Show IN switzerland the most important event in the amusement line in this little capital of switzerland was the rendering yesterday of sebastian baches bach christmas oratorio I 1 in th eFrench church sebastian bach basone was one of those great spirits born once in a great while in whom the abilities of a generation seem to be concentrated his musical compositions stand therefore foremost among the religious productions of germany and if the expression be allowed in hum human n works at all may be called immortal the concert was given by the gerein assisted by the city orchestra chestra and solo singers from other cities in all there must have been about ladies and gentlemen engaged for the performance the effects were truly grand particularly in the chorus parts when the chorus ehre sie gott in der hohe was rendered accompanied by the various instruments violins vio lin bellos cornets cognets cor nets trombones drums organ and piano it was hard to realize that the singing and the music were those of weak frail mortals and yet there was not in thet the whole company one single voice that tha was exceptionally charming the solo singers were all very well trained but that is about all that can be said in their favor the whole choir was to ability better off than many of our choirs in the settlements of utah I 1 could not help making tibia this comparison when listening to the singing and I 1 wondered how much more beautiful old bachs baches oratorio would have sounded if rendered in the salt lake tabernacle by that choir and accompanied by the overwhelming music from the organ there probably the greatest organ ju in the world it may be worth knowl knowing ng at least to our swiss brethren who contemplate visiting their native country that the authorities here have suddenly made the discovery that th they e y need not extend any hospitality ty to united states citizens if they have nothing but their certificates of citizenship to prove their identity be you a citizen of the greatest and wonder fullest republic on the earth and on the moon too the swiss authorities think they can at their option arrest you and send you and your certificate of citizenship out of the country now you would imagine that a passport issued in the name of the great government of the united states would secure you the hospitality generally accorded d peace ml ful strangers in civilized countries bat not so unless you can induce the american consul to put hit his name on the passport your passport is liable to be treated with the same indifference as your certificate of citizenship it may happen as in the case of the gentleman pardon the expression who is a consul at bern that that dignitary will ask you are you a mormon and then add by order of the government of the united states I 1 can do nothing for you so you are left at the mercy of the swiss authorities you may be allowed to roam about and enjoy the views of beautiful switzerland or you may be arrested any day and sent the nearest atway way out of the freest country in europe those born bom in SwU switzerland merland may be able to secure a a document which will put them an all right but others must unavoidably quit or git 11 thus goes the world this little european republic can take uncle sams adopted or native children and just kick them out like dogs and uncle saws sams paid servants stand idly by saying all right the way to do it boys 11 fidone I 1 I 1 but from switzerland music and bigotry my thoughts go to palestine the country I 1 hope to see in a few days palestine palestin the holy land onoe once a centrum for the commerce and civilization odthe of the world now devastated va stated and trodden under the feet of gentiles suffering under a long long curse palestine the land of god will yet be a spot upon which the eyes of the world will gaze with amazement palestine is acknowledged to be the key to the eastern easte rn question and in that country perhaps before long according to prophecy will ill that question be finally settled see danielll daniel 11 44 where the prophet speaking king odthe ottoman empire and this very question says but tidings out of the east persia and out of the north Rin linsia sia shall trouble him turkey therefore be shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many and ire be shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him not no even england having a position between the three great ente europe asia and africa its pos tiep for commerce are incalculable and there will yet be seaports and great commercial centres bentres to which tyre and sidon were small and insignificant when once a great asian system of railways is built up palestine will naturally be the spot to which the great lines will converge and through palestine the products of asia will be carried to the european and american markets and vim vice versa that a country with the possibilities of palestine should be an object of desire to all the great european powers to is natural enough but it does not belong to any of them and their mutual jealousy will no doubt prevent any one of them from grasping it the country belongs to the jew and the voice of that people will yet be heard above the tumult of the european ironclad armies the country is minel mine and driven from land to land persecuted like I 1 mormons cormons Mor mons the spirit of gathering will seize the scattered mattered rein remnant nant and with joy the they will return to the land of their fathers events follow each other in rapid succession nowa now a days and great events can be accomplished complis hed in short t times imes it is therefore well to be awake and watch for the I 1 signs of the times looking atthe at the religious world as it at present appears around me there seems to be a complete standstill except as far as the ever march lug ing I 1 salvation army is concerned religion now seems to be reduced to a kind of mutual insurance association the church ll pays its policies poll to ahe the state and receives protection tec tion the states commit themselves with the churches and receive the assurance of the churches that these will render all necessary help in checking the rabble yes that is the noble scope of the church of today the people pay the priests in order to obtain eternal salvation and the priests take the pay nobody seems to think of such a thing as converting a sinner from the errors of his waywardness this seems to be out off of fashion achion religion is only a business I 1 can fully realized realize I 1 think the depth of meaning conveyed in these quaint words of sooren soeren kierkegaard when everybody has been made a christian then christianity has eo ibao been abolished and this is exactly what has been done everybody is a christian and christianity is consequently abolished people are fed spiritually on the refuse of centuries why a prodigal in our days need not no perish for want of husks so long as 06 he keeps himself within the boundaries of the established establish ed churches and their shepherds Is it a wonder that infidelity should flourish that morals should be corrupted consciences killed and the whole machinery of society be on the road back to barbarism no nor is it a wonder that the judgments of god have been pronounced upon the present generation the only surprise is that it takes so long a time before all is consummated and a new era established but it will come as soon as the saints of god are prepared for it J M S bern december 1888 |