THE

CHILDREN OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

PENTECOST, day of rejoicing, had come. The

church of the village

Gleaming stood in the morning's sheen. On the spire of the belfry,

Tipped with a vane of metal, the friendly flames of the Spring-sun

Glanced like the tongues of fire, beheld by Apostles aforetime.

Clear was the heaven and blue, and May, with

her cap crowned with roses,

Stood in her holiday dress in the fields, and the wind and the brooklet

Murmured gladness and peace, God's-peace! with lips rosy-tinted

Whispered the race of the flowers, and merry on balancing branches

Birds were singing their carol, a jubilant hymn to the Highest.

Swept and clean was the churchyard. Adorned

like a leaf-woven arbour

Stood its old-fashioned gate; and within

each cross of iron

upon

Hung was a fragrant garland, new twined by the hands of affection.

Even the dial, that stood on a hillock among the

departed,

(There full a hundred years had it stood,) was

embellished with blossoms.

Like to the patriarch hoary, the sage of his kith and the hamlet,

Who on his birth-day is crowned by children and children's children,

So stood the ancient prophet, and mute with his pencil of iron

Marked on the tablet of stone, and measured the time and its changes,

While all around at his feet, an eternity slumbered in quiet.

Also the church within was adorned, for this was

the season

When the young, their parents' hope, and the loved-ones of heaven,

Should at the foot of the altar renew the vows of their baptisni.

Therefore each nook and corner was swept and

cleaned, and the dust was

Blown from the walls and ceiling, and from the oil-painted benches.

There stood the church like a garden; the Feast of the Leafy Pavilions *

Saw we in living presentment. From noble arms on the church wall

Grew forth a cluster of leaves, and the preacher's pulpit of oak-wood

Budded once more anew, as aforetime the rod before Aaron.

Wreathed thereon was the Bible with leaves, and

the dove, washed with silver,

Under its canopy fastened, had on it a necklace of wind-flowers.

But in front of the choir, round the altar-piece painted by Hörberg,†

Crept a garland gigantic ; and bright-curling tresses of angels

*The Feast of the Tabernacles; in Swedish, Löfhyddohögtiden, the Leaf-huts'-high-tide.

The peasant-painter of Sweden. He is known chiefly by his altar-pieces in the village churches.