A new path across an old field

Preface

IT was the good fortune of the author of this volume a few years ago to enjoy the pleasure of a visit to the Old World. Whilst abroad, and after his return, he fulfilled an engagement in writing a series of letters for a well-known religious periodical. Unexpectedly to him, these letters were received with general favor. The author has been frequently urged to publish them in book form. After repeated solicitations from many in whose judgment he has more confidence than in his own, he has concluded to comply with what seems to be a general desire. This volume, however, contains much more matter, and in improved form, than originally appeared in public print.

One of the many benefits to be derived from a trip to Europe is the appreciation of our own free institutions, civil and religious. In this country all have the privilege of rising to the highest distinctions in Church and State With us religion is not hampered by state interference, nor are armies marshaled to uphold the '^divine right" of kings. After seeing what we did of Europe, we have learned to love and cherish more sincerely our own land,

VI PREFACE.

where freedom in its best form works out the happiest results.

The writer gives his own observations with fairness and candor, so that the reader may see exactly what he saw, and travel hand-in-hand with him. Hoping this unpretentious volume may be kindly welcomed, we send it on its mission, trusting that it may serve a good purpose, and meet with a generous appreciation.

H. C. H.

March, 1SS6.

COl^TEB'TS.

PACK

Chapter I. — The Good-bye — Sea-faring — The Magnificent Ship— The Lord's Day— The Fourth of July— President Garfield — The Great Sorrow — Over the Sea — Lessons of the Sea — On a Foreign Shore 11

Chapter II. — On British Soil — The Stranger in a Strange Land — The Scenery along the Way — Chester — Stratford-on-Avon — The Birthplace and Home of Shakespeare — London — British Channel - Ostend — Brussels . 21

Chapter III, — In Belgium — Antwerp — An Amusing Incident — Germany — Harvest Scenes — Cologne — On the Rhine — Some of its Legends — Mayence 30

Chapter IV. — Worms — A Welcome Greeting — The Luther

Monument 4S

Chapter V. — Heidelberg and its Environs — The Great

Castle — The University — Barbarous Customs 51

Chapter VI. — Harvest Scenes — Rural Life — Military Rule — War Relics — Strassburg — A Vexed Strassburger — Its Wonderful Cathedral — Its Famous Clock — Gutenberg — The Gcethe House 58

Chapter VII. — From Germany into Switzerland— An Encounter Between the Conductor (Zugfiihrer) and a Passenger—Bale — Berne — Its Curious Monumental Fountains — Its Bears — In Switzerland — Interlaken 65

Chapter VIII. — In Switzerland — Interlaken — The Beautiful Sunset — An Excursion — Grindelwald — Its Glaciers — Lauterbrunnen 72

Chapter IX. — Interlaken to Lucerne — The Brunig Pass —

Alpine Scenery — Lucerne and its Beautiful Lake ... 79 (vii)

Vm CONTENTS.

PAGE

Chapter X —Lake Lucerne— William Tell — St. Gothard

Pass — Its Passage — Over the Alps Into Italy 85

Chapter XI. — Lake Maggiore — Arona — Milan — Its Cathedral 92

Chapter XII, — Venice — The City of the Sea — Gondolas and Gondoliers — Its Canals and Bridges— Priests and Females — St. Mark's Cathedral — Its Bronze Horses — St. Mark's Place — Ducal Palace — Bridge of Sighs — The Prisons — Rialto Bridge — The Campanile — Pigeon Feeding — The Streets of Venice — Its Stores — Its Beggars — The Venetian People — A Sail on the Adriatic 99

Chapter XIII. — Over the Apennines — The City of Florence — Pitti Palace — Savonarola — Palace Vecchio — Uffizi Galleiy — Church of Santa Croce — Michael Angelo's House — A Funeral Scene • 120

Chapter XIV. — Rome — The Palace of the Caesars — Arch

of Titus— The Coliseum— The Cathedral of St. Paul. . 129

Chapter XV. — More About Rome — St. Peter's — Remains of Pope Pius IX. — The Pope's Unpopularity — The Ticket Agent — The Vatican — The Appian Way — In the Catacombs 137

