Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-28
SONG SERVICE
is INSPIRATION
TO THOUSANDS
Crowds ThrOng Tabernacle to Hear
Program Of Sacred and Pop
Ular Music Of High Grade.
BY COTTA BARTHOLMEW.

seems to have aroused from their
iethargy thousands OF people who
have come within the range OF
voices Of Rev. William A Sunday,
the evangelist and Homer Rode
HEAVIER, his director of music, for
despite the fact that yesterday was
dark and dreary, a great crowd
thronged the tabernacle last eve
ming for the glOrification meeting.
You remember what a hard time
you have had to induce people to
attend some sacred concert even
II it Is free, heretofore, and last
evening although an off night and
a time of rest following three siren
uous services at the tabernacle the
preceding day, found a splendid
crowd assembled to hear a program
Of sacred music. If it isn't a spir-
ItuaI awakening, what is it that
draws night after night for seven
weeks, great throngs of people
tom the farthest corners of the
, community, near and far?
From the opening strains of the
Marsellaise sounded by ROdey to
the glorious benediction of the Hal
lelujah chorus from The Messiah"
the program was a delight and the
audience would willingly have stay
ed on and on for more, had it been
offered them
One cannot but be impressed
with the fact that Mr.. Sundays par
ty is made up of experts in their
respective lines and every one
must have noticed their wonderful
versatility. Take Homer Rode
HEAVIER Why that man is an expert
In handling a great crowd OF peo-
Pile as general director, he plays
the trombone. showing genuine tai
emit, he directs a large choir in
such a way that out of raw material
mixed with the seasoned, he is able
TO mold a thing of beauty as a song
body; he is an adept sleight of hand
performer; he can read and reclte;
he can compose music and verse;
be can sing in a way that delights
every one; he can talk and have
something to say; he can pray in a
way that brings tears to the eyes /;
he can give counsel and sympathy
and encouragement and is unafraid /;
he has been a good soldier; he has
helped the boys in the trenches in
France as a Y secretary; in fact
believe he can do most anything
that he is called upon to do, and do
1t we'll -
And There is Matthews.
And then there is Robert Mat
thews, pianist and private secretary
to Mr.. Sunday. He can do prac-
tically all the things that Rodey can
and in addition several things be-
sides, making the two a pair that
Is hard to beat
This rhapsody might seem like a
depression from the story of the
program last evening, but l am try
ing to come to that and on the way
got stuck in my admiration of the
abilities of the music director and
pianist. Anyway, Mr.. Rodehea.yer
presided at the meeting and after
playing the Marsellaise asked the
audience to join in singing Star
Spangled Banner" while he played
the trombone and Matthews and
Miss Kinney presided at the pianos
Rodey then recited q parody on
Star Spangled Banner" and sang
"Colors That Will Not Run" 'one
Of his own compositions. Then he
sang Its My Flag, Too" a COM
of Mr.. Gabriel, who has
written so many of the songs in the
tabernacle song book. The audi
ence assisted him in the chorus and
q small boy showed the people how
the song really should be sung.
Its my flag, too,
The Red, White and Blue,
The starry flag of Liberty
It's my flag, too"
Makes Flag From Nothing.
in 70 L
On royalty to the flag, Rodey gave
q sleight of hand performance in
which he created from nothing
three silk pieces of cloth, a red,
white and blue, which he magically
wove into a silk flag, the flag of
sur country. The trick he played
Tor the children some weeks ago,
out the grown-ups last evening got
lust as much pleasure out of it as
lid the kiddies the time before.
while Mr.. Matthews played his &C
compartment, Rodey then sang two
IF his own works: Wen be Wait
ng When You Come Home" and
Goodbye France, Hello Miss Lib
arty," songs composed and sung
aud played by Mr.. Rodeheaver and
Mr.. Matthews for the boys in the
IGuCuGS anu WHICH, DLONtu 10 nave
he real spirit of the American peo-
Die. ROdeheaver at this time took
occasion to again speak of the great
work of the Y. NJ. c. A in France,
md gave the testimony of boys who
we're over there. He told of the
sacrifices that were made and the
benefits that the boys derived and
hen sang, Tell Me, the Story of
Iesus," which he said he had sung
% the boys before they went into
he Argonne fight, and which was
'or many of them the fast song
hey ever heard.
The choir. that splendid bunch
IF faithful singers, sang The
Awakening Chorus" and the mems
chorus sang My Anchor Holds"
while the wOmen's voices assisted
the refrain. producing a very
beautiful effect. In fact, the two
songs never grow old, though they
lave been sung time and again.
Mrs William Asher, the Schu-
nann-Heink of the Sunday party,
and a woman of many and great
gifts, sang Face to Face" Miss
Florence Kinney acting as her &C
,ompanist, and SO we'll did she sing
and such a favOrite has she become
with her audiences that she was
compelled to respond with an en-
core and gave Silent Night" again
singing very beautifully and sym
1athetiCally.