The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-12
ITu be- cunriudedD
HOW TO REPORT SERMONS.
what II vii! Come to i; the Present
Rate Keeps Up.

rum lut bbSltil lItidil
After the church "rganist had played
n voluntary Introducing airs from
"liga" and the "Black Crook"-which
OF course were not recognized by the
congregation choir arose for its
first anthem of the morning.
The choir Was made up Of two parts.
Il auartrttc and Il chorus. The former
occupied seats in the front row-be-
cause the members were paid. IT,"
chorus was grouped about ana made II
somewhat striking as well as startling
picture. There Were som" who could
sing: some. who thought they could. and
there We're others.
The leader OF this aggregation was
the leader ~ the quartrtt". He was
tall. but his neck was responsible for
considerable of his extreme height Be-
cause he was paid ~ lead the choir h"
gave the impression IL Those who saw
him that h. was cutting some Ice. \
greater part of his contortionS We're lost
because the audience did not face the
choir
The organist struck 1t few chords and
without any preliminary wood saving
the choir squared itself for action. Or
course, there were a few who did not
find th" place till after rising is 50
in all chUirS--but finally all appeared
To be- ready. The leader let out another
link in his neck, and while his head
was taking Il motion similar to q hens
when walking, the choir broke loose.
This is what it sang:
''Abide-e-c - bide alb abide with
abide wth-abide-a-a- "a bide-me--
with mc-e-e-abide with-with me
fast-fa-s-t alis-abide--fast the even
fast fa-a-alls the-abide with me
eVentide-falls the-e-e-eventide-fa
the-the dark-the darkness abide--the
darkness deepens-Lor-rd with me-e-e
Lord with deepens-Lord-Lor
darkness decpens-wi-i-th me-Lord
with meme a-a-a-a abide
Every one is familiar with the hymn.
hence ii is not necessary to line the
verses.
During the performance some who
had not attended the choir rehearsal
the Thursday evening previous were a
little slow in spots. During the pas
sage of these spots some would move
their lips and not utter a sound, while
Others particularly the ladies--found
it convenient to feel of their back hair
or straighten their hats. Each one who
did this had Il look as if she could hon
estly say: Il could sing that if ! saw
ft'-and the choir sang on.
But when there came a note, a meas
ure, or a bar with which all were faml-
lar. what a grand volume of music
burst forth 1t didn't happen this way
many times. because the paid singers
We're supposed 10 do the greater part OF
the work. And the others We're willing
At one point. after a breathing SPELL
or rest, as musicians say. the tenor
started alone. He didn't mean to. But
by this break the Gcacons discovered that
he was in the game and earning his sal
airy. The others caught him at the first
a. t4l hEIynI.ais a ont
again. neck and neck. Before they fin
ished several had changed places
Sometimes abide was ahead, and
sometimes Lord but on the whole 1t
was a pretty even thing.
Then the minister read something out
of the i1ibl-. after which--as they say
in the newspapers-'therc was another
vcll-rendered selection by the choir"
This syaSm was a tenor solo with
chorus accompaniment. This was when
he Of the long neck got in his deadly
work. The audience faced the choir,
and the salaried sOloist VAS happy.
When the nuddlirg had ceased the
( sOioist stepped tiilir 10 the front and.
with the confidence born Of power. gave
Il majestic sweep OF his head toward the
organist. He said nothing. hu. the
movement implied, Let 'er go. Gala
CHER"
IS.
ting his patent-lcathrr SHOES well
! hraccd on the sub-hass pedals. he knot
ted together Il few chords, and the solo
ist was off. His selection Was--that is,
/ verbatim:
Gc-yide me. ge-yiie me-, ge-wi.le me, ..
Thor-or gra-ut Jaw-aw-hars -vali:
Pi-ilg"um thraw-aw this baw-lw "
unlarni.
And he sang other things
He was away ZIP in G. He dimnucn-
doed, struck Il canlabilr movement. slid
up over & crescendc. tackled "A second
ending by nistakc---but il went--caught
his second wind on Il moderate. sig
nailed his desire for raise in salary on
trili. AMI some brilliant work On a
nanestosn. reached high & with ease.
went DOWN into the bass cluf and climb
ell again. quay ared and held did sixteen
notes by the handful-payab'e on de-
mand-waltHed along a minor passage.
I gracefully turned the dal segno. skipped
chrUinatic run. did the con eXpresgione
act worthy Of De ResZEe. poured forth
volumes in % measure hold. broke the
center on i'm andantG passage for three
yards. retarded To- beat the band. came
near getting applause on a cadenza.
I took a six barred tliplet without turn
/ ing haiT--thcn sat down.
Between whiles the chorus had been
( singing something else. The notes
bumped against the oiled natural wood
! iaftcrs-.t was a modern church-rich-
/ ochettel over the memorial windows
I clung lovingly to the new $500 chandel-
I fer. tioated along the ridGopole. pattad
! the bald-headed deacons .'Ondly. and
| finally died away in bunch Of contri-
| button boxes IN the corner
! Then the minister preached