Chapter XVI. — Our Last Day in Rome — Churches and Festivals — Pilate's Staircase — Indulgences — The Pan- . theon — Victor Emmanuel's Tomb — The Mamertine Prison — Paul and Peter — The Indignant Guide — The Capitol — Emancipated Rome 147

Chapter XVII.— From Rome to Naples— The City of Naples — Its People — Pompeii — The Buried City — The AVork of Excavation— Old College Friends— The Testimony to the Writings of St. Paul 155

Chapter XVIII. — Mount Vesuvius— Its Ascent by Moonlight — The Carriage-way — The Rope Railroad — The Incident at the Battle of Gettysburg — On Foot — The Encounter with Professional Guides — Across the Sulphur Beds — The Burning Mountain — The Final Ascent — Looking into the Crater — The Subterranean Thunders — Oar Retreat — The Beautiful Prospect of Land and Sea— What Volcanoes Can Do 164

CONTENTS. IX

PAGE

Chapter XIX. — From Italy into Switzerland — Some Reflections — Pisa — Genoa- — Turin — Over tlie Alps — Mont Cenis Tunnel — Geneva — John Calvin's House — Mont Blanc 174

Chapter XX. — From Switzerland into Germany — The Land of Luther — Darmstadt — A Misfortune — Frankfort- on-the-Main — Eisenach — ITrsula Cotta — The Luther House — German Hospitality — The Wartburg — The Luther Room — The Famous Inkstand Story 182

Chapter XXI. — The Land of Luther — More About Eisenach — Wittenberg — Luther's Home — The Castle Churcli — Luther's Grave and Melanchthon's — Bronze Statues — Melanchthon's House — The Sleeping Dead about the Stadt Kirche (City Church) — Burning of the Papal Bull — The Wittenberg Seminary, in the Augusteum — Dr. Schmieder — Pen Picture of Luther. ....... 192

Chapter XXIL — Berlin — The Capital of Prussia — Unter den Linden— The Palaces — Thiergarten — Frederick William and Queen Louisa — Oppressive Military System — German University — Beer and Wine Drinking — The German People — An Incident — Prussian-Franco Love 205

Chapter XXIIL— In France— The City of Paris— Its Cleanliness — Its Stores — The Boulevards — The Inward and Outward— Its Great Public Square — Place of Concord —The Champs Elysees 213

Chapter XXIV. — More about Paris — The Triumphal Arch — Bois, or Park of Boulogne — Louvre — The Great Art Gallery — Hotel des Invalides — The Tomb of Napoleon I. — Tomb of Jerome Bonaparte — Luxembourg Palace — Hotel de Ville, or City Hall 221

Chapter XXV. — Paris Continued — A Parisian Sunday — A Pleasant Surprise — The Churches — The Notre Dame — Hyacinthe Loysen — The Madeleine — Sainte Chapelle — St. Bartholomew — The Prisons — Versailles — Marie Antoinette — An Accident — Sympathy for the President 229

Chapter XXVI. —From France into England — Rouen — Joan of Arc — A State of Tribulation — On the British Channel — Brighton — Rev. F. W. Robertson — London

Contents

PAGE

— The Sombre City — Its Streets — Tlie Great Commercial Centre — The March of Improvement 239

Chapter XXVII.— London— St. Paul's Cathedral— The Whispering Gallery — Westminster Abbey — The Temple of Fame — The Plouse of Parliament — The House of Commons — The London Tower — Consecrated Places — The Jewel Tower — The Crown Jewels- -The Unfading Crown . : 248

Chapter I

THE GOOD-BT — SEA-FARING — THE MAGNIFICENT SHIP — THE lord's day — THE FOURTH OF JULY — PRESIDENT GARFIELD — THE GREAT SORROW — OVER THE SEA — LESSONS OF THE SEA — ON A FOREIGN SHORE.

