The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-08-06
EUROPEAN LETTERS.
A SUNDAY IN THA: KIRKS OF
EDINBURGH.
A stroll Through Town and "a Cab
Drive TO ArtlIur'S Seat-MeIrOSe
Abbey and It's wonders Grand
The Celebrated Abbey Inn.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND,l
July %, 1889. I
Editor Citizen Although we have re-
sided in Scotland only two days we are
able to give some valuable advice to any
who anticipate moving hitherward, cspc-
ciaIly us to some articles of male attire
which we recommend being left in Amer
ica First among these is the beard, be-
cause no greater nuisance has attended
us than the unsuccessful search for a bar
Der. At last we succeeded in the chase
and now feel very much as though our
visage had been well raspcd with nut
meg crater, and the blood sappcd up with
Il towel "founded in the eleventh cent
ury," like all other things here, and re-
tanning all the odors of Sanctty of those
early ages. What would these folks
think of one Of our tonsorial artists
OfcOuisC in this good country 10 bar
bcrS nor street cars nor other similar con-
vcnicnccs can bc found on Sunday, SO we
arc compelled to go to church all I'M
shavcn and unShorn. But it was our
high privilege to hear sermon which
displaced all thoughts Of things temporal
and raised even our poor minds truly
hcavcnward.
1t was in the old st. Giles church, the
established kirk of Scotland-a grand old
building, almost equal to st. Mingo'S of
Glasgow, which has Il history its own,
its pulpit having been occupied by John
Knox, and a tablet i'll the floor rindcating
the spot on which "hravc Scotch lassic"
(Icunic GcddiS) threw Il stool at the head
of some Episcopal divine who dared to
read a cOllcct-a curious deed to he So
commcmoratcd but Temporal mutaHtur,
and the good DR.. Cameron Leeds most
earnestly to-day read his prayer ont Of a
book, and remarkably good ones they
were, too, and his choir chantcd the
psaltcr and glorias right gloriously.
Most especially were we pleased with
the sermon. All the surroundings were
quaint and strange to us. The immense
pillars of stone looming up i'll all dircc-
lions, the archcd stone overhead, the nu-
mcrous vcrgcrs i'll black gowns, trimmed
with scarlet, moving with micn of dig
nitv in every aisle; the thousands of pco-
pic, plainly dressed, earnest and dcvout I;
the sweet, low toned organ; most of
these things might have been calculated
to make us feel strange and far from
home. But when the sermon began we
almost lancicd we were sitting
once more under the preaching of
our own dear Father in God, Bishop At
kinSon. The language was SO pure and
simple, the arguments so logical and di-
rect, the application SO earnest and en-
trcating-ah. all surroundings were for
gotten, and when we heard the last word
we could not but feel that the preacher
suited his church, and together they were
calculated to do great good to all men
who can and will accept it.
,,,,,
our exploration of this lovely city. Near
the church door (itselt worth a trip here
TO see. adorned as it is with the Statu-
cites of the Scottish kingsl we see in the
pavement worked i'll Il heart of large size
known as the "Hcart of Midlothian" ="
and marking the very spot on which
Iennic Deans stood when she refused to
tell a lie, even to save the life of her be
- loved sister suitable cxcmpliication
of the truth which this church will ever
teach.
A short distance down High street we
find the old Cross of EdinbOro', which has
recently been restored and now makes a
most striking monument surmountcd by
the arms of the nation and bearing the
inscription "Sic itur ad astra;" again, as
VIC think, suitably placed near the old
church, encouraging as it does to good
and glorious works, which must ever aC-
company the true faith.
A rambIc down High street towards
Canonyatc brings us to the residence of
the great John Knox, whose grave VIC
have lust seen near st. Giles, and oh, =,
wonderful incongrIItv, we find Il part Of
his residence turned into Il dramshOp of
the worst variety.
A little further on we find the old TOl-
booth prison and opposite the residence
Of the Marquis of lluntlcv, built in 1870,
and presenting on its front many quaint
Latin legends, of which we wish we had
space to give you Il translation. Nothing
else prevents us, of course \ little fur
thcr is the old TOlboOth church, and
again one of the numerous residences of
the Marquis OF Darnlcy, i'll which one of
his vests is still we'll preserved.
A pleasant drive i'll Il cab carries us to
the foot of Arthur's Scat, and we cannot
resist a scramble to its summit. Hard
though the climb was we were amply re-
paid, and seated II this lofty rock, look
ing out on view uncqualcd, we must
think, in the wide world, the thoughts of
the morning sermon sweep back upon us,
and we decide that this scene is its true
application. Surely here one may get a
realization of the presence and mcrCitul
goodness of the great God and Father of
. MS all, which the preacher told us is need
full before we can hope to attain to sue
cess i'll our lic.
Near by our feet iuts out boldly the ia
nous Salisbury craig, and at its foot the
humble cottage of Jennie Deans is seen,
surrounded by a sweet garden, and stu
atcd ON the lands of the numbcdikcS,
whose lines can still be distinguished, and
to the southwark the road to London
which Jennie Deans Travelled on her mis-
sion of sistcrly love; while at a short dis
tance stands the very church in which
rood Reuben Butler held forth, and
where Jennie called on her way. Even
there it was that the Laird OF DumbcdikcS
prevailed on the stubborn pony to over
take his masters sweetheart, who with
many pangS gave her the "Sillcr" tor her
journey.
Turning to the northward we recognize
without assistance the Bog of the Rob
bcrs and the round hill on which MadgC
Wildfire posed, and near by see the pile OF
stones which, we are told, is the Cairr
where Ethc had her trysting with her gay
lover.
The vcritable st. Authony's church still
stands. but in ruins, and we drink an icy
draught of water from his famous well
Think, dear children, of our being permit
ted to drink from the same spring as the
dear, truthful Jennie Deans! Don't YOU
think we ought to be much better here
after? Well, we will try to be-
The view from Arthur's Seat, which
rises nearly 900 feet above sea level, sur
passcs ANYTHING we ever imagined i'll per