and delightful theme in times like the present, when men’s hearts are failing them for fear. A letter arrived to-day from Mr. Mirrielees, dated sixty versts from St. Petersburg, where he is performing quarantine; many are detained there, and many more at the next station. Every precaution is adopted to keep the cholera from the city. Lord, bless the measures of government, and hear our prayers!
“Septemher 29. — This is the anniversary of the beginning of my Bible operations. 0 Lord, I will praise Thee. In these two years nearly 14,000 have been circulated; besides prayer-books, school-books, and tracts, to the amazing number of 120,000 copies. Sanctify this, 0 Lord, to the good of families and individuals, and towns and villages. Amen.”
The tracts to which reference is here made were those which had been prepared by the Princess Metschersky. This excellent person, “whose name has now several times occiuTed on these pages, was brought to a knowledge of Christ during the residence of Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Pinkerton as a tutor in her family. While he instructed her daughters she remained in the room, and became by degrees deeply interested in the religious ideas which he expressed. She was thus led to a close private examination of the Scriptures, and at length exclaimed to her friend, “While you have taught my children, the Spirit of God has taught me.” From that time, though retaining connexion with the Greek Church in accordance with the absolute law of the country and her own general convictions, she surrendered her property and fine talents to the dissemination of the gospel in her native land. Her first work was to translate into Russian the delightful narratives of Legh Richmond — ‘* The Negro Servant,” “The Young Cottager,” and” The Dairyman’s Daughter and her intimate acquaintance with the Emperor Alexander enabled her to put these translations, together with various sermons and select passages from the writings of the more evangelical authors of her own church, into extensive circulation. Thej were finding their way over the length and breadth of Russia, when the opposition of the priesthood to the Bible Society took a visible form. Fearing that all was over at that period, she placed the entire stock, amounting to about 200,000 copies, in the hands of Mr. Knill, by whom a large number were assorted and bound in volumes, and all of them at length so skilfully used, that in a few years hardly a single copy remained on the shelves.
Even he scarcely ventured to hope that while the ecclesiastical temper remained as it did, any of those narratives would be reprinted. But in this, as in many other instances, the the mercy of God “prevented him.*’ A few weeks since,” he writes to Mr. Alers Hankey, on the 14th of October, 1830,” I had one of the happiest days of my life. TTe had applied for permission to print a new edition of Legh Eichmond’s ‘Young Cottager,’ and were kept in suspense for many days. At last the license came, signed and sealed by the spiritual censor, who is the highest authority in these matters. It was translated many years ago by our dear Princess, but we have no copies on hand, and have often feared that we should never see it reprinted. It was an answer to many prayers, and when it came, I called my family together to praise the Lord for his peculiar favour.
“Remembering the good adage, ‘Make hay while the sun sliines,’ we immediately set to work to print an edition of 10,000 copies. The kingdom is the Lord’s, and He is the governor among the nations. He will provide the means. I have paid for the paper, and we are expecting the needful help from friends to whom application has been made.’’
The work thus recommenced proceeded most auspiciously. Applications made to the censor for permission to issue new editions and new translations, not only of tracts, but of elementary school-books and Scripture-lessons, were received with uniform favour. In some instances in which leave was withheld, the reasons assigned showed so correct a know Iedge, not only of the requirements of the Russian mind, but of religious truth, that the refusal had a greater value than would have belonged to an indiscriminatuig license.
“Last week,” he writes to Mr. Alers Hankej, on 14th October, “we put into circulation 1400 New Testaments, 526 Psalters, 550 school-books, and 6,700 tracts. AYe never had such a week before, and of course it cannot be considered an average specimen of our labours. I merely mention it as an interesting fact. I sent away all that remained of the ‘Shepherd of Salisbury Plain.’ In the year 1819 the dear Princess Metschersky printed an edition of this tract at her own expense, and I have no doubt that the Lord has blessed her pious efforts, for it was a favourite book with the peasantry. But they are gone. The shelf on which they stood is empty. I have therefore reserved two copies to print from, and one I have sent to Hannah More, its celebrated authoress. I have told her our exact situation, and implored her aid to print another edition. A word from her lips, or a line from her pen, to the opulent friends of the Redeemer, would quickly procure for us all we want.”
