New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16

crept into the Methodist Episcopal churches
~ the country within the last decade The choir
~ Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. OF this
civ as shown by the Photographic illustrations
which accompany this article. is garmented in
assocks and cottas; that of the Sixtyfirst Street
Methodist Episcopal Church in black gowns
sembling those which only by the clergy
Of the Reformed Church when Methodism was
established in New-York nearly century and a
,lf ago But the name does not signify; it is the
fscr that boys and uniform sarb of a churchly
,vpe have found their way into Methodist eholrs'
80 with them other features OF ritual service
-, ts interesting and germane in these studies
- METROPOLITAN worship music. Supplied, vested,
roDrad or rohed choiTs are to be found In at
least nine az the Methodist churches Of New-fork
rsr,e,, Trinity Sixty-first Street, Church Of
our Saviour. Eighteenth Street, Thirtieth Street,
Calvary metropolitan Temple fremont MAD
,eor Avenue and Jane Street. Perhaps there
are more These choirs are only one OF
q number of outward signs OF tendency
toward 4 set and ornate service "hlch nave
disclosed themselves significantly AND unmis-
,akarlv during the last twelve or thirteen years
General Conference of the Church Wlthln thls
lime has added the recitation OF the Apostles
creed and the singing Of the Gloria faui 10 'i'e
order of worship which the Cnurch recommends
not yet having reached the point "heIe II va,
euiniu ANYTHING in this respect. ms il "ouiu
er,ear fs ,,t conservative action taken IN opeol-
once 10 the spirit displayed by numerous la'y
which Of its own accord and with the app'ooa'io"
az the clergy In many cities both East ana "es''
has introduced innovations which would not ohiy
have startled the fathers in Israel generate"
400 lint in all uroba bility have led 10 separa-
ION ike that of the Methodist Protestan's' WHO
left the parent body on the lay representation
issue. and the Methodist Episcopal Church South
which went its way when the Church set us
face against slavery. Choirs have been brought
,-., tho cbancels Of the church edifces in the
bancel too. have been placed the communion
table and altar rail. with only an. aisle between
The platform and the front row OF peWs' there are
7rocessional and occasional marchings, with sing
jrg i'm one regular order of service in New-H ork
church notice besides the old features. process
SIGNAL with hymn, a responsive reading or the
creed a choral response TO the first prayer, a
Psalm the Gloria Patri," an anthem and an
onertorv. Moreover. bishop Of the Church the
rer. Dr. D. A Goodsel, LII D., OF Chattanooga,
,.,rIjsbed in The Methodist Review of March,
his year an elaborate article in which he approves
Of all these things and seems 10 urge the adoption
Of more TO him AN obligatory liturgy is a great
protection against irreverent thought and eN-
preston. vested choiTs are commendable because
uniformity OF dress has been found "a great help
in suppressing vanities Of apparel in the choir and
also in merging the individual in the mass-always
desirable where cooperation is necessity: pro
cessions not unknown says this episcopal
writer. nor recessions. some holding that the or
derby incoming and outgoing of ministers and
choirs 10 and from their proper places IN public
worship more desirable than helter-skelter
rival and departure; this bishop confesses TO a
strong sympathy with the tendency to Danish the
chors from behind the minister, and relegaue them
% corner Of the church TO stalls in the chancel
because III ever there was an invention for the
destruction OF the effect Of it is in having
dozen young people, sometimes dressed to the
last extravagan and exuberance of fashion. as
fhe Background which projected the person
and gestures Of the preacher; the removal OF
the communion table and altar rail back in the
ehancel permits the preacher TO stand much
nearer his congregation and has the symbolic
advantage OF putting the communion table and
pulpit the level means of grace; the
Church should provide for the expression of
ligous aspiration in architecture and music because
she must have a message and a cultus for every
stage Of development, 10 hold its cultured members
and TO prevent the criticism that il IS bad form"
10 be Methodist. Finally Bishop Goodsen says:
We hold then that our inheritance is good and
1osbe he during hat We have the best use Of it
church life by extracting from it and making
obligatory the special services printed in our Dis
oipline: that the time has come when we should
permit individual churches TO enrich the Sabbath
calamity if this should Ginis6 t babi d pe
quency OF free prayer among people: that
neyer in the future should the use of it on the
Lords Day be made obligatory the freedom of the
churches being preserved in determining how much
u now little of the service Will be helpful.
The Inheritance" which Bishop Goodsen refers
70 Is the Sunday Service or Prayer Book" which
John Wesley sent across the ocean and recon-
mended TO American Methodists in 1854 This Sum
day Service is revised form of the Book OF Com
non Prayer. which in the preface to his revision
he recommended IN the words: Il believe there is
no liturgy in the world either in ancient or mod
eIh lahsoage, which breathes more of a solid,
ser-pJural, rational piety than tho Common PRAYER
O. the Church Of England. And though the main
d was compiled considerably more than two
"1ii1Ieu years ago. Yet is the language of it not
oi''E pure. but strong and elegant in the highest
IeSIee. IN his work revision Wesley omitted
Lio'E Days abbreviated the service for the Lords
Jay and also. slightly the Offices from bantisro and
N'-"' anu omitted psalms and parts Of psalms on
Le GROUND mat they highly imDroner for
'''-'-''S u a christian congregation" The book
Was accepted IN America and used for a Will hut
'' -oi ions- and strong dislike for il sprang I'm
among American Methodists heped alo,fr DOM
less as Bishop Goodsen suggests t,,- The r,,,di
80 ca "F the Revolutionary War The apneal
winch Is taus made 10 John " ~
the tendency toward an orra. 9~PpOi' %
Methodist churches suggests ~ &c AZ 'Ne
ElaIoe al The attitude which Wesla,, ELL go
l' ''""F1 church music. Two Of rbe eres+
- -sioldHs yea produced by England 1ye-e
"'S'y ara ocD-s,is.a Bach Was1e,, 70
-. 7'L Siahason OF his brother and CO.
"1'-'of, mares "eS!ey; and Il might bo .tt.
tnat THIS evidence of artistic s,,at. =. si''
-'H "l"'u' ana John Wesley's entbue,as,i, a.
90 eCi'kit sauohaI singing. couDled with The
So1l-'l'eSs - me ADVICE which he gave "a sincere
ought 10 be set down proof thar tb
MethoGism was an appracia,iro ,ie 1ouiueF OF
rsrc music. The facts do not bas- 80. % al
however. No particularly good .tast. 80
D. MS iondness for the hymn tune ~, :
printed IN 'he hrst series OF these articles but IT.
- -ot DC coDS'oeFed here' IN all probability he
was crawn toward Lampe. theatre rnriia %
composer Of satirical operas bv reas
musicians association with the Nora,.,a nc
"hom am inclined TO believe. WesIe,, ;t,,Sas
ms taste Tor hymnody. Lampe. a decidedly, ci
musician who hailed from SaxoDv No 'e!
. h-Of ncrc HTocla 1t