Efforts in Hamburg to Earn Money to Get to England. Chapters 6

MY object being to reach England, now that I had respectable clothes, I engaged myself to work in order to save up some money for the journey. First I went to the railway station, and begged permission of the station-master to be allowed to carry luggage for the passengers, The first passenger who engaged me gave me two very heavy parcels, which I carried for about two miles. He then asked me into a public-house, and offered me some beer, which, as it was made by Christians, I refused. He then took up the parcels and bade me be off, and, when I demanded my few pence, declared he had already paid me. Of course, I would not go away. Finally, he called a policeman, and gave me in charge.
I was taken to the police station, and, after a few hours, was brought up before the judge, and was carefully examined. The prosecutor appeared, and was asked several questions, when the judge expressed his opinion that I was innocent, and inquired if anyone in Hamburg would testify to my character. I referred him to the manager of the hotel, and a policeman was at once sent for him. The manager came forward, and declared I was an honest and respectable youth, that frequently he had tried me by placing money in different parts of the house where I passed, and that I had always brought him both money and articles of value which were lying about.
Having heard this witness, the judge found me innocent, and sentenced my accuser to four months hard labor, for false accusation. This made me feel that God had not forsaken me, even though the Gentiles might be cruel to me, and I went forth thanking Him for revealing the truth of the matter to the judge.
This experience at the railway station led me to seek other employment, but for some days I could find nothing to do, and again began to suffer from hunger; for I could not procure food at the hotel, having money sufficient only to pay for lodgings.
One day I cannot forget. I was walking the streets and crying to God for help, when at my feet I saw a parcel of papers. These were evidently of importance to their owner; whose address was on them. On restoring them I was rewarded, and thus was enabled again to obtain a meal, for which I thanked God.
Shortly after this a gentleman in the synagogue asked whether I was a pious Jew, to which I replied, I tried to be so, and earnestly wished to be more and more pious. The gentleman then said if I was willing to work he would employ me; he gave me his address. And I remained in the synagogue to pray and to thank God for His lovingkindness in turning the heart of this gentleman towards me in a strange land. He engaged me as a porter, and I remained some little time in that service, but as I could not save sufficient money out of my wages to obtain a passage to England, I engaged myself to a Jew, and became his servant, selling milk from house to house.
My occupation of milk-boy did not free me from misfortune, for one day a mischievous lad threw a rat into the milk-can and ran away. This disgusted me exceedingly, and knowing that, according to the law of Moses, the milk was polluted, I poured the contents of the can into the street, went to my master, and reported the unfortunate event. To my surprise he was exceedingly angry with me; told me that I should have pulled the rat out of the milk instead of pouring the milk out of the can, and, having done so, should have gone on selling the milk!
“This,” said I, “the Jewish law forbids, so I could not do it.”
But, Jew though he was, he declared I must pay for the milk, or else be discharged without any wages. I returned to the synagogue to pray, and cried to the Lord for help, but none came.
Again I had to wander about Hamburg seeking work. My soul was filled with sorrow, and the more time I devoted to prayer in the synagogue the more did misery fill my soul. I thought of my beloved parents and the happiness of home, and knew not what to do.
Returning to my lodgings I took out in; Hebrew Bible and read these words, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will skew thee” (Gen. 12:1), and consoled myself with the history of Abram, for he had had his trials till he reached the land of Canaan. And I prayed God to help me to obey His voice, and to enable me to go where He wished.
But such were my sorrows that I could not realize I had obeyed God’s voice in leaving home, and in suffering through my wanderings, yet nothing would induce me to return to Russia―I would rather have died than return there. On, on, I felt I must go, until I had found the true satisfaction, which I knew not where to find.
Whilst thinking of my unhappy condition I adopted the language of Jeremiah, feeling his words were the exact experience of my own soul― “Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflict& me in the day of His fierce anger.” (Lam. 1:12.) My position in Hamburg was worm than it had been in the woods and fields, for there I had the hope of reaching Hamburg to encourage me to go forward, but, being in the city, I had no hope left.
I said, “The Lord of Israel has turned from me, and I must perish.” I was weary of praying, and thought prayer was in vain, yet I was compelled to continue to observe the Jewish ritual and its ordinances; but I looked upon God as a stern executor of justice, rather than as being most merciful and gracious.
While in this miserable state of mind and circumstances, a lady, who was well acquainted with my family at home, met me, and at once begged me to return with her to Russia. She offered to pay all my traveling expenses, and showed me the utmost kindness. But I was firm, and said I would travel over all the world sooner than return to Russia. Then with all her power she began to persuade me, but I said I would rather die, miserable as I was, than cease seeking after that for which my soul longed.
Leaving the lady, I went to the synagogue, and there found a gentleman, who gave me temporary employment. I was then sixteen years of age. My employment only lasted a short time, and again my trials began, and I felt like the prophet at the brook Cherith, for I was far removed from all who knew me―neither father nor mother, brothers nor sisters―alone, and, though in the busy city, in solitude. And now once more my source of obtaining a livelihood was gone, my Cherith was dried up. Finding me in a very low state, my employer most kindly said he would retain me in his house as a servant, and I kissed his hand and wept for joy. I thought within myself, “When the brook Cherith dries up God prepares a Zarephath.”
I began now to think what could be done in order that I should reach England, and wrote to my father, informing him I was comfortably situated in the house of a good, and pious, and rich Jew, but that I desired to visit England, and hoped he would send me means for the passage. My father reminded me of my education and of my advantages, and implored me, for the love Df my parents, to have mercy on him and my mother, and to return home. He enclosed the money I had asked for, and his letter was full of tenderness. I knew not what to do upon the receipt of this letter, yet return to Russia I COULD NOT.
I remained in Germany over the Feast of the New Year, and, when in the synagogue poured out my heart to God, imploring Him to guide me and to lead me in His truth, although it was quite unusual for me to pray my prayers save those in the Jewish prayer book.