New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11

AIMS expects to be able shortly to maintain I've
churches--one for It's regular congregation in St
Matthews and the other exclusively for deaf
mutes, in edifce to be built upon certain prop
erty which the church owns on washington
Heights near One hundred "a nd forty-eighth.st
A visitor to one OF these silent Sunday afternoon
services II he arrives before the hour for begin
ming will at first notice scarcely anything un.
usual. The members Of the congregation enter
one by one and seat themselves generally IN some
OF tho pews. whence, before the opening
words Of the service. the rector IA accustomed TO
invite them nearer to the front. where they may
see more clearly. He makes the request by
gentle. reckoning motion Of the arms, as II hs
were gathering his hearers into a group. A
stranger soon observes the look OF rapt attention
on every face. which is vastly more intense than
any which the words OF the most eloquent
preacher ever succeeds In calling 10 the faces OF
those who can hear and speak. The eyes must do
duty for the useless ears. and their anxious ex-
preston is ample proof Of their endeavor to al
the place OF both senses. There Is pathetic
solemnity In the tense. strained attitudes Of many
Of the congregation. and in the wonderfully ex-
pressive symbolism by which the preacher con.
veys his meaning For the sign language Is for
egn tongue, so far as its resemblance to English
goes 1t does not consist. many imagine. In
spelling out the words letter by letter; that 10
done only In the case Of proper names All ideas
are interpreted by signs or motions which are de-
scriptive far as possible OF the thought. Thus
the laying Of the hand on the heart denotes love;
the archlng Of the two hands together. as II en-
circng a globe. indicates the world; power 10 OK
pressed by commanding wave OF the forearm
with the fist clenched. and the Idea OF glory II
conveyed by raising both hands above the head
and sweeping them back and forth horizontally
with the fingers quivering in sembiance OF
shimmering light.
II is wholly impossible to comprehend without
seeing them the effectiveness OF the almost innu-
neral bic signs which take the place OF sounds. It
is of course true that this sign language cannot
be nearly so rich as n spoken tongue. much dim.
Guilty being experienced in conveying delicate ana
slightly different shades OF meaning; but the poo
Pic for whom It was invented have known no
other and Il sufflces apparently for their entire
happiness and comfort. An essential thing In such
a church is a clear. strong Hight; falling this. the
eight hearers sooner or later experience trouble
with their eyes II is unfortunately often the case
that eaf-nutes become blind In later life, owing
to the oyerstraining Of the one precious sense
which they possess
Music in the services is naturally useless feat.
ure and Is almost never provided, although there
have been Instances where members OF the congre-
cation objected 10 the omission. declaring tnat tney
able in some neNpGaee way from 10 ibs
has been proved that mutes can disunsuish !oua
weaker vibrations produced. and while the sense
OF rhyth is conveyed, there can be no real sense
and dumb in this city. which frequently gives
dances for their amusement on these occasions
music is always furnished. and the dancers move
in perfect accord with the rhythm thereby attest
ing that they enjoy sound to that extent
A queer instance OF a mutes objection 10 no'9s
was furnished recently. when one Of St AIMS
congregation remarked that he ana not IKE , the
because 1t near the underground tracks OF
he New-liaven Railroad The no'se , OF me pass
joyment OF the service was almost spoiled! None
OF the hearing attendants OF the church had ever
comm al he
At the Church OF ST John the Evangelist. the
deaf mute congregation OF ST AIMS have what 10
called a choir but 1t Is silent one; Four young
women In the front OF the church rise when each e.,
meaning stanza by stanza, the rest OF the men,
DR.. Thomas Gallaudet. rector emeritus OF ST.
AIMS who conducts the sign language services,
IL as familiar with that mode OF speaking as he Is
Thomas II. Galaudet. founded the first school for
the instruction OF deaf mutes in this country. "
Hartford, Conn. and subsequently, married one OF
his pupils The present DR.. Gallaudet thus learned
10 talk by signs as soon as he learned vocal Ian
mother became infatuated to the silent form OF ex:
preston. lie himself married dsai-mute. ana 1
the pair celebrated their golden wedding year or
All his life Dr. Galisudet has Identified himself
with work here In behalf OF the deaf and dumb. ana
has started societies for the same purpose
abroad. When he breaches the expression OF ms
face goes far TO supplement whatever may be lack
ing in the sign forms. and his deep sympathy Win
and interest IN hi. eonsresations are at once ap
services. there are during Lent extra services on
Wednesday and Friday nights. winch are however,
for ali the members OF the church. that two
ciergymen are required. DIR, Galiaudet stands near
and follows him steadily with the sign nterpre!a-
tion OF his words There Is no confusion or IN
terruption and the group OF mutes. usually as
sembied In the front pews follow their preacher
without reference to tho man who Is speaking 70
The Episcopal Church Mission TO Deafmutss
ia an organization entirely separate from tho
ma rish OF St AIMS although II grew out OF the
work there IL has been In existence for twenty
three years. and has branches In different parts
DR. C;ai.audet Is the general manager Ten clergy
. ZEN five OF whom deaf-mutes. are IN charge OF
III, various branch societies One OF these Is con-
nected with ST. Marks Church. Adeiphi-st. Brook
iyn where there are services every Sunday AFTER
noon on certain Sundays In the month services
are held in the Pro-Cathedral Amsterda T n ave
and One hundred a nd ten and In the Chapei
OF tho Intercession. on Washington Heights Be-
sides of that OF St AIMS. these are the only
Protestant deafmu,e congregations IN 'nAs ssS"'
borhood