On the morning of Wednesday, the 6th of March, we left Florence for Rome, and arrived there in the afternoon at a quarter before 5. The next morning at a prayer meeting in Via San Nicola da Tolentino, Mr. Müller gave his first address in Rome. On the 28th, he held a meeting for Christian Workers in Via delle Coppelle; spoke at the Brethren's Hall at a meeting for the breaking of bread on Sunday morning, the 30th, and preached in the evening at Mr. Wall's Chapel. On the 31st he conducted a service at the Oratorio Evangelico, and subsequently preached at various places of worship including the Tempio Evangelico, the Presbyterian Church, the Waldensian Church, the Sala Cristiana, the American Baptist Chapel, the Italian Free Church, a Hall in Via della Scrofa connected with the Tempio Evangelico (where a service for Italian soldiers was held), the Italian Free Church, and the Wesleyan Chapel.
During our stay in Rome, we visited the Catacombs. There are about 60 in all, which extend in various directions, outside the walls of the city. "They consist of subterranean excavations, which served as places of refuge and worship to the earliest followers of the Christian faith, during the persecutions they had to suffer under the predecessors of Constantine, and where, after death, many thousands were interred, from the earliest period of Christianity to the sixth century of the present era."
We visited St. Peter's also, the Vatican, drove along the Via Appia, by which the Apostle Paul entered Rome, and saw the Arch of Titus. The Coliseum (which originally accommodated 87,000 spectators) is likewise a remarkable ruin. "The caverns in which the wild beasts were confined are still in existence, and the gladiatorial spectacles, of which for nearly 400 years it was the scene, are matters of history. In the reign of Trajan, Ignatius was brought there from Antioch, on purpose to be torn in pieces by wild beasts; and great numbers of martyrs perished on its arena." The Basilica of the Lateran—which we visited also—was long regarded as the first of Christian Churches, and styled by an inscription at the entrance, "The Mother and Head of all the Churches in the world!" One of the sights of Rome, too, is the Scala Santa, where eleven penitents were ascending a long flight of 28 marble steps upon their knees. This Scala Santa is the celebrated staircase up which Luther, before his conversion, was once working his weary way, when these words, "The just shall live by faith," seemed to reach him like a voice from heaven.
Before our departure from Rome, we visited the Basilica of San Paolo likewise, a vast marble Cathedral, erected on the spot where—according to tradition—the Apostles Peter and Paul embraced each other before they were led away to execution—the former to be crucified with his head downwards, the latter to be beheaded.
The Church and Monastery of the three Fountains, the Baths of Caracalla, the Columbaria—remarkable ancient burying places for the remains of the dead, after they had been burned to ashes—the Pantheon, the Column of Trajan, the Arch of Septimus Severus, some curious old aqueducts, the ruins of the palaces of the Cæsars, and other famous antiquities, we also saw; but the sights of Rome are so numerous and celebrated, that no minute description of them can be attempted, especially as our visits to those just mentioned were most brief and hasty, compared with the time usually devoted to them by strangers. The ruins of Rome—once proudly called the "Eternal City"—plainly show "that the fashion of this world passeth away, and the lust thereof." "He (and he only) who doeth the will of God, abideth for ever." What a blessed thing it is to have "no abiding City" here, but to look for "the City which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
On April 9th, we went to Naples, where, the following morning, at the Chiese Metodista, Mr. Müller addressed about 100 Christian Workers, including pastors, evangelists, colporteurs, Sunday School teachers, leaders of Mothers' Meetings, etc.; and in the evening (by particular request) he held a service in the Bethel Mission ship, for the English seamen of Naples, amongst whom were a few sailors from Bristol, who had expressed a desire that he should address them. On the following evening he preached at the Presbyterian Church, in English, to a large congregation; and, during our stay at Naples, held a number of other meetings, including services at the Chiese Evangelica, the Italian Free Church, the Waldensian Church—where he preached in French, with Italian translation—the Chiese Cristiana Apostolica, the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the German Church. He addressed a large class of young ladies also at a school, both in English and in German.
During our stay at Naples, we visited the ruins of Pompeii, 14 miles distant, "a city which was partially overthrown by an earthquake, on Feb. 5th, a.d. 63, and destroyed by an eruption of Vesuvius, Aug. 24th, a.d. 79. Pompeii was overwhelmed by showers of pumice stones and ashes, no current of lava having ever reached it; but through the excavations that have been made, a large portion of the city has been disinterred. Many of the houses still standing, were probably built before, or during, our Saviour's life on earth." We saw the ruins of Herculaneum also, a city destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in a.d. 79, when it was destroyed by torrents of volcanic mud.
The Solfatara, a semi-extinct volcano near Naples, is a remarkable locality; and the spot where the Apostle Paul, after touching at Rhegium, first landed in Italy, was particularly pointed out. We likewise saw the road along which he travelled on his way to Rome, of which the ancient pavement, composed of massive blocks of lava, in some places is still perfect.
On April 21st—accompanied by Mr. Gray, the pastor of the Presbyterian Church, who kindly acted as our guide—after driving through Naples, Portici, and Resina, we slowly ascended the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, which is about 30 miles in circumference at its base; and, whilst going up the steep incline, marked a gradual decrease of vegetation, until great lava fields, consisting of immense black boulders, and enormous quantities of lava, cooled, and hardened into the most fantastic shapes, were reached. At 2 o'clock we alighted at the Hermitage, and afterwards walked towards the eruptive cone, but made no attempt to reach its top. The distant view, however, was very beautiful, and the surroundings on every side were grand. A Museum at the Observatory contains a valuable collection of minerals from Vesuvius, some volcanic bombs, and a few curious scientific instruments, amongst which is an "eisograph" for measuring the duration and violence of earthquakes, so constructed that the precise time of their duration can be measured with the greatest accuracy. Before leaving the Museum, we heard that a gentleman, whilst in the act of mounting the cone of Vesuvius, had just died suddenly of apoplexy, brought on by over exertion during its ascent; and a short time afterwards several men passed us carrying his corpse down the mountain in a chair. He appeared to be about 45 years of age, and was sitting upright, with his head hanging over the left shoulder. His countenance was deadly pale, and life was quite extinct. The sight was both solemn and affecting.
On the evening of April 24th, my husband gave a farewell address in English at the Presbyterian Church, when at the close of the service, Mr. Gray, on his own behalf and that of the congregation, publicly expressed his gratitude for "Mr. Müller's valued ministry" amongst them. Our visit to Naples was a very happy one, and the meetings were of a most important character.