THE long looked-for day and hour finally arrived, and on the morning of July 2d5 we found ourselves on board the magnificent steam-ship The City of Berlin^ Inman Line, New York. At 9 a. m. she steamed away from her pier with her rich cargo of human freight, bound for Liverpool. Many good-byes had been said, and not a few moistened eyes kept gazing after us as we pulled from shore, and long continued the waving of handkerchiefs to friends on the vessel. Though you. are about to realize the pleasure you have so long anticipated in seeing the Old World, yet you now become conscious of a sense of sadness as you stand on deck and watch your native shores as they fade in the distance. You feel that you are leaving home and going to a strange land to be surrounded by new scenes. You cannot be oblivious to the fact that you are about to pass beyond the "great and wide sea" that separates the Old and

New worlds. But the novelty of the situation soon brings with it a contentment as well as courage which help you to say,

'^'O happy ship, To rise and clip, With the blue crystal at your lip."

Among the first things in which you are interested, after having passed out to sea, is the vessel to which you have entrusted yourself for a voyage. In this regard we were soon satisfied that we had made no mistake in selecting the vessel we did — The City of Berlin. She is among the largest mercantile steam-ships afloat. Her gross measurement is five thousand four hundred and ninety-one tons. She is five hundred and thirteen feet long, forty-five feet beam and thirty-six feet depth ; is five thousand five hundred horse power, and steams sixteen knots. She is supplied with steam by twelve boilers, which are heated by thirty-six furnaces. She consumes ninety tons of coal each twenty-four hours. She has ample accommodations for one thousand seven hundred passengers, of which sufiicient space is allotted to accommodate two hundred first-class or saloon passengers. Her saloon is a noble apartment, measuring forty-four by forty-three feet, has four ranges of tables, and provides comfortable sittings for all her cabin passengers. It is lighted with electric light by night, and in day time by an elegant cupola sky-light, the walls of w^hich, like the ceiling of the saloon, are painted and panneled in white, enriched with gold mouldings. The carved work is the finest finish of walnut. Her state-rooms are luxurious, and nothing remains undone in all her apartments that can possibly minister to the comfort of her passengers. She may well be denominated a "naval mansion," a "moving palace." She is also an admirable sailor, rolls but little, but cleaves her way day by day, and night by night, at a grand, steady pace. Of her it may be said in the language of Byron :

" She walks the waters like a thing of life. And seems to dare the elements to strife."

Besides this, her Captain, James Kennedy, is an experienced and most affable commander, having made nearly five hundred passages across the Atlantic, and followed the sea for thirty years. With such surroundings in such hands you cannot feel otherwise than a sense of assurance. You are as well provided for as it is possible to be on sea, and are content to commit yourself to the fate of your noble ship.

As to the rank of our passengers, they are polite, refined and affable, to a degree seldom, if ever surpassed. Our nationality is various — the English, the Italian, the Spanish, the French, and the ubiquitous American. We are also not without a sprinkling of nobility, having on board His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, Major-General Sir Henry Green of the British army, and Lady Green. Then the dozen parsons, representing almost as many different denominations, are not to be despised.

How about sea-sickness? Personally, we escaped.

The sea tossed us gently, and what little of this strange

tribulation prevailed, was mostly confined to the ladies,

whom we pitied very much. The first few days the sea remained almost a perfect calm, the sky being cloudless, and, with the exception of a few small blows and some rain, we had delightful sailing. While our friends at home were sweltering with heat and seeking cool and shady retreats, we were clad in heavy winter robes, and it was difficult to realize that it was July. Some days seafaring was rather monotonous, there being nothing but sea! sea! sea! Other days it was quite to the contrary. Now and then a phantom ship was seen in the far distance, where the sea and horizon meet. Then again the great monsters of the deep, appearing in large numbers on all sides of our vessel, were the occasion of much interest, and frequently of considerable excitement.

The lessons of the sea are many. Perhaps the first and most abiding is its immensity. When on the sea, to a Bible reader the words of the Psalmist at once occur — ''This great and wide sea." No plain of earth is so boundless or so beautiful.

*'The eagle's vision cannot take it in ; The lightning's wing, too weak to sweep its space, Sinks half way o'er it, like a wearied bird. It is the mirror of the stars, where all Their hosts within the concave firmament Gray marching to the music of the spheres, Can see themselves at once."

You have some sense of the vast extent of the ocean Avhen you stand on the land and stretch your vision across to the farthest horizon ; but you have a much profounder sense of its vastness when, from the deck of a ship in mid-ocean, as night is coming on, you gaze around on the watery waste. This is the hour in which you exclaim :

" How slial] pen picture thee, thou lonely sea ; Awful in thine untracked immensity?"

