Milan , Italy , Thursday
April 23, 1903
Left Luzerne by the fast express train from Paris at 9.08 a.m., obtained good seats, so as to ensure a good view from either side of the car, It was the first train that we have ridden on for sometime that attained any speed, and did not stop at every little station.
There were nine cars and a Dining Car, with passageways and vestibules between cars- The grades at many places were quite steep, and at one time we noticed two lines of RR tack below us, over which our train had traveled. In making these curves to gain the ascent of the mountain the road often curves trough long tunnels that burrow into the mountain- the Scenery is Grand- the Valley narrows and the ruggedness of the mountains towering hundreds of feet high becomes more apparent.
The main tunnel under St. Gotthard is 12 miles long, requiring 20minutes to pass through.
( Today, the Gotthard tunnel is advertised as 15-kilometers in length, stretching from Göschenen to Airolo, is still considered an engineering masterpiece, providing a link between Germany and Italy . Construction began in 1872, with 2,500 mostly Italian miners. Some 146 tunnel workers lost their lives in the excavation process. Discontent among the workers led to a strike in 1875, which was forcibly put down by the police and vigilantes, with the deaths of several people .)
It began to rain soon after leaving Lucerne, and was raining hard when we entered the main (St. Gotthhard) tunnel, and when we emerged on the Italian side it was snowing hard (2 ft deep).
In about two hours ride we passed the snow limits and were down in the verdant Italian plains. On the train, Dr. S met Mrs. Hunt and daughter, who crossed last Fall with him on Shipboard and has spent the Winter in Paris .
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Naploeon's Arch, Milanm |
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We reached Milan , Italy , 3.30 p.m., went to the “Continental Hotel.” Called at Thos Cooks, took an hours drive, was in the Cathedral, strolled about the streets, looked into the shop windows until 6 p.m.
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Entrance to the Milan Cathedral- 7 p.m. on Thursday |
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Dinner and then a short stroll, the first since we have been in Europe . The Northern nationalities are real, but the Italians impress us as full of Show, Sham and Pretense. They are treacherous and dishonest to the last degree.
Milan , Italy , Friday, 4.24.03
Arose at 5.15, had ordered an early breakfast, so as to catch the 7 a.m. Paris Express train for Geneva- the day was fair and the ride as far as Turin was through a level country, where men and women were busy in the fields, which were cultivated in small patches, the same as in Switzerland- The grapevines were cultivated on trellises much heavier than in Germany, and often times on wires connecting the Mulberry trees, which are always trimmed down to the hight of a man's reach, and which are planted in straight rows to divide the little patches of ground-
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On Mt. Cenis from car window from Milan |
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The country people use a two-wheeled vehicle, and horses are not much seen in country districts, Cows and Bullocks are principally used-
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Taken from the Window of moving train, on Mt. Cenis Route from Milan to Geneva |
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From Turin we began to go into the mountains ascending quite rapidly and passing through many large tunnels- one 15 and the other 25 minutes long- the tunnels on this Mont Cenis route are longer and more numerous than of the St. Gotthard route. While passing through the longest tunnel we were in the dining car- took two pictures from moving train- and at Modane, which is on the line between Italy and France- the law prohibits taking pictures within 6 miles of a fortification- but we did not no that until taking the last picture, but as the soldier did not stop us, we did not stop ourselves.
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Photo Taken at the Customs House at Modane, near the fortifications |
Changed cars twice during the day- at the last change at Culoz we were in section with a French lady who spoke some English and was a daughter of the Rev. Le Pasteur Fallot Aounst, Drome France , who was also on her way to Geneva where we arrived at 7.15 p.m.
On the train was a party of 17 English people, (12 ladies, 5 men) who went into the Bus and came to the Metropole Hotel with us- Rec'd a letter from Oda, written 4/9 and then cabled home that we are well.
Hotel very comfortable and we have a nice room to spend Sunday.
Saturday, April 25 03
Metropole Hotel Geneva
Up at 6.30, early breakfast to catch train for Chamonix to see Mont Blanc- Went first to Thos Cooks, and not opening until 9 a.m., hired carriage and drover to station to learn about trains and returned to Cooks for letters, information, etc. Purchased our tickets and took 9.13 train for Chamonix . The day was threatening with rain in the forenoon, the ride no impressive until the latter half of the journey, where we took cars propelled by electricity, generated by water from the mountain. The grades were steep, the mountains high, scenery fine, tunnels short. Snowed we reached Chamouney after 5 hour ride from Geneva- Mont Blanc was concealed by clouds, mist and snow, and the large hotels all closed yet.
Lunched a Hotel of naties, came to station, and waited one hour for train to return. Met Englsih Tea and Coffee merchant Bernard Appleton of London- and returned (3 pm) to the Hotel Metropole Geneva at 8 PM, where we trhee had our dinner 9 p.m.
Dr. S cabled home last night and again this aft from Chamouney- when at Cooks this morning rec'd a cable message from home- wrote letters for Dr. S to Dr. Lloyd and Rev Trowell, DD, and then went to bed.
