Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-02
Solos Were Not Desired.

An incident of the most painful na-
ture recently occurred in a Harlem
church, and in consequence the con-
gregaton is now smaller by one men,
Der, and over the prayer meeting each
week there hovers an unwonted tram
guilty. A tall, fashionably dressed
young man of rather pleasant man
ners recently joined the church and
became very active in all good works.
He taught class of infants in the
Sunday school and walked home from
evening service with unattended old
ladies, yet distressed the deacOns and
filed the soul of the minister with All
guish.
The tall young man possessed a
voice. One of those yearning, muscu-
lar voices, capable of running one
hundred yards in nine seconds, and
which appear to best advantage when
accompanied by ten acre lot and no
audience.
The tall young man, however, re-
garded himself as a vocalist of no
mean order. He lost no opportunity
to upraise his voice in melody and at
tackled the church hymns with such
vigor that strangers would stop sing
ING and listen in Mortified wonder
ment, and when his voice scared far
away from the congregation and lin
gered around the chandelier or up
among the rafters of the church, the
deacons would fidget about, and step
on their hats or knock over canes in
their nervousness.
At the prayer meetings it was even
worse, and old Deacon Podheimer
after finishing his weekly remarks and
prayer would pick up his hat and am
BILE out. He said the singing seemed
to bring on his rheumatism.
At q recent prayer meeting, as 4
matter of course, the tall young man
was present and powerfully moved by
the spirit of melody. The usual order
was followed and when the meeting
was near its conclusion there was a
moments pause in the proceedings.
Hymn 1922" said the tall young
man softly. 1t was accordingly given
out, but the hymn was not familiar
one, and only two old ladies and Il
boy quavered along behind the tall
young mans agile voice. Unmindful
of this, however, he warbled loudly
along and the two old ladies and boy
having taken a short cut by skipping
three lines, caught up with the tall
young man and they all came down
the finish together at the fifth stanza
Win 4 rush of melody.
As the sound died away there was a
panied expression on every ones face.
Two of the deacons were clutching the
arms of their chairs and gazing at the
evergreen notices over the desk in a
searching, anxious way, as though the
cholera had reached New York
81 wish to say" said the pastor in
even tones, breaking the silence, 'tthat
the singing for some time in all our
services has lot pleased me. There is
too much of one voice, altogether too
much, he repeated, looking severely
at the tall young man. Cur young
brother has q strong and willing
voice, but in all kindness | would suG-
gest that he use itwith less frequency
and vigor."
The tall young man was greatly pro-
voked. sit is quite evident" he said.
arising quickly, '.that the pastor of
this church has no music in his soul.
Inc 1acL Is, SIT, you are TOO 1roSn.
You are one of the kind who is always
growing about the music, and when
you get to paradise you'll be writing
TO the celestial newspapers complain
ing that the angels next door disturb
you with golden harps. have had
enough of you and this church also,
where good singing is not appre-
ciated," and the tall young man gath
cred up his coat and strobe wrathfully
out.-NeU York. Tribune.