The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-09

were equal 10 the ATTENDANTS ~ wv
One goes to sec or be seen, another TO
hear The preacher or the choir, others
fof-shall we say it's riereenary .pnr-
pose, to keep IN The patronage o. the
chureh GONG people for their .establiah-
mnnfs same because IL is the fashion, We
trnsl he vrea lest number from sincere
" relieieas motive. II we were In
sectarian way 10 consider the proportion
a persona who attend church for the
nrrpose Of devotion alone, the Catholic
Church outnumberS all the rest. for at
I'll hours Of the day, be 1t Sunday or
week day, some jealous adherent Of that
faith will be at the church. As our sub
ject Il musirin the church, 1t is safe TO say
that in this city It can NOT be the music At
the Cathedral, which attracts The wor-
shippers, for Il lacks too much. For ages,
eoeyal almost with the history Of music,
the Catholic Church has bean and still 10
The conseryator OF ecclesiastical music; 70
tive owe the preservation, the develop:
ment and also the performance Of most Of
the sacred classics, some Of the brightest
gems In the world Of music, sparkle in the
writings Of tho masters for the Mass. Il
has been wellsaid that nothing can be
too grand for IN Offering 70 God, and the
Catholic Church in rearing noble edifices
for Gods Temples, filing them With the
bright pageantry Of the professional, tho
| impressive service Of the mass with the
glorious misunderstanding and echoing
| fn thousands Of hearts, held the worship
pers enchanted with the homage paid to
God, While this is still the case in the
older parts Of the world, In districts
where comparatively The mass OF
the Catholics are Of the middle or
working classes, the attention 10 music
has given place to the spreading OF mis-
sions, and form ~ prominent, almost
necessary part Of the service, music has
become Of minor importance. While
there may be an excuse for this in newly
settled districts, where musical talent Is
moi readily attainable, there is none for
40 old d community as the Cathedral
church OF Wheeling. For many years
past the music nj the Cathedral might be
said 10 have existed by sutFfance, but lit
4 lie encouragement being given to Il, the
organ being scarcely fit to play upon, and
the singers only such as would volunteer
4 on be Goa xed 10 assist ifbut for one ser
v vice! To some extent there was the ex-
cusSe, that other, more necessary matters
claimed The attention OF the authorities,
but we think there might have been q
1 remedy for all this. The schools
Of the church have been under
the charge Of the fathers. and sis
ters, anongst whom considerable musical
ability does exist and has existed, and
under their training a choir Of boys and
girls might have grown so as to assist at
iirst in the chorus OF the choir, and
4 eventually, as they grew up, recruit the
ranks ofthe choir with men and women,
who had from childhood been trained to
sing the music OF the church. Is II too
late for this now2 Much, we should say
ali the credit Of keeping up the active
musical part Of the choir service at the
| Cathedral Is justly due 10 Mrs. III. A.
Whitaker, the organist, who at times has
filled the part Of choir as we'll as organist,
oi.entimes occupying the organ loft alone,
No regular choir may be said TO exist
here, but the following ladies have been
In almost regular attendance for u long
time;--Misses- Ella and Matte .Hinn,
Matte Rohan, Mary Lantry, Miss Hand.
Ian, and Miss Maggie Williamson, while
A the male part OF the choir has been almost
nd, ,atpresent NJ I. Hammer befpg, We. be-
lieve, The only regular member. There
should DO full choir at the Cathedral and
surely there is enough talent among the
male attendants at the Cathedral TO fill
It out. Come, gentlemen, help make
your service more glorious by your as.
sistance; il not with your voices, then by
liberality, so that talent can be engaged.
Recently the organ was thoroughly oyer.
hauled, new swell.box put in and water
power talked Of; so it needs but full
choir TO make good music, and this we
hope to note ere long. Incidentally we
learn that the Christmas music will be
very attractive at the o'clock service.
Mozart's Second Mass in G is to be sung
by the choir, assisted by some excellent
talent from other churches. II we can
get up early enough Christmas morning
we will report thereon.