Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-08-28
From the Independsnt.l
Letter from Henry Ward Beecher.
FREIBURG, SwITEERLAND.l
r.. July %, 1863. I

Su'y ~ ASocs J
Dear Friends in the Office:
l have just returned from the church Of 81.
Nicholas. The fame Of its organ led me to
make thls point Of rest for the night. A little
before eight O'Clock We entered the CHURCH
gothic. large, and full Of twilight, Several
score came In, and silently waited as we did
One more, and another, still entered, and
seemed Ike shadows fitting past the huge
columns. A bevy of girls came lightly forward,
clinging together, and, like Aock Of doves that
swing round and round before alighting, they
moved to the right, only to swing back to the
left, where soon, gently and preltily, they ell
settled upon the luxurious oaken board called q
seat. The great front doors were closed. The
inner iron open.worked gate shut with dull
clink. Then signal bell for the organ rang,
and was echoed by another below, plentifully
Rupg. All were ailent-waising for the opening
note, hoped to hear some "MlserereY . breath.
ed out, or some soi. publication that world carry
me up above life and day. Instead, roll and
crash came from the full organ. Every thing rush.
cd forth With screaming exulations Ifthefe fiew
into the roar little match Of melody, all the
parts, like 90 many hawks, swooped down upon
Il, snatohing IL from each other, and mounting
with it, or daEting downward, 90 that the poor,
sweet little melody wished II had never spread
It's wings. II was too late for regret. They
tore II to pieces, and nothing was heard of II
more. ,g
Everything had gone wrong with me to-day
was In reaction. Yesterday ] had gone over
the Wenger Alps, stood fa,e TO face with Jung.
frau, Monck, and Eiger; seen the glaciers, and
heard the avslanches; and came home to see
the sun 20 down upon that cloudlese Jungfrau 10
exquisite glory; TO see the moon arise and
change its gold to silver, and fl the air with an
ineifable beauty. IL was day full Of God and
glory. flept uneasily. This morning / rose
exhausted, and nothing oil day long pleased me.
And now the organ must turn against me. Yet
after awhile Il seemed to have found q master
that restrained it. Less and leas harsh was Il;
sWee,er stops began to predomingte; !, the hsrmo.
ny was rounded and full; and o. length q plain.
i've air was given and repeated-agaln given
and echoed by this and that stop, until could
think Of nothing else but sipgingsohool ID
heaven, where an angel was praclicins the little
angels, end each of them Was initiating, % well
% he could, ,he sonorous sweetness Of bill
masters theme. Then the angels. old ant
young, all sang together. My heart sang too
and was purely happy. So then, had
musical repetition of.some Of my Alpine ex'
periences. IL was just 90 that had climbe,
those rugged PASSES, and been savagely treate
by storm that roared about us, and that follow
Cd % down the other side, until at length, th
descent accomplished, an exquisite valley, sun
full Of happy people, reioiced my eycs--a thou
sand shines moro lovely from its contrast wit
the 1hefce tempest among the mountain-tops.
4 fThen oame sort Of exhibition piece, In who
The organ was made 10 show what u could d.
j never liked such thipgs. An organ 10 th
llUaHe6tand thegraudest tinsttumsntin the woilt
ttis ainusioal cathedral fts ssrvloe ID religion
To setiEt6 petfosm waltzssis 90 absurd %