John Kitto DD, (1804 -1854AD), Deaf Missionary, Biblical Scholar

JohnKitto D.D. ,(1804-1854AD ),deafmissionary,Biblicalscholar andChristianauthor. LIFE OF JOHNKITTO,D.D.,F.S.A. BY JOHNEADIE,D.D.,LL.D. Iarguenot AgainstHeaven'shandorwill,norhateajot Ofheartorhope,butstillbearupandsteer Rightonward.(Milton) FIFTHTHOUSAND. EDINBURGH:WILLIAMOLIPHANTANDSONS. LONDON:HAMILTON,ADAMS,ANDCO. MDCCCLVIII. JOHN KITTO, the eminent self-taught biblical scholar, was born at Plymouth, 4th December, 1804. Through the intemperance of his father his childhood was passed in poverty,sothathegotnoschoolingworthyofthe name. Having, however, through his grandmother’s kindness learned to read, he devouredallthenurseryliteraturewithinhis reach.Whenhewasabouttenyearsofagehewassettoworkasassistanttohisfatherwho wasamason.Onthe13thFebruary,1817,thelittle drudge, who was engaged carrying mortarandslates,missedhisfootingandfellfromtheroofofahouse,downthirty-five feet,intothecourtbeneath.Longhelayinbedafterwards,andbytheaccidenthissenseof hearingwascompletelyextinguished. Thepoorboyresortedtovariouscontrivancestogainalivelihood,gropingforbitsofrope andironinSuttonpool,paintingheadsandflowers,andpreparinglabelstoreplacesuchas were thus spelled—“Logins for singel men.” The love of reading still grew upon him, victimthoughhewasofhungerandnakedness,andatlengththestarvedandraggedlad wasadmittedintoPlymouthworkhouse. In the workhouse he began to keep a journal—a curious record of his history and privations;hislearningtobeashoemaker;hisfightswiththeotherboyswhoteasedhim; hislamentationsoverhisgrandmother’sdeath;hismoralizingsonpassingevents;hisbeing indenturedouttoamannamedBowden,who madehis life so utterly wretched that he twiceattemptedsuicide;andhisreturnasecondtimetothepoorhouse. Butthevarious writingsofthepauperyouthbegantoattractattention;asubscriptionwasmadeforhim; andheleftthehospitalinwhichhehadbeenaninmateforaboutfouryears. Mr.Groves,thenadentistinExeter,tookhimunderhischargeasanapprentice;andduring hisstayatExeter,andinhistwentiethyear,hepublishedasmallvolumeofessays.Kitto thenwenttotheMissionarycollegeinIslingtontolearnprinting,withaviewtomission work abroad. Malta was selected as his field of labour, and there he resided eighteen months.OnhisreturnhefoundMr.GrovespreparingtogoasamissionarytotheEast,and heatonceagreedtogowithhimastutortohischildren—astrangeoccupationforadeaf andratherfeebleandself-willedstripling. Mr.GrovesandhispartyreachedBagdadonthe6thDecember,1829,andKittoremained tillSeptember,1832.DuringhisstayinBagdadthecitywasbesieged;theplaguebrokeout andcarriedofffiftythousandofthepopulationintwomonths;andtheriveroverflowedits banks,throwingdownseventhousandhouses.KittocamehomebywayofConstantinople, andarrivedinEngland,June,1833,havingkeptaprettyfulljournalofhiseasterntravels. He began at once to write in the Penny Magazine, and Mr. Knight engaged him for the PennyCyclopedia.Hehadalwaysbeenfondoftheology; his travels had furnished him withaknowledgeoforientalcustomsandpeculiarities,andheprojectedthePictorialBible, whichwaspublishedinmonthlyparts,andfinishedinMay,1838.Itroseatonceintohigh popularity,andhasbeenseveraltimesreprinted.Thework waspublishedanonymously, anditssuccessdecidedwhatshouldbethelabourofhissubsequentyears.The“Pictorial HistoryofPalestine”followed;the“ChristianTraveller,”ofwhichafewpartsonlywere published;the“HistoryofPalestine:”the“CyclopediaofBiblicalLiterature;”the“Pictorial SundayBook;”andvarioussmallerpieces,thebestofwhicharethe“LostSenses,”thefirst volumeofwhichisvirtuallyanautobiography,and one of great interest. Then came the “JournalofSacredLiterature,”towhichhegavemuchofhistime;andfinallythe“Daily BibleIllustrations,”ineightvolumes,anddedicatedtothequeen.Thisworkisthemost popular of all his productions, as it justly deserves to be. But before this work was concluded he had fallen into bad health. Headaches had plagued him through life; and probablyhisskullhadreceivedsomeinternalinjuryfromthefallinhisyouth.Tosecure himsomerelaxationasummmoneywasraisedamong his friends—a pension of £100 fromthecivillisthavingbeenpreviouslyconferreduponhim.Brokendownandexhausted from constitutional debility and excessive labour, he repaired to Germany and finally settledatCanstattontheNeckar. Recovery was hopeless, his days were clouded by family bereavement, and after some hours of severe convulsions he died on the morning of the 25th of November, 1854. A handsomemonument,erectedbythepublisherofhislastwork,marksthespotwherehe nowsleeps,inthenewcemeteryofCanstatt.TheuniversityofGiessenconferreduponhim, thoughalayman,thedegreeofD.D.in1844,andinthefollowingyearhewaselecteda fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries. Dr. Kitto was short in stature, and became rathercorpulentinadvancedlife.Hisspeech,unregulatedbyhisear,wasakindofguttural thunder.Heowednolittleofhismarvelloussuccesstohisreligiousprinciple,andtohis