A MIDNIGHT VISIT
In the meantime the wants of the body are also to be restrained
and attention given so that the voice become angelic,
heavenly, pure, and clear, and not strong and harsh, by a
coarseness of food, and consequently prove valueless. But to
gain the right tone, so that no unseemingly harsh screeching
and creaking be heard in place of the proper melody.
--Brother Beissel.
Surely God's ways for setting things right are not the ways of man's
narrow wisdom! How often doth he take the lowly, simple, and even
hideous things of earth to confuse the lofty and the wise whose faith
and love have been weakened with much learning.
A number of weeks had gone by since Sonnlein had been swallowed up in
the wilds, for in truth he could not have left less trace of himself
than if the earth had opened up and engulfed him; but finally the
mystery was solved, and if I come slowly to the mark I humbly ask the
forgiveness of all those who are not inclined to wait patiently for an
old man's laggard step. Thus it came about. From the very founding of
our Kloster we paid great attention to music, especially singing, and I
would that I had time and space to write fully about the system of music
invented by our leader, with the assistance of one of our housefathers,
Ludwig Blum, who was a master singer and also versed in composition.
But as we had been careful in everything else to conform as little as
possible to the spirit of the world, instead shaping ourselves in
everything to the heavenly spirit, so also it was in respect to singing.
As hath been said, "_Musicam divini quid spirare_," if she sounds out
the praises of the Most High, for which purpose she is solely
calculated; so that we like not to see her noble character abused by
theatrical diversions and her heavenly sweetness marred by their curled
compositions; for it is well known they sometimes dwell two minutes on
one syllable which is nothing else than a great nonsense. We also held
it to be a great mistake to join all sorts of instruments with vocal
music, without consideration, thereby eclipsing the dignity of the human
voice; for the human voice is a most noble instrument, by which man may
reveal his most intimate recesses; for when God made himself known in
his created work he spake the word, "Let there be light," and surely it
was far more sublime than if it had been announced with a flourish of
braying instruments.
For this reason we at Ephrata did not concern ourselves greatly about
instrumental music, though indeed, when our superintendent prepared our
system of music he knew very little except some notes which he had
learned on the violin; but such was our leader's genius and his
independence of spirit and energy that instead of borrowing anything
from the so-called masters he took his style from the music of nature,
our singing, in a word, being an imitation of the Æolian harp.
Naturally, 'twas a style very peculiar, as the worldly minded regard
things, in concords and execution, the tones issuing from the choir like
very soft instrumental music and carrying such a sweetness and softness
and spirit of devotion as seemed almost superhuman to the listener.
To carry out this idea of the Æolian harp, the music was set in two,
four, five, and sometimes even seven parts. All these, save the bass,
which was set in two parts, high and low, were led and sung exclusively
by the females, the men's voices resembling the deep tones of the organ
and in combination with one of the female parts producing a contrast
which was an excellent imitation of the hautboy.
And in the perfection of this heavenly art we spent much time and
labor, for we felt that we were no greater than the angels, who
themselves when they sang at the birth of Christ had to make use of such
rules as we employed; and for that we held music was truly an angelic
art our leader gave us very many rules, especially as to our diet, for
the refining of our voices. The Brothers and Sisters being formed into
different singing classes, were each put upon a distinct diet with the
intention so to affect the vocal cords and mold them that they would
give forth the required pitch assigned to each class.
Thus the diet for the bass singers was entirely different from that of
the tenors, while the second bass and the baritone varied as greatly as
that selected for the soprano and the alto, and it being absolutely
necessary to know what sorts of foods quicken the spirit and make the
voice subtle and thin and to the contrary make the voice coarse and
sluggish and heavy, our leader took great care that all those selected
to sing should abstain from the use of foods which in great injustice
man is accustomed to take from the animals, such as milk, which causeth
one heaviness and uneasiness; and cheese which maketh one fiery and
hot-brained; and butter, which maketh one so lazy and stolid one desires
neither to sing nor pray; and eggs, which awaken various and evil
desires; and even honey was forbidden, for as our brother held that
though this sweet essence of the flowers causeth light eyes and a
cheerful spirit, it maketh the voice not clear.
