The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-04-16
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher at Stratford
on Avon. Episcopal Church Ser


Rev. Henry Ward Beecher at Stratford
on Avon, The Episcopal Church Ser
vice,
We copy the following from an inter.
esting letter in the Independent, by Rev.
II. W. Beecher
AS approached the church, the
churchyard was to be passed, and an
avenue of lime trees meeting overhead,
formed beautiful way, and my soul
exulted TO 90 up thus To the house Of
God. The interior was stately aud beau
tiIul-it was to me, aud am not des.
cribing anything 10 you as it was, but
am describing myself while in the pres,
ence of scenes with which you are fa>
miliar. AS | sat down in pew close
by the reading desk and pulpit looked
along TO the chancel, whi'h stretched
some fifty or sixty feet back of the pull
pit and desk, and saw upon the wall the
well known bust Of Shakespeare, and l
knew that beneath the pavement under
TINT, his dust reposed.
I" In few minutes, a little fat man
with red collar and red cuffs, adYanc
ed from a side room behind the pulpit,
aud led the way for the Rector, a man
of about ify-bald, except on the oides
of his head, which were covered with
white hair. had been anxious lest
some Cowper's ministerial fop should
oliiciaie, and the sight of this aged man
was good. The form Of his face and
head indicated frmness, but they were
sullnsed with ali expression of benevo.
lence. lie ascended the reading-desk.
aud the services began. You know my
mother was. until her marriage. in the
communion Of the Episcopal Church
this thought hardly left me, while l sat,
grateful for the privilege Of worshipping
God through IA service that had express
ed. so often her devolions. cannot
tell you how much | was ffected. had
never had such trance of worship, aud
| shall never have such another view
until | gain the gate.
IL am so ignorant Of the church seT-
vice, that cannot tell the various parts
by their right names-but the portions
which most affected me, were the prayers
and responses which The choir sang. |
had never heard any part Of supplica-
tion-a direct pfayer-sung by choir,
aud il seemed as though heard not with
my ear, but with my soul. l was dis
,olved-my whole being seemed 10 nc
like ali incense waited gratefully toward
God. The Divine presence rose before
me in wondrous majesty, but of inef'
fable gcnlleness and goodness, and ]
could not stay away from more familiar
approach, but seemed irresisiibly, yet
gently, drawn toward God. My soul,
then thou didst magnify the Lord, and
rejoice in the God Of thy salvation. And
then came TO my mind the many exul>
taions OF the Psalms of David, and ncv-
er before were the expressions and fig
ures so noble and 50 necessary 10 express
| what | felt. | had risen, it seemed tc
, me, so high, that l was where David
was when his soul conceived the thugs
which he wrote. Throughout the ser
! vice, and il was an hour and quarter
long, whenever an " Amen occurred
il was given by the choir, accompanied
by the organ aud tie congregations Oh
4 that swell aud solemn cadence rings II
my ear yet. Not once, not single TINT
g did it occur ia that service from begin
ming to end, without bringing tears from
my ewes. stood like shrub in spring
morning. every leaf covered with dew
6, ever, breeze shook down some drops
d. | tremhled SO much al times, that | wa
:. obliged to sit down. Oh, when in the
c prayers breathed forth in strains u
II sweet, simple, solemn music, the love o
u Christ was recognized, how longe'
y then 10 give utteTance To what that love
= seemed to me. There was moment il
which the heavens seemed open TO me
!. and saw the glory Of God All III
Il earth seemed to me storehouse OF i'm
|. ages, made to set forth the Rcdeemcr
IS and could scarcely keep still from cry
= ing out. never knew, l never dreame'
= before of what heart there was in ih
Il word amen. Every time il sweled fort,
: and died away solemnly, not my lips, ne
:. my mind, but my whole being said
:. Saviour, SO lei il be.
4 "The sermon was preparatory TO ih
n communion, which | then first earne
n was 10 be celebrated. u was plain an
ar good aud although the rector had don
le many things in a way ,ha, led me 10 sur
re pose that he sympa.hlzed with over muc
e' ceremony, yet in his sermon he SCENE
:. evangelical, and gave right view of Nh
n. Lords Supper. For the frs, time
i. my life, went forward TO commune
an Episcopal Church. Wilhou, an