The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-08
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.
TIE "EnER.clx CHAPEL IN EERLM.
SPECIAL cuaREspoNnEScs Or THE HERALD.
Opening OF the New Church Edihce-The Ser
vices and Sermon.

bkRLlN, NOV. u, 1867.
As was announced on Saturday by that many
sided immortal, "The Committee in the notice
appended to my letter of the same evening "open.
ing services were held In English in the new
chaper last Sunday. A the invitation was
printed In a German newspaper, ii was seen by
very few Americans, and but for some Germans
who had strayed in the congregation would have
been rather small. Thanks TO these strangers
the attendance was fully two hundred. Rev. DIR.
NewhaD, Of Middletown, Conn, offered the long
prayer, and Rev. Or. Horst, from New Jersey, but
now Of the Methodist Episcopal Mission in Bremen,
preached the sermon from Romans l.. l6. At the
close Of his discourse the reverend gentleman
said that it was often remarked at home that
those who have been absent in Europe are
very ant 10 have lost their Christian warmth
and zeal while far from their accustomed affairs.
That al least one denomination In the United
States was willing 10 supply place where our
eountrymen can keep alive the fire Of Christian
love, so that they may return to their friends
and homes having sacrificed nothing Of their
ardor for the cause of Christ but rather having
gained new strength by the way, was proved by
the erection of the sanctuary wherein they STOOD
and by the solemn services in which they had
Joined. This seemed much like planting the
banner OF one sect and claiming the new church
for one of the outposts OF the speakers own Pc
cular faith, that not few Of the congregation
exchanged expressive glances, and some looked at
the broad, new hymn books, conspicuously let
tered on the backs and on the sides as Methodist
Hymns.r
Fearing, perhaps, that his younger friend had
been little over jealous, the Superintendent,
4 nr .iv of rin a alv>f
scullcap, assembled to the desk to observe that
while the new edifce had been erected for the use
Of the German Methodists in Berlin, promise had
been given to Governor Wright, to whose influence
the church mainly owed its existence, that it
should be at the disposition Of the Americans and
English once every Sunday. "Their committee"
he added, twill have control OF the services and
we viii do nothing to introduce sectonalism into
them.n
These judicious words did not however, prevent
some from taking offence at what had gone before,
and refusing To join in the communion which fol.
lowed. The entire administration of the sacra.
ment was new example OF the difficulty OF per-
forming the solemn ceremony without following
regular ritual, difficulty that is 80 great that
nothing less than the most delicate tact is able TO
overcome it. i remember once hearing a good
man, whom one could have thought to have been
above such an annoyance, telling how sadly his
powers and meditations were once disturbed on a
communion Sabbath which he spent in the conn.
try, by a burly farmer who passed the hallowed
bread and wine with hands covered by coarse
buckskin gloves. Far more dscomposing than
such circumstance WAS the conduct of those who
ofhciated on this occasion. Before and during the
service there were consultations in loud whispers
and going to and fro, which seemed at least most
indecorous. When the lay communicates had been
served two clergymen were 10 be seen standing
before the table, aud with their backs to IT, chat
ting az cheeTiny az If at neighbours sideboard
one quietly munched his portion, wllilo the other
sought upon the plate piece to suit himself An
unfortunate wording Of the customary invitation
before the distribution Of the elements was in
terpreted as excluding Unitarans. an exception
which WAS doubtless unintentional. Freedom Of
the table to all Christians should certainly be u
feature Of every union church, but doubiy 90 In
foreign land, as any one would say who saw the
face which beautiful girl lifted from her hand
kerchief as they rose TO sing the last hymn. Her
quiyering lips did not swell the song Of praise
which her eyes red with weeping could not read.
Her thoughts had been far away with fricsds at
home, for at no other time are such feryent pray
ers put mp for those With whom we have been
won't TO cluster around the same hearth and kneel
at common family altar as when we conmemo.
rate the Last Supper OF Our Lord.
The dedication Of the house took place early In
the morning, and that you may see how. the exer-
cises appeared to Prusxian spectators, give you
the notice OF them in q city paper:--s'The conse.
Grafton Of the newly built Methodist Episcopal
church in the Junker strasse took place on sun.
day, Sd November. A the invitation was public,
more than three hundred persons found themselves
at half-past nine o'clock in the house OF God The
interior Of 1t presents at first sight somewhat
strange appearance to members Of other churches,
for, according to ,custom, both altar and pulpit
are wanting. Instead Of the latter, . high
cathedrA upholstered with velvet, at which sat
three persons in civil dress, was placed at the
east end Of the church. At the foot Of this
estrada . polished board is fastened, which, as
We discovered later. serves ~ An altar for
receiving the cup and other vessels used
et tie communion On the same wall
Ten Commandments, with the Apostles
creed on one side and the Lords prayer and some
Bible text Apostolic benedction) on the other In
both English and German. Neither crucifx or
cross, r.other token that one finds himself in
Christian church, did we have opportunity 70 per-
ceive. Opposite the cathedra Is . choir in which
stand the singers, who are accompanied by sn
harmonium. According 70 English custom clock
II not lacking. The seats, oil provided with kneel-
ing benches, are free and most convenient. The
religious celebration was opened by the psalm,
Praise ye the Lord" which was followed by q.
address to the assembly, prayer and the reading
was delivered by ons DR.. Jacoby superintendent
OF the Bremen Missionary Society, from psalms
lxxxviii., &. After this the house vas delivered
20 preacher Achard, who completed the act OF
conservation in simple discourse. We
learned lIom the same that this church Is
designed 10 maintain the religious life OF
the scattered Americans here Of al confessions,
Tor which purpose service viii be held each Sun.
day in two languages. The proclamation OF tho
word OF God, the administration Of the sacraments
aud OF all the ordinances prescribed for tie gori.
hcation OF the Iriune God was designated as the
purpose OF the worship IN this house. Singing the
hymn. Nun ddnket Ale Got" closed the excr.
cses at eleven o'clock In time for the English ser.
vice, in which comparatively small number Of per.
sons took part The memory Of the former American
Minister, Mr.. Joseph A. Wright, is honored BY q
handsome marble slab with an appropriate inscrip.
zion. Every Sunday NJ halfpast nine o'clock In
the morning and six o'clock in the evening service
will be heidi
II the writer OF the above bad been dEillcd in
New England Sunday school he would have
noticed that the wording Of the Ten Command.
nents referred 10 IL not strictly the same AZ that
he so carefully committed in his bovhood.
Fifteen Thousand dollars we're given by the United
States Methodist Episcopal Church out Of It's
missionary fund, and 81 $50 have been contributed
by Americans here towards the erection OF the
husl1 tEw.u f~r.x hur