The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-21
A CHURCH CHOIR DISCORD.
xRa HENRIETTA BEEBE-JAwr0N DIS
q FROM On. PAxTON's CHURCH.

AAH6HD ThVhA A<hs
A raverite seprsne's CesAact wsh = fepu-
lar Ceatrsite Leads 70 . Dssergsrssss'eA
n, a, organ Left-Beth sides sfthe story.
The dismissal Of Mrs. Henrietta Beebe-
Lawton from the choir OF the West Presby-
terian Church. OF which the Rev. Dr. John H.
Paxton is pastor. Is only the bursting OF q mine
which has been IN process OF construction ir
over q year past.
1T felt trouble in the air." said Mrs. Lawton
TO q Sun reporter yesterday. as long as a year
ago. 1 then went to DR.. Paxton and told him
that I thought there was q faction In the
| church that was endeavoring to GUST me. he
said, If anybody ever says anything OF that
kind to you come to me, and l will take the
| matter in hand myself was satisfied with
| this. and always expected to be able to fall
back upon DR.. Paxton In time OF difficulty.
And why should 1 not" went on Mrs. Law
ton, Indignantly. Il have sung In that church
for the past sixteen years. And let me say
right here. although / make no complaint OF
DR.. Paxton. that this thing would never nave
happened in Dr.. Hastings's time. III. Paxton
| is q good man. and q great man. and all that,
but he appears to be too easily led. Now Just
think, I have been q communicate member OF
that church for twelve years. l had become
naturally attached to 1t. DR.. Paxton always
spoke Of m leading the congregation In praise.'
I as well as the other members OF tho choir
were always wont to descend into the body OF
| the church during the sermon. And then to be
treated in this way, to be dismissed without q
word Of explanation. Why, its outrageous"
But" interposed the reporter. "Mr. E. I.
Hyde says you were not dismissed"
He says what Is not true" burst out the
lady. Indignantly. This is what he did: He
sent me a letter. which l fortunately did not re-
.>trn ,,p<n oftar ~ nopuart MT GhiCk airing HILL.
| informing me tersely that my services would no
longer be required after the first Of May. Now.
II that's not q dismissal. I don't know what is.
After sixteen years. service. / think / was en-
titled to moro considerate treatment than that.
Immediately asked to 10 released from sing
ing up to MAJ !, and shall never sing in DIR.
Mrs. Lawton explained that Mr.. Hyde, who is
one Of the Vice Presidents Of the Central Trust
SSo@P q iEo 81 church. Sa'' sIfs'e Claims Mns to ens act m for 81.
I,f,S \, b ". ! don. think DR.. Paxton was con-
The reporter sntreated Mrs. Lawton to tell
him the real cause q the trouble. which, at
first she absolutely refused to do. In speaking
further OF tho matter however, she told
"Iwant it understood. said she. that 1
ter eop Of senti m Snft than Because suse' It was p profit Hieie
to me. l was Obliged to refuse many good
engagemsnt to sing IN concert merely because
btss. released now. In any case should have
asked to be excused from singing up to May !,
Of concerts in London in April. n four weeks
we shall sail for Europe on board the Alaska,
whose am Service. r : sse have Suey BEEN @emO disp S, sei S With.
Christian Frttsch. the tenor. has also been dis
charged. DR.. Danforth. the bass, resigned two
months ago on account OF his throat. and has
only been singing, since until they could get
somebody . Else; Ths only persons ons who ho remain snrdP
tute the choir" she said bitterly.
dersso mn has sslS BEEN and an ' Is at tf the root tot q the \ dim dim
Guilty. She evidently has a strong pull in the
right quarter c r.; Wh bean and how h0s t strong sr her s back,
way. She and not / has been trying to run the
cRoir:" &C Continued af n'Ssi nj MS. A Iaw 1ealo" "tSer !" was Vas
never any such thing. We were always most
h sInTfsS IN S IS iS Yor E s I ! Rnfy. FOL t ssss Ssss
trouble that has eyer fallen upon me: Otcourse
s s%1Sad HSsE'f but T / think TIN I / msy s SRsiss SAY So ssst G Il
% slsss sEP stan. !.ss Is Il s.! ) ss ssn is S5ss g ~ pfs|s ss!!ae
bill nil!f HUSBAND 81 %a t tsas M4. qHH yde S Mad H sc%e a 10 fGla
and said that two members OF tho congrega-
ton desired my dismissal because l was the
cause OF chickering's and jealousiesi In the choir.
When Dr. Paxton observed that, 1t would be
hard to MI my place . NJ: Hyde observed t that t
little more harmony; These two gentlemen; by
the way. Indignantly denied that they had
As to my voice having deteriorated in quality
can only say that ! have more engagsments
mo- now lo ehss G yona ATTEND i to; a m1s aithe ensry l w am
capable Of doing the best work of my life at 1.-THE
ss Ms; :; i f IL sy Sii, ssS's sss y, H IS b pE. e 2 p sas
t e isd he s1IPlsi aST .h a%s sI hfy V. merely SsyI ! 1s ssliss'
Fl Tfs aspfs 70 ds f 9Rat tnG Mfs a1 Haw W: ns was = not osF as.
to do. that i, was considsred advisable that her
common occurrence at this time"
by her maiden name. Henrietta Beebe. received
from the West Presbyterian Church ths largest
w. sfial sl. Psae Some sn isw e sears SINGER sInss she h t hsr a1tydi
vocal ability. who was connected with ono Of
M Mr. rf christisn h Fritseh o ths asomp who goes out
Of d.: Paxton's choir along with Mrs. Henri
Lawton and Mrs. Anderson were constantly
sS%s I'll fst. "o sDs m%9 es hsrt Mrs "a a'd disinIH
distsur6sd in f. worship, Then Mrs: Anderson
mitteo decided to dispense with the, sopranos
for ;.ishti years. but as soon as heard ssG that the
S %,1b ne had resolved that l s .hSu 60 aIGng
Peter A: Schneider. who has been organist of
tho church for years. showed nervous appre-
II had nothing to do with It" I'D he, and I
will say nothing" When thu rSsSrter assured
s stT; sp.: ysId: that he know everything Mr.
well. tho fact is. that for q year past Mrs.
sids By side dso every cry sunday nndsssI have enD not sp einsaa t.
each other. This fact came to the knowledge
Of the congregation, and they deemed It un-
Finally. Mrs. Anderson said that unless Mrs.
Lswton left the chsir she would leave. The
60. as she was the AGGRESSION. and so she went.
The new choir will consist OF Mr.; Dennison.
son. contralto. and Mr.. Bushnell. from Dr..
Vincent's church, bass.