Europe -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel
should only measure him by our common tests, and probably pronounce him
worthless, or a dangerous enthusiast. But one day, when men’s work shall
be tested by altogether different tests from ours of the enlightened
nineteenth century kind, it will considerably surprise some of us to see
how the order of merit will come out. We shall be likely to have to ask
concerning St. Boniface--whose name is scarcely known to one Englishman
in a hundred--and of others like him in spirit, of whom none of us have
ever heard, Who are these countrymen of ours, and whence come they? And
we shall hear the answer which St. John heard: “Isti sunt qui venerunt
ex magna tribulatione et laverunt stolas suas in sanguine Agni.” I felt
very grateful to Munich for having appreciated the great Apostle to the
Germans.
The one building in Munich which is quite unworthy of the use to which
it is put, is the English Church. The service is performed in a sort of
dry cellar, under the Odeon. We had a very small congregation, but it
was very pleasant to hear how they all joined in the responses. What a
pity it is that we are always ready to do it abroad, and shut up again
as soon as we get home. Even the singing prospered greatly, though we
had no organ. But, alas! sir, the Colonial Church Society have done
their best to spoil this part of our service abroad. They seem to
have accepted from the editor as a gift, the stereotyped plates of a
hymn-book, copies of which were placed about in the Munich church, and,
I daresay, may be found all over the Continent. The editor has thought
it desirable to improve our classical hymns. Conceive the following
substitution for Bishop Ken’s “Let all thy converse be sincere”--
In conversation be sincere;
Make conscience as the noon-day clear:
Think how th’ all-seeing God thy ways
And all thy secret thoughts surveys.
This is only a fair specimen of the book. Surely the Colonial Church
Society had better hastily return the stereotype plates with thanks.
The Tyrol, 2nd September 1862.
Next to meeting an old friend by accident, there is nothing more
pleasant than coming in long vacation on some flower or shrub which
reminds one of former holiday ramblings. In the Tyrol the other day we
came suddenly on a bank in the mountains gemmed over with the creamy
white star of the daisy of Parnassus, and it accompanied us, to our
great delight, for 200 miles or more, till we got fairly down into the
plains again. The last time I had seen it was on Snowdon years ago. When
we got a little higher I pounced on a beautiful little gentian, which I
had never seen before except on the Alps above Lenk, in Switzerland (the
Hauen Moos the pass was called, or some such name--how spelt, goodness
knows), which I once crossed with two dear friends on the most beautiful
day I ever remember.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account