But every observer of the sea must be struck with its changefulness and unrest. Every atom of it is constantly moving and changing its place, from the depth to the surface, or from the surface to the depth, from the frozen pole to the burning equator, or from the Torrid Zone to the Arctic Ocean. No wonder that in Scripture and in the poetry of all nations the sea is the emblem of endless unrest. Its waters — those barren, wandering fields of foam going moaning round and round the world with apparently profitless labor — seem at first to speak of nothing so much as unbridled power, tumult and strife, anarchy and rebellion. Who does not see in them the picture of an evil soul — a soul unreconciled to God — a soul across which strong gusts of temptation drive, and which is tossed by its own boiling passions ? Truly saith the prophet, " The wicked is like the sea, which cannot rest."

Much might be said on the mystery of the sea. We feel as we pass over it and look at it, that it is a great secret world of wonders. , Oh, secret and mysterious sea :

" Thou hast pearls of price untold, To light thy ruby cells ; And splendid wrecks, and mines of gold, 'Mid rainbow-colored shells."

Life itself is not unfrequently spoken of as a sea, and surely the sea mirrors the life of a man. And all are on this great and wide sea. Some have only moved their boat a little way from the sunny shores; others are well out in mid-ocean, riding over its billowy waves amid storm and tempest ; while others are well nigh over, and are rapidly approaching their "desired haven." Though all are on this sea of life, not all are on it in the same manner. Not all have taken Christ with them. Some refuse His companionship, and in the joyfulness and gayety of their hearts, seem not to need the presence of such a Friend. Now hope is bright, and the spirit free and buoyant. While the sun shines and the wind is low and the sea calm, they drift away on the wide waste of waters, dreamily watching the silvery foam hills, or are looking onward over the bright expanse. No sad forebodings oppress the soul; the dark and lonely shores of death are unseen, and the roar of the breakers unheard; and if, at times, the cry of some shipwrecked one comes fitfully on the breeze, it soon dies away in the great space above, and they dream on and on ; and thus they sing and float purposelessly on, and fancy they are sailing, and Hope pointing their barque to the land of prosperity and happiness. But the tide sweeps on to the gloom of eternity, and all the while they are drifting, drifting away,

"Gliding away, away, To the throne, to the Judge, to the awe, To the book of the broken law."

Then there are those who arc on this great and wide sea of life in close companionship with Jesus. He is on the vessel with them. His word the winds and the sea obey. Amid storm and calm, sunshine and cloud. He is their refuge and strength. The fair haven beyond awaits them. Their vessel can never sink nor be destroyed ; it carries Him who is greater than the sea and mightier than its storms. They are carried forward to the future times, the period when the earth shall be " full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea ;" to the " sea of glass, mingled with fire," on which shall stand the victors over the beast, having the harps of God ; to the day when the sea shall give up the dead that are in it ; and to that yet more glorious day, when in the new heaven and the new earth there shall be " no more sea." the glad day to every anxious, struggling soul to get home to God ! — that after having been tossed and rocked on the high waves of the sea of life ; having braved its mighty perils, and endured hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, and for many long days and weary years looked anxiously for the shores of the better land, they shall behold its peaceful haven, and anchor safely in its protecting care ! Then,

" Calmly rest ! where every storm is hushed To peace, and cloudless skies are beautified With everlasting day ! Soft is the light That glances on their brows, and pure the gales That breathe their music there— the light, the breath. The melody of Heaven."

The amusements on board the ship were various ^- some innocent enough, and others sinful. The gambling and drinking were bold and disgraceful. We were glad to know, however, that the Christian sentiment among our passengers was so strong and positive in its condemnation of these evils that the gaming was not allowed on the second Lord's day we were at sea.

The religious services on ship-board were impressive and well attended. Though a number of clergymen were on board, there was no sermon, the captain reading the service of the Church of England. In the evening there was a preaching service on the deck of the vessel, which was greatly enjoyed by all present. How natural that as our hearts communed with God on the far-off sea, we should also think of loved ones at home. These also worshiped the same Almighty Father who has made both the land and the sea. How many devout and earnest prayers ascended up to Him who "holds the winds in His fist and the sea in the hollow of His hand," that He would give us a safe voyage, and bring us into our " desired haven."

