The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-06-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THIS COLUMN Is OPEN TO ALL.
FOf Tho ItClT Wing.
The Conservation of Bishop Seymour, in
New York.

The Conservation of Bishop Seymour. in
New York.
THIS event was the occasion of rehg ious
service magnificent and solemn to a degree
| rarely witnessed in this country. 1t oc
CURED on the 11th of June, day marked
in the Christian calendar as the Feast OF
st. Barnabas. The place chosen for it was
Trinity Church, New York, whose massive
/ proportions and rich, stately architecture,
along with its historic associations, render il
still pre- eminent among American churches.
In spite of the rainy weather, vast, but
orderly, multitude had thronged the spa
cious edifice by the hour appointed; and
meanwhile about two hundred clergymen
from various States, but chiefly from the
city and its vicinity, had gathered in the
SacrlSty and rObing rooms. Nine Bishops
We're among them, including Bishop Lay,
of EastOn, Md, who had been chosen by
the Bishop-elect, according to custom, to
preach the conservation sermon.
At a given signal, the procession of sur
pliced clergy began to move from the rob
ing rooms down the south aisle of the
church. Reaching the main alley, leading
up through the middle of the nave, it was
halted and divided into two parallel rows
by the ushers. Then the great organ in
the gallery, which had been grandly peal
ing forth the strains of the Sicilian Marin
ers' Hymn, ceased almost abruptly, and
there was deep hush throughout the
crowded building. Immediately the ear
caught the faint, but distinct, notes of dis
tant music, so sweet and clear, but so far
away, that it was not difficult in such a
place to imagine that one heard choir of
angels singing in the courts of Heaven.
1t was the choir of fifty men and boys pro
ceedlng from their VeSting rooms along the
passage i'll the rear of the Altar to lead the
Bishops and Parochial Clergy through the
waiting procession in the main alley Of the
church. AS they began to emerge into the
church at the head of this second process
sion, their strains, no longer remote, Swelled
nearer and louder, and the great organ sud
denly awoke, and smoothly Joined, with
deep but sOftened tones, in the noble hymn.
The Church's One Foundation" Loud
and louder swelled the holy song, now taken
up easily by clergy and people; deep and
deeper sounded the diapason of the mighty
instrument, like the roar of the ocean, min.
Cling with the many voiced winds. The
first procession now joined this last, falling
order; and as we thus advanced up the
main alley, seemingly borne along on the
tide of sound and song, the lofty groined
roof overarching us, and our faces towards
the great chancel window with its life-siZe
figures OF the Christ and the Apostles, its
rich, varied hues shedding an unworldly
Spendour over the sanctuary; and as we
saw, many of US for the first time, that
wondrouS work of sacred art, that beauti
full sermon in stone," the great ReredOs,
or screen, behind the Altar, extending the
whole width of the chapcel: and as we
looked on the noble Altar of varied mar
bles adorned with precious stones, sur
mounted with its cross of brass thanked on
either side with single tall, lighted candle
OF pure wax In its silver candle stick, and
a single silver vase of rare flowers, and
with its Holy Table arrayed in - fair linen"
and sacred vessels for the LORDS Feast:
our hearts, moved by what we saw as well
as what we heard and sang, sweied and
glowed until they weil.nigh melted within
us, and we were fain to Confess this is
indeed Gods House, this is the Gate Of
Heaven"
The service which now promptly began,
was much the same as our usual Sunday
morning service, except that the morning
Prayer, which was said at an earlier hour,
was omitted, and the service for the conse-
Grafton OF Bishops was added. 1t was choral
throughout, iuterspersed with several splen-
did anthems. rendered in mastery man
ner by the choir, aided by the two organs
playing sometimes together, sometimes re.
sponsively.
To rural ears this grand music was a
rare indulgence, in the highest. degree de
lightful, as it was also elevating. But in
all the stately succession of aieStiC hymns
and magnificent glOriaS and anthems, which
alike moved the soul and pleased the ear,
what stirred us most deeply were the sim
plast aud most solemn of all, namely %
the LitaRy, iutoned by the Bishop of Maine
with the vast congregation and the clergy
singing the responses in unison; (2) the
Nieene Creed; and ~ the Neni Grsator
Spiritus in the Conservation Service, which
was also sung by the same Bishop and the
people responsively. The effect of the
Greed was perhaps the most striking. 1t
was simply int0he1: that is, it was ali on
one note, which gave it the effect of being
both said and sung. And, although it was
all IN unison, yet the various voices, male |
and female, boyish and manly-soGue of a
tenor, others of bass or baritone, others |
of a soprano, or alto quality,-gave it a
wondrous variety and expression, even bad |
there been no organ. But meanwhile the |
great organ. as we'll as the less, were play |
ing the most beautiful Accomplishments, I
one brilliant and the other powerful, and |
both keeping time with us and with each |
other, with a marvellous precision; so that |
the cords seemed to be actually set to elabo |
rate strains, and we to be singing them.
The sermon by Bishop Lay was strong. |
impressive and eloquent, on the needs of the |
|, Of
making more effective her general economy.
1t contained a full, handsome vindication |
of the Bishop elect from the aspersions and |
representations which he had suffered !
some years ago; and closed with ii few, |
we'll chosen. touching words bidding him |
God speed IN his high and arduous office.
One thought suggests itself, and this long |
story shall end. Such churches as Trinity, |
in New York. and such solemn, imposing |
religious functions as that sought here to |
be described, can never become common. |
Towns of the size of Elkton cannot afford |
them, even if the enormous expense of |
maintaining many different religions |
were ended by having only one. But is it |
a good thing that some places can afford to |
have noble Christian temple, where no
pains or expense are spared to enable men |
to offer unto God a worthy alteration, and |
where all that the eye sees and the ear
hears combine tremendously with Il scrip
tural, ancient. reasonable worship, to re.
ediy the soul and re-kindle the heart 5 best |
affections Ones time and money, how
ever precious, would seem to be well spent
in going sometimes to witness and bear a
part in such sublime service toward God. |
1t gidS and hallows anew the quiet sphere
and homely duties to which one must per
chance return; and gives, by its prophetic
fOcetaste OF the better world, fresh hope |
and courage for our strue lies in this.
s,,., ,,o, H/A. S.
For The Cecil Wing