Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1898-08-05
TOLEDO'S FINE CATHEDRAL
Americans Visit to spain's Famous

Americans Visit to spain's Famous
Structure.
From Article on Toledo in Century:
To the right, beyond and beneath US,
rises the great basilica, the Christian
shrine built upon the foundations Of
many strange temple. and upon cor
ner stones that were consecrated 10
long-forgotten creeds. 1t rises out Of
the low-lying swamp land, and rears
its lofty spire far above the citadel
that crowns the rock-bound height.
But it is incomplete and far from per-
feet After all the centuries that have
passed over it and all the genera
tions OF men who have in their little
day labored upon it we must accept 1t
as true picture of human aspiration
and endeavor, always striving and
struggling and never attaining. The
first cathedral church Of st. Mary
erected here of which record has
reached us was consecrated toward the
close of the sixth century, but even the
careless and superficial excavations
which have been made beneath the
cathedral in recent years disclose the
fact that here there was a place OF
prayer long before the Christian era
dawned. The present edifice was COM
pleted in the year of the discovery OF
America. The first view OF the bold
outlines of the mighty pile is unfor-
tunately impaired and interrupted by
the surrounding buildings. But if We
patch together laboriously the partial
views and glimpses we obtain we shall
see that, unlike any other Spanish
shrine, the Toledo cathedral equals, If
it does not surpass, in majesty Of con-
struction and impressiveness the great
est cathedral churches Of France. About
the high altar are grouped according
10 dynasties the alabaster tombs Of the
old kings and the new kings and the
heads of puissant houses of which we
have never heard and mighty warriors
whose deeds have escaped the recogQi-
ton of history. Here they sleep in the
courts of peace which once rang with
the clatter OF their trailing swords.
Here they came with their great ban
ners; here our lady blessed them with
the blessing Of her smile, and here
they brought back upon their shields
those who fell doing her bidding te
sleep forever near her shrine and with
in the sweep Of her plying eyes. The
cathedral is at once the Valhalla and
the Westminster of Spain. Here all
her glories are recorded and here each
generation as it passed from the stage
stored it's noblest dead. l remember
with mixed feelings the two days I
| spent here escorted by the seven can
ons, each with his chain Of changing
keys, who opened to me the most Sc
| cret treasures of the shrines. This
| favor owe to the courteous considera-
| ton of the cardinal. But I remember
with still greater pleasure the days
that followed, when, safe from the
| courtesy Of my cicerone, in the dis
| guise of capa and straw sandals, |
wandered, undisturbed and unlight-
ened, through the sacred precincts.
One evening as l sat and listened to The
vesper song an open door in a stone
pier which ! had never seen before
caught my eye. entered. and. ascend
ing a spiral stairway of stone, across
which the cobwebs were drawn as
thick and strong as chords. came out
| OF the darkness at last into the light OF
little chapel, all amber and alabaster.
| touched with reverence the hem of
the vestment worn by the image which
stood over the deserted altar, and on
the moment it crumbled in my hand
| like October leaves. / never knew to
what saint the chapel was dedicated or
why the cult had been withdrawn. and,
though sought 1t often. never found
my way again to this forgotten chapel.