Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-03-03
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY MORNING MARCH 3, 1883
A SUNDAY NIGHT VIEW OF "ESi-
MINISTER ABBEY.

MINISTER ABBEY.
The poru,ar notion Of Cathedral or Min
ster 10 England is that of grand old fossil
or mammoth church. Bequeatbed to us by
odd-tashioped forefatbers, no doubt 60
enough for their age, they are ponderous re-
cords Of piety in stone. outlines of sentiment
in endless intricacy of lines and arches
Beautiful 70 see or to sketch, TO fit into a
portfolio or light upa tiSto'y, Of what hu-
man use are thev besides, except perhaps to
pe, persons buried in? Yet who that has
ben locked in, or still often,r locked out OF
Their gu It walls, but associates melancholy
pleasure with the remembrance? VINO, Tor
instance that works in pUpu!ous London, tut
has a secret liking for tboe twin towers OF
Westminster! Even if he has not played
hockey 10 the coisters, or vanqulsheo an I'M
pertneut lad in the square, or done moon
light exploits iu the precincts, or IN later lie
passed beneath them jaded and cold after a
night of stormy debate in the house, what
dweller in Cockaync but loves them!
We have wntched them looming grey and
cold. as the young dawn OF May morning
shot slvery arrows along the lake in st
j Imes's Park, aud came sparkling under the
trees where q poor houseless girl Was plying
her weary needle within a stones throw OF the
Palace. Leagues away at sea the shadows
of the Minister towers have risen up into
Thoughts Of England and It's Parks, slowly ia
ding 10 the calm sunset. Cann0t these grand
old edidces be made useful as we'll as pUetl.
Cal? They were useful once. and out OF their
sergiceab!eness grew their sanct,ty and their
attraction A few years ago, ii we remem-
Der we'll, Cardinal Wiseman hinted at the use
be would find for Westminster Abbey. Ana
wby not Others? Why should 50 much stone
religion rear itself apart from the emotions OF
cur daily life? Even to stand beneath Its
fretted roofs to be impressed with a sent'-
ment of awe and humbleness. Earnest men
have said ths-cr something like this--to
themselves; and the answer is, tia, Westnin-
ster Abbey is restored to the worship oil the
multitude.
We will 90. A January night. Hall
past five by the frozen chimes as we reach
the western gate Of the Abbey. The work
ing classes are there, bearing the cold as
brave men bear it. after, it is lie hoped, an
excellent dinner. The majority OF the work
ing classes, too, are well wrapped up, and by
standing close they will 20 doubt be able t.
keep themselves warm for an hour and a
half, until the Abbey door lie opened. What
gulf of gloom about the gate, what wall
of gloom in the air,--how griwly the PAIR OF
towers stand soosy against the eky. Below
it's like waiting at the eatraoce OF crypt
or expecting to go down coal.shatt.
Why are the doors not open, and why are
the working classes not allowed to Sit dowu!
The crowd hazard various suppositlons. =
Two chiefly; one to the effect that an hour 5
EXPENDITURE of light is consideration to the
Chapter--anutber promulgated by sarcas
tic working man, tc the effect that the WORKING
classes have tendency to injure naii'na
monuments. "l've come here regularly fo'
FIVE and twenty years" working authority
informs u.s. with unreasonable amount OF priIe
"and knows EN-" WeaIie al wedged In
and punched by great great variety Of Ell
bows. we learn from another gentleman tina
this sis not much of crowd" A quarter Il
six and then in the haze above little feeble
star baogs out light. Aud by that glow
over the southern tower we shall soon nave
the moon--yes, there she is, stealing slow
and silently by.
The saints 10 the west window now com
out dimly from their wrsppings OF immem
orial CRIME and decay. Fourteen, an arlsh
metical neighbor, informs Us. Stand Ut
the pavemen,-4o left or right. Gentlemen
pray stand awayw-sings the tlithe and po
etical police inspector. Gentlemen, stauc
away! The doors are going to opeu-in-
another quarter of an hour TO wait--oiscus'
theology, news,--watch the lifting hgau
and the women's faces glimmering down OF
us from the broad sanctuary, and at last We!
come the grind of the rusty gate,-the soo
den gush of two jets of gas lighting up th'
spandrls of the western gate-and are ooro
along int region of light. How orlgh
aod vivid the nave looks. awoke out oi III
dusty sleep and vacant hierarchical g'oo"
What an incursion OF the nineteentn-een
tury invaders, flooding all the aisles' lrre
spectiVe OF the memories aud san;tities " W, Wv
place! How does this rush SOUND oy E"Za
be,h's Grave or in the peacefuluess Of Poet
Corner? To be sure the monuments are uo
;nbah;,ed bpt are not famous dead here
freezing behind their grin, purgatorial rails
Nave and aisles north and south. are hoer
.lIv nrovided with foreign looking rongt
chairs. to which a II, gentle and simple, ADM
tbemselyes;-and dependent from the cius
cred pillars are cardboard copies, IN Doi'
TYNE. of the Huudredtb Psalm. on when
clear LIGHT is shed from the bronze trees tina
bud forth branching arms and circiets OF ga
in the ipterspaces. The nave is sea OF hu
man faces, twisted and quirked in strang
eddies, huctuatipg in restless valleys, anl
occasionally tossed up into reluctant fioges
Cboir-wards the gloom is solid aud caarne
like. Icy gusts sweep from hundreds OF olo
den doors and passsges,-maroie senator
and Judges and astronomers stana at cum :,
tire hght;-Newton cannot hold the gioee
and Pitt seems CONCEALED over the door ina
is battered from the outside with blows tina
recall that there are still descendants OF sur
DIV Saxons.
The grand din Of the organ swells at las
and there is q sudden Stiffness biaek
s,olid, fresb-faced vergers appear ana oy
snd-by the bishop and capons, heraided 0.
pokers. Then the gates of the choir ope'
and let out a stream Of surphced chor'sters
and the service beeins--faintiy read ant
scarcely heard. 1t is not until the Psalm
are reached that the sound of many voice
is beard-nor until the Greed that we ho'
brave old gentlemen of the Sir Roger de GOV
erly period, who repeat audibly and dehae'
~ The Dean reads the Lessons ana ,t 10
Bishop breaches an expressive sermon. To-
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