hopeful and unwearied diligence and perseverance. A few years before his death he was supportingawifeandtenchildrenbyhispen;theresultbeingthatsometimesforsixweeks togetherhedidnotleavehishouse.Hiswasalongandmanfulstruggleagainstpoverty, deafness,andeveryvarietyofunpropitiouscircumstances;buthegainedthevictoryand roseatlengthtogreateminenceandextensiveusefulness,realizingtheself-chosenmotto uponhisseal—perardua —JOHNEADIE. CONTENTS. __________ CHAPTER I. BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. Constitutional Feebleness—Sad Domestic History—Defective Education—Passion for Sto- ries and Books—First Literary Effort—Desire for Knowledge—The Razor and the Hod— Dormitory and Study—The Accident—Incurable Deafness—Struggles for Subsistence— Pictures and Labels—Bookstalls—Isolation. CHAPTER II. THE WORKHOUSE. Admission to the Hospital of the Poor’s Portion—The Awl and the Pen—The Workhouse Journal—Self-Portrait—Reprisals—Strange Contrasts—First Great Sorrow—Death of Grandmother—Musings on Immortality—Doubts and Questionings—Plymouth Fair— Powers of Composition—Thoughts on the Trial of Queen Caroline and the Death of Buo- naparte—Forereachings—Love of Travel—Lectures for the Workhouse Boys—Dealings with his Parents—Apprenticed to a Shoemaker—Drudgery and Stripes—The Savage Bowden—Night—Morning—Indenture cancelled—Release from the Workhouse—The Future Unveiled—Captious Criticism—Studies in the Public Library—Forebodings of Ear- ly Death—Thirst for Knowledge—Desire of a little Pocket-Money—Letter of Condolence to Mrs Burnard—Searchings of Heart. CHAPTER III. EXETER. Introduction to Mr Groves—Removal to Exeter—Progressive Piety—Morning Prayer— First Communion—First Love—Essays and Letters Published—Imaginary Criticism—John Kitto, Shoemaker and Pauper—Self-Vindication—Multifarious Reading—Imitation of various Authors—Necessity of Writing—Ideal Companionship—Privations of his Deafness— Compensation in Love of Books—Kitto in his Twentieth Year—Longing to be a Mission- ary—Connection with Church Missionary Society. CHAPTER IV. ISLINGTON. Missionary Institution—Stolen Reading—Romantic Attachment—Reverie on Marriage— Lines to his Betrothed—Formal Distribution of Time—Illness—Tract Distribution— Meditations by the Way—Misunderstanding with the Committee—Resigns his Situation— Parting Address to the Students—Conscious Innocence—Gloomy Prospects— Reinstalled—Counsels to a Relative—Departure for Malta. CHAPTER V. 1 MALTA. Early Desire of Usefulness—Self-Advancement—Church Mission at Malta—Restoration to Speech—The Voyage—Engagements in Printing-Office—Hope deferred—Marriage Broken off—Agony of Heart—Letter to his Mother—A Lover’s Lament—Severe Illness— Constant Study—Final Rupture with the Society—The Horizon Lowering—Farewell to Malta—Return to Plymouth—Estrangement of Friends—Various Schemes—Offered a Situation as Printer at Teignmouth—Death of H. A.—Engagement with Mr Groves, and Sudden Resolve to Travel—The Horizon Clearing. CHAPTER VI. JOURNEY TO THE EAST. Character of Mr Groves—The Mission Party—Departure from Gravesend—The Voyage— St Petersburg—Dream—Classification of Dreams—Miss Kilham—Low Estimate of the Russians—Gipsy Missionaries—Meditation among the Tombs—Dr Glen's Hospitality— Tartar Curiosity—Grand Pass of the Caucasus—Influence of Scenery—The White Thorn— Georgian Ladies—Brambles—Colony of Millennarians —Fall from his Horse—Tabreez— Marriage of Miss Taylor—Exception to Single Females as Missionaries in the East—First Interview with Sir John M'Neill—Perils in Koordistan—Arrival at Bagdad—Terraced Roofs—Social and Common Habits of the People—Leadings of Providence—Self- Possession. CHAPTER VII. RESIDENCE IN BAGDAD. State of the Pashalic of Bagdad—Approach of the Plague—Its Advent—Fearful Mortali- ty—Death of Mrs Groves—House of Mourning—Letter in Prospect of Death—Minor Pri- vations—Inundation of the River—Providential Escapes—Blockade and Anarchy— Thieves and Plunder—The Siege—First View of the City after these Disasters—Appalling Desolation—Prevailing Dress and Architecture—Adventures on the Tigris—Escape from Drowning—Diligent Journalising—Illustrations of Scripture—Projects for the Future— Qualifications for an Editorship—Self-Estimate—Self-Vindication—Secret Anxieties— Filial Resolves—Misunderstandings with Mr Groves—Departure with Mr Newman for England. CHAPTER VIII. RETURN FROM THE EAST. Philosophy of Journalism—The Caravan—Discomforts of Travel—Conversation with the Natives—Persian Curiosity—Caterer for the Party—Incidents at Tehran—The Persian Em- bassy—Illness from Fever—Lady M’Neill—Finger-Talk—Tabreez—Mr Newman leaves and Mr Shepherd joins him—View of Ararat and the Euphrates —Superstitious Pictures— Self-Respect—The Muhaffy—Trebizond—Argonautics—Episcopal Blessing of the Black Sea—Constantinople—Kindness

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