The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-12-05
MUSIC In THE TABERNACLE.
SOME POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT
WITH DIRECTOR WILLIAMS,

Feeling Stirred Up by a Crowding Ont
Process He is snid TO Have Adopted
Congregational Singing Destroyed-Par-
ficipation in the St. George Concerts
Made "a Ground of Opposition.
A quiet but none the less earnest discus
sion, is going on among the Tabernacle
worshippers over the musical arrange
ments for the coming yesr. The time APP
proaches when engagements expire, and
the wisdom of some renewals is under con-
sideration. The propriety of retaining the
services of Mr.. W. F. Williams, the Musical
Director, is the rock on which the good
people that attend there are preparing to
split. Mr.. Williams made himself con-
spieuous as musical leader in the Park
Reformed Church four or five years ago.
He added to the services there, musical at
fractions that swelled the congregation at
each of the Sunday exercises. He had
been made an offtr, at the expiration of
his term, for new year of service; and it
was understood that he had it under favor
able consideration. till all of sudden, and
without any notice, he made it known that
he would have to go to the York Street
Tabernacle. His sudden departure aroused
considerable feeling against him among
the Park Church congregation. He has
made some warm friends In his new field
of labor, but there are many who do not
like his methods, and others who are dis
pleased with the results of their applica-
ton. These latter are not pleased with
the practical abandonment, for profess
csA oh nh o$H al
ing in which many of the Tabernacle people
found opportunity for the display of their
lungs. They say that almost Immediately
upon assuming the Musical Dictatorship
he became dctatorial and overbearing and
impatient of suggestion, and that he began
at once crowding-out process to those
who did not please him that made him
very obnoxious. Miss Ella Plummer-now
Mrs. Shaw, of Duncan avenue, is cited as
notable instance. She was one of the
pet choristers of the church. Mr.. Will
liams did not take kindly to her, and
among other methods, he is accused of
having resorted to accomplish her dismiss
al, was to spoil her singing by his accom-
paniments. It seems to be an open secret
among the congregation that he is PROPOSES
sed in favor of those members of the choir
who will consent to aid him in concerts at
st. Georges, on Staten Island, and other
concert resorts, and there are many who
are opposed to the employment of the Tab
ernacle choir at these places of secular re-
sort.
II. G. Fisk, the painter, whose place adj
joins the Academy of Music. gave when APP
piled to for information, an instance of
Mr.. Williams's methods that had angered
him. Mr.. Fisk used to be a member of
the music committee, which has charge of
the church musical arrangements. He was
DESTROYS of having lady named WATSON,
living at Williams's Bridge, in New York,
in the choir, and she was brought to Mr..
Williams His treatment of her, Mr.. Fisk
says, was all but insulting. He would send
her anthems to rehearse, and when the
time came for her to sing them, he would
switch off on something else. So with the
solos he gave her for practice. She per-
fected her art upon them. When the time
came for her to sing them something else
would be selected. This treatment of
Miss WATSON angered Mr.. Fisk SO badly
that he had hot words with Mr.. Williams,
and he has since Withdrawn from the Mu-
sic Committee.
ssThe fact is" Mr.. Fisk said, ssthat his
musical arrangements are too much in the
Episcopal Church style to suit Congrega-
tional Church"
Music Committee, was for sixteen
years Precentor in the church. He car
RES in his pocketa beautiful gold watch
inscribed
To Isaac Houston token Of the grateful re-
gard Of his friends February 16. 1874, For six
teen years Precentor of the First Congregational
Church of Jersey City,.
Mr.. Houston's views of the burning
question of the hour are therefore of some
H. - al; ol 49,
saws that Mr.. Williams had no sooner taken
charge of the music at the Tabernacle than
he began to crowd out the singers
ne found in the choir. His treatment
of Miss Plummer was especially fragrant
She had been soprano-soloist, and lent
her valuable voice to the music of the
church without charge. Mr.. Williams fur
nished discordant aceompaniments till she
finally refused to sing at all. The climax
was reached, however after last Summers
vacation, when some of the old choir sing
ers returned to find that their places had
been filed by Wllliamss friends. There
was good deal of quiet exc tement among
the church members, and several of the
choir members refused to sing. There was,
in other words, sort of o strike in the
choir. Mr.. Houston thinks that when an
organist is paid $500 per ysar some one
else than he should he pleased. The men,
bers of the church should be consulted and
pleased to some extent. In addition to all
this, Mr.. Houston reflected the adverse
sentiment Mr.. Williams has aroused by
crushing out the congregational singing,
and thinks with Others that the singing at
the church is conducted too much on Epis-
copnlian lines.
DR.. Senderling, the accompanist, was
quoted as being dissatisfied with Mr.. Viii
iams's metho DIS. but he refused to say any
thing wheu visited.
At the same time Mr. Williams has many
warm admirers III the church, who will
warmly urge his retention.