^<3:f.*^^_ii^- 
 
 FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
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CLERGY AND CHOIR, 
 
 
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 BY THE y^ 
 
 REV, CHARLES R, HODGE, 
 
 Of the Diocese of Cliicago. 
 
 MILWAUKEE: 
 
 THl YOUNG CHURCHMAN CO. 
 1891. 
 
COPYUKillT By 
 
 THE YOUNG CHURCHMAN CO., 
 1891. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. PAGE. 
 
 Introductory, - - - - - - -9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 The Canon on Churcli Music, - - - - 13 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Congregational Singing, - - - - - 17 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Leaders of the Singing, . . . . 21 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 The Mixed Choir, 27 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 The Mixed Choir— Vocal Training, - - - 35 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 The Quartette Choir, 41 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Pronunciation of Words ----- 47 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 General: Choir Facilities and Properties—The Place for the 
 
 Choir in the Church— The Organ and the Organist, 52 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 General: Special Choirs— School Choirs— Children's Music- 
 Festal Music, ------ 59 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 The Vested Choir: Forming the Choir— Its Organization- 
 Vestments, ----- 65 
 
 CHAPTER XI 1. 
 The Vested Choir: Discipline— Rules— Attendance, - - 76 
 
COKTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. PAGE. 
 
 The Vested Choir : Training of Voice — Reading Music, - 82 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 The Vested Choir: Admissian of Choir — Processions — Pre- 
 paration for First Service, - - - - 91 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 The Vested Choir: Choir-rooms and other Facilities — General 
 
 Points, 101 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The Vested Choir : Its Compensations. Salaries — Credits — 
 
 Prizes— Medals — Treats — Outings, - - - 106 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The Vested Choir: Choral Guilds— The Choir Club, - 113 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The "Adjunct" Choir, 118 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 A Talk to a Choir: The Rev. Mr. Olericus Talks to his Boys 
 
 on "The Mistake of Ahimaaz, " - - - 124 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Choir Prayers, - - - - - - - 133 
 
 B. 
 Service for the Admission of Choristers, . - - 136 
 
 C. 
 Choral Service in Key of D, - - - - - 141 
 
 D. 
 
 The "Ten Exercises," 144 
 
 E. 
 Movement from "For unto us," - . . . . 143 
 
 F. 
 Comet Accompaniment in Chants, - - - - 150 
 
TO 
 
 MY CLERICAL BRETHREN; 
 
 WHO ARE SO OFTEN ENGAGED 
 
 IN WRESTLING WITH THE 
 
 "CHOIR PROBLEM," 
 
 ^THIS ATTEMPT 
 
 AT A SOLUTION 
 IS 
 
 Stjmpatljettcalltj Snscrtbei) 
 
 BY 
 
 The Author. 
 
PREKACE. 
 
 The following extracts are copied from letters received at 
 various times, within the past two or three years, from certain of my 
 brethren of the clergy, whose reasons for writing thus to me are 
 doubtless sufficient and satisfactory to themselves : 
 
 "I need your advice, ever so much, about our choir. Notliing- serious, 
 hut they don't get on, in a musical waJ^" 
 
 "My first and— so far— only conflict, has been with my choir— a very 
 fine quartette, by the way. At the rehearsal for my first Sunday's service, 
 I tliouglit I would go around to the church and give them a list of the 
 hymns tliat I wanted sung- for that Sunday. I thought tliat I detected a 
 certain indefina])le air of— well, of resentment about it ; at least I was 
 told that it was the custom of my predecessor to allow the choir to clioose 
 their own hymns for Sunday services. I declined to be guided l)y Mr. 
 
 M 's custom, not particularly caring to have a sermon on "repentance" 
 
 followed or preceded by a hymn on "the Holy Scriptures," or on "Praise," 
 or "Heaven." I wonder what you would have done under the circum- 
 stances—I presume you would have done as I did. I referred them to tlie 
 Canon on Church Music, which is printed in the front of the hymnal they 
 use, and told them that such was the law of the Church, by wliich clergy, 
 choir and laity in general are bound." 
 
 "How am I to get my choir to sing as they ought ? More particularly 
 the men ; the women do well enougli. Their voices don't seem to 
 harmonize." 
 
 "If I should decide on having a vested choir, where could I put them '/ 
 You know my church well enough to know that the chancel is altogether 
 too small for such a choir; it would have to be enlarged— but liow ? Please 
 draw me a plan, or, better still, run down here for a day." 
 
 "You remember the boy I had to scold the Sunday you were here ? I 
 have trouble of tlie same sort with him continually. What would you do 
 with him ?" 
 
 "How does tlie 'Choir Club' get on ? Tell me something about it, or 
 send me a copy of the Constitution." 
 
 I could present many more, but these will suffice. Such letters, 
 as well as frequent oral requests for counsel on the many phases of 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 the "choir problem," finally induced me to attempt the preparation 
 of a series of letters of advice, upon all possible cases that would 
 come to my mind. Very early in its preparation the epistolary form 
 was abandoned, on account of its clumsiness, and the result is the 
 following pages. 
 
