Sixth Tour
UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
Frmi August 27th, 1879, to June 17 th, 1880.
AFTER remaining ten weeks in Bristol, where Mr. Müller attended daily to business connected with the Orphan Houses and the other branches of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and was occupied with his usual ministry of the Word at the three Chapels with which he is connected; having seen it to be the Lord’s will that he should again visit the United States, on Wednesday, August 27th, 1879, we went to Liverpool, and, on the following afternoon, sailed on board the “Germanic” for New York. During the first few days of our voyage, we had very rough weather; but, when the wind abated, the sea became calm, and our passage was a favourable one upon the whole.
On Friday evening, Sept. 6th, at the request of the passengers, my husband gave an address in the saloon, and on the 6th, at 4.20 p.m., we landed at New York.
There we stayed at theEossmore Hotel until Sept 20th, but Mr. Muller did not commence his work before the evening of Sunday, the 14th, when he preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church, South Second Street, Brooklyn, about six miles distant.
The following evening we went to Newark, nine miles distant, when he preached at one of the churches to a German congregation, held a Germ meeting at New York on the 16th, preached at Newark in English the next evening, and on the 18th and 19th conducted services in German at New York.
On Sept. 20th we left for Morristown, New Jersey, where he held several important meetings, and at Drew Theological Seminary addressed the students, 91 in number, for an hour and ten minutes. About nine months afterwards, one of the hearers, a gentleman who has since become the pastor of a church, told us, the blessing he had received, through this address, was so great, that he had experienced something like a second conversion by means of it He added, that about one half of the other students also were similarly blessed upon the same occasion.
On Sept. 26th we returned to New York, and proceeded thence, vi Po’keepsy and Albany, to Troy, 157 miles distant, where, at the “Climbers’ Rest” (a house standing on a steep hill in a beautiful situation, the residence of a gentleman who hadkindly invited us to be his guests), we remained during our stay. At Troy Mr. Müller preached several times to crowded congregations, and on the 29th attended a meeting of about 80 pastors from the city and neighbourhood, whom he addressed for an hour and a quarter. He visited Troy Orphan Asylum also, spoke to the children, and held one meeting at Lansingburg. On Oct. 4th we went to Albany, and proceeded afterwards to Saratoga Springs, a beautiful and salubrious spot, much frequented by the Americans, at both of which places my husband preached repeatedly, and gave addresses at pastors’ meetings likewise. His last service at Saratoga Springs was held at the First Baptist Church, on the evening of Oct 14, when he preached from 1st Thess. V. 16, to a large congregation. The meeting was a very precious one.
On the 16th we left Saratoga Springs, early in the morning, and travelling vii Schenectady, Utica, Rome and Syracuse, arrived at Dr. Foster’s Sanatorium, Clifton Springs, 175 miles distant, in the evening. As this establishment is a Christian centre, much resorted to by the Lord’s people from various parts of the United States, we remained there until the 23rd; and, during our stay, Mr. Müller conducted family worship every morning in the Chapel belonging to the Institution. He preached in the evening also, to congregations consisting of invalids, visitors, and persons from the neighbourhood. On Sunday evening, Oct. 19th, his subject was the Second Advent, on which he spoke for an hour and a quarter with great liberty, earnestness and joy, breaking out during his discourse into fervent prayer that “Christ would graciously revive the Church, and arouse His slumbering Bride to look, and watch, and wait for her absent Lord’s return.” The solemnity with which he spoke was particularly noticed, and the subject was one in which many took a lively interest.
From Clifton Springs we went on to Rochester, where he preached at St. Peter’s, the Plymouth, the First Presbyterian and the Baptist Churches; and on Sunday evening, Oct. 26th, at the large Brick Church, addressed an overflowing audience, when more than 1,000 people were unable to obtain admittance.
On Oct. 28th we went, vii Niagara Falls, to Hamilton, Canada, on the shores of Lake Ontario, and afterwards to Brantford, at each of which places Mr. Müller held several meetings. At Hamilton also, at the Music Hall, he addressed the inmates of a Blind Asylum, 71 in number, and at Brantford, besides visiting an Institute for the children of North American Indians, to whom he spoke, called upon the widows at a Widows’ Home, and addressed them likewise.