A few months later, he says to another correspondent, “In the autumn I wrote to that aged disciple, the eminent Hannah More, requesting her to aid us in reprinting the ‘Shepherd of Salisbury Plain and a few weeks ago I received a letter from a friend of hers, with X20, for an edition of 5000 of this beautiful tract. Hallelujah! We are at the same time printing several others, such as ‘The Doctrine of the Cross of Christ,” ‘An Address to those who Neglect the Great Salvation,” Reflections at the Close of the Year,” &c., making altogether, in the course of twelve months, about one million three hundred pages of tracts. 0 God of mercy, pour out Thy Spirit to prepare men’s hearts, and to vrater the seed, that an abundant harvest of holiness, righteousness and peace may be reaped here, and ’ in the world to come eternal life!’ Do you know a little book, entitled, ‘Hymns for Infant Minds,’ by Jane Taylor, and her sister, Mrs. Gilbert? This sweet work has lately been translated into Russ. One edition lias gone, and another is in the press. The translator, who is a fine character, has also translated Dr. Watts” Divine and Moral Songs for
Children, of which an edition has been printed. This is likely to be of unspeakable advantage to the rising generation. The Lord grant it
This year also closes with gratitude.
“December 24, 1830. — xirrived at Cronstadt this day ten years ago. Lord, how rich and free have been thy mercies towards me! In looking back on these years, how much have I to bless Thee for! I am stronger in body — surrounded by new friends — have a dear wife and three sweet little boys — a good prayer-meeting, and as large a congregation as I could expect in a foreign land — many pious people raised up through my labours, and others helped forward in the good way — books circulating continually — ten thousand tracts printed already, and more expected — my house open all day long for the ignorant, the poor, the wretched, and friends here almost daily providing for their wants. Oh, help me, Lord, to show forth Thy praise! Text in the evening, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’”
The Journal opens the new year with the sentence — “Mr. Drury dined with us.” But except by an emphatic line below the words, it was not reckoned prudent, even in that private record, to do more to explain their meaning. The allusion is to the officer in the Russian service who had been imprisoned for circulating Testaments and tracts, and of whose release Mr. Knill afterwards wrote thus: —
“On Passion Week — the week when Russians ’ do exploits,’ in the way of favours and forgiving offences — an order was sent to the captain to come to the place for his sword. To our delight we saw him pass our window in full uniform. Dear fellow, he almost fainted when he entered our house. When he recovered, he said, ‘Go and make my mother acquainted with this; but do it gently, for she thinks she shall never see me any more.’ I carried the news, but could scarcely gain credence for it. In the course of two hours, however, he was in the bosom of his family. He was afterwards honourably received by his comrades. On Easter-day, the princes, governors, and chief men of the State, visit the palace to congratulate the Emperor; and on
Easter Monday, generals hold levees to receive the congratulations of all their officers. Captain Drury went when the audience-hall was thronged. On his name being announced, the general arose and kissed him, and then introducing him to the officers, said, ‘Here, brothers, is Captain Drury, the first officer of our army who was ever imprisoned for doing good:”
Notwithstanding his interest in Russia, Mr. Knill never forgot North Devon. “You have scarcely any conception,” he writes to Mr. Rooker, “of the feelings a Bideford letter produces on me. It awakens a thousand slumbering ideas, and furnishes a boundless source of thought, meditation, prayer, and praise. What, then, do you think were my feelings, two days ago, when not fewer than three letters arrived? They were, indeed, written eight months ago, and have been travelling almost ever since; but after visiting our mission at Selinginsk, Siberia, in the 106th degree of east longitude, they have reached me safely My delighted spirit frequently hovers over the consecrated spot which you inhabit. In one of my preaching visits to Ciiichester, I purchased a second-hand volume of the ‘History of Bideford, and I often read a few of the pages with a kind of melancholy pleasure, on account of joys departed. For you, my dear sir, I feel a growing love and veneration. Perhaps we shall never more meet in this world, but we shall meet before the throne of our great Redeemer, to tell His love, and to sing His praise.” The interest often expressed in sentences similar to these, exhibited itself also in various actual endeavours to promote the religious welfare of his native county. While denying himself many additions to his personal comfort, and using every exertion to find means for maintaining his projects for the good of Russia, he contributed largely to the education of several young persons in Devonshire, who afterwards filled situations of usefulness. He frequently sent also, in the kindest manner, pecuniary presents to poor and aged persons, as an expression of his love; and village ministers were often comforted by a timely gift under the form of a provision for preaching a sermon for the Snnday-sclioo], or 20’* to the young. Even during this year of anxiety he found time to originate, and carry through all its details, the little plan which he thus describes: —
“Sunday night is generally a sleepless one with me, arising from the excitement of the past day. During one of these nights my thoughts wandered back to the scenes of my early days, and when I arose, I penned the following particulars, which I presented to my friends: — ‘When I was young, the place of my nativity, and the numerous villages which Burrounded us, were enveloped in gross moral darkness. I never heard of more than one pious person living at that time in any of those places; but it has pleased God since that period to make a glorious change. At present I believe there are a few pious people in all these villages. In the greater part of them the gospel is preached, and each village has its Sunday-school. It is to assist these Sunday-schools that I particularly desire your aid.’”
