Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-04-27
sCcIIa nv.
S-mc Pae-u.es IA the Liic OF Deacon
Goodman.
IFrou the Prov Joaraall

Goodman.
Hhsrtiu v sloiru til i1cusr.ueHf, oI no.
hqrlug Ths "MHvs1i Ear.
Deacon Goodman was ,N-. usiyok known
not merely iu his own Parrish. but through
scvo-al miles of tie surr ,uuiing country
for his amiaile disposition, active htneyU-
lence and uuquCstionod Tlcty- - thoroughly
was the Deacon character established, thai
when the people OF the rciEhharns towns
saw him passing. they would say, ':hat
man is rightly named, i,r DO there ever 'raS
d good man, be j. one
The Deacon. although highly orthodox
was very liberal There wa> small Uni
ycrsalist Society IN the ta"U and 1t really
seemed as II DE had taken The Juiyersalist=
under his especial irmg for though always
ready 20 argue with thom. (ic was tough IN
argumenD be would never hear them abused.
" Lat. Lc would say. have wc mot sins
enough Of our own 10 answer Tor? - far a.
man is concerned. they have a. good right
o their frr0r, as We 20 our truth. We must
all render the great account not 90 others.
but each one Of himself
The Ewscoralians had ai-l been lrOwling
about within the Deac0n- domain and had
even formed a little church. which met i0I
public worship IN a school luu-e. And al
though the society consisted 40 hut nine OF
ten families. they were warmly discussing
the question. whether tie usw church. (to
he built next Year, should bc GrCcian or
Gothic. The parish clerk thought 1t ought
to be modelled after -. P4ul's IN London
They had better model It after - Peter at
Rome. said a rich cd church member
hereafter 70 De mentioned. The organ was
already spoken for .l,- none OF lay busi-
ness. said Deacon Goodman, but wont all
this expense come rather hard On Your small
society? We depend on the church at
large said the clerk. and We expect the
society viii grow Oh, That 1t, SAID the
Deacon, you 20 on the martin swallow prin-
cIple put ~ the tox. and the birds Will
come
But although Deacon Goodman could not
,ec the wisdom Of the clerk = reasoning, he
had no vulgar prejudice AGAINST the Episeo-
pal Church. 50 far from t'at, on Christmas
and Good Friday, and even on Sunday when
his own worthy minister Was absent or IN
disposed. he was Away deyout attendant
on tie Episcopal worship can always
find the lace in their prayer book, SAID he
but when | do find il, i;s always pesky
good place. and what If thoir prayers ar
printed il not the Lords Prayer printed
If their minister OF ours ever makes bettel
prayer than that. ! hopc shall hear 1t
printed 0r not.
But the qualifying ''5ut must lie interpos
ed even IN the case OF Deacon Goodman. H'
had fault: lie ,r0uH sing ~ ileeting.
Nature has 50 formed u, that some have
- a
this "musical car has nothing to do with
real character, moral or Intellectual. but ye
the persons who have not the musical ear
ought never 10 sing an meeting IT they 90
they Will be sure TO annoy others. and mak'
themselves ridiculous. Dca. Goodman ha'
NOT the -'musical ear. " hcthcr 1t wer'
the Messiah - or the Creation" or jim
Crow, and Zip Coon; it was all the sam
70 him so far as music was concerned, !
was Just so much singing. And the gentl
and respectful remonstranccs OF the choil
leader, were met with the UNMARRIED reply
"Singing is praying; you may as well as
me not to pray | shall sing m meeting.
1t is now proper for the biographer to hln
at another trait in the good Deacon : charac
ter. lie was rather .'sct in his way.
We all know that musical people are ap
To be sensitive, and sometimes a little caI
rIcious and who has ever known theatr
cal Orchestra. or even village choir, tha
had not a regular elbow up at least once
year? Beyond all doubt Deacon Goodman
singing was very serious grievance to II
choir, and no small annoyance to the congr
gation. Yet in consideration ol his e.
merits he was indlllged; though his reguis
sunday performances. often drew forth Il
remark. that If music murder was sli
Deacon Goodman would have mueh
answer for. But there is a point beyond Whi'
forbearance is no longer virtue IRE
pains had been taken by the choir, IN e
ting up a new Anthem, (selected from NJ
zart) for Thanksgiving day, and the vel
gem of the piece vas a solo. which had Det
assigned to the sweetest little glrl IN q
village. All who attended the rehearsa
were perfectly delighted with the solo
sung by '.little Mary 1t was very dilhcul
1t was marked from the beginning to en-
"Andantino.' Dolce 'AfietuosO
"Crescendo," p" .sPIano. Z" 'Pianissimo,'' wi
changing keys, and flats and sharps, sprin
ing out from UNEXPECTED places but she h
conquered it all. Three or four accomplish
singers who had come from Boston, to p
Thanksgiving in the country, and who h
attended the last rehearsal, were IN raptu
with Mary's singing. They had heard lie
esco, and Biscaccianti. and Madam bisho
and yet. said they, .'iora country glrl'
is a prodigy"
In due time, Thanksgiving day arrive
and the congregation assembled. At leni
came the Anthem. II even went beyond I
pectation A long crest Immediately 7
ceded the solo Ii was 10 rest tor "pt
little Mary" 1t was the most anxi'
minute she had ever passed She arc
blushIng and trembling. Her agitat
gave a tremor to her voice, which added
the pathos Of the music. 1t was beautil
Now, Deacon Goodman always made
rule, when any accident detained him III
after worship had commenced, to come
very softly.-How different from the fashi
able flourish All were intent on the s
None heard, and but few saw Deacon &c
man enter his pew, and take up the sf
On which the words Of the anthem v
printed. The Deacon soon found the pla