The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-03-05
HE UNIoN--IT MUST AND sHALI. BE PRESERVED"

), preach. Ou OuHuaJ next tuSFeaoEs
i you shall preach before me, but, minc
o I shall choose the text. You may re
e tire" 4 z9
!, BY the time Heinrich Meyer reache
his own home in the inn, he had fixed i
| his mind the fact that he was to preac
to the king. The fact was only to
clear, and all he could do was to Sc
{ about his sermon as soon as he shoul
have been furnished with the text. Fo
the remainder of the day, he never stir
red out, every step on the stair was t.
his ears the bearer of the text
Nevertheless, evening and night pass
| ed, and the next day was far advanced
but still no text.
What was to be done I? There wa.
only two days before Sunday! He mus
go and consult the Marshal, but the lat
ter could give him no further informa
ton; all he could do was to promise
that if the king sent the text through
him, it should be forwarded with the ut
most possible dispatch. s.
That day and the next passed, and
Heinrich heard nothing from either
king or marshal. Only an official iuti.
nation had been sent, as was customary
that he had been selected as the preach
er on the following Sunday at the chap.
el royal.
Ifit had not been that Heinrich knew
himself to possess no mean powers of or
atory, and that he could even extempo-
rize in case of emergency, he would GER
tainly have run away from Berlin, and
abjured his discovered cousin. As it
was he abided the course of events, and
fortified himself by prayer and philoso-
ply for the momentuous hour. Sunday
morning arrived, but no text.
Heinrich went to the church appoint
ed and was conducted to the seat always
set apart for the preacher of the day
The king, with the royal family occpied
their accustomed places
The service commenced, but no text !
the prayers were ended, and whilst the
organ pealed forth its solemn sounds, the
preacher was led to the pulpit The
CONGREGATION wero as.oI.isAed, -ToL -oIffy
at his youthfulness, but at his being an
utter stranger.
The pulpit steps were gained. and the
thought flashed across Heinrich's mind
that possibly he might find the text pla-
ced for him on the desk:
But, as he was onthe point of mount
ing the stairs, an officer of the royal
household delivered to him folded
piece of paper, saying, His majesty
sends you the text"
After having recited the preliminary
prayers, the preacher opened the paper,
and 10 lit was blank-uot a word was
on it. What was to be done ? Helm
rich deliberately examined the white
sheet, aud after short pause, held it
up before the congregation, saying,
His majesty has furnished the text
for my sermon. But you may perceive
that nothing whats oever is upon this
sheet, Out of nothing God created the
world I shall therefore, take the crea-
tion for tho subject of my discourse this
morning"
In accordance with this decision, tie
preacher went through t whole of the
first chaIter of Genesis in masterly
way, his style being forcible and clear,
and his fluency of language remarkable.
His Audience accustomed to the kings
eccentricities, were far more astonished
at the Gexterity with which the preach
er had extricated himself from the diff
Guilty, than at the dilemma in which he
had been placed. At last the sermon
was ended, the congregation dismissed,
and Heinrich found himself in the sa-
cristy receiving the congratulations of
several dignitaries of the church, who
all prophesied for him brilliant future
Heinrich ventured to express his
amazement at the singular proeeedin G
of the king, but was told that he could
only have arrived recently from the
provinces, if he did not know tha. such
vagaries were quite common to his ma
jesty. IL the midst of the conversation
message arrived to conduct him to the
royal presence. Being totally unaware c
what impression his sermon might have
made upon the king. the eousin-seeker
rather dreaded the approaching audi
euce. But Heinrich had scarcely cross
ed the threshold of the kings room
when his majesty jumped up and thrust
roll of paper into the young preachers
hand exclaiming, "Hurra! sir!-puff
away l--take this for the light you gave
me ~ rf .3ziass~< Il
Then throwing himself back in chair,
he laughed heartily at the young preach
er's look of surprise aud confusion. The
latter scarcely knew what reply to
make or what to do, but just as he had
got as far as Your majesty" the
king interrupted him, saying, Make
no fine speeches; go home quietly and
examine the contents of the paper. e
g You came to Berlin to seek a cousin
you have found one, who, if you go on
steadily, will not neglect you."
| It is hardly necessary to add, thai
| II - roaI or