Egypt, Palestine, Asia Minor, Turkey
AND GREECE.
Fr(m August 23rd, 1881, to May 30th, 1882.
AFTER remaining in Bristol for eleven weeks, on August 23rd, 1881, we set off for Dover on our eighth missionary tour; crossed over to Calais on the 24th, went on tx) Paris, and, having started for Switzerland on the 25th, arrived at Berne on the 27 th.
After Mr. Müller had preached many times there, had held meetings at Mannedorf, Wadenschwyl, Zurich, Basel and Stuttgart, having been led, through the advice of a brother in Christ, to decide on visiting the Holy Land, on Thursday, Oct. 20th, at 2 p.m., we embarked at Marseilles, in the steamer “Said,” for Alexandria. My husband had had it particularly laid upon his heart to comfort and encourage the missionaries from Great Britain, America, Germany, Switzerland, and other countries, who labour in the East, because their trials and difficulties are great; and he desired to visit some of the German colonies, that he might preach amongst them, and encourage the German pastors in their work. After leaving Marseilles, the weather for eighteen hours was very rough, but, as the wind gradually abated, the sea became calm * the ship was anchored in the Bay of Naples for a few hours, and at half-past 2 on the afternoon of Oct. 26th we landed at Alexandria.
Here the Scotch minister, the German pastor, and the German deaconesses showed us much kindness; and, during the ten days that we remained, Mr. Müller had a considerable amount of work. He preached repeatedly in German at the Prussian hospital, held meetings in English at the Scotch Free Church, addressed the children of the Scotch Jewish Mission Schools, and the children of the American United Presbyterian Mission Schools, and preached at the German Church.
On the afternoon of Nov., 3rd we went by rail to Kamleh, six miles distant, which has a cooler climate than Alexandria, and contains a few handsome residences, where some of the wealthy inhabitants of the city live. On the way we passed four Cemeteries, one Jewish, another Catholic, a third Greek, and the fourth Mahometan. The tombs in the Mahometan burying ground were of an Oriental character, and very unlike monuments erected over graves in European Cemeteries. We passed a palace belonging to the KJiedive or Viceroy of Egypt also. A large grove of palm trees laden with dates had a most luxuriant appearance. At Eamleh, at a small chapel, Mr. Müller addressed a congregation of Catholics, Jews and Protestants, who understood English; and on the 4th, at the Scotch Mission School, conversed with several Jewish girls, by means of Arabic translation.
In going to and from the meetings, we noticed the great variety of costumes worn by persons who passed us in the streets. Loose, white garments, and red, turbans, with gold ornaments were worn by the Turks; most of the women were closely veiled, so that their eyes only could be seen; and a few had veils arranged in such a manner, that one eye alone was visible. Brass ornaments too, fixed between the eyes, were generally worn by i*7irveiled women, which disfigured their countenances much. Most of the poor walked about barefoot, and some Arabs, in thin clothing, slept soundly, as they lay stretched at full length by the side of the pavement in the streets. During our short stay at Alexandria the heat was great; as late in the, year as the beginning of November, the thermometer sometimes registered 90 degrees, and the flies and mosquitos were most troublesome.
On Nov. 4:th Mr. Müller preached a farewell sermon at the Prussian Hospital, in German, and on the 5th we went by rail to Cairo, where he preached for the German pastor, and held meetings in connection with the American Mission; openings for service being numerous in this city as well as at Alexandria.
On Nov. 9th we set off early in an open carriage, with a dragoman as interpreter, to see the Pyramids, ten miles from Cairo, which are reached by a good road under a shady avenue of trees; and a little before noon alighted near” the great pyramid of Cheops, 460 feet high, which was erected as a tomb, about 30 centuries ago, when its construction employed 100,000 men for twenty years.
The exterior of this pyramid was once smooth, but it is now rough and uneven, presenting 206 steps from one to four feet high, by which an ascent to the summit is made. From this point the view includes the Nile, the minarets of Cairo, the plain where the French defeated the Mamelukes, the site of Memphis, the great African Desert, a multitude’ of tombs, and two other Pjnramids. From Gizeh to Memphis, on the west side of the Nile, about 70 Pyramids can be counted, all burial places of kings, with tombs and chapels adjoining them. A quarter of a mile from the nearest Pyramid, lies the Sphinx, a stone lion 102 feet long, now heavily buried in sand, having a human face 18 feet in length; but the head and part of the neck only are now visible.’* Our walk to the Sphinx was oppressively warm, for the sun shone with a brightness that was dazzling. The heat and glare too, from the sandy ground on which we trod, made the atmosphere around like the hot air issuing from an oven. Troups of Bedouin Arabs congregate in the neighbourhood of the Pyramids, who flock around strangers and volunteer their services as guides.
