Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-11

alone as 1 cannot answer for my fellow
clergymen, l should say
- That sacred choral music on Sunday
evenings detracts in no way from INC ie
ligious character of the day, and,
so That such music at that urne is NO.
opposed to the best interests OF the church'
MANY of our churches here-mlne aiioi's
the number-have vesper service at or .
O. clock Sunday afternoon, and the hour
seems to be particularly fitting and sug-
gestive one for church worship. yours
very truly, ,,~c,,.>,,
Similar INQUIRIES addressed to two or the
leading clergymen of the Episcopal Church
have received no response.
Rev. Dr. Francis H. Rowley, pastor or
the First Baptist Church, expresses an OPP
posing view:
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
BOSTON. May q, 1903.
Mr.. William Bruce King, President, Choral
Society of Washington, Washington
my Dear Sir-In replying to your letter
of May q I can only express my own 1udg-
ment in the matter, as l do not happen TO
be familiar with the opinions OF other bos-
ton clergymen.
Il think that the majority of the people
who attend the concerts given by the Han
del and Haydn Society Sunday evenings In
Symphony Hall (Which is not a theater)
are not attracted from our churches, Tor
fancy they would not attend any evening
the society are given for the raising of
money to assist in maintaining the eX-
penses of the organization, and, II l under
stand the motive, it is not distinctly a re-
ligious one. OF this, however, cannot
speak with certainty.
INV own conviction is that the tendency
is In the direction of Sunday evening con-
certs given by our theater companies, as
has been true here this past winter. l am
deeply appreciative of the influence of the
and Of he Ia nj
music has in the realm of religion, but
doubt If these oratorios given for money
on Sunday evenings are conducive to the
best interests of the church and add to the
value of the Christian Sunday as factor
in our social life.
you may publish this letter If it will
serve you.
VERY sincerely yours,
FRANCIS H. ROWLEY."
Rev. Charles A. Crane, pastor of the Peo-
pies Temple (MethodisD, answers the in
quires as follows:
'In my opinion any entertainment charg-
ing admission on Sunday night is a VIOLA
ton of the fourth commandment. / do not
consider these concerts as an adjunct to
church work; this not because of the music,
but because of the paid admissions. Please
do not misunderstood me. Sacred music on
the Sabbath is all right. 1t is the CONNER
cial aspect Of the business on the Sabbath
which l deplore."
The board of managers submits these va
rious views because they desire all men,
bers to be fully informed of the feeling in
Boston from widely differing sources. The
board discusses the arguments used against
concerts of sacred music on Sunday very
fully. 1t cannot soundly be objected they
say, that sacred concerts by the Choral
Society, if they are themselves proper for
Sunday, will form opening wedge to
secular concerts. The Sunday secular con-
cert is here already. The question, 1t seems
to the board, is whether a sacred concert
may properly be given upon its own merits.
Comm rcialism Cannot Be Charged.
The board is sure that commercialism
cannot, by any possibility, be charged
against this society. Its board of man
ayers, by whom the business of the society
is conducted. spend much time in carrying
on its work without any compensation
whatever. Its chorus receives no pay, but
contributes to the expenses of rehearsals.
An inadequate compensation Is paid to the
conductor and accompanist and the solo
singers are paid for their services. This Is
no different from the practice of most
churches in regard to their Sunday services
The society succeeds with great effort
in balancing its receipts and expenditures,
but its object is not to make money, but
to spread public acquaintance with re-
filming art in one of its most inspiring
forms. While 1t has been suggested that
the payment for tickets at a fixed rate
gives commercial aspect lacking where no
admission charge is exacted. yet the men,
bers of the board not able to see that
this creates any different principle. The char
acter of the performance determines its
fitness for a sacred day and not the con-
dition upon which admission is granted
Nor can 1t be thought that a concert in
itself, suitable to the day, becomes
suitable because given in a theater. In all
the large cities, the theaters
used for evangelical preaching with prom
inent musical accessories and many at
tend who would not attend church.
1t is difficult for the board of managers
to see why it's renditions of the biblical
text or devout poem or Christian legend
cannot be appropriately given upon the day
especially devoted to the consideration of
religious subjects.
considerable proportion of the chorus
are members of church choirs, some as So
loists, others holding chorus positions. Will
1t be possible for them to be relieved from
duty for the nights selected for the Choral
SocietyS concerts? That is a question
which must be answered by the members
themselves, having due regard to the needs
of the choirs to which they are attached.
All members, both active and sustaining
are invited to submit full expression Of
their views upon the projected plan.
The program for the coming season has
not been determined, but the works under
consideration Handefs Messiah"
Rossini's ''Stabat Mater" Parkers "Hora
Novissima," and Mendelssohn's Elijah"
The statement is signed by the entire
executive committee, consisting of Messrs
VIM. Bruce King. Thomas G. Alvord, Edwin
l.