Though out on the broad Atlantic, we had a "glorious Fourth of July," even on a British steamer. At 7 A. M. the " Stars and Stripes" were unfurled to the breeze at the main-mast of ouTr vessel, and almost simultaneously the " Union Jack" on the mizzen. Then went up a hearty cheer for both by the passengers on deck, declaring very decidedly and beautifully the friendly relations existing between the two countries. One countryman who possibly lived too much in the past refused to mingle his voice in a cheer that included the British flag, on the ground that that flag had done his country an injury. Besides flying the Stars and Stripes, we had Fourth of July speeches and appropriate recitations in the saloon at night. It was something to be an American on the sea, and even on board a British vessel. All that was wanting to make this a perfect Fourth of July celebration were the fire-crackers. The wonder was that no one of our number was thoughtful enough to bring some along.

On the eighth day of our voyage, in the afternoon at four o'clock, the cry went up, " Land in sight 1 " All below rushed on deck, and there to the larboard in the far distance loomed up the cliffs of Skelly, on the coast of Ireland. An hour later and we see Cape Clear, Brown Head Signal Station, and Rochie Point. Soon came in sight the beautiful green fields and hills, and an unbroken view of the coast of Ireland. How welcome the sight of land ! How lovely the scenery on which we now gaze!

The shades of night now gather over us, and darkness covers sea and sky. In an hour later we are safely . brought into the harbor at Queenstown. How soon our joy is turned into sorrow by the sad news that reached us that the Brittanica^ of the White Star Line, was lost in the Irish channel. But almost in the same moment still sadder news comes — the report of the assassination of President Garfield. The sorrow was universal on our ship. The moaning sea seemed to mingle with the sad hearts that wept over this great sorrow. All on board were deeply touched by this calamity, and few retired until after midnight. We sought comfort in the hope that the President would survive and be spared to the American nation.

In the afternoon of the ninth day of our voyage we were safely landed in Liverpool. With good will to the noble ship that brought us safely over the deep, and Ty^ith

20 A XEW PATH.

gratitude to a kind Providence that guided it in its watery path, we went on shore. After going through the formality of having our luggage examined in the Custom House, we were ready to take the train, on the Great Western Railway, for Chester.

Chapter II

ON BRITISH SOIL — THE STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND — THE SCENERY ALONG THE WAY — CHESTER — STRATFORD-ON-AVON — THE BIRTHPLACE AND HOME OF SHAKESPEARE — LONDON — BRITISH CHANNEL — OSTEND — BRUSSELS.

AT once things began to appear strange to us, and we were introduced to things both new and old. For instance, we looked for a ticket office, and upon inquiry no one could tell us what that was. One gentleman said he never heard of such a thing. Above a door we saw in large letters, "Booking-House." We thought of a book store, and seing a good many people going into this place, we followed suit, and soon found that this was the ticliet office, but in England is known as the " Booking- House." So we had ourself " hooked^ This is the old phraseology still retained of former stage-coach days, well remembered by our older citizens ; and the English people being very tenacious of old customs, prefer the "good old" term "booking." In the days of public travel exclusively by stage coach, and before railroads were built, the name and destination of each passenger were written in what was^ called the " way-bill," being in a small book form, with black cover, and generally carried in the driver's side pocket. Thus a passenger was "booked" from M. to H. We had ourself "booked" from Liverpool to Chester. 2* ( 21 )

The next new thing to us in our ''New Path" was the construction of the railway cars. They are much smaller than ours, and made into compartments, two seats in each, and facing each other, having capacity for eight persons. There are three such compartments in each car, which, in all, carries twenty-four passengers, being about half the capacity of one of our cars. Then there are first, second and third classes, and you pay according to the class you take. There is a saying that " fools and Americans travel m first class;" we took the second, and sometimes the third. It is said that Gladstone, the great English statesman, being asked why he rode in third class cars, replied, ''Because there isn't a fourth." AVhilst all the cars which we occupied were comfortable, yet none of theto had the comforts and conveniences of our American coaches. Ours are much to be preferred. Think of it — locked in a small compartment, with low ceiling, one small window for air in the upper half of the side door by which you enter the coach, no bell-rope to pull in case of need, and no water in the hot days of July. These are only some of the luxuries you enjoy on .the coaches of the English railway. The precaution with which railroads are constructed in some parts of the Old World is much to be commended. Thus, in England the tracks are never laid across the country roads, always either over or under. In Germany every highway, across which a railway track is laid, is guarded by a gate, and has stationed by it a watchman to open and close the gate as trains approach and depart. This is protection against accident and loss of life.

