Sixty years with Plymouth Church :: QUAKER CITY EXCURSION

QUAKER CITY EXCURSION

he plan of the Quaker City Excursion, made famous by Mark Twain, originated in Plymouth Church, when Mr. Beecher contemplated writing a Life of Christ. He expressed a desire to visit the sacred places of Palestine, where our Lord lived and where He was crucified, and wanted several members of Plymouth Church to go with him. A committee was formed to arrange for the journey, composed of Captain C. Duncan, John T. Howard and Rufus R. Graves. A very beautiful and substantial side-wheel steamship, the Quaker City, was chartered for the journey, and the number of passengers was limited to one hundred and fifty. The price of the passage for each person was fixed at twelve hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. Beecher engaged passage, but at the last moment decided not to go.

The Secretary of State furnished us with letters commending us to the attention of the foreign governments which we might visit, and on the eighth day of June we sailed out of New York harbour. Our first stopping place was at the Azores, then we went to Gibraltar and Marseilles, where time was given to the passengers to visit Paris and London; next to Genoa, from which port we made visits to Milan, Venice and Lake Como. The next stopping place was Leghorn, where we turned aside to Florence and Pisa and visited Garibaldi, who was then at his home. From Leghorn our course took us to Naples, giving time to see Rome, Vesuvius and Pompeii; then on through the Straits of Messina, across the Ionian Sea, through the Grecian Archipelago to Athens, Greece; through the Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmora to Constantinople. After one week's stay in that Oriental city, the route lay through the Bosphorus, across the Black Sea to Sebastopol. After visiting the famous battlefields of the Crimea, we sailed to Odessa, in the northwest corner of the Black Sea, ours being the first American steamship which ever entered that harbour. While staying there a telegram was received from the Emperor of Russia inviting us to visit him at his palace, Livadia, at Yalta. Yalta is a very beautiful place on the slope of a mountain, overlooking the Black Sea, about two hundred miles east of Odessa, and is the summer home of the imperial family of Russia. The Grand Duke Michael's palace, Orianda, the Grand Duke Vladimir's, Worondow, and their grounds join those of the Emperor. The invitation was accepted. Mrs. Griswold's story of the visit as given in the "Pilgrimage" is as follows:

"On the way from Odessa to Yalta, several meetings were held by the gentlemen in the saloon for the purpose of preparing an address to be presented to the Czar; at the same time the ladies were gathered in groups conversing about the coming event.

"This morning we dropped anchor at Yalta. The Governor-general conveyed to us a message from the Emperor 'that we were welcome, and he would be pleased to receive us the next day at twelve o'clock.' Word also came that carriages and horses would be in readiness to convey the party to the palace, which is about two miles from the landing place.

"All was astir on board preparing for the great occasion. The porters are overtaxed in getting out the stored-away trunks for the passengers, as the most recherchÉ wardrobes must be selected. The ladies' purchases through Europe are now brought into requisition. Paris dresses, laces, coiffures, and jewelry are to be worn for the first time. At ten and a half o'clock we saw the spacious rowboats belonging to the Emperor nearing our ship. How gaily they were decked out with scarlet cloth and fringe hanging over the sides almost touching the water; each boat was rowed by twelve men dressed in white caps and uniform. They approached the vessel's side with extreme caution, owing to the heavy sea, which was rolling in. As the boat would rise upon a wave and sink away, one person stepped in after another until it was filled, when another boat would take its place. In this way all were safely landed. We left the boat by crimson-carpeted steps leading up from the water into a picturesque canopied landing. The ladies occupied the carriages and the gentlemen rode on horseback. We formed quite a procession, numbering over sixty persons.

"The gates were thrown open to admit us to the palace grounds. A company of mounted Cossacks were drawn up on each side of the gate, and we passed through in military order, escorted by the Grand Duke Michael, brother of the Emperor, who had met us on the way.

