The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-12-31
LATEST FAIR HAVEN NEWS
CHURCH CHOIR CEASES TO GIVE
 THEIR SERVICES.
Trouble ja the Grand Avenue Church Quartet Differences of Opinion Re. garding the Music--What n Member of the Music Committee Says.

garding the Musio--Whnt a Member of
 the Music Com mittee Says.
 The quartette choir of the Grand ave-
 nue Congregational church terminated
 their services last evening in conse-
 quence of a difference with the music
 committee regarding the character of
 the singing. This choir has been sing
 ing since last September. The choir
 was furnished by Professor F. A. Tow
 Ter, who, while not leading the voices,
 has rehearsed them. The music com
 mittee pay for these services to Mr. Fowler and not to the quartette indi- vidually. The choir consists of Miss Lillian Abbott, soprano; Miss Susan Newell alto Paul c. Marostte. tenor, and MT. McDonald, bass, with Charles c. Brown as organist. The quartette informed the music committee yester- day that their work would cease with the evening service. The music com mittee of the church consists of Arthur
 E. Brown, chairman; George s. Adams and F. B. Buck. A member of the com mittee gave a brief statement yester- day concerning the difficulty. He said it was not intended to have anything said in the papers, but Sunday morn ing paper had misstated the facts and he desired to have errors corrected.
 Tn the first place." said he, ''the quartette cannot resign to us, for we never hired them. We look to Mr. Fow- Ter entirely in the matter. I see it is stated that we complain against the tenor. But our complaint is not against the tenor any more than the quartette And would say that 1t Is not on ac- count of the material in the quartette that we complain; it is because they have not rehearsed as they should. The material is all right, and with proper rehearsng we would be glad to have them continue.
 "A few days ago we went to MT. Fow- Ter and stated that the music was not satisfactory. He said he was sorry, but he could not get all of the quartette to- getler to practice. Some one of them would have other engagements and 1t was difficult to have them all present at a rehearsal. We said we should have to terminate the contract with MT. Fowler January l. He replied that it would be satisfactory to him, as he was not making enough out of it to ray him. The interview was pleasant and MT. Fowler did not seem to blame the committee.
 "We complain because of the ragged character of the singing, due entirely to lack of proper rehearsing of the voices together. That is all there is to the matter. We shall probably have anoth- CT quartette engaged by next Sunday"
 It is understood that the organist will also withdraw.
 The cantata entitled "The Word Made Flesh was given in the East Pearl street M E. church before large qDn- gregation last evening. The programme has been printed in full in this paper.
 Sermons appropriate to the closing of the century were preached in the 1 churches yesterday
 This evening watch night services will | be held in several churches. At the | Grand avenue Baptist church the ser vice will begin at 10 o'clock and the 1 public are invited. The first hour will 1 be of social character and light re- treatments will be served. At II o'clock there will be a religious service, with | addresses by Rev. A. K. Foster and | Rev. MT. Fenno.
 The services at the East Pearl street | M. E. church tonight will be as fol- lows: Praise service, to 9:30; sermon. 3 ;30 to 1O; coffee and cake will be served | at 10 o'clock; 1O:30 to 12 love feast and communion.
 At the Second Congregational church this evening the officers will sit down to
 ohnt hnr there will be short speeches on the con dition of the church, past, present and prospective. At S:30 the pastor will give an address illustrated by the ster- eopticon, followed by an organ recital by Professor Henry G. Nichols. The will be concluded by an evangelist's appeal and consecration service.
 There has been some talk of the ush- ering in of the century tonight by the blowing of steam whistles and the ring ing of bells was suggested. How far this programme will be carried out was not learned yesterday.
 At the Grand avenue Baptist church yesterday afternoon at o'clock occur red the funeral of Mrs. George Robin son, of 334 Exchange street. Rev. E.
 
 w. Stone, the pastor, officiated and read Scripture selections, followed by the hymn Rock of Ages" by the choir After prayer another selection, "There's l Friend in the Homeland" was rem lered. MT. Stone made short address, the keynote of which was hope. He spoke words of comfort to the bereaved family and referred to death as sleep, md of Gods acre as a nights resting place on the way to eternity" The were George and Joseph Stur- res. John and William Phillips, Joseph Trench and Charles Powell. The floral included two wreaths pillow ( tnd three flat bouquets-very beautiful ( tributes from relatives and friends. The burial was in East Haven.
 Tr<a