THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

FROM THE SWEDISH OF BISHOP TEGNER.

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 upon each cross of iron 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 baptism. 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 Peeped, like the sun from a cloud, from out of the shadowy leaf

work.

Likewise the lustre of brass, new-polished, blinked from the

ceiling,

And for lights there were lilies of Pentecost set in the sockets.

Loud rang the bells already; the thronging crowd was assembled

*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.

Far from valleys and hills, to list to the holy preaching.
Hark! then roll forth at once the mighty tones from the organ,
Hover like voices from God, aloft like invisible spirits.

Like as Elias in heaven, when he cast off from him his mantle,
Even so cast off the soul its garments of earth; and with one voice
Chimed in the congregation, and sang an anthem immortal
Of the sublime Wallín,* of David's harp in the North-land
Tuned to the choral of Luther; the song on its powerful pinions
Took every living soul, and lifted it gently to heaven,

And every face did shine like the Holy One's face upon Tabor.
Lo! there entered then into the church the Reverend Teacher.
Father he hight and he was in the parish; a christianly plainness
Clothed from his head to his feet the old man of seventy winters.
Friendly was he to behold, and glad as the heralding angel
Walked he among the crowds, but still a contemplative grandeur
Lay on his forehead as clear, as on moss-covered grave-stone a
sunbeam.

As in his inspiration (an evening twilight that faintly

Gleams in the human soul, even now, from the day of creation) Th' Artist, the friend of heaven, imagines Saint John when in

Patmos,

Grey, with his eyes uplifted to heaven so seemed then the old

man;.

Such was the glance of his eye, and such were his tresses of silver.

All the congregation arose in the pews that were numbered.

But with a cordial look, to the right and the left hand. the old

man,

Nodding all hail and peace, disappeared in the innermost chancel.

Simply and solemnly now proceeded the Christian service,

• A distinguished pulpit-orator and poet. He is particularly remarkable for the beauty and sublimity of his psalms.

Singing and prayer, and at last an ardent discourse from the oll

man.

Many a moving word and warning, that out of the heart came, Fell like the dew of the morning, like manna on those in the

desert.

Afterwards, when all was finished, the Teacher reëntered the chancel,

Followed therein by the young. On the right hand the boys had their places,

Delicate figures, with close-curling hair and cheeks rosy-blooming. But on the left-hand of these, there stood the tremulous lilies, Tinged with the blushing light of the morning, the diffident maidens,

Folding their hands in prayer, and their eyes cast down on the

pavement.

Now came, with question and answer, the catechism. In the

beginning

Answered the children with troubled and faltering voice, but the

old man's

Glances of kindness encouraged them soon, and the doctrines

eternal

Flowed, like the waters of fountains, so clear from lips unpolluted. Whene'er the answer was closed, and as oft as they named the

Redeemer,

Lowly louted the boys, and lowly the maidens all courtesied. Friendly the Teacher stood, like an angel of light there among

them,

And to the children explained he the holy, the highest, in few words,

Thorough, yet simple and clear, for sublimity always is simple, Both in sermon and song, a child can seize on its meaning. Even as the green-growing bud is unfolded when Spring-tide approaches,

Leaf by leaf is developed, and, warmed by the radiant sunshine, Blushes with purple and gold, till at last the perfected blossom Opens its odorous chalice, and rocks with its crown in the breezes, So was unfolded here the Christian lore of salvation,

Line by line from the soul of childhood. The fathers and mothers Stood behind them in tears, and were glad at each well-worded

answer.

Now went the old man up to the altar;—and straightway transfigured

(So did it seem unto me) was then the affectionate Teacher. Like the Lord's Prophet sublime, and awful as Death and as

Judgment,

Stood he, the God-commissioned, the soul-searcher, earthward descending.

Glances, sharp as a sword, into hearts, that to him were trans

parent,

Shot he; his voice was deep, was low like the thunder afar off. So on a sudden transfigured he stood there, he spake and he questioned.

"This is the faith of the Fathers, the faith the Apostles delivered,

This is moreover the faith whereunto I baptised you, while still ye Lay on your mothers' breasts, and nearer the portals of heaven. Slumbering received you then the Holy Church in its bosom ; Wakened from sleep are ye now, and the light in its radiant splendour

Rains from the heaven downward ;-to-day on the threshold of childhood

Kindly she frees you again, to examine and make your election, For she knows nought of compulsion, and only conviction desireth. This is the hour of your trial, the turning-point of existence,