The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-19
MUSICAL GLASSES IN CHURCH.
NEW VAUDEVILLE FEATURE At
THE CENTRAL BAPTIST.
The Pastor. the Rev. Frank GOodchIId. Is
Determined ina tho Theatre shall Not
Have All the Sunday Night Audiences
Woman vIoiinist Next week.

Have All the Sunday Night Audiences
woman vIoilnist Next week.
The vaudeville Offering at the Central
Baptist Church. in West Forty-second street.
last night was the musical glasses, "the
largest and most complete set Of musical
glasses ever played before the public
said the announcement on the bulletin
board in the vestibule.
The regular congregation, increased by
persons that wanted a vaudeville entertain
ment without going to Hammerstein's.
listened to the manipulation Of the glasses
by a little blond man and seemed to be
pleased.
There was no levity about the entertain
ment which the Rev. Frank M. Goodchild
furnished his congregation. 1t was all
very staid and proper. and the service
switched from the Scripture reading to
finger work by the little blond man easily
and without a jar.
Pastor Goodohild has made up his mind
that he isn't going to let Sunday night
shows take his congregation away from
him without making a fight, and started
vaudeville at the Central Baptist with a
few stunts by a young woman whistler a
week ago. The whistling girl made such
a hit with the congregation that the sue
cess OF the scheme was assured from the
start.
The church, on the south sid OF Forty
second street between Seventh and Eighth
avenues, is in the heart Of the theatrical
district. The Lyric and Belasco's are just
across the street. Hammerstein's at the
corner and the New Amsterdam, Liberty,
Hackett's and the American to the west
along the same side OF the street. The
theatres that gave Sunday night concerts
not only cut down the size OF Mr.. Good
child's congregations, but sometimes, in
the summer, the songs OF the ragtime
singers broke in on church service.
One night last summer when the church
windows were wide open and a show was
going full tilt at the regular vaudeville
house on the corner the organ began to
play soft, low ~offertory music and the four
vestrymen started the rounds with their
baskets. Suddenly there flosted in through
the windows snatches Of a song a blackface
dTllbJ was Slukihk Oh ~ NNSbOtid IOols
Il amt got no money, but I'm a goin' to
git some, for my baby, my honey, my
Zulu" Most people in the congregation
tried to look solemn and pretend they
hadn't heard the ditty, but it wasn't any
use. Thetitters and chuckles ran all around
the church.
1t was about that time nat Mr.. Good
child made up his mind that he would have
to enter into dignifed competition with the
theatres and he submitted to the trustees
a scheme to provide counter attractions
tina would keep the people away from the
theatres and get them into the church.
The trustees gave DR.. Goodchild an allow
ance for the purpose.
Using ffty-two glasses tuned without
water" as the card IN the church bulletin
board read, the blond man went through
his stunt four times at last nights service,
working in front of a table to the right Of
the pulpit. He went at the job in q brisk
businesslike way just after the pastor
and the congregation got through with
the responsive reading. First he played
The Lost Chord" After the offertory
he played THE Palms. and during other
parts of the service he gave Lead, Kindly
Light and Nearer, My God, to Thee"
DIR. Goodchild says that anything that will
attract a crowd without marring the sacred
ness OF worship is permissible and j%ustifi-
able.
DR.. Goodchild was annoyed by a story
in a paper last week which said that his girl
whistler was a professional vaudevillian.
1T was a SANDER, " said the pastor, heatedly.
Everybody that we will hav here to per-
form will be Christian, God fearing wor-
shippers. That's just where we will draw
the line.
Il trust" said he. that our little adver-
tisement will be generally well received
| The music we will introduce will be sweet,
~worshipful and godly. Surely there can
be no objection 10 the introduction Of instru-
ments which are ordinarily for the purpose
OF levity but which may be consecrated for
! a good purpose"
For next Sunday night DIR. Goodchild has
secured as headliner a Miss Sherman, a
violinist.