Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of his power. In the year 1808, a grand performance of the "Creation" took place at Vienna. Haydn was present, but he was so old and feeble that he had to be wheeled in a chair into the theatre, where a princess of the house of Esterhazy took her seat by his side. This was the last time that Haydn appeared in public, and a very impressive sight it must have been to see the aged father of music listening to the "Creation" of his younger days, but too old to take any active share in the performance. The presence of the old man roused intense enthusiasm among the audience, which could no longer be suppressed as the chorus and orchestra burst in fall power upon the superb passage, "And there was light." Amid the tumult of the enraptured audience the old composer was seen striving to raise himself. Once on his feet, he mustered up all his strength, and in reply to the applause of the audience, he cried out as loud as he was able. "No, no! not from me, but," pointing to heaven, "from thence — from heaven above — comes all!" saying which, he fell back in his chair, faint and exhausted, and had to be carried out of the room. (Frederick Crowest.) Parallel Verses KJV: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. |