Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-22

years. but it is a grand old Gothic pile, dat
ing from the twelfth century. The Oldest
portions are still sadly dilapidated. The
walls and ornaments about the entrance are
hardly SAFE 1t was wisely decided to at
tempt no decoration of the majestic In
terror. Cheese cloth, giving the erect OF
marble, covered the rotted masonry near
the entrance Otherwise. the old sanctuary
stood I'm it's hoary. original simplicity and
grandeur.
No Parallel in History.
1t was a striking assemblage representing
the worlds twentieth-century CIVILIZATION
that gathered within this ancient pile to
greet the royal couple who had come to as
sumo the crowns of their adopted country.
History in fact, furnishes no parallel to to-
days unique scene. The king and queen
were received at the entrance by bishops
and clergy, the bishop of Trondhjem greet
ing them with God bless your coming in
and your going out, now and forever"
The coronation procession of clergy, the
royal couple and court officials, with the
chief admiral general carrying the Nor
wegian banner, entered and took their as
signed places in the center of the church.
Beneath the main tower was the kings
throne.
On the right, near him. were Prince Chris
tian and the Crown Princess of Denmark.
The queen was on his left supported by
the Prince and Princess of Wales and the
Princess Victoria.
Ceremony Simple and Solemn.
The ceremony which followed need not
be described In fun detail but in its sim
plicity and solemnity, and especially in the
ora rder,r of its original r1uSfc tt WA mann
orably impressive, even for those who were
accustomed to great state ceremonials. The
choir, which was composed of two hundred
of Norway's best voices, accompanied by
the organ and the orchestra of the Nation
al Theater one OF the finest In Europe,
sang a te deum. The bishop of Christiania
delivered a sermon, based on Joel II, 81.
The royal mantle which the king wore was
taken to the altar, whence the chief JUS
tice and bishop bore 1t to the throne and
placed 1t upon the kings shoulders. Then,
while the king knelt, the bishop of Trondh-
jem, taking horn of oil, anointed him on
the head and wrists, saying:
May Almighty God anoint you with
His spirit and grace and give you to reign
with wisdom, power and mercy, that the
name of~6od may be hallowed and right
and truth may be confirmed to the benefit
and happiness of the people of the land
Then came the actual coronation, Premier
Nicholson having previously taken the
crown from the altar and brought it to the
throne, and Jointly with the bishop he
placed it on the kings head, the bishop
saying:
The Lord of Lords and King of Kings, who
has given this crown. may He uphold and
strengthen you in all royal and Christian
virtues to the glory of His name and the
blessing of the Norwegian people. May His
grace in this corruptible life prepare you
for the inheritance of righteous and in
zcorruptible crown in heaven
Symbols of Power Presented.
Then followed the presentation Of the
symbols of power, the scepter by.the minis
ter of foreign affairs. the orb by the minis
ter of interior, and the sword by the minis
ter of war. the bishop repeating a brief ap-
propriate prayer in each case.
At this moment the boom Of guns and the
clang of bells were heard, as the cannon
of the forts and all the feet of warships
in the harbor began salute of seventy
two guns. The choir sang a portion of a
beautiful cantata, written for the occasion
by Pastor Sigvskaylan.
The coronation of the queen then follow
ed. 1t was almost identical with the first
ceremony, except that the presentation OF
the sword was omitted. The closing por-
ton of the cantata was given. At the end
of the ceremony the guns roared and the
bells changed once more, the choir and the
whole assembly sang God Bless Our Dear
Fatherland," and the procession slowly re-
formed and left the church
About twenty Americans were present, in