This introduction was followed by the name and a brief notice of each village; and the paper having found its way into the palace, prompted the very kind act of the Empress which is thus noted in the Journal .: —
“May 25, 1831. — In the course of the week a singular providential circumstance brought my intention of assisting the eleven Sunday schools to the notice of her Imperial Majesty the Empress. She was so pleased with the proposal that, unsolicited, she gave one hundred rubles, which I ordered to be laid out in twenty-two Bibles, two to be assigned to each school.”
This peculiar kindness,” he writes to his brother, when defining the terms on which the books were to be given, “in one so exalted, shows us how easy it is for God to raise up friends to His cause; and I sincerely hope, that when the teachers and children know this, it will excite an unusual degree of interest among them, and that every young person in the various villages will strive to obtain the imperial gift. It will be very gratifying to me to know that, in connection with these books, hundreds of young persons have treasured up in their memories? the precious chapters appointed.”
On each of the twenty-two Bibles were inscribed the words: — “The gift of her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Russia and on each of double the number of Testaments: — “The gift of an English lady at the Court of Russia.”
From this characteristically ingenious and kind attempt to benefit the villagers of Devon he was called to receive solemn instruction within the circle of his own family. In the early part of June, he escaped from the sudden and excessive heat of the city, and thus wrote to Mr. Rooker: —” My wife and children are with me in a summer residence, provided for us by the munificence of an American merchant, where, after a seven months’ winter, we have the lovely sight of the green grass, the butter-cup, the lily of the valley, and the mountain ash; where we can walk in the sequestered grove, listen to the notes of the nightingale, and gaze upon all God’s wondrous works. It is a great comfort to my children to have this sweet liberty, for they were shut up in the house for the space of five months — that is, while the severity of the winter lasted. It is a peculiar mark of Divine favour to us that I became acquainted with this American friend, and I trust he has been a gainer by it too, as it respects the
things which are eternal Our Samuel
is growing a fine boy; so is John; and Joseph bids fair to be a stout, healthy and kind-hearted child. They were all born in August: Samuel, August 12, 1825; John, August 1, 1827; Joseph, August 3, 1829. I should not write these little things to you, if I were not sure that you would be gratified to know them.”
From this pleasant retreat he suddenly returned, under circumstances afterwards to be explained; and on the 26th of June, O.S., 1831, addressed W. Alers Hankey, Esq., thus: — “I write to you, honoured and dear friend, to let you know that, up to this hour, my dear wife, the children, and myself, are free from cholera-morbus, but the attacks on some of our acquaintances have been very sudden, and from all appearances they are likely to be fatal. If it should please my Divine Master to send for me noic, 1 trust He will graciously admit me into His presence, ’ where there is fulness of joy.’ I am happy to inform you, also, that my wife has no fears on this head, neither are we at all afraid of the malady. God in His mercy keeps us tranquil, and we go wherever duty seems to call. This is the case with several of my most active friends. Now is the time for the fruits of faith to appear, and I rejoice that they do appear. I write as from the brink of eternity; and if I die suddenly, and have not another opportunity of writing, I beg you, and the society at large, to take care of my wife and children; and I pray God to draw your hearts towards them, and be to them fathers, guardians, and friends, and I believe He will. He knows, for He knows all things, that I have endeavoured, though feebly, yet sincerely, to serve Him, and He will not abandon His servants, nor their seed. Praise, honour, glory, and thanksgiving be unto His name! All my accounts with you, and with the Bible Society, stand fairly written out in two separate books, by which, at a glance, it will be seen how matters stand.”
