LETTER XXVII.

The Reformed Church-Singing-Preaching.

LEIPZIG, May 10, 1852.

THERE is a small church here distinguished by the above title. In what respects it differs from the prevailing Lutheran church, I do not know; but one of the principal points of doctrine, I believe, is that which relates to the Lord's Supper, or consubstantiation. The society have no entire building for the purpose of worship, and meet in an "upper chamber," in a large building near the St. Thomas church. They have here a very commodious chapel, neatly finished, capable of seating, perhaps, five hundred persons. The whole congregation yesterday did not number more than one hundred and fifty persons. The form of worship does not differ essentially from the Lutheran church; yet there is a space in the service left for extemporary prayer. There is no choir, but the singing is lead by five or six boys, who sing at the top of their voices the principal melody; tune or pitch being as true as the organ-pipe. The organ was played quite loud throughout all the hymns; so that the boys and the organ together quite filled the small place with sound, and constituted a ground or foundation upon which any one of the congregation might rest his voice with perfect security. One might sing under such circumstances without the danger of deviation from pitch or tune, or of being frightened, or of fearing he might frighten others by the sound of his own voice. The fact is, that in these German congregations such a current or tide of sound is put in motion by the organ and the leading boys that one has no fear of joining his own voice, however harsh or unpleasant it may be; and this for two reasons: First, it is hardly possible that in such a loud chorus he can sing

Wrong; and Second, no other person will be likely to hear him, even if he should be able to hear his own voice. But it is very evident that, in this congregational singing, every one is attending to his own song, and not to that of others; every one is singing the hymn for himself, and no one listening to others' voices. It is as evident, too, that no one is thinking of good music, or of bad music, as is sometimes the case with us; and I do not think that the thought of music at all, (according to the common acceptation of the word,) comes into the mind. Music is regarded as one thing, and the singing of hymns quite another. For good music the people go to a concert or to the opera; or perhaps to a choir and orchestral performance in the church; but in the singing of the chorale by the people, good music is not looked for or expected. So it must be everywhere, unless such an attention is given to the subject in the way of cultivation, as can hardly ever be expected.

In this church everything was plain, almost as much so as in the churches of New England. There were no pictures, statues or carved images; no representation of the Saviour upon the cross, no altar or burning candles, but a simple reading-desk or pulpit, from whence proceed the prayers and the preaching. Prayers were read by a young man, a curate or assistant minister, and the preaching was by a fine-looking man of perhaps sixty years of age. His sermon I could not understand, but his tones of voice, inflections and gesticulations indicated a high degree of cultivation, excellent taste, and an ardent spirit. There was nothing severe, no harshness or scolding, but the winning tones of love were so mingled with the solemn declarations of truth, as to captivate one's feelings and make effectual the message of salvation. His manner was excellent indeed; and where this is the case, or where the preacher's whole externai appearance seems to receive its general form and impress from

a warm heart—a spirit glowing with love to God and man; and where this manifests itself in the most simple and unaffected way, yet always according to the laws of good taste and judgment, the matter will be good too.

We wish our preachers could give more attention to the cultivation of the voice (not in song, but in speech), or to elocution, including gesticulation and all that belongs to a perfectly simple, easy and natural, yet elegant vocal delivery. There is a mighty power in the human voice; it is more irresistible than arguments; it takes possession of the heart, after which it is not difficult to control the head. To what, for example, was Whitefield's success to be attributed, (and many similar instances might be quoted,) but to his captivating voice and general pulpit manner? A sermon may be sound, logical, doctrinal, practical, experimental, and be lost because of an artificial, awkward, or forbidding manner. Harsh and severe tones of voice, and a scolding manner, will drive to antagonism, or to the defensive, when those of gentleness will draw with a power not to be resisted; and in the pulpit as well as in the choir, we need "apples of gold in pictures of silver."

LETTER XXVIII.

Churches-Royal Library-Military Bands-Church Music.

MUNICH, May 18, 1852.

THIS is a most interesting city, second only to Berlin, and in some respects before it. It has a population of about one hundred and ten thousand persons, almost all of whom are Roman Catholics. Its streets are wide and well paved, and its buildings

are large, and not crowded thickly together. Its galleries of sculpture and paintings are among the best in Europe; its public buildings are magnificent, and are embellished with statues, frescoes, painting upon glass, and whatever is ornamental; with regard to music, although it may be second in some things, it is first in others. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera is admirable, and is under the direction of Kappelmeister Lachner, well known as one of Germany's distinguished composers; some of his symphonies and overtures having been often played in Boston and New York.

The churches are large, and filled with altars, monuments, statues, &c., interesting to the eye, and often with music not less attractive to the ear. A new church, finished only a year or two since, is very elegant. In its interior are sixty-four beautiful columns, of rich Tyrolese marble, each twenty feet in length. The church is two hundred and eighty-five feet long, and one hundred and twelve feet wide. It is richly decorated with frescoes illustrative of the life of St. Boniface, to whom it is dedicated. To preserve the architectural view of the church unbroken, the pulpits are placed upon railroads, so as to be trundled out of sight when not in use.

The Royal Library is contained in a large and splendid building capable of containing two millions of volumes. The library now consists of about eight hundred thousand volumes. The collection of music books is large, and many of the works and manuscripts of old masters are found there; especially those of ORLANDO DI LASSO, whose residence for many years was in Munich. In front of the building of the Conservatory of Music, Odeon-Platz, are statues in bronze of ORLANDO DI LASSO and GLUCK. There are many bronze statues about the city, but one in particular is attractive on account of its size. It is a statue of a female figure, emblematical of Bavaria, and

stands in front of a building called the Bavarian Temple of Fame, a little out of town. The statue is upwards of sixty feet high, and stands upon a pedestal of twenty-eight feet. A lion of proportionate dimensions is by its side. Crawford's statue of Washington is about to be cast here, in bronze. One of the figures (Henry) is now in the foundry, and the others will be sent on, from time to time, as they come from the hands of the artist in Rome.

Among the most interesting features of these German cities, are the parks, gardens, &c., in which they abound. We have but to step outside of the gate of Munich, for example, and we find ourselves at once in a park of four miles long; the whole being filled with trees, shrubbery, and flowers; with roads, smooth as a floor, for carriages; and foot-paths winding in every possible direction. One may ride for hours in this park with ever-varying and ever-new prospects before him. The river Isar, a small but rapid stream, winds its way through these woods, adding much to the beauty of the place. It is a good ten-days' work to take a mere superficial look at the various works of art brought together in the Bavarian capital.

Military music abounds here, and is very fine. One of the best bands I have heard (but not better than the one in Berlin), consisting of about forty instruments, including oboes, clarionets, bassoons, &c., plays daily at eleven o'clock; say an overture first, and then one or two pieces of lighter music. We have had this day an excellent opportunity of hearing military music, and at the same time, of seeing a military parade. The Prince Saxe, a brother of the Queen, died a few days since, at his residence in this city; and to-day the body was removed from the house to the railroad depot, from thence to be taken to Altenberg, to the family vault. About three thousand cavalry, artillery, and infantry were called out to perform escort