The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-11-23
A Little Criticism.

"At the second Of the series of socis.
bles given by the friends Of the Rev. W.
II. II. Murray, at the Deacon.house,
Boston, Monday night, he announced
that the new church would open in Mu.
sic Hall, next Sunday morning, it's sue.
cess being already assured by 300 gen.
tlemen, who had pledged $50 a year
each to rent family pews containing FIVE
persons each, and the music-whioh will
occupy an hour at each service-to DO
rendered by frst.class quartette and a
grand chorus Of 300 voices, under the
direction of DR.. Eben Tourjee, George
+. Whiting officiating as organist."
We give the above paragraph without
attempting to improve upon its severe
simplicity. 1t holds out pleasing pros.
pect to the new congregation to assemble
In "Music Hall, Boston, There is to
be one hour Of music, of the highest style
Of art. 1t is not stated how much of
Murray; but as the tacit consent of the
church. going world has determined that
an hour and tt half Tor at most three
quarters) is tho limit of service it will be
content to endure, we find that prayers,
Scripture.readingi aud sermon must be
condensed into tho rather brief space of
thirty minutes. Now, as we cannot be-.
ieve that the sermon is to be sacrificed,
we are forced to conclude that the pray.
ing is to be a choral service, divided
between "the frst.class quartettc," we
presume, and the grand chorus Of three
hundred voices under the direction of
DR.. Eben Tourjee." With the omission
OF the Scripture reading altogether, the
sermon may thus be drawn out to o
satisfactory length. Perhaps, however,
Mr.. Murray has, in different sphere Of
life, imbibed a now theory Of preaching,
and intends that his "time" shall be
better than any yet known. One or two
distinguished preachers are already dis.
tinguished for great speed of uttelance.
Mr.. Moody is said to exceed by many
words to minute gall other known ora.
tors. Is il possible that a new element
OF pulpit success is to BIO introduced, and
that the "threo hundred gentlemen in the
family pews seating fve' are to enjoy,
stop-watch in hand, something Of the
same thrill OF excitement which pervades
the weekly and secular trotting. park
Might it De allowed for the three hun.
dred to arrange for little pecuniary in.
terests transferable and contingent on the
pastors rate Of speed 7
We may seem to treat this matter
lightly, but it is because we hardly know
how to speak of it with the seriousness
which, in another point Of view. it de.
mands. The whole thing shows such ar
utter and hopeless abandonment of the
whole idea of worship, such complete
realization Of the notion of mere Sun
day amusement, such a speculation, il
short, cleverly adapted to tho taste of the
times, that we cannot find where to begir
to crticse from any standpoint such az
We are accustomed to. We must speak
of it secular wise, for there seems nc
eieuent VI reiigiuu auvul uv
SO stated, but we have no manner o
question that these three hundred, who
have thrown themselves into this new
Thermopyle, with the pledge Of ifty
dollars each, are at full liberty to subtle,
at advanced prices, such seats in "tht
family pews seating five" as they have
no need for. But still we are puzzled
Chorus.singerS must be uncommonly
cheap in Boston if they can be had les.
than fifty dollars year, or a dollar {
Sunday. Will not the musical three
hundred absorb the entire revenue of tht
church ? At any rate, it looks as if tht
receipts were to be apportioned on tht
basis of the services, and that the per
formers Of the hour would get the ion
share, while the hero Of the halfhoul
would take but little.
Perhaps there is to be an arrange
ment by which the gate.money-we beg
pardon for this unwitting slip Of the pei
the admission fees to extra seats, MAJ
t. Bas Ba' %sHa EsASAsF powtts i wVqd sbsd be evos R
from their interior consciousness th
Adirondack legends, should 20 unre
warded The Churchman.