The history of the following month can be written only by his own pen. The directors of the London Missionary Society he thus addressed, on the 20th July, O.S., 1831 : —
“Honoured and Beloved, — The dealings of our heavenly Father with me for the last few weeks have been peculiarly solemn! Tears have been my meat day and night. My wife and myself, and our children and servants, have been brought very low, and two of my darling children are numbered with the dead. These trials came upon us so rapidly, that I’ was struck dumb. I was overwhelmed. My flesh trembled for fear of His judgments, yet my heart cleaved to Him as my God, my Father, and my Friend.
“My mind is now regaining its tranquillity, and my poor frame is daily recovering strength, and I feel that it would be a relief to write to you. I shall therefore give you a distant view of the scenes through which we have passed.
“A little before brother Swan left us, we received 300 rubles from our dear friend, J. D. Lewis, Esq., for the express purpose of procuring a summer residence in the country; and thither my wife and children repaired, on
Tuesday the 2Gtli of May, O.S. I stopped a few days with them now and then, as circumstances permitted, and found it very invigorating after the busy scenes of a long winter.
“On Wednesday the 17th of June, there was great alarm in the city, on account of the cholera. It was reported that the city would be shut, and a cordon placed round it. Three families near us immediately returned to town, that they might procure medical aid if needed, &c. My duty was plain as it regarded myself — I ought to be with my flock; but it was not so plain respecting my family — for it is a serious step to take a family, in full health, into a place infected with disease. We thought and prayed much on the subject; and on Thursday evening I addressed a few friends on these words, ‘I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.’ We then committed ourselves into His gracious hands, and determined not to be separated from each other, but to go and try to do what we could for the honour of God, and the benefit of our suffering fellow-creatures.
“Friday the 19th, we returned to town. The disease was going on with its ravages; but nothing particular happened among our friends until Wednesday the 24th, when Mrs. Dixon, one of our earliest friends, was attacked, and was soon thought to be dying. I went to see her, and took, as I thought, my last farewell — but she is now recovered.
“25tJi. — My dear little Joseph was seized with convulsions. These are alarming at all times, but were rendered peculiarly so at present. But this was not enouQ-h. God had more in reserve to exercise our faith and patience, and love and resignation. About midnight, Mr. Venning’s steward sent us word that he was seized with cholera, and entreated us to come to him. We ran — and after consulting for a few minutes what should be done, I hastened for a doctor and found one, who administered immediate assistance and relief. By the prompt aid afforded to this man his life was preserved. Indeed, in almost every instance where immediate aid could not be procured, the patient died. I remained up all night to watch, lest the malady might take any sudden change. This, together with the circumstances of my dear suffering child, greatly affected me. But I was not permitted to rest: for early on Friday (26th) a note came from Mrs. Chapman, the excellent mistress of our Lancasterian school, written with her own hand, saying that she was very ill. Our good friends Mr. Gellibrand and Mr. Mirrielees immediately went to her, and procured for her all possible assistance — but, alas! it was all of no avail. This was a dreadful day in St. Petersburg. Among the hundreds of people who were attacked with cholera, T never heard of one who recovered. A kind and excellent doctor came home at night and wept like a child — every one whom he had visited that day died under his hands. Dear Mrs. Chapman left a delightful testimony. She rejoiced in God her Saviour. On Saturday morning, at four, she expired. Dear Mrs. Gellibrand took her little orphan daughter to live with them. In the afternoon I performed the funeral service, and, together with the members of the school committee, accompanied the body to the ground expressly appointed for persons who died of cholera. Here the scene was truly awful. Numerous coffins were resting, some on carts, and others on the ground, waiting till graves could be dug for them. We procured two men to dig a grave for our friend, and saw her committed to dust in sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal life. Little did I then think that her grave would soon be opened to receive one of my sweet boys — but so it came to pass.
