HAUKARDAL. 
145 
of silver, with a bottle of white wine, and a box 
of red wafers, not at all differing from such as 
are used in other countries to seal letters with. 
Of the first mentioned of these articles the priest 
made frequent use; with the rest he prepared, 
during the time of singing, for performing the 
ceremony of the sacrament. He then ascended 
the pulpit, and, after repeating a few more pray¬ 
ers, delivered, in rather a quick but impressive 
manner, a sermon of about half an hour’s length, 
after which the sacrament * was administered 
to the congregation, kneeling at the altar; to 
the men first, and then to the women; the priest 
putting a wafer and some wine into the mouth 
of every individual, and repeating at the same 
time a short prayer. This ceremony terminated 
the service, except the blessing and salutation, 
which were bestowed separately upon every one of 
the congregation, as well male as female. As 
soon as the whole was concluded, the priest spoke 
* The robes of the priest, and the wafers administered 
at the receiving of the sacrament, are institutions nearly re¬ 
lated to those of the Romish church, and, together with 
the doctrine of consubstantiation, are maintained by the fol¬ 
lowers of Luther, whose religion is the established, and, 
indeed, the only one, of Iceland. The serious attention 
manifested by the simple natives during their devotions 
would have done credit to Christians of any persuasion, or 
of manners however refined. 
L 