Even among the vegetables we had not free scope, for beans came under
the ban as being too weighty a food and making one heavy in spirit; but
above all things our leader held that the spirit of this art since it is
of such virgin purity can suffer no love between man and woman; for love
in young hearts inflames them so exceedingly as to make the sufferers
entirely unfit in mind and heart and voice and spirit. And, indeed, to
this extent I agree fully with our leader, that people in love are not
only useless for music but for almost everything else.
As to drink, our brother taught it had been settled long ago that in the
straight path there is naught hath greater righteousness than the
innocent, pure water just as it comes from the well, or made into soup
to which a little bread was added. Otherwise, all cookery whereby water
is deprived of its beneficent nature and changed by unseeming art into a
sort of delicacy our leader ever regarded as sinful, an abomination of
abominations.
After our leader had assumed the rôle of _Capellmeister_, singing
schools were held upon certain evenings in the Sister House, the
sessions lasting four hours, during the third, fourth, and fifth, and
sixth hours, corresponding in wordly time from eight o'clock to
midnight; and so on this night, the brethren being in snow-white
garments, which our ruler insisted upon as representing the necessary
purity of heart and mind, he himself strictly adhering to this, met us
as usual at the low doorway of Bethania and led us in long procession to
the Sister _Saal_, the Sisters proceeding thither from Saron in the same
manner, led by the prioress. The Brethren as usual took their places,
being divided in their respective classes about their proper tables on
the floor of the _Saal_ while the Sisters took the places set apart for
them behind the latticed galleries above.
It was seldom we sang through an entire session of these evening schools
that some brother or sister did not receive a severe scolding from our
leader; for he ruled these classes with an iron hand, so that often
there were bitterest dissensions where all should have been peace; for
at the slightest sign of levity or frivolity there would descend upon
the offender such an avalanche of rebukes and scoldings as were, indeed,
hard to bear even by the meekest of us.
This night was no exception, for though we sang our hymns one after the
other in the utmost peace and order until after the fifth hour (eleven
o'clock), suddenly the storm came, for our sisters Keturah and Priscano,
being so busily engaged in some, I doubt not, trivial talk, noted not as
another hymn had been taken up and was passing around the hall from one
class to the other, that their response had come, and forgat utterly to
sing, so that we all were fairly amazed, and sat with bowed heads for
the blast we knew would sweep over us; and instantly it came, so
fiercely that if one had not known our leader it might have been thought
he were a man of the most violent and unchecked passions.
I had often heard him scold, and, indeed, had more than once felt the
force of his temper in that I had never much voice for singing, and more
than once was I rebuked for singing out of tune, which to our leader was
as great an hurt as if one had stuck him with a sword, but this night so
outrageous was the affront our poor sisters had given him he fairly
seemed beside himself with righteous rage, so that, looking up at him
out of the corner of my eye, his figure with all its insignificance of
size seemed truly majestic.
I know not how long we had been compelled to sit there shivering and
cowering like disobedient children, when suddenly we heard a voice, to
me familiar enough, from the rear of the hall near the doorway, cry out
half-sneering, half-snarling, "Thou fool!" Then as we all turned about,
frightened almost beyond the telling by this unearthly voice, we saw
crouching in the dark shadows about the doorway the form of her whom,
though unknown to the rest, I knew well to be my old enemy, the witch;
but from the terrified Sisters huddled together in the galleries and
from the awe-struck Brothers below not a hand or voice was lifted
against the apparition, even our fiery little leader for the once
forgetting his anger and his fearlessness, making the sign of the cross
on his breast as he shrank back from the menacing shape at the other end
of the _Saal_.
For what seemed an age she stood there glaring at us. Then she
straightened up straighter than I had ever seen her, and there was in
her voice such unusual sadness and dignity and lack of hate I greatly
marveled as she cried out, even pityingly, "Ye poor fools, to fear him,"
pointing her long finger at our leader, and then, breaking out more
fiercely, she snarled, "How many homes have been destroyed by his false
teachings! Oh, thou needst not threaten me, a poor, weak, crazy woman,
thou brave giant!" she sneered at me as I started forward with menacing
mien.
"What dost thou here?" and then a sudden thought flashed through me, our
leader and all the brothers and sisters marveling greatly at this show
of spirit in their meek Brother Jabez as I cried out boldly, "What hast
done with our sister, thou she-devil?"
And then she forgot all her brief softness as she screeched back at us,
"Ye fools, now ye know what it is to have one stolen from ye," and then
she snarled defiantly, "Come and get your sister if ye can, ye
women-men!" and with this she rushed out of the doorway, leaving us
utterly bereft of our wits.