Besides visiting the Pyramids, before our departure from Cairo, we walked through the Museum, which contains a valuable collection of Egyptian curiosities, consisting of statues, pottery, manuscripts of the Pharaohs, and other relics, some of whiph are supposed to be nearly 4,000 years old; but the most remarkable objects in the Museum are the mummies. These are embalmed bodies, principally of Egyptian Kings, recently discovered, and amongst them (it is said) is the mummy of that great oppressor of the Israelites, the Pharaoh, during whose reign they had so much to suffer, until delivered by Jehovah through his servant Moses.
On Nov. 11th we left Cairo for Ismailia, and from
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there proceeded in a small mail steamer, vii* the Suez Canal, to Port Said, where we arrived two hours after midnight. At this town Mr. Müller preached twice in English; and on Sunday, Nov. 13th, at the former of these two services, were fourteen English sailors who had recently been shipwrecked. Their lives therefore having been so mercifully preserved, he took advantage of the circumstance to press upon them the acceptance of the Gospel. At Port Said he held only one German meeting, upon which occasion fifteen young men and women from Bohemia, who gained a livelihood by exercising their talent for music, were present, all of whom were Roman Catholics. To each a copy of the Bible or New Testament in German was given, and the fourteen sailors were presented with Bibles or Testaments in English. After this German service was over, a meeting was held also for the breaking of bread, where Mr. Müller gave an address in English.
On the following day, at 2 p.m., we went on board a large Russian mail steamer bound for Jaffa, and found that, besides the saloon passengers, there were about 100 Russian pilgrims in the steerage of the ship, accompanied by their priests of the Greek Church, who were all travelling on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. These pilgrims performed their religious services on deck, where they bowed, crossed themselves repeatedly, and turned their faces eastward towards the Holy Land. They looked very poor, and were dirty in their habits and appearance. Each individual belonging to this company was supplied with a copy of the Holy Scriptures in Russ, at a nominal price, by a Scotch Evangelist and a colporteur, who labour for the Lord habitually at Port Said.
After a favourable passage, on Nov. 15th, at 8 a.m., we arrived off Jaffa, on the coast of Palestine, and, as there is no harbour to the town, anchored about a mile distant from the shore; but, on account of cholera at •Mecca, had to remain there for quarantine four and twenty hours. On the 16th, however, at 8 a.m., the Turkish doctors permitted us to land; but the passage from the steamer to the shore, in a boat rowed by eight Arabs, was exceedingly unpleasant, the waves at Jaffa being tremendous when the wind is higL
From the ship’s deck, the town had a striking and even beautiful appearance; but, on walking through the streets, we found them only filthy lanes, and were glad to take up our abode at the Jerusalem Hotel, situated in a pleasant locality, at some distance from the shore. As there is a large German colony at Jaffa, and American and English missionaries reside in the town, Mr. Müller was able to preach both to German and to English congregations, and with Arabic interpretation, when neither of these languages was understood. He preached also at Sarons, another German colony, three miles distant, and held meetings in German at the house of a Russian Baron residing at Jaffa. On Nov. 21st, at the residence of the English clergyman, he addressed about 60 persons at half-past 4; and on the following day preached at a Hall belonging to Miss Amot, a Christian lady from Scotland, who has a large school for Arabic children. On the morning of the 24th he spoke at the Dispensary to a congregation consisting of Mahometans, Jews, and members of the Greek Church, when the Syrian doctor (a. Christian) translated for him into Arabic; and on the 25th addressed 100 individuals, including natives and English-speaking persons, with Arabic translation, at the same place. On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 27th, he gave an address at the Baron’s house in German, and in the afternoon preached for the English clergyman, on the second coming of Christ.
During our walks at Jaffa, we greatly admired the plantations of orange and lemon trees which flourish there luxuriantly; and the high, thick hedges of prickly pears, cactus, etc., which abound, show that the warmth of the climate is semi-tropical; but the town itself consists of poor bazaars, dismal houses, and dirty, crooked lanes, which repel visitors instead of inviting them to sojourn there.
