The accompanying Explanation of "THE BROAD AND THE NARROW WAY" Picture was translated from the original German, by Miss Marriott, a Mildmay Deaconess. But as I have been twenty years in finding out what I now know of the origin and history of the picture, it is but right that this knowledge should be placed within the reach of others. hence the following Narrative has been prepared.
A VISIT TO HOLLAND.
My first visit to the Continent was in August, 1867, when, in the providence of God, I attended the Fifth General Conference of the Evangelical Alliance, held for ten days in Amsterdam. This led to two other visits in the two following years by invitation of Dutch friends, so that altogether I spent ten weeks in Holland.
Two important results followed, viz.: the revival there of open-air preaching; and the bringing to England of "My Dutch Picture."
THE DUTCH AND STREET PREACHING.
With reference to the first result, I need only say here that, though threatened with imprisonment if I attempted street preaching, yet on my second visit it was allowed by the authorities, and taken up by the Dutch themselves, led by Mr.Isaac Esser, of the Hague. Such a complete change was wrought thereby, under the blessing of God, in a bad street in the Hague, that the Burgomaster declared, "One good street-Preacher is worth ten policemen "—a saying which has since become famous.
WHERE I FOUND THE PICTURE.
The purpose of my second visit was to preach the Gospel, which I did by interpretation, and with manifest blessing, having Robert Craig as my
fellow-labourer. We were the guests of Mr. H. de Hoogh, a kind bookseller, at 76, Nieuwendijk, Amsterdam.
Here we arrived on January 31st, 1868. Our host had a Dutch copy of this Picture in his shop window. Next day I saw it for the first time, and was at once attracted by it. Day by day I looked at, and tried to understand its meaning; and I brought a copy to England on my return. Friends to whom it was shown were deeply interested; and soon after, at my request, the Dutch Explanation was translated into English, by Frederick Emmighausen, a young Dutchman, residing in London, and afterwards published.
HOW I BECAME ITS EXPOUNDER.
It was soon evident that there was a living power in the Picture; and I conceived the idea of expounding it in public. For this purpose I had an
enlarged copy painted, succeeded by three others, each larger than its predecessor. The last—the one I now use—was painted by Henry Bevis, scene painter, 140, Pentonville Hill, London, and is nine feet wide and twelve feet long. It is painted in dulled oils, suspended on an ingenious frame, and lighted by a "new quintuple dual illuminator "—five duplex lamps in one - (both invented by Mr. Leonard Todd) placed at its foot. From these copies I have lectured in public 909 times in eighteen years to tens of thousands of people.
"IN JOURNEYINGS OFTEN."
The Picture has thus been exhibited and expounded, in-doors and out, in the principal towns in England: and last year it travelled "from Land's End to John O'Groat's House;" for I spent eighteen days in Devon and Cornwall, and sixteen in Scotland, taking a fresh town almost every night. The exposition is varied, according to the kind of audience, or by the leading of the Spirit; and it has probably never been twice in the same words during all these years. I am guided chiefly by the original Explanation, but introduce many English incidents and illustrations. I am deeply indebted to my dear friend, Charles L.Young, of Mildmay, who, with unfailing devotion, has accompanied me hundreds of times to point out the objects in the Picture while I explain it, and has sometimes taken my place as expositor also.
A STRIKING COINCIDENCE.
I am comforted in these manifold journeyings, which necessarily often keep me out late at night, by regarding this exposition as part of my life-work.This is confirmed by the time when the Picture first attracted my attention; for hardly had the grave closed over the earthly remains of the designer when my eyes were directed to her work in the shop window in Amsterdam. Thus the Picture fell from her hands into mine, and began a new life by being turned into a new tongue, and so becoming accessible to the whole English-Speaking world.
SEE:
http://picturemaker.safeshopper.com/78/cat78.htm?769I HAVE a copy of this pic hanging in the loo. Always perplexed why they had it in for the Sunday Train...
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