Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-12
COMMUNICATED.
DOWN ON CHOIRS.

The Presbyterian Banner of last week opens
in regular .torte style upon modern church
choirs. After speaking OF sundry tyrannies of
which mankind is subject, the writer proceeds:
But, after all, it is doubtful whether there
i any tyranny among US more dreaded or more
severe than that exerci>ed by many of the
cholr> which sing and rule In our churches.
Pastor, session aud congregation stand IN awe
Of them. The minister may be criticized, and
cpmpiaints may be made OF the elders with
comparative impunity; but woe unto the un-
lucky oDe who will venture, even with hat in
hand, and with pallid countenaUce and trem-
bling lips, to Intimate that the choir might at
times SO far coudesceud as to sing tunes in
which the congregation can take part; that
some of lis members ought to behave them
selves somewhat more seemly during prayer,
the reading of the Scriptures and the sermon.
So sensitive is the average choir as TO its own
uudl,putcd sovereignty aud the undouhted su-
u1emacy OF each one OF its members, that every
now aud then the principal Of cohesion gives
way and the entire coucern goes TO pieces, put
tug The whole church into fever of excite
mcut aud otcn giving irremcdlable otf-uce to
some. until new organization is effected. The
iulncu.c capacity of chcirs to cause dlssatistac-
ton, give trouble, and interfere generally with
the progress aud happiness ofthe churches over
which they exercise sway Is beyond the power
OF human computation.
The success of cholrs, such as we
have described, in interfering with the
abo,s OF the pastor, destroying the effects ofthe
sermon aud lu utterly smotheriug the devotion
nj spirit of religious meetings, is beyond dis
pu,c; like some kinds Of Patent Medicines S
they never fail Not mauy moons ago We
were present at the meeting of an ecclesiastical
body which was opened with an elaborate and
able sermon. At the close Of the discourse the
hymn beginning,
Saviour, visit thy plantation.
was announced The pastor very properly in
vicd the congregation TO staud during the sing
TO Join iu singing the hymn to the wcll-known
tune of 'Greeufeld, with which it is insepara-
bly, entwined. But the choir would have no
such Intrusion and impertiDeuce as this; 1t
would have things its own way, and 1t had, Tor
it started off on tune which no one in the
large audience outside Of the choir could sing,
in which the choir itself made but an iudltfer-
ent success and which at best was unsuitable
to the hymn Great was the consternation 10
that church. The people looked at one anoth,
er; some of the devout fathers and mo, hers
were sad; others were startled as if some calam-
ily was about to burst upon them; some OF the
young folks were disposed to glggle, "nle some
people of more combative disposition felt as II
it would afford them the highest degree of sat
i>facton to go into the organ loft at that mo-
lncut and pitch leader, choir and instrument
through the window into the street.
In view of such things it cannot be thought
strange that the rule of the choir is ava kening
a feeling that will soon manifest itself 10 some
decisive way Those who have borne the yoke
of bondage most severely do at last, when op-
position can 70 longer be endured, turn upon
their tyrants and hurl them from their
thrones"