The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-08-09
IN YORK'S OLD MINISTER.
Continued from Ninth Pdoc.

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in the world. One Is seized with
feeling of reverence and awe at its
sight, and as he stands in the pres
ence of this monument of religious zeal,
blackened and worn by the ravages OF time
he is filed with spirit of humility and devo-
ton. AS the hands of the clock In the great
tower reach the appointed hour the chimes
send forth their sweet tones over the quiet
city-chimes that are neither gay nor sad,
chimes that for centuries have pealed forth
their melody over the city OF York In times OF
peace and in times OF war, In want and In
plenty, in sickness, In sorrow, and in death,
in adversely and In prosperity, to the rch,
to the poor, to the mourner and to the merry
maker, to the young and to the aged, to the
saint and to the sinner, to the native aud to
the stranger, day after day, week after week,
year after year, and century upon century
have these chimes, unaffected by the shifting
scenes below, faithful to their trust, with
dignity, simplicity aud reverence, reminded
ali within reach of their prophetic tones OF
the uninterrupted, onward march of Time.
To me no music is more sacred, no melody
more divine, no harmony more heavenly than
the clear resonant notes of the cathedral
chimes. IL life is monotonous and devoid OF
interest the chimes remind us that it will not
always last. II vexation, emptation, and
petty annoyances assail us the chimes should
strengthen us and warn us that existence is
too brief to waste in trifles. Ii success and
fame should fall to our lot the chimes should
teach us how Insignificant and unsatisfactory
are all these things. If we are disappointed
in our aims and ambitions, IL we have been
wronged, or IL the world has been cold and
cruel the chimes will remind us that the peace
and quiet of the grave are not far distant.
How restful, how peaceful and serene is the
scene presented by a little village at sunset
when the cathedral chimes send forth their
melodious blessings and the Great High Priest,
the God of Day, enfolds in his last rays the
simple homes of the peasants! have never
beheld more beautiful sight nor been filled
with deeper feeling of devotion as on one
occasion when at sunset | CHANGED to be in
little Alpine village The streets were filed
with peasants and the setting sun was she'd
ding his last golden rays over the hamlet and
rejecting on the rude houses the rich shades
of the surrounding mountains. was stand
ing on corner watching the honest-faced
peasants attending to their wares and ex-
changing greetings when the chimes in the
old cathedral tower pealed forth. With the
first note every peasant crossed himself and
assumed an attitude of reverence. What
simple and impressive sight was presented in
this little Swiss hamlet spirit OF the
deepest devotion seemed to pervade the whole
valley. Everything was silent save the clear
holy tones of the cathedral bells. The
mountains took up the notes and reverberated
them from side to side and from peak to peak
till they died away in the distance. What
Yestful moments were these What simple
faith What source OF strength. What a
beautiful sight shall never forget it.
The interior of York Minister is even more
attractive and imposing than the exterior.
The massive columns, the grand organ the
beautiful chapel, the altar, the rich windows,
the groined roof, the sacred paintings, the
memorial tablets are all well worth seeing.
While standing at one end Of the nave the
choir BOYS entered at the opposite door. They
were Immediately surplfced, and as they
| passed under the vast arches of the vaulted
roof and along the spacious aisles singing in
| rythmic measure a minor strain pillar and
| wall caught up the plaintive air and repeated
| each clear childish note till the gloomy old
| cathedral walled forth her solemn song from
| every chink, nook and corner. As the bright
| faced rosy-cheeked boys came on their voices
| became louder and louder and suddenly,
| when near the centre of the church, the key
| changed to major and the glad joyful strains
| now seemed to Danish with one magic note
| the gloom and sadness that erstwhile filled
| the air. But the sunshine was again changed
to shadow, and as the boys approached the
| exit they once more took up the sorrowful
wall OF the minor strain, and as the last sad
echo died away the wonted solemnity
and gloom settled over that magnificent In.
terror. In these vast cathedrals ones voice
sounds strange, weird and uncanny The
effect of light streaming in through one oi
these multi-colored windows produces gro
tesque shapes on the stone floor and is Otter
highly fantastic. Once inside, the outside
world seems to be far away We are in a land
OF shadow-wsird, picturesque, gloomy and
uncanny. The sensation one experiences OF
first entering is peculiar. We seem to have
left the world, it's activity and life at the door
Ourselves seem changed and we feel strang,
and unacquainted. All is SO secluded ani
solemn, withal rather fascinating. Leaving
one Of these places is like awakening from
strange dream, and when we step out into tn,
broad glare of the SUN and hear the rattle
confusion and hustle Of active everyday lif
we are inclined to rub our eyes and ask II w
have been asleep. AS we were now fairly int,
the world and OF the world worldly, weturnet
and took last look at magnificent, impos
ing majestic, grand, gloomy York Minister
TO me one of the most fascinating of cathe
drals We took walk on the city walls Il
Nickelgate bar, an old entrance, where W
descended ia search Of restaurant. After
refreshing lunch we continued our journey t
London
"Well, what are you doing now,-som
more literary effusions, suppose. Ny advic
to you about your writing is similar to some
ones advice to young man about to &c
married"
"And what was that9'
"Don'tn
And then Smith, for he has just entered th
room, takes up some of the manuscript of thi
letter and reads After few pages he speak
''It seems TO me you are rather frank aboI
some things. If we did only pay eightee
cents for room in York last year it doesn
follow that you must publish it in new
paper"
explained that it made the letter moi
personal, and he adds: "Yes, painfullyso.
that is your object you might make few e;
tracts from your confidential corresponding
: | give the date and amount of your last dul