But then I leaped for the doorway, our leader crying out, "Hold him; the
witch will kill him!" but I shook off savagely the hands of the Brothers
trying with great love of me to hold me back from pursuing the grisly
shape, for now I was on fire with the resolve to follow and learn once
for all where this being held herself and who she was.
Although the early part of the night had been dark, I saw as I burst out
of the doorway that the moon had come up, making the Kloster grounds as
bright as day, so that I had no difficulty in seeing the fleeing figure
skirting the foot of Mount Sinai and speeding down the meadows along the
Cocalico. I doubt not I could have quickly overtaken her, but such was
not my purpose. I had but one thought now and that was to follow her to
her retreat, and, having this in view, I rejoiced that the moonlight
showed plainly the form of the witch. But the moonlight, if a help in
this way, was a hindrance in that if she looked back she could not but
see me even though I took advantage of the shadows of every bush and
tree.
Somehow I was not at all surprised that she followed the course of the
creek to the very spot where Sonnlein and I had crossed that night; but
surely she would not attempt to pass over on the thin ice that still
lingered on the pool ending at that stony beach where the swift stream
had weeks ago worm away its icy covering! And yet so feather light did
she skim over the thin, treacherous surface, and with such gliding,
ghostlike ease, I was almost minded to give up the chase, fearing,
though I had never believed such vulgar tales, she might fly away on a
broomstick, or through some other hocus-pocus elude me and I make all my
desperate endeavor for naught. And for all I knew she might, if pressed
too hard, turn on me and change me into some vile beast, for I had heard
of such things.
But not for long did I hesitate by reason of these childish fears. There
was no turning back now, come what might. I placed one of my heavy feet
delicately on the thin ice, and, then bearing on it my weight more
heavily, I went through to my knees, almost falling full length into the
pool, for the ice would not begin to hold my great weight.
There was but one way left, and, fearing I would lose sight of her did I
pause longer, I dashed into the swift current below the pool with such
hotheaded recklessness that ere I knew it and with all my slipping and
stumbling I was safely on the other side, and though I wasted no time
then in idle philosophizing, which hath ever been a weakness of mine, I
have often thought since and have come to the conclusion that there be
times when one loseth all by dilly-dallying.
As I shook the water off me like some big dog I plunged into the brush
with the same recklessness I had crossed the creek, though now my wet
garments by their weight and their clinging about my legs impeded my
progress almost beyond endurance; but as I stood panting and almost
choking for breath I saw at no great distance ahead in a little, moonlit
glade, mine enemy, still not looking back, so that I felt relieved to
know she had not yet seen me.
On and on we went in this manner, she seemingly without effort, while I
stumbled and fell repeatedly over rocks and gullies and fallen trees,
yet beyond being severely shaken and bruised I received no great hurts.
Of a sudden, as we reached the foot of the mountain she changed her way,
hitherto toward the southwest, abruptly to the southeast, almost at the
same spot I had come on the footprints of Brother Alburtus that sad day.
She too, now as I continually kept nigh enough to catch sight of her
among the bushes and trees, followed that same winding way up the
mountain side, higher and higher. Once she turned half about and stood
still as though listening carefully, and ere I could hide behind a tree
I thought she saw me, but if so she gave no sign by hastening her
flight, if flight it could be called, for she appeared in no great
hurry. But now and then she would turn sharply about and stand still for
a moment as if listening, and always when I was in plain view.
We had now come nigh to the very spot where I found Brother Alburtus
dying in the snow. Farther up the mountain I could see plainly his rocky
tomb, and then, though I had glanced but a moment aside from my pursuit,
she had completely vanished. I looked about me in every direction, but I
could see naught of her, nor could I as much as hear the faintest sound.
And then as suddenly as though it had come out of the earth, I saw on
the top of that great rock whence our brother had fallen such a sight as
for a moment almost benumbed me with fear; for there standing out clear
in the bright moonlight was the tall figure of some dark being, so that
my first overpowering fear was the witch had suddenly changed her human
shape into that of the Evil One.