“About ten in the evening I returned from the funeral, and found my wife unwell. This was Saturday night. My next business was to go in search of a doctor, and happily met with one at home. He ordered bathing, bleeding, &G. This kept me up all night. A dear Christian friend watched with us. It was a good preparation for the pulpit, as far as it respected the subject, but it exhausted my strength. Our morning service was thinly attended. Some were sick, others were watching, and others were afraid to venture out. My text was, ‘Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when lie cometh, shall find watching.’ It was my last text; and I have often thought since that I should never preach again. Monday passed over pretty peacefully; but on Tuesday, the 30th, my little Joseph was seized with symptoms nearly resembling cholera; yet we fondly thought that children were exempt from the malady. The night came on, and the child grew worse. It was a night long to be remembered. It was spent in watching and prayer. The dear little fellow frequently said, * I thirst and I believe he never repeated it but I thought of the Redeemer and His agonies, and drew comfort from His dying love. At four the following morning, when the child appeared to be dying, I called my wife into the adjoining room, where our other two boys were sleeping, and we kneeled down together, and once more gave up ourselves and our offspring to the Lord, committing in an especial manner the spirit of our Joseph into the Saviour’s hands. Ah! dear fathers and mothers, who have been bereaved of your children, you will understand what were our feelings. And now, while we stood in silence waiting to see the child expire, another wave was preparing to roll over us. A sound from another quarter pierced our hearts — ‘Johnny is seized!’ This seemed like a sword in our bones. I hastened to a dear friend, Mr. Ropes, from America, who was now staying with us, and begged him to arise and help us. Two doctors came. My wife, and servants, and friends were employed in bathing, rubbing, blistering, &c., this lovely boy, while I was left to watch and weep over the other dying child. The cholera made dreadful havoc on John. He seemed death-seized, and amidst tears, and sighs, and groans, and efforts of no common kind, he sank into the arms of death before noon. So rapidly did death execute his commission! In the evening, our friends conveyed his body to the cholera burying-ground, and placed him in Mrs. Chapman’s grave. ‘Glory be to God! Glory be to God! Glory be to God!’ were the only words which my wife and myself could utter, when we saw ourselves so suddenly bereaved; and I hope these will be the burden of our song through the ages of eternity.
2P” My heart sinks at the recital, but I must go on. At this moment, when we needed every assistance, our servant-man became alarmed, and requested his wages, that he might go to his family in the interior; and I was actually compelled to dismiss him when the undertaker was putting my darling John into his coffin. Thus wave after wave rolled in upon us, redoubling all our woe. But this was not all. As soon as the corpse was carried out of the house, my beloved wife, who had rallied all her strength to nurse her lovely children, immediately sank, and was confined to her bed for several succeeding days. I felt amazed and bewildered, and threw myself on my couch, to compose my troubled mind for a few minutes; but another wave was preparing. I had scarcely laid my head on my pillow, when a person came and aroused me with, ‘Your kitchen-maid is attacked with cholera!’ * Is it possible?’ said I. ‘Is it possible V 1 really trembled. There was no time for reflection. If I thought about anything at all at the present moment, it was this, ‘Surely God is going to make a short work of it with us; but we shall not be lost; for He is our God.’ We ran to the kitchen, and found the woman sujffering, and gave her powerful medicine. Two doctors were called in; and, I rejoice to add, she is now convalescent.
“My house was now in complete confusion and distress. One child dead — another in the agonies of death — my wife confined to her bed — and one servant also sick in bed.
“The next morning dear Mrs. Mirrielees took our eldest and now only child, to reside with them.
“On Saturday, about mid-day, our sweet little Joseph expired; and in the evening, our friends carried him to the grave, where he rests with his dear sister — our first-born. I was now unable to support myself any longer; both body and spirits were exhausted. I took to my bed also, and was much afraid of cholera, though the fear was checked at the commencement, and was not permitted to prey upon me. As my dear partner and myself lay bemoaning our afflicted state, and endeavouring to comfort each other with the consolations of the gospel, we looked around and rejoiced to see our pious nurse Erena still spared to us. But, as if to complete the scene of our distress, about midnight this faithful servant was also seized. Now the house was turned into an hospital; and we were thrown into the hands of strangers.
