The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-03
WHAT THE ORGANISE DID.
BY CHARLES BARNARD.

I tie oil he had upon the troubled water.
and the choir resigned. The old meetin
house was rocked to its foundations. An
all this turmoil because the music commi,
tee had, at the suggestion of the organst
put q cornet- player beside the organ,
lead the congregational singing.
Dreadful proposal was it mott The ide
of having horn in church. A Frenc
horn You know what wicked people tn
French are. Think of having the sam
! instrument they use in the Jar-well, 20
know as we'll as that some folks are n
better than they ought to be. A Frenc
horn, indeed. Think of it No wonde
Deacon Pipples said that the rising genera
ton was hayward generation, seekin.
after ungodly inventions.
/ Now, you know my views. l don't car
what instrument we use in church. pro
vided we praise God unsteady and soberly
as we ought. If horn or violin will he'll
us, go for it. Deacon Squaggles said
ought to be ashamed
l laughed, and told him that, if ! reat
the Scriptures right, David danced befor
the Lord, and advised the Temple choir t,
use cymbals-even the loud sounding cym
balls.
He shook his head, and said that there
were grave doubts about that passage
Perheps the word translated dance mean
something else.
Hop" suggested.
The deacon went away sorrowfully, ane
said | was backslider.
1t is not long story. Let me tell it t.
you.
We sat under lady organist for years
sat under, in figurative sense. We had
groaned inwardly under her weekly intlc
lions for long time. She was short well,
how can tell it ?-her feet did not touch
the pedals). The organ seemed ready tc
! topple every Sunday. Some folks said that
the organ had no bass notes. Bless you
What did they know about it, They
could not tell one tune from another.
She-the organist-had a weakness for
the reeds. The reed-stops, as you know,
have their little weakness, like the rest OF
us. Their particular weakness is to get
out of tune. "Never mind" said she
"they are sweetly pretty after the long
prayer. Make you think of angels, in
long clothes, singing through cloud"
Her volumaries were remarkable. She
harassed the parson, and kept everybody
on the alert, for who could tell when she
was going to stop? Every other minute
we said This is the end-the closing
chord has come But no; it had not.
More closing chords followed, till we were
| nearly distracted with hope deferred.
At last some benevolent young man had
the goodness to marry and take her away
Bless him ! How heartily we congratu-
lated him-and ourselves.
We could not blame Heaven for giving
her short-legs; but, then, she might, at
least, have played something besides her
own compositions, and could hae safely
neglected her beloved trumpets ant oboes.
The next Sunday the man cam He
was stout fellow, and his coat ha, very
long sleeves, and his trowers were ,1tra
large. They were none too long to bt be-
coming. He could reach anything in he
shape of keys, stops, or pedals, withGt
sliding on the seat, as some men do. lie
could sound the lowest pedal, manage tn
swell, draw the top right hand stop, ant
play on the lower bank at the same instant
Clever in both the English and American
senses.
The first Sunday he presided the folk
said that the committee had repaired thu
organ. 1t had not sounded SO we'll for ;
long time. Its deep and majestic tone
shook the air, pervaded the church will
solemn harmones, and made deacon Squag
gle's youngest cry. He is not precociou
child, and did not ask to seek the monkey
The music that day was revolution t.
most of the people, and there was salts
fled buzz among the folks on the step'
when the church was out. Things i'm
proved from week to week. One or two
who had backslid of late returned, auc
really came to church half day-came t.
hear the music, Deacon Squaggles reprov
ed their motives, and accepted their re
newed pew-rent, cemplaisantly.
About the fifth Sunday after the new
administration Parson Mildmay announced
that the last hymn would be sung by thu
congregation. With fear and trembling
they listened to hear what tune would b'
given out. After the first bar their fear
were allayed. There was no installing th'
melody of 'Dnke Street, played distinct!
and accurately on single loud stop. A
the end the people struggled to their feet
and the singing began. The result wa
peculiar and not lovely. Did l not fee
sure that you know all about it would
give you detailed description of it, Con
gregational noise You have heard it
Doesn't congregational singing always re
mind YOU of familiar lines concerning who
when she was good, she very, very good,
And when she was bad she was horrid
The sermon was lost that day. The PEG
pie went home to their dinners dissatisfied
| and hoped it would not be tried again.
The next Sunday evening brought TIL
explosion. 1t was announced in the morn
! ing that there would be an extra service o
song at half.past seven.
| At seven the church was full; at half
past crowded. Word had got about tina
something peculiar might be expected
Many backsliders and others came in
"To scoff," Deacon Pipples said: " Woul'
they remain to sing?' Perhaps so.
The service was opened by reading ant
a set piece by the choir. Then MIR. Jones
chairman of the music committee, rose
and to our amazement, called the organis
from his seat and introduced him to us
Our organ is behind the pulpet. just wher
it ought to be. Everybody woke up, ant
you might have heard pin drop.
The young man bowed and spoke as fol
| lows:
| "My friends We meet here every weel
! for PRAYER and praise. We come to lif