 Nothing but the manifest need of such a work would induce 
 this venture on my part ; nor would even that excuse it, were it not 
 for the long and intimate experience, both as boy and man, with 
 choirs of all descriptions and varieties at its back. And again, it 
 has been represented to me that the fruits of such an experience as 
 mine has been, in this matter, ought not to be regarded as my private 
 property, and this representation has also had its influence. 
 
 There is nothing in the entire range of Church literature, to my 
 knowledge, which touches upon all these points. The few books 
 that have been published on the subject of Vested Choirs are excel- 
 lent ; but they all appear to take for granted, as being well under- 
 stood, certain points on which there is, in reality, dense ignorance. 
 
 In conclusion, I must express my obligations, as also my sincere 
 thanks, to two of my brethren, for contributions, at my request, on 
 certain phases of "the problem," which will be found in their proper 
 places, duly accredited. 
 
 If this book will, in course of time, be found helpful to any of 
 my brethren, it will have fully accomplished the purpose designed in 
 
 its preparation. 
 
 Chahles R. Hodge. 
 Grace Church Becforij, 
 New Lenox, III. 
 Feast of the Circumcision of Christ [Jan. 1], 1891. 
 
CLERGY AND CHOIR 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY 
 
 The average parish priest will acknowledge, without 
 hesitation, that the music in his services is at times a 
 source of trouble and perplexity. By the canon law of 
 the Church, not only the hymns, but also the tunes, are 
 placed under his control. This latter, however, he may, 
 and generally does, relegate to some musical person, satis- 
 fied if the music moves on smoothly, and is not glaringly 
 out of place. 
 
 In the canon referred to, and which we shall presently 
 examine, there is evident a dim idea that the clergyman 
 should be possessed of some musical abilities or tastes, 
 enough, at least, to enable him to judge as to the fitness 
 of certain music for the ''service of the sanctuary." But, 
 unfortunately, the clergyman who is "not at all musical" 
 is not at all rare, and he occasionally finds himself in 
 situations of considerable discomfort, being placed in 
 charge of a matter upon which he is compelled to accept 
 the judgment of others, and in which inclinations and 
 
10 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 tastes must be consulted, although he has none of his 
 own. 
 
 The wisest course for such a clergyman to pursue is lo 
 find some sober and discreet person possessed of the 
 needful musical qualifications, and confide in him. It is 
 best that such confidant should not be one of the choir, 
 and should be a man, rather than a woman ; not neces- 
 sarily a trained musician — indeed it is better otherwise — 
 but possessed of a musical ear, a love for music, a sound, 
 matured judgment in ordinary matters, and, above all, 
 "sober and discreet.'" The relations between the clergy- 
 man and his confidant, on this point, it need hardly be 
 said, should be strictly confidential. 
 
 But, though the clergyman be not unmusical, though 
 he be even musically gifted in ear, voice and taste, he is 
 still in an uncomfortable position. He knows little or 
 nothing about choirs and their training, unless, as is 
 occasionally the case, he has been a member of a choir as 
 a layman. He has no special training in this direction, 
 and has very vague — if any — ideas of the Church's musical 
 heritage. Generally, beyond a misty notion or so to the 
 effect that "operatic music ought not to be sung in 
 church," and that "Gospel Hymns" do not represent the 
 highest standard of either music or Churchliness, he has 
 no guidance save what he obtains piecemeal from his 
 seniors in orders, in scraps from his musical friends, and 
 stray items and occasional articles in the Church periodi- 
 cals. 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 11 
 
 It sometiines happens that the young clergyman is 
 sent to a field to inaugurate a new work, to establish the 
 Church in a place where it is practically unknown. One 
 of the first problems confronting hira is the music, and 
 he finds himself thrown upon his own resources in 
 attempting its solution. But he manfully goes to work 
 and secures a few singers whom he proceeds to organize 
 into a choir, only to discover in a short time that he has 
 succeeded in gathering together certain uneasy elements, 
 once portions of the other choirs in the vicinity, who had 
 dropped out of those choirs from jealousy, pique, injured 
 feelings, natural want of stability, and other kindred 
 reasons ; these natural traits-begin to manifest themselves 
 after the novelty has worn off, and the young clergyman 
 finds himself choirless, and is obliged to set himself to 
 work to form another choir, wasting time and labor that 
 might and should be given to other duties. But he has 
 gained a valuable fund of experience, if he is wise enough 
 to use it properly. 
 
 And it is not the young clergyman alone who en- 
 counters difficulties of this nature, nor are they confined 
 to new fields of labor. The aged priest, after a quarter of 
 a century of continuous labor in one parish, will find the 
 choir problem suddenly starting up and confronting him 
 as lively and vigorous as ever, years after he had congrat- 
 ulated himself that it was safely and finally disposed of ; 
 its life and vigor are perennial, and its presence is univer- 
 sal. 
 