Then, too, the conductor's duties are performed, amid the greatest perils. He cannot pass through the cars in collecting tickets, but is obliged to pass over a narrow platform ten inches wide, which encircles each car outside, and thrust his head through the window of the coach; The wonder is that not many more of these officials lose their lives in the performance of their duties.

It gives us pleasure to mention the gratifying fact of the extreme politeness, both in England and Germany, of all railroad officials, and especially so that of the ticket, agents and conductors. At an English railway station, or booking-house, you ask for a ticket — in Germany, for a "billet," i. e., a ticket also — and the agent heartily thanks you for your money. Did any one ever know of such a thing in our country ? So you show your " billet" or ticket on the train, and the conductor thanks you in the politest manner. We have met with railway conductors in our country who might learn a good deal in this particular. Politeness costs nothing, but shows good^ breeding, and goes a great way in smoothing life's rough path. Never does one feel this more keenly than when wandering "a stranger in a strange land." But kind treatment and polite attention, whether there was money involved or not, were not confined to railroad officials, but we found the same to be true of all classes of people we met. We mingled freely with the people in order to learn the manners and customs of the countries, and, with but two exceptions, received not a single incivility. The English and German people seem specially anxious that foreigners shall think well of their respective countries.

So courteously were we treated by all, that we were almost vain enough to Relieve that the reason for this was the fact that we were Americans. But, while an American is not at a discount abroad, yet the right solution of the matter is, that the people among whom we traveled were by nature well-bred gentlemen. As for ourself, we were not quite sure to what nationality wc belonged, for when in Germany, where Ave filled the office of spokesman and interpreter for our party of three, we were taken once for a Dutchman, another time for a German from Wittenberg, and again, when attempting to speak English, it was presumed we were something of a Frenchman. This was not a little confusing, and was enough to put us on the way of studying our ancestry.

The scenery from Liverpool to Chester, on the Great Western Railroad, is very beautiful. The mossy green of the fields, and hedge rows so carefully trimmed, the sodded and cultivated embankments on both sides of the road, the beautiful flower gardens at almost every station, the stately mansions and open lawns which stretch far around them, all contribute greatly to enhance the pleasure of the wayfarer. The day from Liverpool to Chester was all that we could wish. In the evening we found ourselves resting at the Queen's hotel.

At twilight we took a stroll through parts of this quaint old town, but gave it a more thorough inspection the next day. It is a town full of historic events. It was one of the chief military stations of the Romans, and the last cit}^ in England to hold out against William the Conqueror. The walls, built by the Romans, completely surround the city, a circuit of nearly two miles. As we took an early morning walk over these walls, history at once began to crowd upon us. There we see, among the first historic marks, the Phoenix Tower, which bears the inscription : " King Charles stood on this tower, September 24, 1645, and saw his army defeated on Rowton Moor." In walking through this city, one is at once struck with the curious and unique features of what are called the Rows or Arcades. Besides the ordinary pavements of the streets, there is a continuous covered gallery through the front story of the houses. On this '• upstairs street" all the better class of shops are situated. We found it to be true, as one had said about this feature of the town : " Great is the puzzle of the stranger as to whether the roadway is down in the cellar, or he is upstairs on the landing, or the house has turned itself out of window." Everything looks old ; the castle, the houses, the cathedral, all things were full of interest to us. In this old but beautiful cathedral Dean Howson, whose learned works are well known to all scholars, has long preached the pure Word of life. Within its ancient walls Ave stood by the side of the tomb of John Pearson, who is the author of the well-known work, " Pearson on the Creed." But I dare not detain you with these things and many more which I saw, and that were so full of interest to me.