The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
M~ETHoDISTS VEST CHOIRS.
THEY HAVE ADOPTED 4 PRACTICE
or THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Capitalization Of Church Authorities
One Of the FIRST indications OF ritualism in
Protestant Episcopal church used TO be TIN
vested choir OF men and boys. The simple
black cassock and the white Gotta that coveret
the Sunday clothes OF the chorister we're for
merry the means adopted TO prepare the con
greRhtion for more advanced and elaborate
practices in the ritual. 1t is safe to say tina
nine out OF every ten Episcopal churches which
are to-day known as ritualistic. began the
change from their former style of service with
the introduction Of n vested choir of men and
boys. These choirs march into the church
and they march ont after the fashion
OF the choirs in the English cnthedrals
Previous TO tho introduction Of this innovation
mixed cholrs had stuck to their lofts and taken
only q vocal part In the ~srrvices. Unlike the
good little girl. they we're heard. not seen
TIL vested choir OF men and boys has LONG
ceased TO have any ritualistic significance.
The low churches. those that could never be
accused OF having ritualistic tendencies. are
supplied with boy choirs. which have been ac-
cepted in the Episcopal Church as q digniHed
and seemly way OF settling the question OF
church music. and their former suggestion OF
what used TO DO called "Puseyism" would
not be apt to be developed even in those parts
Of the country where the advanced party in the
Episcopal Church has made most progress.
Now another Protestant body has begun to
adopt the vested choir in the services. The
difference between Its use in this denomination
and in the Protestant Episcopal Church must
be recognized at once. 1t is into the Methodist
Episcopal churches that the choir has lately
been taken. Here it has no such doctrinal
significance as IL first possessed in the Episco-
pal churches. 1t came to the latter as the
forerunner OF auricular confession, fasting
communion. prayers for the dead. and the
d~octrinal changes which ritualism has
wrought in the practices Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. In the Methodist congre-
cations no such significance could ever be at
tached to the Introduction OF vested singers.
As the Episcopal Church would never admit
that the Methodist forms q branch OF the
Catholic Church, It would see in the introduce
ton Of vested choirs only the adoption OF one
OF its practices taken to enhance the beauty
of the service.
The Metropolitan Temple in New York was
the first Methodist Church here to introduce q
vested choir. and the Jane and Perry street
churches. which form a part of the congrega-
ton. have the same kind Of choir from time
to time. In East Sixty-lrst street there
is q Methodist mission church, In which
the vested choir has beon adopted. The
cnoirs. unlike those introduced into the
Episcopal churches. are made up OF men. wo-
men. girls and boys. Sometimes they march In
pioSSooion' DuO tld ID HOJ u regular part OF
their duties. They have been in use here for
several years. The pastor OF the Metropolitan
Temple is an Englishman. and 1t may be added
that vested choirs are moro common in his
country than they are here.
The latest Methodist congregation to intro
duce a vested choir is the Centenary Church in
Chicago; The choir which consisted Of nifty
Christmas Day. and nothing had been said OF
wA9 nrOm nt1v nnpln rod nv m anh ara nf thn m
Eregation opposed to the change that the mat
Ter had If not F1, bssn p5FSbp s iy, placed w RSfors the
later Ia hrd in \ the no month h. The & matter g e
IL It, cannot be settled to the satisfaction
o OF those n local %bot members ePab rs who are bitterly
Innovation. One, member of the. Board Of
ehTras for T tReDt HAS Teo been aoi e I6s9 tSs s Of the h,
church gave him such a shock that he
e ha SSimssSeaIff s q ae tfS% the pre ache eS Sed f III nn op as
affair as an attempt to, "fpist upon a great
Tie feature irss Of Tie d geHdPl ritu Ia sne Of t Ref Ro nonS
and Episcopalian churches. to take the place
OF their e.h9nored. simple, beautiful and eff
Tho pastor Of the church is highly in favor of
opinion Of the member who got the grip from
seeing, the choir as i entered. The general
ment which must be made before it is either
approved or condemned, The cassocks and
member Of the congregation who is Very much
interested in music. The reason for the adop-
ton Of , the ytsSstments is given by all those
uniformity in the appearance Of the singers.
Il young girls who sing in the choir are
true OF the men and boys. With the idea Of i cres
vestmentsD We're adopted. In place cffnI Varied ied
garments OF many colors and cuts the singers
ates an effect much more satisfactory to q part
OF the congregation.
the subject with DR.. F: NJ. North Of the City
Extension Society OF the Methodist Episcopal
Shi5fh ' which hno has its headGYqrters in the
pr; North told The reporter that the kind of
paTR Gbn re w ob;set tse w tpsst Sgost q the p c g its
Methodist Episcopal churches throughout the
unlteh states; ,..,,o, uu
Of any kind" he said, and was undertaken
with certain other changes intended to
position has recently been to make more OF a
OF the music in the Methodist Church
70 wear yestments in accordance with that idea.
IL y particularly true OF the churches situated
church-golng community. There we endeavor
to make the services as interesting to the
people as nsp pOiEsi h ind It usually h%aPgensthPt tho
. .hst sh 10 Gres They hey q ~ e not ndt all no Of ssGuaal means Of
HhtAAA~ ANNA tNlbAA lIIN " u
snce In their looks. the idea OF the vestments
vas adopted. 0nlya few churches have taken
Z UP. 1t has not grown TO any great extent.
has no Significance beyond tho attempt to
make the services seem as orderly as possible.
There has been: 50 far as have heard, no
,yery CONGREGATION could decide for itself. II
|. congregation does not desire a vested choir.
{ need not Introduce one. II, on the other
1Ea dn a majority Of the members want to have
But the general. administration OF the Church
would not interfere, unless it came to objections
Q the presence OF the vested choirs on very Sc 1
tous grounds Then the administration could
i've up the vested choir. But that is. not very
lkely to happen. l have. never heard that the {
teneral admini3tration of the Church objected
or the congregations to decide" !
Another evidence. of the way in which the ]
Episcopal Church is adopting what !
t considers good In the practices OF other de- !
can DO found in the present issue !
ommon practices IN tho Protestant bodies only !
few years ago. They were first taken from ]
he Roman Catholics by the High Churchmen
the English Church. But that they are com- !
non now the following article will show: I
retreats are not q novelty in Methodist