Nelson, William, 1816-1887; Publishers and publishing
The Frue Kirke occupies a prominent place among the attractions of
Copenhagen, and is now associated in my mind with a characteristic
little incident. The travellers had visited the church, the decorations
of which, from the chisel of Thorwaldsen, constitute the main source of
its interest. On the morning of the Sunday following they attended the
English service; and in the afternoon his companion announced his
intention to go to the Frue Kirke, and invited William Nelson to
accompany him. But he refused, protesting that they should not
understand a word of the service, and pronouncing the procedure to be a
desecration of the day. His fellow-traveller had accordingly to go
alone. The church is in the form of a Roman basilica, built under the
direction of the great Danish sculptor, with a special view to its
marble adornments. The sole light is admitted from ground-glass panels
in the ceiling. Above the altar, in the chancel, stands the colossal
statue of Christ, with arms extended in loving regard. In front of each
pier, in the nave, is a statue of an apostle: St. Paul symbolizing the
irresistible might of the truth; St. Peter the custodian of the symbolic
keys; the doubting Thomas, with look of indecision and finger on his
lip; St. John as the impersonation of love; and the others, each more or
less skilfully suggesting some appropriate ideal. As works of art they
are open to criticism, for as an artist Thorwaldsen had far more of
classical than of Christian feeling. But the absence of all gay
colouring, usually so much favoured in church decoration, and the grand
scale of the works in pure white marble, so appropriate to a place of
Christian worship, produce as a whole an effect singularly impressive in
its mode of enlisting art as the handmaid of religion. The Lutheran
service, with its familiar hymn tunes, was simple as that of the
Presbyterian Church; and the sermon was obviously eloquent, though
delivered in the unknown Danish tongue. On the wanderer returning to the
hotel, he found his friend asleep in an easy-chair, and ventured to hint
that his time had been spent to as good purpose; but this idea was
scouted, and William Nelson stuck to it, that the sharing in the
afternoon service of the Frue Kirke was a profanation of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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