The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-28
THE CHOIR DRANK BEER.
This IL tho Alleged Cause OF Dispute u
n BROOKLYN German Church.

This II the Alleged Cause OF n Dispute IN
n BROOKLYN German Church.
Between the choir OF the First German Pres
byteriRn Church In Stage and Leonard streets,
Brooklyn. on one side and the pastor, the Rev.
John Gottlleb Heir. and the elders OF the
church on the other. there has been for many
months want OF harmony, and recently
the choir withdrew from the church
in BODY. The root Of the DIM
Guilty the pastor says, is the cholrs prac-
tlce OF drinking beer Sunday afternoons in re-
fuslnR to sing on any evening, even Sunday
evening. and In maintaining the right to be in
dependent of discipline by the consistory. The
consistory ia made up Of the pastor and the
elders. Tho choir on the other hnnd insist
that they are an Independent body Of singers.
known as the Neauder Singing Society, from
the name Of a former pastor OF tho church. A
meeting OF the choir member was held In Es-
Eek Hall on Thursday evening last and they
declared themselves lndel enuee1pt oithe church.
raj Weltzel Secretary. and George Dietrich
Treasurer. The lev. MIR Heir said last even
There were thirteen members in tho choir.
seven women and Six mon. For long time
the choir has taken collection among them
selves every Sunday to huy keg Of beer They
went to beer aloon, usually at Essex Hail. l0I
Ewen street and sat around the keg and drank;
There were two or three old men-members OF
the church they were too-and half dozen
young women Of the choir who had recently
joined inc church, ana II became 100 mucn 10
bear, 80 we remonstrated with the choir kindly.
The old men replied with abusive documents:
OF the church. since they organized ms
the Neander' choir. This name, how
eyer. they adopted only after the lev.
Mr.. Neander's death and since inc m, my promotion H,
We asked the. choir II 1t were true as they
claimed. that they were an independent body
In the church. TO show us their constitution
and bylaws. but they have refused. Then we
told them their connection with the church
F." 1t has been asserted" continued Mr.. HEIR
that we are ungrateful because the members
OF tho choir were largely instrumental in the
raising OF 81 800 at the church fair last fall
under the management OF George DIETRICH and
Henry Thiernan. The fact is the choir did no
more than other members of the church for
the fair. Moreover, an incident occurred at the
fair, which throws light on the action OF the
choir.
Of the committee Of three In charge OF the fair.
Mr.. Dietrich and Mr.. lhierman. both OF the
choir. were named by meChatrman and Secreta-
~ respectively OF the committee, and thought
II only fair to vote for one OF the elders. who
was the third member OF the committee. There
was watched. When voted young man who
looked over my shoulder saw the name on my
ballot and told Mr.. Dietrich. who proceeded to
shake his fist iu my face on the SPOT and de-
Thiernan said he wouldn't, resign. but would
" make 1t hot" for me. And he has
Probably tho men in the choir" the Rev.
Mr.. Heir added, will never return to the
church. but think the young women will not
sever their membership Two of them so in:
twelve members, and We do not need the
Neander choir"