On Nov. 8th we left Brantford for Toronto, where, in the afternoon at Shaftesbury Hall, he addressed 400 Sunday School teachers, and held a meeting in the evening for 200 young men belonging to the Young Men’s Christian Association. He preached also on the morning of Sunday, the 9th, at Sherborne Street Methodist Church, addressed a Bible class at Shaftesbury Hall in the afternoon, and preached for an hour in the evening, at Knox Presbyterian Church, to about 1,500 persons. On Nov. 10th he gave two addresses, in the afternoon and evening, at Shaftesbury Hall, and one address every afternoon in the week besides; preached on the morning of Sunday, the 16th, at the Central Presbyterian Church, and, on that evening and the next, addressed large audiences at the great Metropolitan Church, which holds 3,000. On the former of these occasions the building was crowded to overflowing.
On Nov. 19th we rose at 5, and at 7.12 set oflf on a journey of 333 miles, by “through express” for Montreal, a city which contains a population numbering upwards of 100,000 Papists, and only about 50,000 Protestants, where we arrived at the Windsor Hotel at 9 o’clock that night At Montreal, Mr. Müller preached twice on the Sunday, and every evening in the week, until our departure. His ministry (we heard) was highly valued in that city, and many spoke of blessing received by means of it.
On Nov. 29th, at 4 o’clock, we left for Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion of Canada, 117 miles from Montreal, where we arrived at half-past 9, and on the following day (Sunday) my husband preached morning and evening at the Tabernacle to large congregations. During our short stay at Ottawa, the cold was intense, and there were heavy falls of snow, but we took a drive to the Chaudire Falls, and saw the residence of the Marquis of Lome, who was then Governor-General of Canada. From Barrack Hill, which rises almost perpendicularly to an elevation of 350 feet, the prospect was extensive, and the beauty of the scenery in the neighbourhood of Ottawa is said to be unrivalled. In the neighbourhood of the Falls the frost work was remarkable, and the icicles, several feet in length, formed quite a picture.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, we left .Ottawa for Brockville, Ontario, and on the 5th proceeded to Kingston, at each of which places Mr. Müller held meetings. At Kingston, on Saturday morning, Dec. 6th, he addressed the students of Queen’s College, and in the evening preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the morning of Sunday, the 7th, he held a meeting at the First Congregational Church, and in the -evening addressed an overflowing audience at a mass meeting in the City Hall, where hundreds were unable to obtain admission.
On Dec. 8th he preached again at the City Hall; gave an address at a pastors’ meeting on the morning of the 9th; and in the afternoon we returned to Toronto, 170 miles from Kingston, and arrived there at 11.15 that night. At Toronto, having been particularly invited to attend the Conference meetings at Shaftesbury Hall, on the following morning (Dec. 10th) we were present at the opening prayer meeting, when the Hon. Vice-Chancellor Blake was President. From 10 to 11 Mr. Mtiller gave an address on “The inspiration of the Scriptures,” and was followed by the Rev. W. J. Erdman, of Jamestown, New York, who spoke from 11 to 12 on “The study of the Bible;” a subject upon which he threw out several valuable hints. He spoke, for instance, of the importance of reading the Holy Scriptures with a humble, teachable, receptive mind, prepared to set aside notions, thoughts, and prejudices of our own; to believe aM that God reveals; and to carry ovi the light received. In the afternoon Mr. Robert Cameron of Brantford spoke on the Second Advent, dwelling upon the glory of that period, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and remarked that, in apostolic times, young converts, at the very outset of their course, were instructed in the precious truth of His personal return, to which the Scriptures so largely and so definitely point. He reminded his hearers also of the instruction given by the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, namely: — “That the day of the Lord shall not come, except there come the apostasy first, and the man of sin (the personal Antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” Mr. Cameron was followed by Mr. Müller, who spoke from 4 to 5 upon “Christ in all the Scriptures;” and in the evening there were addresses to Christian Workers from Messrs. Erdman, Macleod, Parians, and others.
On the morning of the 11th the attendance at Shaftesbury Hall was large, an Vice-Chancellor Blake again occupied the chair. After half an hour had been spent in prayer, the Rev. E. Harris, of St. Thomas, addressed the meeting; the Rev. P. Macleod, of Stratford, spoke afterwards, and an address from Mr. Erdman brought the morning service to a close.
In the afternoon Mr. Müller’s subject was “The Second Coming of Christ,” when he gave an outUna of the chief events that will precede and accompany that glorious event, and dwelt upon many important truths connected with it. He spoke for an hour and 20 minutes. After Mr. Erdman had followed with his subject, “No Millennium until Jesus comes,” for which there was very little time, “Down life’s dark vale we wander, Till Jesus comes,” was sung with great animation, and the meeting terminated.
