Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-02-07

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him that he was prepared to do what he
could to push him forward in the profess
ion he had chosen But first,' he said, Il
must hear how you preach. On Sunday
next, therefore, you shall preach before me;
but mind. l shall choose the text. You may
retire
By the time Heinrich Meyer reached
his own room in the inn, he had fixed in
his mind the fact that he was to preach to
the king. The fact was only too clear, and
all he could do was to set about his sermon
as soon as he should have been furnished
the text. For the remainder of that day,
he never stirred out; every step on the stairs
WIS to his ears that of the bearer Of the
text.
Nevertheless, evening and night pass I'd
and the next day was far advanced, but no
text
What was to be Gone? There was only
two days before Sunday He must 90 and
consult the Marshal, but the latter could
give him no further Information; all he
could do was to promise that if the king
sent the text through him, it should be for
warded with the utmost possible dispatch.
That day and the next passed, and yet
Heinrich heard nothing from either king OF
marshal. Only an official intimation had
been sent, as was customary, that he had
been selected as the preacher on the follow
ing Sunday at the chapel royal.
If it had not been that Heinrich knew
himself to possess no mean powers of ora
ry, and that he could even extcmporize. in
case of an emergency, he would have run
away from Berlin, and ahjured his discov-
cred cousin AS it was. he abided the
course of events, and fortified himself by
prayer and philosophy for tn, momentous
hour. Sunday morning arrived, but no
text.
Heinrich went to the church appointed
and WAS conducted to the seat always set
apart for the preacher of the day. The king
with the royal family, occupied their ac-
customed places.
The service commenced, but no text
The PRAYERS were ended, and whilst the or
gan pealcd forth It's solemn sounds, tn,
preacher was led to the pulpit. The con
gregation were astonished, not only at his
youthfulness, but at his being an utter
stranger.
The pulpit steps were gained, and the
thought flashed across Heinrich's mint
that possibly he should find the text placeC
for him OH the desk.
But, as he was on the point of moun.in.
the stairs, an officer of the royal household
delivered to him folded piece of paper
saying: "His majesty sends to you the
text"
After having recited the preliminary
prayer, the preacher opened the paper, anC
10! it was blank-not a single word was
J written on it. What was to be done? Helm
! rich deliberately examined the white sheet
: and after a short pause, held it up before
the congregation, saying; His majesty
has furnished the text for my sermon. Blu
you may perceive that nothing whatever is
} upon this sheet of paper. Out of nothing
God created the world. | shall, therefore
take the Creation for the subject of my dis
course this morning.
In accordance with this decision, Tho
| preacher went through the whole of tn,
first chapter of Genesis in mastery way
his style being forcible and clear, and hi,
fluency of language remarkable. His au
diencc. accustomed to the kings eccentric
tiles, were far more astonished at the dex
terity with which the preacher had extrica
, ted himself from the difficulty than at tn,
dilemma in which he had been placed. A
last the sermon was ended, the cOngrega
, ton dismissed, and Heinrich found him
self in the sacristy, receiving the congratu
: lations of several dignitaries of the church
4 who all prophecicd for him a brilliant fu
! ture.
Heinrich ventured to express his amaze
< mcnt at the singular proceeding of the king
but was told that he could only have ar
rived recently from the provinces, if he di'
e not know that such vagaries we're quite com
5 mon to his majesty. In the midst of tn
, conversation, a messenger arrived to con
, duct him to the royal presence. Being to
G tally unaware what impression his sermo
might have made upon the king, the cousin
seeker rather dreaded the approaching au
dience. But Heinrich had scarcely crosses
t the Threshold of the kings room, whe
a his majesty jumped up and thrust roll G
e paper into the young mans hand. exclaim
t ing. 'Hurrah, sir!-puff away!-take thi
e for the light you gave mel
s Then throwing himself back in a chair
G he laughed heartily at the young preacher
IL oc c,,rn,;So opd confusion Tho la,to