The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-06-30
The New Cabinet Organ.

The inst Presbyterian congregation or
Brighton, VT, had for several years yearned
for an organ. The small melodeon which
was used to accompany the singing of the
choir was not only squeaky and excessive
iy out of tune, but it was the subject Of
Methodist derision, and the Presbyterians
could not help feeling ashamed Of it. A
tremendous effort was finally made to raise
the necessary funds for the purchase Of a
real organ. There was fair, a picnic, q
stereoscopic exhibition, New England
kitchen and series of grab-bags Of unus-
exultation among the congregation when it
was found that the net combined profits of
these various religious ceremonies amount
ed to S1,10O. This made the purchase Of
the organ entirely possible, and the minis
ter, on the following Sunday, made feel
ing allusion to the prospect that the envi-
Gus and wicked opponents of the gospel
would soon be made to hang their heads
with shame as they listened to the grand
tones Of the First Presbyterian organ.
When the members of the congregation
began to discuss the question what kind Of
an organ should be bought, Elder Simp-
son took occasion to denounce the whole
race of organists. He pointed out that ever
since the introduction of the melodeon into
the choir the organist had been a fruitful
source of evil. Either he was an earnest
man, in which case he constantly quarreled
with the soprano and insulted the tenor
or he was q careless worldling who played
snatches of -boutfe whenever he had
an opportunity, and thus violated the sane.
tity of the meeting house. The elder ad
mitted that musical instrument of some
kind was very desirable, and he felt strong
ly on the subject of the Methodist gibc.
at the inability of the Presbyterians t:
buy an organ. Still, he said that mas
much as an organ could not be had witt
out an organist, he doubted whether it wa:
not a duty to deny themselves any music
al instrument whatever.
This speech gave rise to heated debate
which might have had the most painful
consequences had not the pastor happily
suggested a compromise He informed his
flock that a mechanical organ could be pur.
chased which would play two dozen tunes
without an organist after being wound up
Such organs were in use, so he was told
in several concert saloons in New York
and he saw no reason why one of them
should not be consccratcd to the use of
the sanctuary. This proposal met with
great favor, and committee was appointed
to have an automatic organ built to order,
and to select the tunes to be played by it.
In the course of the next six months the
new organ arrived and was set up III its
place. 1t was constructed so as to play
twenty-five Of the best psalm tunes, and
the committee, with view to fairs and
other entertainments, had instructed the
maker to fit it with two secular tunes,
namely, Strauss waltz and the galop
from Otfenbachs "Orphee." The arrival of
the instrument created IL great deal Of ex-
element in the village, and on the follow
ing Sunday hundreds of Methodists and
worldly people went to the Presbyterian
meeting house 10 hear the new organ.
1t had been understood that the man
agement of an automatic organ was very
simple thing, and as printed code of in
struction was forwarded to the committee
by the maker. it was supposed that no
difficulty would he found in inducing the
instrument to play whatever tune might
be desired. The sexton, after the matter
was explained to him, said that he would
"work the thing" and accordingly he took
his place by the organ, ready to touch the
spring that would set it in motion as soon
as the minister should give out hymn.
The first hymn given out was to be sung
to the well-known tune of "Ortonville,"
and the moment the minister had finished
reading the hymn the organ struck mp the
tune and the choir sang with great enthus-
iasm.
Everybody was satisfied with the per-
Torrance of the organ except the visiting
Methodists, who could find nothing with
which to find fault. When, however, the
hymn was finished the organ did not stop.
1t kept on and played two more verses,
much to the delight Of the Methodists and