New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-21
THE JUBILEE.

Jubilee week in England has begun. and well
begun. Exactly sixty years ago yesterday Vic
tOra learned that she was no longer merely
Princess, but Queen. 81 beg Your Grace to
pray for me-" were the first words spoken by
Her Majesty at the beginning OF her reign II
was eminently fitting. therefore, that the exact
anniversary Of her accession and the opening
day of the Jubilee should be devoted to prayer
and praise Her Majesty SO gave 1t at Windsor
and the chef digntarles Of her realm did 30
in London I'm the three chief temples OF the
metropolis ST. Paul's, st. Peters and Ste Mar
garet's were the triple scene OF the response
of threescore years to that fair girls request
Of the Primate Of All England. 1t Is easy TO
scott at official worship" as at anything else
But there are few people In the world. even
In these end Of the century days, oldfashioned
enough TO believe that there is a God who rules
the affairs of nations and that the prayers 10
Him of sovereigns and parliaments may DE as
sincere and as directly answered as those OF
the humblest of his creatures. To such the ser
vices of Yesterday were beautiful and potent
with supreme significance.
To-day the Queen enters London; royal Lon
don. entered so often by so many sovereighs
amid so many varying circumstances some
lave entered il as cOnquerors some ms 1ugl-
tives Some have been welcomed With JOY ana
occlamotion some assailed with curses and
with hatred. Not one. we may well believe,
has been more truly It's conqueror the con-
oueror of its myriad hearts. than is Victoria ana
to not one has il been more sure ana certain
refuge fortified and girt about with the love
and devotion of all her subjects. Nearly three
score wears ago the youthful Queen set out
for nor bridegroom
her side. The sun shOne on her jOyOusly. ana
an immense multitude of her loyal subjects
lined the roads to wish her happiness Tod.
she retraces that Journey from Windsor 10 Lon
don. widowed. aged and nfirm. But now the
sun never ceases to shine on her gloDe-cIrchhg
domain. and not only a million Englishmen but
five hundred million men and women the woriu
around acclaim her progress with devout God
speed
Tomorrow the celebration will reach its nOmi-
nal climax in the stately pageants III the streets
of London and the Jubilee services at the great
Cathedral with at night such an Illumination aS
The CITY has never seen before and beacon
fire flaming on every hilltop III the klhgoohl'
There will be such gathering OF spectators aS
probably never has been assembled pelore AT
any festival. There will be the largest array
of British troops ever seen together SIh'N N"'Ni
loo peace summoning them more imperlousiy
than any war for more than fourscore years.
The beacon fires will s,rikingly recall that SIM
liar display i'll the reign of another queen cen
turtles ago. when
Southward from Surveys pleasant hills new
those bright Couriers forth
High on bleak Hampsteads sWarthy Hoo' '"eS
started for the North:
And on and on. without "A pause, untireo the9
bounded still; - .,,o,
All night from tower to tower they sprane 'he!
sprang from hill to hill;
Till the proud peak unfurled the nag o er Oar
win rocky dales, , .
Till like volcanoes nared to heaven the stormy
hills of Wales, ~,
Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Mai
vern's lonely height, u,.
Till strea med in crimson on the WIND the WFeh-
ms crest Of light,
Till Skddaw saw the fire that burned on Gaunts
embattled pile , 49,, ,r,
And the red glare Skiddaw reused the purgh-
ers OF Carlisle.
That was 10 rouse. and most ehectuaily dlo
rouse. the English nation to defence against
the greatest warke peril in its history. 1hls
marks its Jubilee over the nOblest of It's reigns
and the most benefcent Of its achievements IN
the long sway of peace. AS was the response 10
Tho ono so will be that to the other, spontaneous,
universal and triumphant.