The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-07-27

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having been imported, for the most part, from
| Great Britain.
ZION CHOIR !
Every one who has ever visited Zion City and
attended one of the great General Assemblies in
Shiloh Tabernacle on Lords Day has vivid re-
collection of lions White-Robed Choir of ap-
proximately five hundred voices.
If one were to travel the United States over he
would not witness a more beautiful sight than
Zion Choir as it marches into the main auditorium
Of the Tabernacle to the music of the pipe organ,
singing in professional Parallel columns, two
abreast, march down the two aisles the entire
length of the auditorium then circle up the two
main alsles, passing up into the choir gallery in
the most orderly manner.
Zion Choir has been in existence since the
organization of the church in Chicago. For years
1t has been under the efficient direction of Con-
ductor John d. Thomas, Mus. B.. Dean of Zion
Department of Music and Art It is today the
largest permanent choir doing regular, continuous
work every Lords Day, year in and year out, in
the United States
AS wide field of musical selections as possible
is covered ranging from the simplest gospel
melodies to the heaviest choruses written Such
works are rendered as, Handeps Messiah
Mendelssohns Hymn of Praise" Gaul's "Hoy
City" Gounod's Life and Death" and the larger
choruses from the Elijah Creation" and
Mount of Olives"
The Junior Choir is feeder for the Senior
Choir. When the members become advanced
enough, they transferred to the senior organi-
zatlon The Junior Choir thus serves largely as
training field for work in the Senior Choir The
present Senior Choir is composed largely of for
nler Junior members.
One feature worthy of note is the fact that
boys of the Junior Choir, during the voice chang
ing period, not set adrft as is generally done
elsewhere by choir leaders, but are placed in the
alto section of the Senior Choir which part is
within their range at this time. Then, when the
voice sottens, they placed in the tenor or bass
section, according to their range. In this way
the boys are continually kept in the work where
they are constantly receiving musical training
which is of great benefit to them in future choir
work.
lhe unHagglng interest shown by the young
people OF Zion in the choir work is remarkable
They deserve great credit for the diligence with
which they attend choir rehearsas, year in and
year out, through all seasons and in all kinds OF
weather All are very attentive and doing some
excellent hard work, and the General Overseer
has frequently expressed his high appreciation of
their loyalty to duty. No finer training ground
could be found for young people anywhere in the
world, and Zion has reason to be justly proud of
her excellent body of youths and maidens who are
measuring up to their opportunities in very COM
mendable manner
Zion Choir is assisted by one of the largest pipe
organs in America. 1t is 40 feet in width, so in
height 20 in depth, and weighs $1,000 pounds
1t contains 5,124 pipes, 1900 miles of electric
wire, 219 registers and % miles of cable. 1t has
~ chimes The air for the organ is furnished by
two klnetlc blowers, one being operated by ten
horsepower motor, supplying 400 cubic feet of
air a minute
ZION ORCHESTRA
The present membership of Zion Orchestra
numbers thirty-four. The work in this organi-
zatlon must be of the highest order nothing else
will suffice
The aim is to pick out and play only the best
music published embracing sacred, modern and
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