"At precisely twelve o'clock we formed in front of the palace. The smoothly cut lawn around us was like a velvet carpet, with a profusion of surrounding flowers. Immediately the Emperor and the Empress appeared, accompanied by their daughter Marie, and one of their sons, the Grand Duke Serge, followed by a retinue of distinguished persons.

"The American Consul who had come with us from Odessa stepped forward and read a short address to his Imperial Highness Alexander II, Czar of Russia, which had been prepared and signed by the passengers. The Emperor replied to it by saying 'that he thanked us for the address and was very much pleased to meet us, especially as such friendly relations exist between Russia and the United States.' The Empress further replied by saying 'that Americans were favourites in Russia,' and she hoped her people were the same with the Americans.

"The Emperor is tall and well-proportioned, with a mild yet firm expression. The impression of the beholders is that he is one born to command. He wore a white cap and a white linen suit, the coat confined with a belt around the waist and ornamented with gilt buttons and elaborate epaulets.

"The Empress is of medium height, fair complexion, and although delicate looking she appears young for one of her age. A bright, welcoming smile lit up her face. Her dress was white foulard silk, dotted with blue and richly trimmed with blue satin. She wore a small sleeveless jacket, a broad blue sash, and around her neck was a tie made of swiss muslin and valenciennes lace. On her head was a straw hat trimmed with blue velvet and black lace. Her hands were covered with flesh-covered kid gloves, and she carried a light drab parasol lined with blue silk.

"The Grand Duchess was attired in a dress of similar material to that of her mother, only this was more tastefully arranged with blue silk and fringe, a belt of the same material as the dress, fastened by a large rosette, and a straw hat also trimmed with blue silk.

"The Grand Duke Serge is quite young, and a well-appearing youth. He was dressed in a scarlet blouse and white pants.

"Individual introductions followed. Several of the ladies, including myself, had an opportunity of conversing with the Empress. All of the Imperial family speak English very well.

"We were escorted through the buildings by the Emperor and Empress, entering a door which was on either side a bower of flowers. Almost all the apartments were thrown open. The floors were inlaid and polished, and the furniture was curious and costly. The Emperor took special pains to show us the chapel, where he and his family worshipped. It was very handsome, and connected with the main building.

"Every effort was made by the Imperial family to welcome us, and really the Pilgrims seemed to act as much at home as though they were accustomed to calling on Emperors every day.

"I could not realise that we were being entertained by a ruler of more than eighty million people, and whose word was the supreme law of the most powerful nation on the globe.

"At eight o'clock in the evening the anchor was lifted and we sailed by the Czar's palace, which was brilliantly lighted, and amid the booming of cannon, and the shooting of rockets, and a blue light illuminating our ship we bade farewell to a scene which I shall treasure as one of the brightest remembrances of my life."

From Yalta the steamer sailed across the Black Sea, through the Bosphorus, down the coast of Asia Minor, to the Gulf of Smyrna, anchoring in the harbour of Smyrna. A delay was made to give time to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. Passing the coast of the Isle of Cyprus the next landing place was Beirut, where several days were spent, affording the pilgrims opportunity to visit the Mountains of Lebanon, the ruins of Baalbec, and the city of Damascus. From Beirut we sailed down the coast of Palestine, passing Tyre and Sidon. The steamer anchored off the harbour of Jaffa. Three weeks were given to visit Jerusalem, Bethany, the River Jordan, the Dead Sea, Jericho, and other places in the Holy Land. At Jerusalem one of the Plymouth Church passengers, Mr. Moses Beach, purchased an olive tree at the foot of the Mount of Olives near the Garden of Gethsemane, had it cut down and transported to Jaffa, where it was placed on board the Quaker City, brought home, and through the generosity of Mr. Beach was made into furniture which now stands in Plymouth pulpit. The next landing place was Alexandria, Egypt, giving an opportunity to visit Cairo and the Pyramids. From Alexandria the voyage was continued homeward, stopping at Malta, Gibraltar and Bermuda.

It was a great journey, as it afforded a majestic and sublime panorama of the different nations, kindreds, and tongues of the world, and may well take its place among other great events of Plymouth Church.

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