The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-10-10

flags, music, &C., all preparing to go out
to the grand festivity. We attended
service in the cathedral at 9 o'clock, and
although [ could understand very little
of it, being in German, | was interested
in it as service in Protestant Switzer-
land. The cathedral itself is fine old
building of the 18th century, the large
doorway presenting a representation of
the last judgment in the quaint and Gu
rious carving of that age, some OF which
is rather ludicrous in effect now. The
nave and aisles are fitted up for worship,
the nave with benches for the women, and
the aisles with stalls that are very old,
perhaps coeval with the building, which
are occupied by the men. Special seats
are assigned to public functionaries, &c.
The pulpit is a little stone box built
against one of the massive columns, andhas
sounding board over it, and little iron
frame projecting fromit in which stands an
hour glass to warn the preacher by its less
ening sands, not to exhaust the patience of
his hearers. wariling that unhnppily
we sometimes need, although our Bernese
pastor did not speak out all the sand.
He was dressed in black gown, with a
broad white ruff or collar about his neck,
such as you see in old pictures, and
might have sat for the picture of one of
the old Swiss reformers. The service
was simple and short, but read entirely
in all its parts, prayers and sermon, al
though none of the people seemed to
have any thing that looked like prayer
book, nor did they take any part in the
service by way of responses, even when
the Lords Prayer was repeated.
The men stood during the whole SER
vice, except the sermon, and the women
rose during the prayer. There were very
few men present, and some of them
asleep. The women were more numer-
Gus and more attentive. The music did
not strike me much, except in its simple
gravity. The organ is a fine one, said
to rival the celebrated one at Freiburg,
and some of its tones were very grand,
but its full power was not brought out in
the service
noticed that each hymn in the book
had tune printed to it, which believe
is always the one sung to it, and the
numbers of the hymns and the verses
that were to be used were put up in a
frsme at the door, so that every one
could see them in entering, and l observ-
ed, that the organist played no interludes
between the verses, but simply supported
the congregation in singing. This I be-
lieve is generally the case in Europe.
Just before pronouncing the benedic-
ton the preacher read out list of those
who intended to be married, and pro-
claimed the banns as must be done for
two Sundays, in every part of Germany,
and Judging from the length of the list,
whatever other Scriptural institutions
may be neglected by the Bernese, mat
rimony does not seem to be one of them.
After service looked at the choir, which
is also seated for worship, probably COM
munion service or the baptismal font and
communion table stand just at the juno
ton of the nave, transepts and choir.
In cloister off the choir are six slabs of
black marble with the names of the 702
men of Berne who fell in the battle,
which | believe caused the memorial fes-
tival of that day.
Would it not be fitting memorial to
our poor boys, who fell in the late strug-
gle, to rear in the churches where they
worshipped, some such simple tablet re-
cording their names, and the places where
they fell, after the passions still raging
have subsided. Even those who fought
against them, if they are brave and gen
erous, admit that their bravery deserves
such tribute, and after the exctements
of the contest are passed away, would
themselves be among the first to do honor
to foemen so worthy of their steel. And
as the cause for which they perished is
lost, such a simple tribute of love and
sorrow as this seems all that we can do
for them, and but little compared with
what their gallantry deserves. Even our
bitterest enemy could not object to our
cherishing the memory of our brave and
beloved dead, and if any one did object,
it would probably be one whose objection
would be reason for the thing rather
than against it. / do not desire to see
the passions of the late conflict perpetu-
ated, but | do not think that doing pro-
per respect to the gallant dead will do
this, or that neglect of them will indicate
any nobleness in the hearts of people
who do so.
But was struck with the utter unfit
ness of these cathedrals for Protestant
worship. Although warm day in Au-
gust, the air in the church was so cold
as to be almost uncomfortable, and in the
stern vigor of a Swiss winter must be
intolerably cold, as there is no way of
heating so vast space. And in spite of
the sounding board, it was very difficult
to hear, and much of what the preacher
said must have been unintelligible to a
large part of his audience. They were
built for the magnifcentritual of Popery,
and suit nothing else. As we left the
church we encountered two professions
with flags and music, doubtless marching
to the great gathering, and felt that the
thin and cold audience within, compared
with the gay and lively crowd without,
was rather sad showing for the land of
Farel and Zwingle. But it is barely pos
sible that on a Sunday when there is no
outside attraction the cathedral may have
a better audience.