On Nov. 1st we left Brünn, and went to Prague, the capital of Bohemia, 135 miles distant, where Mr. Müller preached six times, including an English meeting on Nov. 3rd, at the Presbyterian Church, and two services on the 6th and 7th, in German, at the American-Bohemian Chapel, with translation into the Bohemian language, by the pastor, Mr. Clark. At most of these meetings, nearly half the hearers were papists, several of whom (we heard) were deeply impressed by the preaching of the gospel. Information also reached us, whilst at Prague, that much blessing resulted from my husband's ministry at Pesth.
Prague has a population of about 163,000, out of which number 12,000 are Jews, who live in the Judenstadt. The city contains 50 Churches, 22 Chapels, 17 Convents, 2 Protestant Churches, 11 Synagogues, and more than 300 Factories. John Huss used to preach at St. Gallus Church; but he, and his friend Jerome of Prague, were eventually burned at Constance, as heretics.
After a visit of a few days only, on Wednesday, Nov. 8th, early in the morning, we left for Dresden, Saxony, viâ Bodenbach, on the Bohemian frontier; travelled through a district (called from its mountainous, picturesque character the "Switzerland of Saxony"), and reached Dresden in the afternoon. There, in consequence of letters not having reached the persons for whom they were intended, no meetings could be arranged for Mr. Müller until Sunday evening, Nov. 12th, when he preached in English at the Presbyterian Church. On the 14th he gave an address in a drawing-room, at the house of Col. Rose, and on the 15th held a meeting in the large saloon of Braun's Hotel.
On Nov. 16th we went to Leipsic, where, the following evening, he spoke at a drawing-room meeting, held at the house of Dr. König; and on the 18th addressed about 200 students at a Hall in the city, in the presence of some of their professors, and a few other gentlemen. On the morning of Sunday, the 19th, he spoke to 300 children, some students and other persons, at Dr. König's Sunday-school; and in the afternoon at 5 o'clock, preached at the American Chapel, in English.
During our short visit to Leipsic, the winter set in with great severity, and snow fell the greater part of each day that we remained. This city is the great centre of the German book trade; it has 300 booksellers' Establishments, representing 4,500 firms; 300 hand- and steam-presses, and a Booksellers' Exchange.
On Monday, Nov. 20th, we left Leipsic for Halberstadt, and early in the afternoon walked through the town (a quaint, old-fashioned one) to the Cathedral School, which is near the spot, formerly occupied by the buildings, where, in his youthful days, my husband went to school. We visited the fine, old Protestant Cathedral also, containing the altar, at which, when a young man, he received the Lord's supper for the first time.
The next morning, a carriage conveyed us to Kroppenstädt (where he was born), twelve miles distant, when he remarked that the road leading to this town looked much the same as it did when he was a boy, except that fruit trees have since been planted on each side of it, instead of poplars. At Kroppenstädt (visited on this occasion for the first time since his childhood), Mr. Müller held two meetings at a large Hall, when (by particular request) he gave an account of his life and labours, and preached the gospel also, fully and faithfully at the same time, to the inhabitants of his native place, who flocked to hear him in such numbers that the building was crowded to overflowing. These two meetings were very precious ones. Early on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 23rd, we visited the house in which he was born, and then drove to Heimersleben, three miles distant; where the pleasant dwelling that became his home after his parents had removed from Kroppenstädt, looked much the same as it did many years ago.
On the afternoon of that day we left Heimersleben, and proceeded to Berlin, 110 miles distant, where, on Sunday evening, Nov. 26th, he preached at St. Johannes Kirche, Alt Moabit, to a large congregation; and held meetings at Christus Kirche the three following evenings. On the 30th Nov. he spoke at the Vereins Haus, and on Dec. 1st preached at the Hall of the Moravian Brethren. The afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 3rd, was devoted to a meeting for 100 Sunday School children, at the house of some Christian ladies; and in the evening at 6, he preached again at St. Johannes Kirche, Alt Moabit. At a drawing-room meeting held at the house of Mr. Gärtner, on Dec. 2nd, he addressed about 80 gentlemen and ladies, and on the 5th preached at Jesus Kirche in the evening, from John xiv. 13, 14. On the 6th and 8th he held meetings again at this church; spoke at the Hall of the Moravian Brethren on the 7th; and on Sunday, Dec. 10th, preached at Jesus Kirche in the morning, and at St. Johannes, Alt Moabit, in the evening. The congregations at all these services were generally large.
Early on the morning of the 11th we left Berlin, and travelling by rail viâ Schneidemühl, arrived at Dantzic (a large, fortified town in Northern Prussia, beautifully situated close upon the Baltic, 284 miles from Berlin), in the evening at 6.45. Here Mr. Müller preached twice at the Hall of the Moravian Brethren, four times at the Garrison Church, and once at the Baptist Chapel. At Dantzic he found two of his old Christian University friends, both of whom, after having been 50 years ministers in the town, had celebrated their Jubilee. The intercourse he had with them was of a very pleasant and profitable character.
On Thursday, Dec. 21st, we rose soon after 5; left Dantzic by an early train for Dirschau, and arrived at K[oe]nigsberg in the afternoon at half-past 2. There, on Dec. 21st and 22nd Mr. Müller preached in the evening at a large Hall to upwards of 500 persons; on the 23rd he gave an address at the Moravian Church, and on the 25th (Christmas day) spoke again at the same place. On the morning of the 26th (second Christmas day in Germany,) at half-past 9, he addressed an immense audience of 3000 people at the Tragheimer Kirche, a large building which was crowded to the utmost; and in the afternoon spoke at the Moravian Hall, where hundreds could not get in for want of room. On the 27th he preached again at the Tragheimer Kirche; and on the 28th held a meeting at the same church, which was his closing one at K[oe]nigsberg.