In the evening, from 8 to 9, Mr. Müller spoke again upon the Second Advent, when he expounded Daniel vii., and in the course of his address made practical remarks connected with the subject, which took up so much time, that Mr. Erdman (as before) was able to say a few words only on the topic allotted to him; but, as this dear brother in the Lord possessed a gracious, Christ-like spirit, he only said — “I rejoice that Brother Müller. should take the lead, for I feel like Timothy standing by the side of Paul.” As Mr. Erdman subsequently gave us a few interesting particulars about his own conversion and experience, which are instructive, for the benefit of others, it may be desirable to record them here.
When quite a boy he was an ardent lover of his Greek Testament, and used to read it habitually long before he really believed the truths which the precious book contained; but, through his constant study of it, became at length a true disciple of the Lord Jesus. Some time after his conversion, however, when the pastor of a church, he, like many of his brethren in the ministry, wa& so thoroughly opposed to the doctrine of Christ’s pre-millennial advent, that he debated publicly against it. Still, from his early youth he had always been a great lover of the simple word of God, apart from human teaching, and now, in the course of his study of the Greek Testament, was led to see his standing in Christ more clearly than he did when first converted. He found that, by trusting in Jesus, he was pardoned and justified, that he was “Accepted in the Beloved’; and, whilst rejoicing in a full assurance of his own personal salvation, this thought began gradually to steal into his mind — ‘^ Ought I not in the same way to take simply and literally, whenever it is possible to do so, all the statements both in the Old and New Testaments that point to the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and throw light upon that great event f This single ray of light he diligently followed, and his study of the prophetic word eventually led to his becoming as certain that the second coming of Christ will be pre-millennial, as he is of any other truth revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
On Dec. 12th the Rev. Arthur Burson presided at the Conference, when addresses were given by Vice-Chancellor Blake and other brethren. “The subject for the Vice-Chancellor was — “Watch”; the Rev. J. Salmon’s, “Man, as seen in the Old and New Testaments”; Mr. Erdman’s, “Eternal Life”; and in the afternoon, at Shaftesbury Hall, Mr. Müller replied in public to nine written questions that had been handed in, one of which was this — “Are we to expect our Lord’s return at any moment, or that certain events must be fulfilled before He comes again?” His answer was — “I know that on this subject there is great diversity of judgment, and I do not wish to force upon other persons the light I have received myself. The subject, however, is not new to me; for having been a careful, diligent student of the Bible for nearly fifty years, my mind has long been settled on this point, and I have not the shadow of a doubt about it. The Scriptures declare plainly, that the Lord Jesus will not come until the apostasy shall have taken place, and the man of sin, the” son of perdition “(or personal Antichrist), shall have been revealed, as seen in 2nd Thess. ii. Many other portions also of the Word of God distinctly teach, that certain events are to be fulfilled before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. This does not, however, alter the fact, that the coming of Christy and not death, is the great Hope of the Church, and, if in a right state of heart, we, as the Thessalonian believers did, shall * serve the living and true God, and — wait for His Son from Heaven.’”
In the evening Mr. MtQler spoke for 40 minutes on “Walking with God;” some valedictory addresses from the Vice Chancellor and other brethren followed, and after singing — “* Till He come,’ oh let the words,” etc., the President requested “Our dear brother, Mr. Müller, to give the benediction,” when the happy Toronto Conference terminated.
During his concluding remarks, Vice-Chancellor Blake expressed his surprise that pastors and servants of Christ, who minister in word and doctrine, take so little notice of the Second Advent, as nearly “one third of the Bible, either directly or indirectly, points to it.” By most of them the subject is ignored; but “Christ crucified, Christ risen, and Christ coming should be their theme. One important feature in the Toronto Conference was — that instruction was given as to the character of the dispensation in which we live. How important it is to understand that there will be no universal blessing now but that the very opposite of this is to be expected; for iniquity will abound and increase, in the professing Church as well as in the world, until at last “the man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” How earnestly should we seek to walk and to act now, as in the light of the great day of Christ’s appearing!
On Sunday morning, Dec. 14th, Mr. Muller preached at Elm Street Methodist Church; and, at the great Metropolitan Church, addressed an immense congregation in the evening, from John xiv. 16, 17. His subject was the indwelling and power of the Holy Ghost; and he concluded his sermon with a few words of warning to believers not to grieve the Spirit. The unconverted were also solemnly reminded, that — “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” That evening we heard from Mr. Clarkson (pastor of the Sherborne Street Methodist Church) that on Sunday morning, Nov. 9th, when my husband preached for him, there were several conversions amongst his congregation. Referring also to himself, he said — “Your ministry, under God, has greatly quickened me.”