After a sojourn of twelve days at Jaffa, at 7 o’clock on the morning of Nov. 28th, we started for Jerusalem in an open Russian waggon, drawn by three horses; the only kind of conveyance to be obtained, and noticed that between Jaffa and Eamleh, where we stopped for, an hour, the land was tolerably well cultivated, and looked fertile. At half-past 12, as the horses required further rest, we ab’ghted at a little road-side Inn, and in two hours our journey was resumed, when we travelled through a district called in Scripture, the “Mountains of Judaea,” where the aspect of the country became wild and desolate. Palestine, spoken of in the Old Testament as “A land flowing with milk and honey,” and as “Thfe glory of all lands,” is now barren, rocky 9,nd uncultivated; and it is evident that the curse of God rests not only upon the Jews, but upon their anmtrt, also, which is now under Turkish rule.
Nevertheless, the day is coming when Jehovah will remember the land also; for at the return of the Lord Jesus, when Israel as a nation will be converted and restored, “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”.
At length, after a trying journey of twelve hours, over a rough, rugged road, nearly covered with large, loose stones, at a quarter-past 7, we reached Jerusalem and alighted outside the Jaffa gate, because carriages cannot enter the city, as the streets are far too narrow and too badly paved, for conveyances of any kind to be driven along them. At the Mediterranean Hotel, we engaged a pleasant corner room upon the first floor, from which there was a fine view of the Mount of Olives; and the terrace on its flat roof, where we took our daily walkSy commanded an extensive prospect. It included the Mosque of Omar on Mount Moriah, where the Temple formerly stood, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mosque on Mount Zion, which contains the tomb of David, the site formerly occupied by Herod’s Palace, the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, The Citadel, or Tower of David, most of the public buildings in the city, and the Mount of Olives. During our stay at Jerusalem, Mr. MiQler held numerous meetings in English and in German, and preached habitually in these two languages, both with and without interpretation into Arabic. At a church where Arab Christians assemble for worship he preached with translation into that language; at Zion School, founded by Bishop Gobat, he addressed the teachers belonging to it; spoke in English and in German at the Jewish School of Industry; preached six times in part of a building called St. John’s Palace, now fitted up as a German chapel; gave an address at the lecture room of the English Church; spoke to the children of a Syrian Orphanage outside the city, two miles distant, with Arabic interpretation; addressed 108 Arab girls in German twice at the Talitha Cumi boarding school; spoke in English, without translation, to 135 boys and several gentlemen and ladies at Bishop Gobat’s school; attended a Dorcas meeting two afternoons, where he addressed a considerable number of ladies, in German; spoke a second time at the Syrian Orphanage with Arabic interpretation; and upon two diflferent occasions addressed the patients at a small hospital for lepers outside the city. He spoke twice also to the patients of another hospital.
Jerusalem, when compared with European cities, is now only a small town, round which the traveller may walk in less than 50 minutes, containing a population of about 28,000, which includes the Jews, of whom there are 8,000. These Israelites are generally very poor, and settle in Jerusalem, because money is frequently sent there from Europe by wealthier Jews for the relief of their poorer brethren in Palestine; but, at the present time, there is no indication whatever of any gathering of Jews on an extensive scale from other countries to their own land. The missionaries who labour amongst them meet with comparatively little encouragement in their work, for the number of true converts from Judaism to Christianity is extremely small, a fact mentioned, not as a discouragement for service, but to stir up Christians to prayer. Since our return from Palestine, hpwever, these brethren have been more successful in their labours, and have had great cause for thankfulness.
On the afternoon of Dec. 3rd we joined a party of English friends, and rode on donkeys to Bethany, a mile and a half distant, the English clergyman kindly acting as our guide. On our way we crossed the Brook Kidron, saw the Garden of Gethsemane, now enclosed by a wall; and visited the cave, hewn out of a rock, where it is supposed Lazarus was buried. An old ruined house, said to have been the dwelling place of
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Martha, Mary and Lazarus, was also pointed oat.
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From the summit of the Mount of Olives the view embraced a portion of the Dead Sea, 25 miles distant, the plain of Jordan, the well-watered plain which Lot chose for himself, the Mountains of Moab in the distance, the neighbourhood of the Cave of Adullam, and a small part of the river Jordan which flows into the Dead Sea. The weather was magnificent; after sunset the whole scene was lighted up by the full moon which shone brilliantly, and coming down the Mount of Olives, we had the finest view of Jerusalem that is to be obtained from any point. The Garden of Gethsemane, containing eight very old olive trees (considered by some, from their ancient characteristics, to be coeval with the period of our Lord’s history on earth), we passed both on our way to and from the Mount.
