Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-12-30
LOCAL NEWS.
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IN THE CITY AND COUNTRY
Happenings Before and After
Christmas.
A STARTLING MUSICAL IDEA
Grand and Petit Jurors for the u. S.
Court--Matters Appropriate 10
the Season--Change in a
Business Firm.
A STARTLING MUSICAL IDEI
ELKTON and MIDDLEHOWN RAILROAD
CHUhCH MUSIC.

How WiIIOughby Prayed the
Accordion in the Second Baptist
Choir-First Attempt 10 Introduce
UnorthOdOx Music into ReitgiOus
Services in this City.
1t wss stated two or three days ago that
the choir of Grace NJ. N Church is now
assisted by an orchestra composed of a
piano, organ, oornet, flute, violoncello and
two violins The statement was correct
with this qualitication-that the orchestrs
named is employed in the Sunday school
services and not in the church worship.
Many readers of the JouNAL will
recall how that a quarter of century or
so ago it was considered hardly proper for
member of the Methodist Church 10 have
violin about his house, much less to
perform upon it there or elsewhere. They
were rot called "violins" by deyou,
church-going men in those days, bu
tiddles," d the word fiddle" was
associated with thoughts of dancing and
other recreations classeG as sinful. Uh,
change of sentiment which has grown up
with regard to church music recalls little
sIocy.
About the year 1862 the fortunes Of
war stranded young man named Willisn
W. Willouehby in this city Willoughby
had been gathered into the Confederate
army and taken prisoner by the Unioi
forces soon afterwards. He sailed from
the western part of North Carolina and
when he first came to Wilmington, wa,
decidedly the greenest American born
youth that the writer ever met Th,
many ludicrous tricks of which he was
made the victim would be almost incred-
ble to those who did not know him. Lif.
In this city, however, gradually cured hin
of bis greeDness. Twas slow process bu
sure, and after residence here of 10 yeats
during which time he acquired fair
knowledge OF carriage painting, be grew
as keen as he had originally been verdan,
and blossomed out as a sewing machine
agent who would tackle u farmer at
O'Clock in the morning and walk besid,
him ut the plow or in the harvest field till
the middle of the afternoon, keeping up
such au unceasipg stream of talk that tht
poor half-dslrarEed victim would very
hkely be worried into buying machine il
self-defence. When Willoughby first
came to Wilmington he was very religious.
just in proportion as he grew in worldly
wisdom his religion oozed out but this
has nothing to do with The story.
Notwithstanding his extreme yerdsncy
when he first came to Wilmington, there
was ono subject upon which Willoughby
was we'll posted and that was music.
Though bis voice was not the most melo-
dious, he knew all about hrevos and semi
| quavers, and such things, aud when he
| Joined the Second Baptist Church, as he
soon did, it did not take him long to &c,
| into the choir. A few Sundays afterwards
he surprised his fellow members of thai
staid body by bringing his accordion with
him to the morning service. Utterly
regardless of what anybody else NIGH
think about it, when tho opening hymn
was given out Willoughby accompanied
the singing with his accordion and so with
| the hymns that followed Needless of tn
| remonstrances and rebukes which greeteo
him at the close of the service he brought
his accordion with him again in the even
ing and faithfully played an aceompani-
ment to each hymn as he had doue in tht
morning.
The members OF the choir and congre-
CATION were not only astonished anu
amused but likewise Indignant. The pas
tor was consulted and a business meetinl
| called during the week to consider tn
matter. Willoughby was present at III
meeting aud with all the untutored elo-
quence and the self assurance with which
ue was plentifully gifted he urged tn
merits of instrumental music. Fl
wanted to know what the members of th
church would do, if any of them were
fortunate as to reach Heaven; how the
could bear to hear the myriads of angel,
there playing upon their golden harps, f
they could not stand little music here o,
earth. Gould they be happy there
could they enjoy themselves; would the.
be- prepared to endure that heavenly musicI
He feared not, and it grieved him to thiul
Of the eternity of torture, instead of bliss,
which they we're striving to gain.
Arguments like these, though vehe
ment'y urged with great and untirine
volubility, were thrown away upon tina
assem- olage. They decided by unanimout
vote that either Wiloughby or HI,
accordion must leave the choir, and thai
accordion was afterwards left at home
Thus began and ended what was, W,
oelieve, the first attempt to in:roduc
instrumental music of this character int,
the services of Wilmington church.