insisted upon making in
Europe were the North Cape, to see the Midnight Sun, and the Passion
Play at Ober-Ammergau. Hundreds of invitations had been sent to him to
preach abroad, many of which he accepted, but he could not be persuaded
to lecture.

There was never a jollier, more electric companion _de voyage_ than Dr.
Talmage during the whole of his trip. He was the life of the party,
which included his daughter, Miss Maud Talmage, and my daughter, Miss
Rebekah Collier.

On a very stormy Sunday, on board ship going over, Dr. Talmage preached,
holding on to a pillar in the cabin. There were some who wondered how
he escaped the tortures of _mal-de-mer_, from which he had always
suffered. It was a family secret. Once, when crossing with Mrs.
Vanderbilt, she had given Dr. Talmage an opium plaster, which was
absolute proof against the disagreeable consequences of ocean travel.
With the aid of this plaster the Doctor's poise was perfect.
Disembarking at Southampton we did not reach London until 3 a.m., going
to the hotel somewhat the worse for wear. Temporarily we stopped at the
Langham, moving later to the Metropole. Before lunch the same day the
Doctor drove to Westminster Abbey to see the grave of Gladstone. It was
his first thought, his first duty. It had been his custom for many years
to visit the graves of his friends whenever he could be near them. It
was a characteristic impulse of Dr. Talmage's to follow to the edge of
eternity those whom he had known and liked. When he was asked in England
what he had come to do there, he said:

"I am visiting Europe with the hope of reviving old friendships and
stimulating those who have helped me in the old gospel of kindness."

His range of vision was always from the Gospel point of view, not
necessarily denominational. I remember he was asked, while in England,
if there was an organisation in America akin to the Evangelical Council
of Free Churches, and he said, while there was no such body, "there was
a common platform in the United States upon almost every subject."

The principal topic in England then was the Boer War, which aroused so
much hostility in our country. The Doctor's sympathies were with the
Boers, but he tactfully evaded any public expression of them in England,
although he was interviewed widely on the subject. He never believed in
rumours that were current, that the United States would interfere in
the Transvaal, and prophesied that the American Governme