"I Found Great
Preparations Making At The Cathedral For The Sermon Of 'the Agony On
The Cross.' A Wooden
Figure of our Saviour crucified was affixed
against the wall, opposite the pulpit; a large bier was placed in the
Centre of the cathedral, and the great altar at the eastern extremity
was hung with black; while around were disposed lighted candles and
other insignia of a great funeral. When the sermon commenced, the
cathedral was crowded to suffocation, a great proportion of the
audience being females. The discourse was interrupted alternately by
the low moans and sobbings of the congregation. These became more
audible as the preacher warmed with his discourse, which was partly
addressed to his auditory and partly to the figure before him; and
when at length he exclaimed, 'Behold! Behold! He gives up the ghost!'
the head of the figure was slowly depressed by a spring towards the
breast, and one simultaneous shriek - loud, piercing, almost
appalling - was uttered by the whole congregation. The women now all
struggled for a superiority in giving unbounded vent to apparently
the most distracting grief. Some raved like maniacs, others beat
their breasts and tore their hair. Exclamations, cries, sobs and
shrieks mingled, and united in forming one mighty tide of clamor,
uproar, noise and confusion. In the midst of the raging tempest could
be heard, ever and anon, the stentorian voice of the preacher,
reproaching in terms of indignation and wrath the apathy of his
hearers! 'Can you, oh, insensate crowd!' he would cry, 'Can you sit
in silence?' - but here his voice was drowned in an overwhelming cry
of loudest woe, from every part of the church; and for five minutes
all further effort to make himself heard was unavailing.
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