Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-09-02
Old Esgls7eiEcss.

In rustic church opposite, while We
write, company of worshipers axe singing
the old, old hymn, "De thou, 0 God. exsl-
ted high" The al. is old also, the i'm
mortal "Old Hundred"
If i. i, true that Luther composed tha;
tune, and if he worship of mortai7 i, car
ried on the wings of angels to Heaven.
how often has he heard The declarion,
They are singing odd lIiEdFcl' now.
The solemn strain carries back TO The line
OF the reformers, Luther ana his devoted
band. He, doubtless. was the first to
strike the grand old chords in the public
sanctuary Of his own Germany
From lis stentorian lungs they rolled,
vibrating. not through the vaul;ed cathedral
ROOF, bu; along agrand arch, the eternal
Heavens. lie wrought into each note lis
own sublim, faith, and stamped it with
thu. i.ith's Immortality Hence i can not
die. Neither man nor angels will let il pass
into oblivion.
The blue-eyel girls of old "f,derland'
sang those same strains with all the
enthusiasm of "a new and holier religion.
They had been bound down to priest.
prayer book and rosary. They had raised
adorinS eyes to the spangled image of the
Virgin, and bent bushingiy before the
carved semblance of the Savior of sinners.
They had knelt at the confessional, and,
placing their lips to the cunningly wrought
portals, told the choicest and the most sin
ful emotions of their hearts into the ear of
the father confessor. whom sometime
theJ feared more then they feared God. But
Luther, in the face Of the fathers, had
thrown down his rosary. and refused to
achnow ledge any inercessor save Christ.
Luther had, as it were, nailed his anathe-
mn over the openings Of the confessional.
Luther had laughed to scorn the holy
relies, pretended miracles, and saving
power of the priesthood. and with daring.
burning eloquehce denounced their SET
suaity and their idolatry FIRST the moth
ers heard, and then the maids They
went to listen, and yremained % pray ave,
and to sing, with trobbing hearts and tear
ful eyes:
''Praise God, from whom al blessings fow."
Can You fad a tomb in the land where
sealed lips lie that have not sung tina, tune
We care not how sin hardened their tenant.
died. or how heard or sung Old Hundred
If they were babes, they smiled ms their
mothers rocked them To sleep singing Old
Hundred. Sinners and saint have Joined
with the endless congregations where ii
has. with or without the pealing organ.
sounded on sacred air. The dear little
children, looking with wondering eyes on
this strange world, have lispc! it, The
sweet young girl. whose tombstone told Of
sixteen summers.s she whose pure and limo
cent face haunted YOU with lis mild beauty,
loved "Old Hundred and; rs she sang it,
closed her eyes and seemed communing
with the angels who were 50 soon to claim
her. lie whose manhood was devoted 10
the service Of his Col. and who, with
faltc.ing steps, ascended the pulpit stairs,
with white hand placed over his laboring
breast. loved Old Hundred And though.
sometimes, his lips onl y moved. away down
in his heart, soon to cease its throbs
the holy melody was sounding. The dear
white headed father, with his tremrlous
voice. how he loved Old Hundred, Do
you see him now. sitting in the venerable
arm chair, his hands crossed over the top
of his me. his silver locks floating of from
his hollow temples. and a tear perchanca
stealing down his frrrowcd checks as the
strains ring ont. Do You hear that thin,
wavering, fallering sound. now bursting
1 forth. listened for almost in vain. Ii
YOU do not, we DO; and from such lips,
hallowed by f3urscorc years' service in tn