On Saturday morning, Dec. 20th, we left Toronto, and went, viS. Hamilton and Niagara Falls, to Buffalo, on the shores of Lake Erie, in the United States, 120 miles distant. There, on the following day (Sunday), Mr. Müller preached at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in the morning, and at the Central Presbyterian in the evening, where there was a “union service.” During our visit to Buffalo, he held meetings also at the Hall of the Young Men’s Christian Association, at Prospect Avenue Church, the North Presbyterian, First Baptist and Lafayette Street Churches, at St. Peter’s (a large German Church which was crowded to the utmost with a mass meeting of Germans, 2,000 being present), at the new Church of the Evangelical Association, and at Calvary Presbyterian Church. On Dec. 30th, at a meeting for pastors, he addressed about 50, for an hour and 10 minutes, who received him most affectionately, and on Jan. Ith, 1880, preached again at St. Peter’s, in German, to a vast audience of 2,000. In addition to hi& English services, he held four large German meetings altogether.
On Jan. 5th we left Buffalo, and, returning through Niagara Falls and Hamilton, went, vi Paris, to Woodstock, Canada, where, during our short stay, my husband preached at the Baptist, Knox and Methodist Churches, and gave an address at the Baptist College to the students. During our stay at Woodstock, a pastor from Hamilton related to us the following interesting circumstance: —
Several years ago John and Thomas Gain, of Hamilton, (two orphan lads) were converted through going to a Sunday School, which they had been in the habit of attending, and some time afterwards “George Müller’s Life of Trust” was given to them. In consequence of reading this book — having determined to begin business for themselves, and to carry it on by prayer and faith, according to the principles therein so strongly advocated, they began to manufacture paper bags, with addresses printed on them of the men of business by whom the bags were ordered. Desiring, however, to adhere closely to their principle of trust in God, they were most careful to avoid undertaking orders that involved any departure from it, and all Unds of business upon which they could not confidently ask His blessing. This path of faith resulted in prosperity; for the Lord blessed them so abundantly, that they became comparatively rich. John Gain, who has since departed to be with Christ, died triumphantly; but his brother Thomas is still living, and continues to carry on business at Hamilton. The gentleman, who related these particulars, knew them both well, as they were formerly members of the church of which he was the pastor.
On Jan. 10th we left Woodstock, and went to London, Ontario, where, the next morning (Sunday), Mr. Müller preached at Queen’s Avenue Methodist Church, and that evening and the next addressed large audiences at St. Andrew’s. After this last service we were introduced to several persons, amongst whom was the late Rev. Josiah Henson, a venerable negro, with a pleasant expression of countenance, and white hair, who shook hands yith us most cordially. This was “Uncle Tom,” the hero of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a well-known character to many people.
During the remainder of our short stay at London, Mr. Müller held a few other meetings; and on Jan. 17th we left Canada for Detroit, Michigan, United States, where, on the afternoons of Sunday, the 18th, and Monday, the 19th, he preached at Fort Street Presbyterian Church; and on the evening of the latter day at St John’s, a German Lutheran Church, which was crowded. A number of German ministers, too, from the city and neighbourhood were present on this occasion. Whilst at Detroit, my husband preached likewise at the First Baptist, Jefferson Avenue, Central Methodist Episcopal, Simpson Methodist Episcopal and Central Presbyterian Churches; held three more meetings for the Germans, addressed a number of pastors at Lafayette Street Church, spoke at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, on Feb. 2nd, to about 500 Christian Workers, and had five private interviews of two hours each with Dr. Pierson (pastor of Fort Street Presbyterian Church) with reference to his labours in the ministry.
From Detroit, on Feb. 4th, we went to Ypsilanti, at which place Mr. Mtiller preached three times, and addressed about 200 students of the Normal School, or State College, who were being trained for teachers; and from Ypsilanti proceeded to Ann Arbor, where, on Sunday morning, Feb. 8th, he addressed a union meeting of Grermans in their own language at a German ChurcL On that evening also, at the Great University Hall, the largest in the State of Michigan, he attended a mass-meeting, consisting of about 1,000 students out of the 2,000 who belong to the University, and 1,800 persons from churches which had been closed, that their members might attend this service. From the platform of the Hall, a large semi-circular building, just before the sermon. Dr. Brown, of the Presbyterian Church, made a short opening speech, and concluded his remarks by sapng: — “We have for years, Mr. MiQler, been acquainted with your life and labours; we thank God for you; your work has been an inspiration to us, and we now most heartily welcome you to the University and to the Churches of Ann Arbor.” My husband then addressed the vast audience for an hour, and spoke particularly to the students who formed a large portion of the congregation.