“Thus, in the course of ten days, my happy, healthy family was shattered in pieces; and we are now attempting to repair the wreck against another storm. When tlio.t will come, God only knows.
“During this short sickness we have had seven doctors, as we were happy to call in the first we could meet with. Three silent Sabbaths have been our portion. This has grieved me, but we cannot resist -the will of God. I believe that the best relief for a preacher with an afflicted mind is to preach; but the duty of a preacher with an afflicted body is to be quiet; for by attempting to preach when he is unable, he may injure his usefulness through all his future days. On this plan I have acted. We are now in the country, but I hope to be able to preach next Sunday.
“The scenes which I have attempted to
describe seldom fall to the lot of one man. In reviewing them, I tremble and rejoice. There is much in them to make me tremble, but I also behold many things to call for my loudest praises.
“1. I believe that, from the beginning of our distress until now, we have not uttered a rebellious word, nor cherished one murmuring thoughts We have felt, and felt deeply; but we have been wonderfully supported, and strengthened, and comforted. The High and Holy One has not forsaken us — no, not for a moment; and we can recommend Him to all future sufferers as a very present help in time of need.
“2. None of our particular friends who live near us were afflicted, and they were incessant in their attentions, night and day. Had they or their families been sick, they could not have attended to us, and then we Should not have known where to look for help.
“3. It was a great mercy that we could procure people to work for us in the room of our afflicted servants. If the people had taken the alarm, as we were afraid they would, then no one would have come near us, and we should have perished alive. Oh, if the Lord had continued his strokes only a few days longer, we can easily perceive how deplorable our situation would have been!
“4. It was very consoling to us that two of our spiritual children — good Mrs. Mickleson, who sold her watch to buy Bibles for the Finns, and our pious nurse — were enabled to perform the last kind offices for our John and Joseph.
“5. Though we know of no other family who have been afflicted like ourselves, yet we do not view it as a mark of the Almighty’s displeasure. Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and we bless Him for His fatherly chastisement. May it make us more than ever the partakers of His holiness! ‘Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he pruneth it.’ He has pruned off two boughs from us at a stroke, but our prayer is that it may render us more fruitful. It became the Moral Governor of the world to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings, and we hope and pray that our sufferings may be so sanctlfied as to render us fitter instruments for bringing many sons unto glory. Pray for us, dear fathers and bretliern! Pray that this may be the happy result of the Lord’s dealings with us. Amen.”
The Princess Metschersky expressed the solicitude and the trust of many hearts when, at the close of this storm, she wrote: — ‘*Are you all alive, my dear friend, are you all safe? Yes, you are all safe under the mighty arm of our heavenly Father; but in this time of trial — in a moment when His chastening hand plunges every human feeling into dread and grief — in these sorrowful hours are your souls in peace And although Mr. Knill could not reply that he and all his loved ones were “alive,” he could affirm that all were “safe “and” in peace.” “Dear Madam,” he asks of his now widowed friend, Mrs. Rooker, does not heaven appear more desirable since you had three children and a husband there? Although we wish to be there, chiefly because we shall be ’ ever with the Lord,’ I do not think our heavenly Father is angry with us for cherishing the anticipation of unmingled bliss with beloved relatives. I believe I never thought so much of heaven as I have done since mj Julia, and John, and Joseph were there, and in this way I think the dispensation has worked for my good.”
As soon as his mind had attained to some degree of tranquillity, he drew up an interesting account of his son John,”* which was published by the Religious Tract Society. The charming simplicity which pervades the little sketch led to its extensive circulation in the Russian, Mongolian, and other languages; and every testimony to its usefulness sent a fresh tide of gratitude through the father’s heart.