For a few moments I stood almost powerless with fear, the forbidding
shape on the rock being also absolutely motionless, with its front
toward me; and then, so that I have often wondered what it was gave me
such unusual boldness, I felt a sudden strength take hold of me and such
a courage as feared naught, as I cried out fiercely, "Be thou Belial
himself, or the son of Belial, I shall fight thee!" and with that I
tore from its earthly fastening a young sapling most like my wrist, and
having twisted off the top I advanced threateningly with my club, at
which the figure on the rock gave a most unearthly screech or howl, such
as for a brief moment chilled my resolution; but on again I went,
yelling back, "Thou mayest spit and snarl all thou hast a mind to, thou
foul one!" as I crossed my breast, knowing that the Evil One ever
feareth the sign of the cross.
Suddenly I saw the right arm of the dread figure draw back, and like a
flash something came hurling at me that would have dashed out my brains
had it not been that He who doth watch over his own had placed between
me and my foe a small branch, light and trifling almost as air, and yet
great enough in his hands to turn aside the missile, so that instead of
catching me fair on my brow, it barely escaped the side of my head.
Tearing my cloak from me and tossing it and my club aside, I dashed
ahead, and ere my foe knew it I was on the rock, and we were in each
others' arms struggling with all our might to hurl the other down, and
if ever I needed the great strength that so often in my life I had been
foolishly ashamed of as being unworthy of my calling I needed it now;
for whatever my antagonist was I speedily found it flesh and blood like
myself; for that he was not burdened with much clothes as was I, my
hold often slipped from his greasy body as we rolled over and over, now
I on top and then he, each grasping for the other's throat or trying to
trip or throw the other down from the rock.
Surely my only salvation now was that in spite of my great love of
books, yet have I ever loved the open air, and in my Kloster life was
never afraid of my share of hard, daily toil, so that e'en now I felt
that my foe, with all his strength and quickness, had not an easy task
cut out for him. Finally I wrenched myself from his hold, and then, both
breathing so hard it was no great difficulty to know we were in deadly
earnest, we stood apart glaring at each other and waiting for returning
strength to renew our fighting.
All the while I kept my eye closely on him, prepared for any sudden
spring or trick that my sly foe might try on me, and now as we stood
there scowling at each other I saw plainly if it were the Evil One he
had assumed the form of an Indian. Neither of us said a word, but all at
once I saw my dark antagonist draw himself together and like a stone
from a catapult hurl himself at me; but that which was meant to
overpower me by its suddenness proved my enemy's undoing, for--and I
believe to this day Providence was with me--an old trick came back to me
I had learned in my student days in the gymnasium, but of which I had no
thought it still were within me.
And thus it was as my foe came flying upon me, I suddenly dropped on one
knee, and ere he knew what I was about, I had caught him with both hands
fairly under his middle, and then with all my power and strength gave
such a mighty upward heave as with his own impulse threw him back over
me so that he landed clean on the other side of the rock, where I heard
him fall with a tremendous crash. And then, so savage is the human
heart, I rushed to the edge of the rock eagerly hoping I had killed him
outright. And, indeed, there he lay still enough, so that I knew whoever
my foe had been, it had not been the evil one, for surely no mere man
could kill Beelzebub.
As my breath and strength returned to me, though for a long time I was
so weak in my limbs I could do little less than totter, I picked up my
cloak and wrapped it about me; but with returning strength came a great
horror that I had killed a human being, and unless one be of a gentle
heart he knoweth naught what awful feeling possessed my soul as I
thought upon my savage deed which, though I had done it in self-defense,
yet seemed to me little less than murder.
For the time all thought of the witch was cast aside, my only fear being
now that I had killed the Indian. I hastened to his side, and though I
found him bleeding from some wound in the head, yet the violently
throbbing heart told me there was life there so that my own heart
leaped up with a great joy and hope I had not killed him; and--praises
be to His name--as I knelt there anxiously waiting for return of sense
to him, my red foe finally came to himself and sat up, holding his
wounded head, which I had now bound up, and rubbing himself about his
back and limbs so that I feared perchance these had been broken; but to
my great joy--for now I thought no more of fearing him--from sitting up,
he gradually, with many gruntings and groanings, stood erect as he could
in all his weakness, and then, as he seemed for the first time conscious
of me, he grunted in broken English, "Big woman-man, big chief; me only
papoose; me go back to Conestogas and be squaw; white chief-woman must
help self," and then before I could speak and ere my scattered wits knew
what all this talk meant, he limped away down the mountain-side and was
soon lost to sight.