The following brief account of this University may here be considered interesting: —
“The University of Michigan, located in Ann Arbor, is one of the noblest Institutions in the land. With fees little more than nominal, and with a standard of scholarship as high as any College or University in the country, it numbers amongst its students natives of every part of the globe. The University buildings occupy a square of ground, each front of which is nearly a quarter of a mile in length. There are no dormitories, all the space being devoted to purposes of instruction. The library is large and constantly increasing; the geological collection is one of the most perfect in the country; there is a fine art gallery; and the medical museum is complete.” Before our departure, Mr. MiQler preached at the Presbyterian Church, and held a second German service on Feb. 10th.
On the 11th we left Ann Arbor for Olivet, but, in consequence of a railway accident, our journey was delayed; and having to pass one night at Jackson on the way, and to drive through Charlotte to another station, we did not reach our destination until Thursday afternoon the 12th. At Olivet, a little village, remarkable chiefly for its College, my husband preached only twice; and on the latter occasion addressed the College students, of whom there were about 300, at the Church belonging to the Institution.
On Feb. 14th we had a long drive to Marshall, 12 miles distant, and then continued our journey by rail to Kalamazoo, 35 miles from Marshall. Here Mr. Müller preached twice at the First Presbyterian Church, and held two union meetings, one at the Wesleyan and the other at the Baptist ChurcL On the afternoon of Feb. 18th he gave an address also at Mount Holyoke Seminary for Ladies, which stands upon a hill in a beautiful situation, at a little distance from the town. On Feb. 19th he held a meeting for the 135 students of Kalamazoo College, and on the 20th we left for Chicago, 142 miles from Kalamazoo.
L — 2
There my husband preached at the First Congregational Church on Sunday morning, the 22nd; addressed about 2,000 Germans at Mr. Moody’s Tabernacle in the afternoon; held German meetings at Farwell Hall on the evenings of the 23rd, 24th and 25th; and on the 26th gave a farewell address to the Germans of Chicago at Mr. Moody’s Tabernacle in the evening. On Feb. 27th, at an evening meeting connected with the Sunday School Teachers’ Convention for Cook’s County, held at Farwell Hall, which was attended by delegates and superintendents from Chicago and other places, Mr. Midler addressed 1,000 Christian Workers for an hour, and was followed by Major Whittle and Mr. Jacobs, who also gave addresses. On Sunday, Feb. 29th, my husband preached at the Tabernacle in the morning, from 2nd Tim. iv. 7, 8, with great help and power, and spoke in the afternoon on the Second Coining of Christ, from the parable of the ten virgins, at the same place.
On the evenings of the 1st and 2nd of March he preached again at the Tabernacle; held a meeting at the Second Presbyterian Church on the evening of the 3rd, gave an address at the lecture room of the First Congregational Church on the 4th, and oh the 5th held a farewell meeting at the lecture room of Dr. Goodwin’s Church. Before our. departure, the German pastors stated that his ministry had been made a great blessing to their congregations.
On March 6th we left Chicago for Milwaukee, the commercial capital of Wisconsin, 85 miles distant, which contains a population of 130,000, two-thirds of whom are Germans. On the following day (Sunday) Mr. Müller preached both morning and evening at Immanuel Church, held a meeting on the 8th at Plymouth Congregational Church, and on the evening of Tuesday, March 9th, addressed a mass-meeting of Germans at the Second Congregational Church. During our stay at Milwaukee, he held three other German meetings, and on the evening of the 11th preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was his last service in that city.
On March 12th, at midnight, we left for St. Paul, Minnesota, 324 miles from Milwaukee; and, after travelling for many miles along the banks of the Upper Mississippi through a beautiful district, reached our destination on the 13th, at 1.25 p.m. After our arrival the cold became so severe, that the thermometer registered 10 degrees below zero, that is, 42 degrees of frost. The next morning (Sunday, 14th), at Immanuel Church, Mr. Müller held a meeting for the Germans, who form Inore than half the population of St Paul; and in the evening a mass-meeting of Germans assembled at the Opera House, where he addressed them in their own language for an hour. On Monday morning, the 15th, he attended a meeting of pastors, and on that evening and the next preached to large congregations of Germans. During the remainder of our stay at St. Paul, he preached in English also at the Congregational, Methodist Episcopal and Baptist Churches, and gave an address at a meeting of ladies one afternoon.
