Rev. M. Golden
In His Street Attire as High Priest
The S. S. Germania in splendor and commodities could proudly be called the Mauretania or Lucetania of the Fabre Line, a very commendable company judging from the good officials and desirable attendants we had on board the Germania. Her arrival at the present voyage had exceptional significance, and if every S. S. which arrives this side of the ocean had parallel instances it would be only a matter of time when all the legislators which are engaged in making the emigration laws would find themselves out of business, because the Kingdom of God that knows no divisions and no distinctions of nations and races should soon be established to make a heaven on earth and there it would be one Lord—one faith—one baptism for all human races, and all men could then move in the different parts of the world without any credentials and they could be welcome everywhere as members of the same family do when they live within the boundaries of love.
Since the invention of Logos in the art of making history worth reading, through the ages the historian derives his intelligence from all sources apt to contribute to his object and unsparingly he treats zoology, botany and all kingdoms ending in some kind of y, just to serve his purpose successfully. And the writers of the Scriptures are not exempted to this rule, inspired as it were, they mentioned almost every known and unknown animal which our forefather Noah saved in his Ark, and if the ass plays so an important part in the Book of books, Germania surely is entitled to some consideration in the history of my conversion.
It will be impossible for me to even attempt to skiagraph all that took place on board the Germania from the time we left Naples of sunny Italy till we arrived in the docks of Brooklyn, eleven and one-half days' voyage with only a short stop at Gibraltar, that fortified rock for which Great Britain is ready to play all her power just to maintain that dry and ungraceful rock, but, the key of two seas, and in Azores Islands to exchange mail, our journey was a never to be forgotten continual holiday.
One odd incident that kept our merriment all these days, was the symptomatical number thirteen. The S. S. Germania was carrying on board several hundred emigrants, mostly from sunny Italy, they were representing all conditions and descriptions coming to America to make their fortune, which but a few exceptions is a sweet hope into every emigrant's heart and though often proves to them that it was only a dream, and there are millions of emigrants all over this land who after many years of hard work they are still struggling for a mere existence, yet they come and they shall continue to come for it is the rule of the universe; they simply cannot resist the law that governs and moves the Sympan. And the S. S. Germania was well occupied in its various compartments, but there were only ten of us voyagers in the reserved first cabins, and at meal time with the first Captain at the head of the table and one Commissioner representing the Government and the first physician of the boat then we made up the number 13; and though I am not a superstitious person I was the first one to call the attention to that fact, and there the fun began. The fellow voyagers insisting that should any danger of tempestuous and stormy gale threaten their safety they had to cast lots to know for whose cause the evil came, and as I was the only representative of the religious sentiment, in all probability I had to undergo the same experience as Jonah had, yet our fears did not even approach any realization but instead as it was desirable to all on board we enjoyed a very pleasant voyage all the way and the Captain himself unreservedly with his boyish cheerfulness expressed his gratification for all that came out so perfectly satisfactory. And the Captain being desirous to commemorate the agreeable event he gave the night before our arrival at Brooklyn a unique banquet in the big reception hall with various symbolical decorations in honor to his excellency the number 13. And to make the event more memorable the Captain himself went around the boat visiting all the emigrants and selecting 13 of the most musical Italian boys and girls with their harps, mandolins and tambourines, a perfect stringed band, and while our merriment was in its zenith he conducted them on the upper deck where the reception hall was located into the adjoining room and without warning we began to hear the waves vibrating through the walls into our hall and soon our ears were filled with divine melodies. They were playing Tosca, Puccini's most inspired composition and the translation of these people behind the walls it really contained that pathos which all artists agree, yet unable to explain how so many children of sunny Italy became world-wide famous for the embodiment of that musical and harmonious pathos of which Tosca is the favorite piece of the greatest living tenor Caruso.
In an unfortunate event that occurred to me some time ago I lost the names of my fellow voyagers on that memorable trip on the Germania, yet I can well recollect that there were two American newly-wedded couples from the western cities, just returning home from their extensive honeymoon trip abroad, and there was a gentleman, very refined and well cultured in literature whom we called, the Athenian, as he hailed from Boston, which in the language of all foreigners is the Athens of the United States, and there was the Jew merchant from Chicago, and another gentleman, an Italian professor, who was going to occupy an exalted position in one of the Roman Catholic Institutions in New Orleans, and to our delight there was Miss Maria, the only beloved daughter of Dr. Achilles Rose of New York. Dr. Rose is not only a very prominent practitioner as a physician in New York, but he is acknowledged as an eminent authority by the most exclusive Academies of Europe concerning medical matters, as well as a great linguist in the ancient and modern languages, and a number of publications contributed to the scientific research are the monuments of his convincing penmanship. His daughter had just finished a long course in the best college "Arsakeion" exclusive institution for girls in Athens, Greece; and she was well qualified to teach the Ancient and Modern Greek language as well as any professor in the American colleges and universities. I had to go carefully myself in order to keep pace with her in the exactness of pronunciation of the Greek words, and when listening to her telling some of the joyful experiences she experienced in learning this wonderful Greek language I felt like a Sunday school scholar impressed by her rhythmical and melodious harmony in pronouncing every word and sentence that sound like the old Greek music which even Apollo himself would be glad to listen to.
With Miss Maria Rose there was Miss Margaret, a tall slender figure with every characteristic of a genuine Kentucky girl, a very respectable maiden, she was caressing for Miss Maria Rose with motherly tenderness, she was the playmate and constant companion of Miss Maria now passing the bridge of her teens; yet Miss Margaret could not tolerate seeing her leaning on the rails of the Germania, she appeared presumably afraid that some terrible whale might swallow her little Maria whom she loved as much as a mother could love her own child, a pleasure which she never had, to know and to love a child of her own, and Maria appeared to appreciate the kindness of her governess.
Now to make up the list of the ten voyagers there was also your obedient servant, coming over to America to study religious, social and industrial conditions. An account of his reasons for taking this step shall be given later on. At this time I must proceed to complete my acquaintances on board the Germania. From the first day on board I find myself in very friendly terms with every one of my fellow voyagers, and before I knew it I was the father of them all. As a High Priest dressed in my church garbs, they just pasted in front of my name the monkish title, Father, which I never accustomed myself though my official church name consists of about a half a dozen titles.
The Captain of the Germania, a typical French gentleman very agreeable in all his ways, with my little French enabled me to make myself understood. I had the pleasure of passing many a moment in pleasant conversation with him, and when I wanted to speak to the Americans, my heart was longing to learn all I could from them, as they were so kind to me, and with Miss Maria's assistance I never went lonesome, her acting as interpreter between me and the Americans, for by that time I was not able to even pronounce correctly a sentence in the English language.
With all these acquaintances my time was well occupied and to my personal delight, by chance, I found my constant companion in the person of Dr. Lucretius, the first physician of the Germania, an Italian gentleman. By tokens and signs we found that both of us belong to that great body of men that knows each other as brothers in every corner of the inhabited world. It was he, Dr. Lucretius, who came to my cabin on the morning of the 16th of May, at about 5 a. m., and knocking at the door, said, Father Golden, we are now entering into the harbor of New York, and if you want to enjoy a grand view of the surrounding country you had better come out on the upper bridge. I shall be there waiting for you to explain some of the most beautiful sceneries that you have ever looked upon in your life. And he was correct, without any exaggeration, for when I leaped from my bed and dressed myself as fast as I could I went to meet my friend and brother, Dr. Lucretius.