was
cleared of ice, and now, contrary to the expectation of all, the cold
had returned to such a degree, that it was a second time innavigable.

March 3. I embarked this morning for London. I had conversation with
two Russian Jews, who listened with great interest to all I said to
them; but I did not tell them plainly that I believed Jesus of
Nazareth to be the Messiah, as I fully purposed to do at the next
conversation. After I had left them, they conversed with each other,
and I could see from their countenances, that they either took me for
a baptized Jew, or for a missionary to the Jews, on account of the
peculiar way in which I had conversed with them. Presently one of
them came and asked me what I thought of that Jesus. No sooner had I
owned Him as the true Messiah and as my Lord and my God, than he
began to blaspheme; and from that time, as long as we were on board,
they shunned me; and I also felt that all I had to do was to show
kindness to them by actions, but no more to converse with them about
the Messiah, in order to keep them from blaspheming that holy name
which is dear to my heart. My conversation with them had, however, an
unexpected effect in another way. At the dinner table I was asked by
one of the passengers about those Jews, who they were, etc., as my
long conversation with them on the deck had been noticed. This led
me, (in order that the conversation might be turned to profitable
subjects, and that I might discover whether there was a Christian at
the table), to throw out the remark, "how remarkable it is that the
Jews, in all parts of the world, can be recognised as such; and are
not mixed with other nations," etc. Immediately the captain replied,
"this can only be explained by the Scriptures, and shows the Bible to
be true," or something to that effect. I now, in agreeing with the
captain, followed up the subject, and both after dinner and
repeatedly during the passage had long and most interesting
conversations with the captain, whom I found to be a true brother in
the Lord, and from whom I separated most affectionately on our
arrival in London.

On March 7th I landed in London, where I found two letters from my
dear wife, from which I saw that up to the last the Lord had been
dealing with her, as well as with me, in the greatest kindness, and
had given also an abundance for the Orphans during the whole time of
my absence.

March 9. I left London this morning, arrived this evening in peace