The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-09-10
FCELAND.S GELLENNEAL.
Extracts from Letters OF nr. Hayes
and 8ayard TayEor-H yTnns. Music.
Observation-Disclosures

The New York Tribune and Herald
contain graphic and voluminous accounts
of the Tcaandic Millepnial written ty
BAYABD TAYLOR and Dr.. HAYES, re-
snect,vely. We take from Dr.. HAYES
account as follows:
The celebration Of the Millennial be
gan h ,lag, August 2. hen came on
deck In the morning very lively scene
greeted ne. Flags were flying from al
the ships and from every honsetop, and
the men-of-war were decorated after the
most approved naval fash'on-s The sun
was shining brilliantly, and the air was
clear and warm. Away OF to the, north
west doomed up the white chest OF
Snacefen Jokul, through which Jnies
Verne made his imaginary descent lnto
the centre of the earth; to the southeast
was the sharp peak OF keyllr; to the
north a great line of sun illumined cliffs.
At g o clock a salute was fred from
che shins. and soon afterwards we went
ashore 10 witness the ceremonies at the
Cathedral. We foand the large open
green about the building already throng
ed with people, who had come from Ear
and near, and every one [ passed seemed
TO say. ''A.h, look at .oel [ sEn the citi-
zen of the country that is thousand
years old. :.
The Cathedral is not sn imposing edl
Gee nv any meane, but is solid. respect
able looking building, without any pre-
tence &c architectural beauty. and Is capa-
BILE of accom- modating 500 persons. 1t
was quite filed when we entered at 10
O'Clock. Seats had been courteoueiy re-
served for our party close to the front.
and the King. with his suite, arrived
promptly. The audience arose, and
would have cheered him had it net been
in church. tie passed up the aisle and
up aaa narrow wieding stairs leading to
the gallery, where he sat through ser,
mon that was very hfeless. and listened
to chanting that was very dull: But the
singing was superS, and the whole scene
withia the church was extremely pleas
ing.
To say that the singing vas fine Is 20
pay it a very peer compiment- Ihe
IcelanGic language Is wonderfully mus
cial, and every Iceiander.sings. The Or
binary hymns Of the church service We're
sung as usual, but the event OF the &C
casion vas the singing OF hymn, com
posed for this miIIeunial occasion by
man ct geninus. Matthias Jochumson, a
resident Of Reikiayik, and set to music
by another Icelander, 5. SvenbjeFnson.
I give a literal translation. which IS
necessarily without rhyme, and although
giving some idea of the thought, cannot
fully express the feeling OF the original
IcELASD's sIILLEENL4L HYMN.
0 God or our land o our lands God
We praise Thy holy. holy name.
From solar systems of the heavens, wind Thee
wreath
Before thee is one day as thousand years,
Not more one eternity's small flower, 18th qniver-
ing tears,
Witch adores its God and aies.
Iceland's thousand years. Icelands thousand
One eternity's small flower, with quivering tear,
Which worshps Its God and dies.
Oh God, 0 God, we fall PROSTATE
And offer thee our burning soul
God father, our Lord from kin to kin
And cry our hottest speech:
years
For thou art our only defense,
We cry, and thank with our quivering tears
For thou madest the wheel OF our fate,
Icelands thousand years
Were the mornings chilly and down flowing tears
Which up by the shining sun.
III.
D God OF our land o lands God
We live trembling straws
We die if thou art not orr light, and the life
Which lifts up from the dust
D be thou each morning our sweetest iiie
And at be our heavenly rest and our shield
And our captain through our national path
Tceland's Thousand years.
Re they a growing national life with Iessening
tears.
And may it increase on the heavenly Kingdoms path.
This hymn was sung with remarkable
power and sweetness, the entire congrega-
ton Joining In the chorus Everybody
was filed with emotion. L saw many a
moist eye: and. indeed, [ have never any
where seen such an emotional congrcga-
ton. 1T was "a event in ones life to |
have witnessed such thousand heart |
gushlngs as came forth with the chorus |
'Island's Tusand Aar" Gceland's Thou
sand Years.
Even the crowd about the doorway |
who could not gain access to the church |
took it up. and the glorious music swell |
led away over the green ana was echoed |
BY the cragS; and then ali was still. as If
it were calm following great storm,
and in the midst of it the King, evident
" touched, walked down the aisle, in the
midst Of the great solemn stiffness, and
this first act of the celebration OF the
thousandth anniversary of Iceland was
ut an end.
After the ceremonial in the Cathedral,
which included sermon by Bishop
Pjeturson. came royal banquet given
BY the King to the principal public func
tionaries of the island and naval and
civil guests Of this, DR., Hayes says:
The dinner was served In the large
hall of the Theological! Seminary, and
band of music frolu the Kings ship add
ed greatly To what otherwise was quite
excellent. The Governor wife, Mme
Finsen, the only lady present, sat on the
right. To her right was Prince Waldo
mar, handsome, jolly young fellow of
about Is or 10 who has evidently come
to Iceland to enjoy himself aud means
no. to be disappointed -
Then there were outdoor festivities Of
most interesting and enthusiastic char
acter, respecting which Bayard Taylor
writes.