St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota, is on the river Mississippi, 2,082 miles from its mouth at New Orleans, and is the largest city in the State. The Mississippi rises in Minnesota; at its source it is 3,160 miles from its mouth, and passes over more than 18 degrees of latitude.
During our visit to St. Paul the weather was intensely cold, but the air was of the driest, purest, most invigorating character, and is considered particularly healthy even for invalids.
On March 20th we went to Minneapolis, where, on the morning of Sunday, the 21st, Mr. Müller spoke at the Hall of the Young Men’s ChriBtian Association, and preached in the evening at the Plymouth Congregational Church, to about 1,800 people. On March 22nd, at a pastors’ meeting, he addressed 50 of his brethren in the ministry, by whom he was most affectionately received; preached on the 24th at East Minneapolis, on the opposite bank of the Mississippi; held a meeting for the Germans on the 25th; answered written questions at the Methodist Episcopal Centenary Church the following evening, which had been handed in; and on the 27th addressed the students of the College at Minneapolis, 275 in number.
The following note from a pastor at Minneapolis was received after our departure: —
“Dear Brother in Christ, — I cannot express to you the pleasure I have enjoyed in listening to your addresses in this city, all of which, in the English language, I have heard. My faith in God, as the hearer and answerer of
prayer, has been greatly strengthened, and I feel that
through His abounding grace, I have, during the last
week, enjoyed especial nearness to Him, and have been
better fitted for the ministry I, love. I shall ever be
thankful for your visit to Minneapolis, and think of you
and your work with affectionate interest. For twelve
years I have ministered to the church which I now
serve, and Grod has been pleased to give me some souls
as seals of my ministry; but I long to be more like my
Master, and more successful in my work. Gk)d bless
you, dear Mr. MiQler, your beloved wife, and your
Orphanage in Bristol; and may He abundantly prosper
all the labours of your hands. If it shall never be my
privilege to meet you again in this world, I shall hope
to be filled with your company in our Father’s house
above.
Yours, until He come.”
The State of Minnesota, in which St. Paul and Minneapolis are situated, is remarkable for the richness and fertility of its soil. The land is divided into sections which contain many hundreds of acres each, and the field operations carried on are conducted by hundreds of men, who form a little army, and work at the same time, with military order and regularity. The harvesting machines used are so constructed that the com is reaped, gathered into sheaves, bound into bundles, and thrown aside by one single machine; and, as there is no ploughing by hand, at the time of seed-sowing, furrows. seven miles in length, are made across the prairies by ploughing machines which turn up the soil, deposit the grain in the earth, and then cover it over.
On March 27th we left by rail for Northfield, a village in Minnesota, 42 miles from Minneapolis, where on our arrival at the Archer House, we found the wife of a Baptist minister of Faribault kindly waiting to receive us, who, when only 12 years of age was converted at Bristol through my husband’s ministry. The next morning (Easter Sunday) Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church to a crowded audience from 1st Cor. XV.; in the evening, at the Congregational Church, he addressed a union meeting of the various Northfield congregations, and before our departure held a meeting for the Germans at a German Church.
The morning of March 31st was ushered in by heavy thunder storms, accompanied by high wind; but the weather moderated in time for us to reach the station at half-past 8. After passing through Faribault we changed trains at Austin, travelled thence to Plymouth Junction, on one of the great prairies, and at half-past 8 p.m. reached Cedar Eapids, on the Eed Cedar river, 222 miles from Northfield, where we passed the night. The next afternoon our journey was continued, and at 5 p.m. we arrived at Mount Vernon, Iowa, where a roughp covered waggon conveyed us to the village inn. At Mount Yemon in the evening, and twice on the following Sunday (April 4:th), Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church to large, attentive audiences; but as engagements had been made for other places, our visit to this village was of brief duration only.
On April 5th, accordingly, we rose at half-past 4, and at 6 left for Davenport, Iowa; where, after waiting at De Witt for an hour and a half, we arrived in the middle of the day. That evening, and on the 6ih. and 7th, Mr. Müller preached at the German Congregational Church; during the remainder of our stay at Davenport he held meetings at the Methodist Episcopal’ Congregational and Baptist Churches; and addressed about 200 students at the High School besides.
Before our departure, we visited Rock Island, in the Mississippi, upon which a town of the same name stands; and drove through Moline, celebrated for its large arsenal. Rock Island is connected with Davenport by a bridge.