On the morning of Dec. 9th we rode on donkeys to Bethlehem, six miles from Jerusalem; and, after lunching in a cloister of the Latin Convent, visited a church erected on the spot, where, according to tradition, the manger stood, in which after His birth our Lord was laid. During our stay at Jerusalem, we had opportunities also of visiting the various places of interest for which the city is celebrated. The Via Dolorosa, the Mosque of Omar (built on the site formerly occupied by Solomon’s Temple), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (erected, according to tradition, on the spot where our Lord was crucified), Absalom’s Pillar, the Pool of Bethesda, the site of Herod’s palace, the ruins of the Castle to which Paul was taken, and the Pool of Siloam, were all visited in turn. One of the most memorable places in the city is “The Wailing Place of the Jews,” where, every Friday afternoon, shortly before sunset, they assemble to bewail the calamities that have befallen their land and city. On Dec. 2nd we saw about 200 Israelites gathered close to some immense old stones, the remains of the Temple it is supposed, which, after praying and bowing repeatedly, with tears in their eyes, they kissed.
About one third of the present small population of Jerusalem (28,000) consists of Mussulmans; the rest are Jews, Christians of the Greek, Armenian and Roman Catholic Churches, and a very few Protestants. There are 25 Convents, 10 Monasteries, and 3 large Synagogues within its walls. The Jaffa Gate, situated near the Citadel, or Tower of David, is one of the principal entrances to the city, and the southern portion of the town, between the ancient Temple and part of Mount Zion, is the quarter occupied by the Jews.
In the streets of Jerusalem, day after day, we saw numbers of men, women and children standing about half-naked, or clothed in miserable rags; and strangers cannot walk a short distance even, without being besieged for alms by the beggars that abound, not a few of whom are lepers. They hold up their disfigured hands and arms, and, pointing to their dreadful sores, follow visitors persistently, entreating them, in piteous. lamentable tones of voice, to have compassion on, and to help them.
Whilst at Jerusalem, from the windows of our room, we saw many funeral processions pass, when the remains of the deceased were borne along, either in open coffins, or in coffins with glass covers to them; and on Dec. 23rd the funeral of a child, belonging to the Greek Church, took place outside the city walls, whose body was lowered into the grave vnthout a coffin.
As there are no carriage roads in Palestine, with the exception of the one from Jaffa to Jerusalem, being unwilling to undertake long journeys of many miles on horseback, in order to visit the numerous places of interest usually resorted to by strangers, we did not travel any further into the interior of the country; but, after remaining at Jerusalem for nine weeks and two days, on Feb. 1st, 1882, returned to Jaffa. There, heavy gales of wind and violent storms of rain, which lasted several days, detained us until Feb. 8th; the weather became also unusually cold, and as there were neither stoves nor fireplaces in the rooms of our Hotel, because fires are seldom wanted in Palestine, we suffered greatly from the wintry climate.
During this our second visit to Jaffa, Mr. Midler again held meetings for the Germans; and on Wednesday, Feb. 8th, the violence of the gales having to some extent abated, we embarked for Haipha (or Kaifa) on the coast of Palestine, about 70 miles north of Jaffa. Our passage, however, in a small boat, to the Austrian steamship “Flora,” lying at a considerable distance from the shore, during weather still tempestuous, was most trying and even dangerous; for, after sailing over heavy breakers, and getting clear of the rocks, our boat was tossed about upon the waves for nearly half an hour; and, after at last we reached the ship, a favourable opportunity of getting a footing on board, to be seized just at the right moment as the boat was lifted upwards by the waves, had to be closely watched for, when one after the other, at the risk of our lives, we had to spring on to the steep ladder staircase that led up towards the deck. At 2 o’clock the vessel sailed, and on the evening of that day, at half-past 9, we arrived off Haipha, where, in consequence of the roughness of the sea, and our distance from the shore, it became a question whether we should disembark at all; but after considering the matter, and praying over it, we resolved to brave the disagreeables and land. Some time elapsed before the boat, which had been sent ashore with passengers, returned; but soon after midnight, with less discomfort than had been experienced at Jaffa, we were rowed safely to the beach. There, some German brethren were waiting our arrival with an open waggon, in which, during torrents of rain, we were conveyed to the Hotel du Mpnt Carmel, a mile and a half distant, where we arrived soon after one o’clock.
The little town of Haipha is beautifully situated, on the sea shore, close to the foot of Mount Carmel. During the twelve days of our visit there, Mr. Müller preached