Impressions of England; or, Sketches of English Scenery and SocietyCoxe, A. Cleveland (Arthur Cleveland)
History
Impressions of England; or, Sketches of English Scenery and Society
Coxe, A. Cleveland (Arthur Cleveland)
England -- Description and travel
The sermon was delivered with emotion, apparently extemporaneously, and
was heard with fixed attention throughout. From the text, which I picked
out in a Welsh Testament, I was able to gather some of its drift, and
frequently to detect a scriptural quotation. It was evidently a
Whitsuntide sermon, and the Holy Ghost, his gifts and consolations, were
the blessed theme. A sweet hymn concluded the service; and then, in the
churchyard, this excellent pastor presented me to several of his worthy
parishioners. How was I surprised when one of them asked me, in English,
if I had ever been at Nashotah! A friend and relative of his had
emigrated to Wisconsin, and had there been taken up by the brethren of
that Mission, concerning which he had sent home many interesting
accounts. I can scarcely do justice, with my pen, to the thrill of
feeling inspired by finding that the blessed influences of Nashotah were
felt, by brethren of a diverse tongue, far away over sea and land, in
that lonely nook of the Welsh mountains.
Deep in the wall of Tremeirchion Church is set the ancient tomb of an
old priest of Llanerch, who was once its pastor. He was the wonder of
his age for wisdom, and especially for the lore with which, like
Solomon, he spake of trees and of plants. It was he who first translated
the _Te Deum_ into Welsh, and such was his sanctity that Satan could
gain no advantage over him, except through his love of science. So then,
as the story goes, Satan promised to reveal to him some mighty secret of
nature, on condition that, after death, he might claim him; and that,
whether buried in the Church, or without, there should be no release
from the bond. The wily clerk accepted the bargain, and became so wise
that all the land confessed his astonishing attainments, as beyond
comparison, in their day; but Satan, for once, was outwitted. The sage
took good care that his body should be buried neither without nor within
the Church; and accordingly it is shown to this day, as part of the wall
itself, and jurists are agreed that Satan must be nonsuited whenever he
ventures to set up a claim against the holy clerk of Llanerch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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