Of his tracts generally, Mr. Knill afterwards wrote — “My first effort was one entitled, ‘The Influence of Pious Women in promoting a Revival of Religion.’ It found favour, and after being published by the Tract Society, was translated into my old language, the Tamil, and God blessed it at Travencore. I went on sending home papers, whenever circumstances occured which afforded good his-
* “An Account of John Knill: by his Father.”
torical notices. Some were printed by the American and English societies, and others by private persons at their own expense, and they are now moving through the world, in ten languages — the numbers printed already amounting to between six and seven millions. Oh, the wonder-working God! I stand amazed at the grace that taught my heart to love, my head to plan, my hands to work! It has frequently been my happy lot to meet with persons who have been awakened, directed, comforted, and I hope saved through these humble messengers. Mr. Jones, of the Tract Society, told me that they printed an edition of thirty thousand of the ‘False Hope ’ for the London City Mission, because the representations of its usefulness compelled them. In the blessing of God on these tracts, I have noticed much of the Divine sovereignty. For instance, I wrote ‘John Knill ’ to comfort bereaved parents; but God blessed it to the conversion of a man in Newgate under sentence of transportation. Lady Pirie took me to see him. Again, I wrote ‘The Dying Thief and the Dying Saviour,’ with a hope that it would be blessed in our prisons; but two geutlemen of high moral character were converted by it, who have entertained me in their mansions, and given me the cheering acccount with their own lips. Should not every young minister be stirred up to write short pithy tracts, and hope for the Divine blessing on them?”
The return of the Rev. AYilliam Swan, with the early ships, cheered the little Christian circle in St. Petersburg, and gave Mr. Knill an opportunity of prosecuting visitations among the English sailors in Cronstadt, in which he had always delighted. “I have lived,” he says, on 31st of August,” on board ship, and have not been up to the town at all. The congregations have been large, and deeply interesting; but the field is so vast — about one thousand English and American ships with about ten thousand men, annually — and demands so many kinds of labour, that my heart is almost
full of it I find the sailors in general
very destitute of good books, and I am most desirous to supply a thousand men next summer, if I live, with a copy of such a work as
Baxter or Doddridge, which they may call their own, and take them as a chart and compass over the great ocean of life. I have ordered five hundred volumes, at my own expense, to be ready for next spring’s ships.”
These interesting and useful visits were necessarily terminated on the approach of winter; but the same agency which closes the seaward, facilitates the landward communications. When the snow mantle descends on the green cupolas, the bronze statues, and the gravelled promenades of the city, the rugged highways of the country become paved in a style which renders travelling a luxury. The passenger-steamer therefore, in which he had been made free by the generous owner to navigate the Xeva all the summer, was now exchanged for the sledge: and the diligent Siberian missionary, being detained by the labour of copying a recently discovered version of the Scripture, Mr. Knill was enabled to visit periodically several neighbouring villages, in which English artisans were employed by the Russian government. In these excursions he took deep inter-SHADOWS OF THE PESTILENCE.
est, and his visits were always hailed with gratitude, tliongli no lengthened memorials of them remain.^
The winter proved to be one of unusual sickness and mortality among the English residents in St. Petersburg, and Mr. Knill was called, in the midst of all his energetic labours, to follow several beloved friends to the grave, some of whom had been among his most intelligent and affectionate coadjutors in every good endeavour. After such a season of gloom and sickness, the genial airs of the spring were more than usually welcome. Tlrey brought with them, too, a new prospect and a new mode of life. In the month of May, he received from the directors of the London Missionary Society a request that he would visit England, and devote some time to the work of representing the society, and stirring up a missionary spirit through the country. In making this proposal the directors appear to have been prompted by a desire to afford to him some change after the sorrows and toils he had
* At Alexandroffsky, one of those villages, a church was formed, which now maintains an English pastor of its ownundergone, as well as by a knowledge of his remarkable adaptation to the work to which they called him. He, at the same time, was the more inclined to accede to their request, as a desire which he had long cherished of having a chapel for the exclusive use of his congregation was now more than ever likely to be realized, and the time had come when application for pecuniary aid might be properly made in England. The hand of God thus seemed to him to be in the proposition. “Your letter,” he writes to the Rev. William Ellis, on the 18lh January, 1833, “overwhelmed me. I opened it in the street, and wept aloud when I read that part which referred to my return to Britain, and could not help saying, ‘Lord, thou knowest I am not equal to this. It is too much. The directors have formed too high an opinion of me, and their hopes will be blasted.^ Yet this will not prevent me doing what I can. I have had two or three meetings with my friends about it, and I shall leave for England as soon as possible.”