On April 13th we set off for Jacksonville, Illinois; and in the course of our journey south, found the weather become as hot as an English July. At this town, which is 85 miles from Davenport, we arrived at 9.20 p.m.; and, after alighting from the train, were driven to the Dunlap House, about a mile distant from the station. The next evening Mr. Müller preached at the Methodist Episcopal Church to a large congregation, where, as the thermometer was at 80 degrees, its 14 windows and the front doors were left open, that no inconvenience might be occasioned from the oppressiveness of the heat
On April 15th we visited the “State Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb,” a most interesting Institation, where the Principal (Dr. Gillett) condacted us to a large hall, in which the inmates of the Establishment (consisting of 460 deaf and dumb pupils, male and female, and 35 teachers,) were at dinner. All eyes being immediately directed towards us. Dr. Gillett explained at once, by signs and finger language, who the visitors were; and announced that at half-past one, Mr. George MiQler, of Bristol, England, would address the whole assembly in the Chapel; upon which, a young man (one of the deaf mutes) stood up, and with his fingers said — “I long to hear him.” Our attention was then directed to “the happy family ‘’ seated at two adjoining tables, the members of which included a Pole, some Jews, a German, a Portuguese, a Frenchman, a negro, a Swede, an Englishman, an Irishman, a Scotchman, an American and an Italian. At the hour appointed, we went into the Ohapel, which adjoins the Institution, and there, from a high platform (with Dr. GUlett standing close to him, who, with his fingers, interpreted as rapidly as the words were uttered), Mr. Müller preached the Gospel to the large community of deaf and dumb, and afterwards, by particular request, gave a very brief account of the Orphan work on Ashley Down, Bristol, and the other branches of the Scriptural Knowledge Institution. At the close of his address, an attempt was made by the — hearers (can they be called %) to express their satisfaction by applause j but the desire was checked instantly by Dr. Gillett. We then distributed some Gospel tracts amongst them, and afterwards visited the edacational and indastrial departments of the Institution, including a room devoted to drawing, painting, and other artistic employments, in which some of the deaf and dumb pupils excel. All the furniture used in the establishment, and the boots and shoes worn by its inmates, are made on the premises. This is the largest Deaf and Dumb Institution in the world.
Before our departure from Jacksonville, Mr. Müller preached twice at the Presbyterian Church; but, having made engagements for other places, was unable to prolong his visit.
On April 17th, therefore, we rose at half-past 4, set oflF by an early train for Bloomington, Illinois, 90 miles from Jacksonville, and arrived there the same morning at half-past ten. The next day (Sunday, the 18th) my husband preached morning and evening at the First Presbyterian Church, when the congregations were larger than could have been expected, considering the unfavourable weather, which was oppressively hot, with very high wind and rain that fell at intervals in torrents. These storms gradually increased, and on Monday, in the middle of the night, we were roused by a cyclone, which broke over the town. The high wind then became a hurricaniB, the sky was in a blaze with lightning for hours, loud peals of thunder burst overhead, and rain, mixed with hail, swept down upon the streets in a complete deluge. £very moment we expected our windows to be blown in, and feared that a frightful crash in some part of the hotel would announce that great damage had been done; but, happily, towards morning, the wind gradually abated, and at last (through the Lord’s kindness) the storm ceased. For a few days the newspapers contained alarming accounts of this tornado, and mentioned numerous places devastated by it, amongst which was Marshfield, where the destruction was overwhelming.
“This part of the country” (said the “Daily Sentinel,” of Indianapolis) “was visited last evening by one of the most terrific cyclones on record. After passing through several miles of country, it struck Marshfield about half-past 6 p.m., when an eye-witness of the approaching storm described it as a frightful-looking black cloud, lined with fleecy white. It was funnel shaped, and moved like a screw-propeller with wonderful velocity, literally destroying and blowing away everything in its path, which was about half a mile wide, and carrying death and destruction with it. Seventy-eight people were killed instantly, and eighty-five were wounded. Large trees were twisted off, telegraph wires were snapped, houses were blown from their foundations, and what was a beautiful, peaceful, quiet town 24 hours ago, is now a waste of desolation.”
Before our departure from Bloomington, Mr. MuUer preached at each of the two Presbyterian Churches, and held one German meeting.
On April 21st we went to Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, 166 miles from Bloomington, a beautiful city on the western branch of the White River, surrounded by an extensive plain. There my husband preached at the Second and Third Presbyterian, the First Baptist, the Meridian Street Methodist and the German Methodist Churches, and attended a meeting of pastors on the 26th, when he addressed many of his brethren in the ministry for an hour.
