The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-06-19

p4Se9 MONG the many |
]. ]. |. ]. !. !. !. !. !. !.
Ncl religious services Of /
I'll ~ an unusual charac-
S.tAVSllS ter which are reg |
xflS<sVlFysdg ularly held In New
fzSRetfy, York, none. even /
ia.1s1t5 ~ In the least Ameri- |
EstEl@kn canlzed OF the for
lsbtdsF eign quarters, pro-
lf.Ep duces stranger
elsTH effect upon the
GCsD spectator than the
Eorshlp OF a congregation OF deal
mutos. says the New York Tribune
Two such services are held In this
city every Sunday afternoon; one at
the Episcopal church Of 81 John the
EVANGELIST. al West nth street and
wayerley place. where the members
Of 81. AIMS church are temporarily
worshiplng. and the other at the Ro-
man Catholic church OF 81 FRAMES
Xavier. In West 10th street To the
Episcopal denomination belongs the
credit Of having FIRST started sign Ian
guage services for the children OF
silence" Il Is over forty years since
the hrst one was held In old 81. AIMS
.hurch. which has always maintained
ne lead In the movement ard has come
70 be regarded as the especial church
by the majority Of the deaf mutes In
this city. BY lts recent consolidation
with ST. Matthews church. In West
siih street. ST. Anna expects TO be able
shortly 10 maintain two ehurches-one
Tor its regular congregation In 81
Matthews and the other exclusively
Tor deaf mutes. In the edihce TO be
quilt upon certain property which the
.hurch owns on Washington Heights
near ifSth street A visitor 10 one OF
.heac silent Sunday afternoon services
Il he arrives before the hour for be-
ginning. viii AT first notice scarcely
anything unusual. The members OF
the congregation enter one by one and
seat themselves generally In some OF
the rear pews. whence. before the open.
lnFs words OF the service. the rectol
ls accustomed 10 invite them nearer q
the front. whore they may see NOR
clearly. lie makes the request by
gentle. beckonlng motion Of tho arms
e. n he were gathering his hearer
into a group. a stranger soon observe
the look Of rapt attention on ever
face. which is vastly more intense tina
any which the words Of the most elC
ouent preacher ever succeeded
calling 20 the faces OF those who cl
hear and speak. The eyes must 4
duty for the useless ears, and the
anxious expression Is ample proof
their endeavor u an the place Of bol
senses. There IL a pathetic solemni
N the tense. strained attitudes OF mar
Of the congregation. and In the wonde
fully expressive symbolism by Will
the preacher conveys his meanin
For the sign language Is forell
tongue. 80 far as rs resemblance
English goes. Il does not consist.
many imagine. In spelling out {
words letter by letter; that Is do
only In the ease OF proper names.
ideas are interpreted by signs OF n
lions which are descriptive as Gar
pofslbla Of the thought Thus the !,
INK OF the hand on the heart demo
love. the archlng OF the two har
together. az n onclrcllng a globe. IN
Gates the world. power ls expressed
commanding wave Of the forea
with the hst clInchcd, and the idea
glory Is conveyed by raising b
hands above the head and sweep
them back and forth horizontally. "
the fingers qulverlng. In semblanc,
OF shimmerlng lighL II Is VII,
impossible TO comprehend without
Ing them the effectiveness Of the
most innumcrahlo signs WI 'ch take
place Of sounds. II Is. OF course.
that this sign Language cannot
nearly 90 rich a. a spoken toni
much dlmculty being experienced
conveying delicate and slightly an
ent shades Of meaning; but the PEI
Cor whom u was invented have kn
no other. and u suf.ices apparently
their entire happiness and com
An essential thing In such a chi
De- clear. strong lights failing
the rlrht-hearcrs sooner or later
rerlouce trouble with their eyes.
IL unfortunately often the case
deaf mutes become blind In later
owing % the ovcrsiralulng OF the
nrccious sense which they pos
Music In the services Is natural
useless feature. and Is almost n
provided. although there have
Instances where members OF the
sregatlon objected 20 the omission
ciarlng that they were able. In
lnexpllcable way. 10 appreciate n
hratlons and derive pleasure
them. II has been proved that n
can distinguish loud from soft n
hut a Is only by the stronger or v
er vibrations produced, and. whll'
sense Of rhythm Il conveyed.
can be no real sense OF tune !
ia social organization FOR the
and dumb IN this city. which
quently gives dances for their an
ment on these occasions music
WAYS furnished. and the dancers
IN perfect accord with the rhy
thereby attestins that they can
sound 10 that extent