Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-16
THE MASONIC CHOIR.
Its origin and Some ImpDrtant Event
in its History.

i'm its History,
CESS THE ORGANIZATION HAS ENJOYED
CONCERTS IN ALEXANDRIA AND BALTIMORE
Its TOUR IN VIRGINIA, &C.
The Washington Masonic Choir, or, to give
! its proper designation, the Masonic Choir of the
District of Columbia, is an organization about
which not much is beard at present. but it has
an interesting history and has enjoyed a large
measure of prosperity. To the earnest efforts
OF Mr.. E. s. Holmes and the late II. H. Bradley
| the formation Of this organization Is mainly
due, and their object was primarily the intro
duction of uniform and attractive music into
the several Masonic bodies in the District A nu-
cleus was formed in the choir of Dawson Lodge.
which had been organized by the late J. B. Daw-
son, whose reputation as bass singer is well re-
membered. The prime movers in the new
project to extend the influence of this choir and
body WeSe M I Homes Rs
HSher; Knots, Ieatman. Sheriff, Scheel, HAN
cock, Thompson and ktmball, and these gem
tlemen held an initial meeting on April :,
1869 at which the matter was fully discussed
With Mr.. Robert Ball in the chair, and Mr. c.
M "; Hancock acting as secretary Messrs
committee to secure the active cooperation
Of the various lodges, chapters and comman-
did they perform their duty and so great was
the interest manifested in the movement that
at the mex next nlettng on April 20, representa-
present and
AN ORGANIZATION WAS PERFECTED
by the election of the following officers: Presi-
dent, Robert Ball. vice president, l. l.. Johnson:
secretary. G. r. Thompson; treasurer, Charles
w. Hancock: first leader, E. s. Holiness second
leader, H. H. Bradley; organist, ]. E. Scheel.
Inc executive board consisted of the officers
and Messrs d. L. Burnett and C. B. RColledge.
Ihe original membership was quite large and
accessions We're made at every meeting The
organization met in a large room on eth street
| and Mr.. Holmes, the leader, commenced the
work of drilling the choir in earnest. A regular
committee on the examination OF candidates
In the selection of the new mem ers for the ap-
pilcattons poured in more rapidly than was all
that on the first report of this membership com
beers: Messrs. Glubb, Brown, Thompson, Son
nenschmidt, Parker, Noyes and Fries. The
| first contributing member elected was Mr..
Noble d. Larner, and at the same meeting Hon.
b. B. French and Mr.. X. B. Donaldson, who was
| at that time Grand Master of the District, were
elected honorary members.
AN ORCHESTRA IS FORMED.
It was soon found that besides vocalists the
active membership of the choir included MANY
who could perform on various musical instru-
ments, and it was decided to form an orchestra
which should be an attachment to the choir.
For this purpose third leader was author
duct the orchestra, and MIR. ]. L. Blout was
elected to that position. This department of
the choir association grew in numbers and ex-
cellence very rapidly, and proved u valuable
adjunct to the singers.
While the Masonic choir were holding meet
ings on 7th street, the new Masonic Temple at
the corner of 9th and streets, was rapidly ap-
preaching completion, and on December sth,
69, the choir moved into rooms in the new
and which had been fitted up especially for
their accommodation. Here they were much
better situated, and the interest of the members
OF the choir and of the order generally was
greatly increased. An effort was now made to
combine the Georgetown Masonic choir which
had already attained good sized membership
and nigh degree OF efficiency, with the WASH
lngton organization, but the project was not
successful.
THE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE
OF the Masonic choir was on the evening of
Wednesday, February %, 1870, in the large
hall Of the new Masonic Temple. Great prepa-
ratfons had been made for this concert and The
arrangements were placed in the hands of a
| special executive committee, consisting O.
