The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-30
STORY OF LINCOLN CATHEDRAL.
Stormy History OF u Famous Old Religious
Pile I'm England.

Stormy History OF u Famous Old Religious
Pile In England.
There was monk in Williams army
named Kemigius who was possessed of
money and influence enough to provide
that eminent commander with a big
boat, whose crew was twenty fighting
men. And William promised that, in
case of victory, he would give this loyal
monk the first vacant Bishopric in En-
gland. He was as good as his word.
The Bishop of Dorchester presently died
and Remigius was made Bishop in his
room. But Rcmigius liked not the looks
at Dorchester. The diocese was the
largest in England, but the town was
contemplate He looked about his
wide jurisdiction to find better And
presently he lighted upon this fine hill
of Lincoln, and here made his choice,
and the diocese of Dorchester became
the diocese of Lincoln.
AT once Remigius began the building
OF cathedral church. That was at the
close OF the eleventh century The
front of Lincoln Cathedral is different
from any othcr-flat, high, cut straight
across the top, with turrets at the
corners and the two tall western towers
rising behind it, Across the front runs
series of queer, rude panels, gro
tesquely carved with Old Testament
pictures, and inserted (out of ordcr) into
the wall. The greater part of this wall
was built by Remigius. The panels be-
lOngcd to IL church which stood here
when that ambitious Norman made his
wise decision.
In 1902 the church was ready for con-
secratiOn. The day was set and the in
vtations were distributed. All the
bishops in England were to be present
And they all camc-all the bishops of
England-eXcept two. One was Robert
of Hereford, who was an astrologcr. and
had read a secret in the stars which kept
him comfortably ut home. The other
was Rcmigius himself. Remigius was
dead. Robert had read his obituary
written across the Sky, and SO he had
staid away.
Fifty years after the building of the
cathedral there was Il week or two of
fierce fighting, partly beside the church
and partly in the church itself Stephen
and Matilda were contcnding for the
crown OF England; ond the two armies
had come to blows in Lincoln. Matilda
held the castle: Stephen seized the great
stone church. The two buildings stand
close together upon the summit Of the
same hill. So the fighting prospcred
back and forth: the cathedral being
filled with soldiers. stones and arrows
being flung from the vantage of the
roof. AT last upon CandlemaS Day
there was decision of the matter.
There had been ill-Omens in the air the
day before. Stephen had attended mass
in the desccruted cathedral, and when
he had made his royal Offering of a
great candle the candle broke in twain
III the priests hands; the golden pyx,
too, hung above the altar. had snapped
It's chain and come down in sorry
tumble. 1t looked bad for Stephen.
And the omens proved true prophets
The dcSccrator of the cathedral went
out to the battle and lost it, and was
carried in triumph across England and
lodged in prison.
And after the battle came an earth
quake. The building of Rcmigius had
now endured not quite Il century. when
OF IL sudden 1t was rent from top to bot
tom. And when the next Bishop. Hugh
of Avalon. came to visit his cathedral
church, he found q wall or two and L
stone pile. Iou stand before the cathc-
dral front. and look up above the wall
which Rcmigins built, and you see that
the upper part of it is terminated by two
turrcts. each as tall as IL church spire.
Each turret has Il statue at the top One
statue represents Bishop. dressed in
his robes. with Il croZicr in his hand and
inter on his head. This is Bishop
Hugh. The other statue is the figure of
ragged boy blowing a big horn. The
boy, they say. was /; rOWhcrd who modc
contribution out of his scanty earnings
towards the building of this house of God.
lie gave Il hatful of silver pennies. There
they stand. the Bishop and the cowboy.
perfect equality of honor teaching
lesson in religion (that God cares
more for what Il man brings in his heart
than for what he carries in his hantO,
and teaching another lesson. also a les
son in history. For it is significant that
these two figures, thus standing side by
side at the front of Lincoln, represent
the two great nations who were then
contcndng for the mastery of England,
and whose united blood flows in our
veins to-day. The bishop was Nor
man. the cowboy was Saxon. And
when you remember how Briton and
Roman join in this cathcdral's name YOU
See that here are met the foarraccs who
have in turn dominated this island
Rev. George Hodges, in Pittsburgh Dis
patch.
The Advantages of Conversation.
The most agreeable way of getting in
formation is by conversation. If YOU
talk with wcll-informed person. who
can express clearly his ideas on any