Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-05-05
The Confirmation OF Queen Qfctoria's
GrsnddauyhteIs.

The scene of confirmation was the
grand ducal chapel in the old castle at
Darmstadt, place Of worship in which
the English colony there have the
advantage Of assembling on Sundays.
A simple whitewashed edific of moder-
ate size, with an organ-loft above the
altar and lateral cOlonnsdet supporting
couple of galleries, this court-chapel
seems well suited to supply the scanty
ritualIstic wants Of sovereign family
who adhere to the Lutheran form Of
worship. On the altar stood the cross
and communion vessels, while on each
side were ranged a profusion of ver-
dant palms and tropical plants. Direct
ly in front, about four PAGES off, were
placed a couple of seats for the young
princesses, who were inclosed by two
horseshoe rows Of chairs allotted to
the most illustriOus participators in the
ceremony. The body of the church was
betimes filled by the members OF the
diplomatic corps accredited here in
cluding the Hon. W. y. Jocelyn and
Mr.. Charles Scott, her Maiesty's re-
presentatiyes at the courts of Hesse and
Coburg- Gotha respectively. by the min
listers of state, the privy councillors,
the civic, educational and eccles iastical
chiefs-amohg the latter the Rev. j. j
II. Cunyughame, the English pastor
;here-and the officers commanding the
garrison. Side galleries had been re-
served for few privileged guests of
the grand duke, mostly ladies, and for
the members of her ma iesty's house
hold accompanying her. First Of all
came the Queen, leading IN her grand
daughter. Princess Victoria, and sup
ported by the Grand Duke Louis, her
majesty, whose mourning dress was
relieved by bands and edging of white,
took her seat by the side of her son-in-
law, while the chair opposite was as
signed to Princess Elizabeth of Prus-
sia, who escorted her namesaKe,
Princess Elizabeth. Next the queens
at the Prince of Wales, in full marshal's
uniform, with all his orders on, In
charge of tue grand duchess of Baden,
while opposite them was the princess
of Wales, with the German crown
prince in the light blue uniform of a
general Of the Prussian Dragon
Guards. Further off from the altar,
on the left side, was Princess Beatrice
with the Grand Duke of Baden, their
vis-a-yis being the hereditary dutchess
of Saxe-Me.ninge with Prince Henry
of Hesse. The two Drincesses, who
wore white silk dresses and mantillas
of the same color, deeply edged with
swan's-down, took their seats before
the altar, and the opening chorale be-
ing finished, the service began. The
confirmation ceremony, which, though
performed in a German Lutheran
church, does not very materially differ
from the English ritua,r and not be de-
scribed in detail. After the prelimin-
ary forms DIR. Sell, the clergymen who
has superintended the religious educa-
tion Of two princesses, delivered an ad-
dress, which, though long, was never
wearisome, being full Of practical wis
dom and pervaded by tone of simple
eloquence. The queen, in particular,
was deeply affected by the words of the
preacher. All then rising the clergy |
man catechssed his proselytes altern-
ately in the usual way, their answers, |
sometimes very long, being returned in |
way which argued both surprising |
strength of nerve and length of memory |
on the part Of the intending commune
cants. Then followed the consecra-
ton, when, the princesses kneeling, |
the two officiating clergymen laid each |
q hand on their heads and pronounced |
them responsible members of the Chris |
tIan church. In a few minutes the
chapel was again empty, and when the
noise and hustle of departing carriages
had died away, her majesty, accom-
panied by Princess Beatrice, the grand
duke and his brother, Prince Henry,
returned to the altar to take the sacra-
ment with her two granddaughters.
Afterwards the select and distinguished
company dined together in the old cas-
tie where her majesty is lodged, her
suit lunching apart. Afterwards, &C.
companied only by Princess Beatrice
and the grand duke, her son-in-law,
the queen drove in an open carriage
and four, preceded by two outriders, to
the Rosenhoehe, the summer residence
of Princess Charles, in corner of the
grounds of which stands the mausoleum
the mornful objecs of her majesty's
pilgrimage, wherein repose the ashes
of the Princess Alice and two OF her
children. Wandering about the neatly
trimmed fower-plots that front the
tomb of the princess the visitor imagi-
mes the mausoleum TO be nothing more
than a sheltering ga-den-house and
ventures in, to find, however, the floor
occupied by three sarcophagi, shroud-
ed by crlmson-colored velvet pals and
covered with floral corsses, dropping
palm branches and wreaths of violet,
white and yellow immortelles. "A
mark Of tenderest love and affection
from her broken-hearted mother, Vic
toris;" ga mark of affeetionate love
from Louise;'' "a mark Of love and
affection from Alexandra" ''In af-
fectionate remembrance from Marie," !
"a mark of tenderest devotion from {
are but few OF the English
inscriptions appended to these floral
emblems of immortality; while con-
spicuous among all, at the head Of the
largest coffin. reposes a massive wreath s
Of purple Grampian heather. being !
"a token of love from Balmoral,'
brought away by the grand duke in
October, 1879, after his sorrowing So
journ at her msiesty's Highland home.
Into this sunny sepulchre the queen
with her companions entered, and af-
placed two more wreaths