Messrs. ]. L. Club, G. b. r. Colledge, Jos. F.
| Hodgson, =. .McGrotty and Chas. p. Harmon.
| both the singers and the orchestra received was
| fully merited. The choir rendered five num-
oers on the program, one of them with a bari
tone obligato solo, sang by Mr.. II. H. Bradley:
the orchestra played selections from Rossini
and MendelSsohn: there was a flute and piano
Duet by Messrs. H. Schutter and J. E. Scheel;
Mr.. Geo. Dalton sang the bass aria from the
Magic Flute, and Miss Julana May gave two
solos. Miss May was the only outside assist
ance that the choir had. The choir at this con-
cert
-.. SANG F1FrY-F1vE VOICES,
! distributed as follows: First tenors-E.S. Holmes,
Geo. Sheriff, James Patterson H Seligson, SV
Noyes. l.. w. kimball, J. H. Daniel, q. II. Lilli-
bridge, JOS F. Hodgson; second tenors-G. R.
Thompson, c. B. R. Colledge, ]. L. Club, Geo
II. Wood. ]. H. Adams, w. E. Cox, William H.
Daniel. ID l.. Rurpotf & L.
ason, j. Me Mcfarland, Jas. s. Mccoy, w. b.
Brown = 3 s. McLeary, Chas Bradley; first bass
chas A. Appew yeat H%na W RI ii IBs roWnss
w. A. Thompson. w. NJ. Parker. +. A. Perkins
VIM. N: Pondexter, |. $. Tichenor, IN Lewis;
Cross, N. g. Fugitt, w. II. HYers, John 4. Stew
art, Geo; 4: Dalton, John W. Knots, V. Rube-
s2n so ); Stoke, G W. sonnenSehmidt, Thos
Chrs. w. Hancock
bers with Mr.. I. L. Blout as leader. The others
\. Hoeke, J. F. stratton, Il. Poler, Henry Fries,
Sousi, H. Schutter, d. J. Particle, n D. Adams.
A. schroeder. At the second election of officers
there were but few changes, the principal one
being the placing Of Mr.. Henry Donch in charge
OF the orchestra and the addition of a librarian
to the list Of officers, the position being filled by
MI J. r. McLeary. The choir participated in
DEDICATION OF THE MASONIC TEMPLE
on May Goth. 1870, and on the 3Oth of that
month furnished the music for the services at
Arlington national cemetery on Decoration
day. The choir gave its next concert on Feb
ruary 16, 1871, at which Miss Eva Mills was
the soloist.
At the election in that year Mr.. E. s. Holmes
retired from the leadership and Mr. H. H. Brad
ley was elected to the position, retaining the
baton Tor two years. after which Mr.. Holmes re-
sumed the conductorship and mas held it ever
since In September, 1871, the choir went to
baltimore and gave concert for the benefit of
Monumental COmmandery of that city, which
was highly successful In November following
concert was given for the benefit of the Chi
cago sufferers by the choir, who had the assist
ance of Nine. Elliott, Miss Juliana May, Mrs. c.
w. Dennison and Mrs. w. l.. Eaton At this
concert Abt's beautiful composition, 'Spring
Evening" was sung by the choir, Mr.. sS.V. Moves
sustaining the tenor ObligatO. In the summer
OF 1872 the choir made
| TOUR THROUGH VIRGINIA,
visiting Stanton, Lexington, Weirs Caves,
| White Sulphur Springs and other places, and
giving concerts which were thoroughly success.
| full. This trip is perhaps the most important
event in the history OF the choir, for no other
| large body Of District singers has ever made a
| similar venture. The fact that the tour was
| successful reflects credit upon the manner in
the excellence Of the vocal efforts of the mem
berS. twenty-five singers and an orchestra OF
nine participated in the excursion, besides a
number of contributing members
In January following the choir appeared in
| the
! LODGE OF SORROW.
| In memory of Hon. B. B. French, rendering
| in fact in every lodge of sorrow the solemnity
nff n oocio l1,cl o;rh&