From Indianapolis, on April 28th, we proceeded to Cincinnati, Ohio, where, during our visit of 10 days, he preached three times at the Vine Street Congregational Church, and twice at the Central Presbyterian Church; gave an address at the Friends’ Meeting House, conducted three services in the city for the Germans (of whom there are many thousands in Cincinnati), addressed 200 ministers at a pastors’ meeting, and, on the evening of May 5th, preached in German at Immanuel Methodist Church, Covington, Kentucky, five miles distant. Besides these services, on May 1st we visited Mr. Shipley’s Home for Children, where he gave a short address to the young people.
Cincinnati is 861 miles from New York. It extends along the northern bank of the river Ohio, and has a population of between three and four hundred thousand.
From there, on May 8th, we went to Dayton, Ohio, 56 miles from Cincinnati, where Mr. Midler preached the same evening at a German Church. During our stay, he held meetings also at the First Presbyterian and First Baptist Churches, and gave an address at the Hall of the Young Men’s Christian Association.
On May llth we visited the “Central National Soldiers’ Home,” three miles and a half from Da3rton, which consists of a group of buildings more than 40 in number, where, up to that time, 4,245 men had been received, all of whom were soldiers disabled or invalided by wounds, received during the late war. The Brick Hall, which seats 3,000, is the largest dining hall in the United States. As numbers of these soldiers were either walking or sitting about in the beautiful grounds belonging to the Institution, we were able to distribute tracts amongst them. The average expenses of the Home are 400,000 dollars (or £80,000) per annum.
From Dayton, on May 12th, we went to Cleveland, Ohio, 190 miles distant, where, on that evening and the next, my husband preached at the United German Church.
On the 14th we left for Buffalo, and the following day continued our journey to Dansville, Livingstone County, New York, 283 miles from Cleveland, where, at Our Home on the Hill Side,” a Hygienic Institution, we spent eleven days, having received an invitation from Dr. Jackson, the Principal of the Establishment, to be his guests.
There, on Sunday morning (the 16th), Mr. Müller preached at “Liberty Hall” (the Chapel belonging to the Institution), to the patients, and the other inmates of the Home; and in the evening addressed a large, crowded audience, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Dansville. During the week, he conducted morning
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family worship at “Our Home,” and gave one or two addresses at the prayer meetings; and on the following Sunday (May 23rd) preached at the English and German Lutheran Churches.
This Hygienic Institution consists of one large main building, and a number of smaller detached residences, which belong to it. Here, all the natural agencies, such as air, water, food, sunlight, electricity, exercise, rest and recreation, are brought into use for the restoration of the sick, and obedience to the laws of nature is enjoined, as one of the first requisites for recovery.
On the morning of May 27th Mr. Müller gave a farewell address to the inmates of “Our Home;” at half-past 3 we left for Eochester, and in the evening went on to the Sanatorium, at Clifton Springs, 90 miles from DansviUe. There, during this second visit, he preached at the Chapel on the evening of the 28th, conducted family worship on the mornings of Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th, and preached on the evening of the 30th at the Chapel to a large congregation. On Monday evening (May 31st) he preached again at the Chapel of the Sanatorium, gave a farewell address at the same place the following morning, and, at a little prayer meeting in the evening, we were both ’ commended to the Lord for our approaching voyage to England.
As the time for our departure from the United States had now arrived, on Wednesday, June 2nd, at 9.22 a.m., we started, vii Sjrracuse, Richland and Watertown, for Cape Vincent, at the north-east extremity of Lake Ontario; reached our destination at half-past 6, and, embarking in the boat which was waiting, after a pleasant little voyage of eleven miles across the lake, landed at Kingston at half-past 8, and went to the “British American Hotel.”
On the following morning we rose at half-past 3, went on board the steamer “Spartan”, and started for Montreal. The vessel was crowded with passengers, but, the weather being fine, the voyage was delightful. After leaving Lake Ontario, we passed through the “Lake of the Thousand Islands,” as the first 40 miles of the river St. Lawrence are called, surrounded by the most beautiful scenery, reached Ogdensburg in a few hours, and at 4 o’clock went down “the Rapids,” a dangerous passage, formerly considered impracticable, but now, by the help of Indian pilots, successfully accomplished. In the evening, at the close of a long day’s voyage, we arrived at Montreal, changed steamers there, and, after a favourable night passage, on Friday morning, June 4th, at half-past 7, landed at Quebec.
On the evening of that day Mr. Müller preached at the Hall of the Young Men’s Christian Association, but there was no time for him to hold further meetings before our departure for England.
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. Müller 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.