The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-25
A RISING wICHITAN.

Six years ago Mr.. Marquis composed his
first piece, which was, Born of Neces-
sity," and was Thanksgiving anthem
which was sung at the Thanksgiving
service for which it was written and re-
peated by request at the following Christ
mas service. and has since been sung in
the First Presbyterian church of this city.
This gave him such start that he con-
tinued TO write such melodies as came to
him from time to time, many of his pieces
being used here and elsewhere. But hav-
ing to depend ON his daily labors for the
support of his family, he was unable
either to be at the expense of having his
music published and introduced or 10 pro-
coed with his musical education until
about six weeks ago, when his work was
SO arranged as to give him considerable
leisure which he spent very assiduously
studying and writing. Very soon IA
chain Of circumstances began forming
which will certainly give him great and
deserved popularity, especially in the line
of sacred music, toward which he naturally
leans. The first of these links was a bari
tone solo, Columbus, the Dreamer"
which he composed last fall and which
was sung first at the celebration in the
Presbyterian church of this city By Mr..
Harry McCiung, and was heard afterwards
by Mr.. Il. S. Hoagland, secretary of the
Kansas worlds fair jubilee, who requested
Mr.. Marquis to rewrite it as chorus and
present it at that jubilee, which he did,
and the success of which has already been
told in these columns. Being a very active
Christian worker especially in such lines
of union work as the Sabbath school, Y.
NJ. c. A. and Christian Endeavor work,
and having been greatly honored by the
different organizations of the kind in the
city, he has taken his place in the differ
ent conventions beside the other
state workers and this has given
him an acquaintance with such noted
singers and composers as Professor G. G.
Case, Professor z. O.. Excel, Professor
Tomlins, Professor George G.. Stebbins
and others who have given him great as
sistance and encouragement. Shortly
after the Hutchinson jubilee ne went as a
delegate to the state Sunday school con-
vention at Lawrence, where Professor
Excel was leading the music, that gen.
tleman being called home Mr.. Marquis
was asked to lead the singing for the clos
singing as a solo his now popular song at |
Must be Told, " the words of which were |
also composed in this city by. Miss Al |
media +. Wight. When he came home |
the local union of the Christian Endeavor |
societies had organized chorus which |
they put in his hands to train for the |
state convention at Hutchinson. This
chorus of about 100 voices formed the choir |
for the convention, being led in the sing
Ing by Professor George c. Stebbins. one |
of the authors of Gospel Hymns" This |
chorus sang two of Mr.. Marquis pieces
and Mr.. Marquis sang a third one AS a
solo, which Mr.. Stebbns complimented |
very highly. Here, as before, in the alb
sence of Mr. Stebbins he was called on to
lead the singing for the large audience of
over 5000 people, which he did in very
manner.
The Hutchinson News SAYS: "Aud how
comes letter from Mr. Coats, the gentle
man who has charge of the singing at the
great worlds Endeavor convention at
where they expect 1000 dele
gates and will run two mammoth conven-
Tons at the same time. saying the music
1T each place will he led by choir of 500
voices. If you will send 600 copies of your
songs that were used at Hutchinson we
Will arrange to sing them" Mr. Mar
luis is now having them printed and it is
likely that st Must BE Told" will be-
;ome as popular in Montreal US it did in
hutchinson. Mr. Maruuis and family
will start about July l for Montreal and
Will visit back. Through the kind assist
lnce of his faithful friend Professor Sick
her, he has made great progress in his
musical studies, and he Is arranging 10
pend the winter in Chicago with Messrs
McGranahan aud others, devel-
'pins his natural ability for composing.