Geneva Switzerland
Sunday April 26, 1903
Arose at 7 a.m., breakfast 8, so as to meet Madame Henri de Monsier Plonjon near Geneva who called at 8.30 to invite us to dinner Monday 6 p.m. to meet Rev Frank Thomas, D.D.,and other guests at her house- We then accompanied her to hear Dr. Thomas preach 10 a.m. in the Victoria Music Hall, to an audience of about 2,000 people- three side galleries- We were first at the Prayer meeting 9.30 held in the (Liquor) Saloon under he Music Hall before Service. Dr. Thomas has a large work, similar to that of Rev. Russell Conwell DD in the Temple Church in Phila, and attracts to him a large number of spiritual minded people who are not satisfied with the work of the State Church where the Pastors, although Protestant, are appointed by political influence and may be wholly devoid of spiritual motives-
After services Mr. Camille Barbey (Mrs. Morsier's cousin) accompanied us to the ti the Y.M.C.A. rooms (of which he is a Director), then to the Cathedral, where we sat in the chair under the Pulpit, occupied by John Calvin, a great reformer- then to the Russian Church, where we saw the fine white Emby Robes, then back to the Hotel for lunch. Wrote a long letter home while Dr. S had a nap. Then at 3 p.m. went over to the Park to hear French musicians, great crowd of people, and after a short walk, came back to Hotel for 7 p.m. dinner. Wrote letters for Dr. S, took a short walk and went to bed early.
Monday April 27- Geneva
Had a good nights rest breakfast 8 and went to Thos Cooks for money & mail. Bought films, spoon, etc. Shaved, wrote these notes (while Dr. S met a Committee at the Y.M.C.A.) had lunch 12.30 and then went to Cooks for any mail, shaved, dressed and at 5 p.m. Mrs. Henri de Morsier (Plonjon near Geneva) called at the Grand Hotel Metropole to accompany us to their home, in the suburbs to a royal dinner, given in French style, attended Rev. Frank Thomas, D.D. & wife, Miss Eck and nephew of England and others-
The Ladies were all familiar with Dr. S books and the dinner was given to meet him personally. We had a very delightful evening, good dinner, served in French style- we had a very delightful evening. After dinner, we all gathered in the Parlor around Dr. Stall, and asked him formally, to tell them of his life and work, which he did entertainingly, and from the heart, from his your to the present day- before leaving they asked Dr. S to read one of his favorite passages of Scripture (PS 103) and to lead in prayer. We returned to the Hotel around 11 p.m.
Psalm 103 is considered by some to be authored by David himself, later in his years when he had a better appreciation of the preciousness of pardon, and a greater sense of sin than he did in his younger days. Theologian C.H. Spurgeon says it this way: “As in the lofty Alps some peaks rise above all others so among even the inspired Psalms there are heights of song which overtop the rest. This Psalm has seemed to to be the Monte Rosa of the divine chain of mountains of praise, glowing with a ruddier light than any of the rest. It is as the apple tree among the trees of the wood, and its golden fruit has a flavour such as no fruit ever bears unless it has been ripened in the full sunshine of mercy...There is too much in the Psalm, for a thousand pens to write, it is one of those all-comprehending Scriptures which is a Bible in itself, and it might alone almost suffice for the hymn-book of the church.”
Pslam 103; Praise for the LORD's Benefits
( King James Version)
Bless the LORD, O my soul:
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executeth righteousness
and judgment for all that are oppressed.
He made known his ways unto Moses,
his acts unto the children of Israel .
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide:
neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame;
he remembereth that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass:
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone;
and the place thereof shall know it no more
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting
to everlasting upon them that fear him,
and his righteousness unto children's children;
to such as keep his covenant,
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens;
and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Bless the LORD, ye his angels,
that excel in strength, that do his commandments
hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts;
ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the LORD,
all his works in all places of his dominion:
bless the LORD, O my soul.
Tues.4.28.03 Geneva to Paris
Up at 5 a.m., Breakfast 6 a.m. so that we might catch the 6.55 a.m. Paris Express.
Our RR tickets were stamped at the ticket office in the Geneva Station, and examined before the train started. We changed cars twice during the day, but our tickets were not examined, nor was the there any train official in the car, during the day until we left the train in Paris Station. There were passengers on the train who were traveling about 400 miles since (11 p.m.) the night before whose tickets had not been asked for during the entire journey.
After the first change, we were not comfortable- after the 2 nd change we were very crowded and spent part of the time in the passageway, sitting on our luggage. Thus far it has been the most tiresome journey of our trip-
The country was quite level, after we left the Swiss District, though we passed through narrow Valleys during the forenoon- the farms here were well cultivated, but no barns or farm houses, save in the Villages- the ride was no special interest until we came near Paris, which we reached 7.20 Geneva time, 6.20 Paris time- 1.20 U.S. time.