12 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 There is no arbitrary or specific manner of meeting 
 these difficulties, Experientia docet. But the directions 
 and advice, the reflections and ideas contained in the 
 following pages may be of profit, based, as they are, on 
 some thirty years almost continuous experience in choirs 
 in the various capacities of choir-boy, tenor, director, 
 organist, choirmaster ; and, finally, some ten years of 
 priesthood spent in active parochial work, in which the 
 choir problem, in its many phases, has presented itself for 
 solution over and over again. 
 
 For convenience, I shall address myself in the follow- 
 ing pages to my brother clergymen, especially to those 
 who are musically, as well as otherwise, capable of direct- 
 ing their own music. But the greater part will be of 
 interest to all, I trust. And it may be that some who 
 read it may regard the ideas as of sufficient importance to 
 hand the book over to their choirmasters, with a request 
 to read carefully and profit thereby. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE CANON^ ON CHURCH MUSIC. 
 
 Digest of Canons: Title I. Canon xxiii. Sec. :?.— The Sel- 
 ections of the Psalms in Metre, and Hymns, which are set forth by 
 authority, and Anthems in the words of Holy Scripture [and the Book 
 of Common Prayer] are allowed to be sung in all Congregations of 
 this Church before and after Morning and Evening Prayer, and also 
 before and after Sermons, at the discretion of the Minister, whose 
 duty it shall be, by standing directions, or from time to time, to 
 appoint such authorized Psalms, Hymns, or Anthems as are to be 
 
 sung. 
 
 Sec. 2.—\i shall be the duty of every minister of this Church, 
 with such assistance as he may see fit to employ from persons skilled 
 in music, to give order concerning the tunes to be sung at any time 
 in his Church ; and especially it shall be his duty to suppress all 
 light and unseemly music, and all indecency and irreverence in the 
 performance, by which vain and ungodly persons profane the service 
 of the sanctuary. 
 
 This canon was adopted in General Convention in 
 1874; later legislation added in effect the bracketed 
 words in Sec. 1. 
 
 A strict compliance with the letter of this law in the 
 first section would deprive many choirs of much of their 
 favorite music. Spohr's "How pleasant, how divinely- 
 fair," Woodward's "The radiant morn hath passed away," 
 Sheppard's " 'Forward !' said the prophet," and much 
 oratorio music would be forbidden. It would be wise for 
 our General Convention to concede more liberty in this 
 regard. 
 
14 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 In some dioceses it seems to be generally understood 
 that what is sung in the Bishop's church, or Cathedral, is 
 allowable throughout his diocese. The Bishop's right to 
 compose and set forth forms of prayer, or thanksgiving 
 for special occasions, as provided for in Title I, Canon xv, 
 Sec. 13, is good ground for the assumption that he has 
 the right to set forth hymns and anthems other than is 
 provided for in this Canon. The whole matter will some 
 day demand adjustment, and the probable result will be 
 some such arrangement as prevails in England. 
 
 But it is the second section of this Canon with which 
 we are specially concerned. It is the minister who has 
 the direction of the tunes to be sung, 'Svith such assist- 
 ance as he may see fit to employ from persons skilled in 
 music ;" and it is made his special duty ''to suppress all 
 light and unseemly music, and all indecency and irrever- 
 ence in the performance" of anu music, "by which vain 
 and ungodly persons profane the service of the sanctuary." 
 
 Inasmuch as "light and unseemly," and "vain and 
 ungodly," are not strictly defined in the Canon, it is 
 objected by some that this second section is vague and 
 unsatisfactory. This objection, however, is unreasonable ; 
 this is one of the clearest and most positive laws in the 
 entire digest. The clergyman is responsible for his service 
 in every particular, down to the minutest detail, and 
 therefore the Church law very properly makes him the 
 judge of the music in the service of his Church, and his 
 decision is final. He is to say whether he regards the 
 
CANON" ON CHURCH MUSIC. 15 
 
 music as '4iglit and unseemly," and to see that it be 
 rendered with due decency and reverence. The choir 
 constitute his assistants in the service ; and we may even 
 go beyond the letter of the Canon, and maintain that 
 those assistants should, under no circumstances, be ''vain 
 and ungodly" persons. There are very many singers who 
 fall into the mistake of Ahimaaz.* 
 
 As to the character of the music, there are some selec- 
 tions which naturally fall into the category of "light and 
 unseemly." The word "light," as here used, means trivial; 
 it does not mean simple. Some of the most devotional 
 and churchly music is simple, but not light, in the can- 
 onical sense. And, again, there is music which is not 
 light — neither simple nor trivial — but which is decidedly 
 unseemly, or out of place, sometimes by force of associa- 
 tion, as is the case with operatic selections. To illustrate: 
 there are many noble characters in the theatrical profes- 
 sion, and, I doubt not, many godly men among actors ; 
 still, for some well-known actor to appear in a prominent 
 position in the services of the Church, arrayed in the 
 Church's vestments, would be painfully incongruous and 
 unseemly. Some actors have indeed become clergymen, 
 but when they did so, they had forsaken their former 
 calling; such is not the case with this class of music. 
 *'Solo profugo rejetto," is often sung to sacred words, but 
 it has not forsaken the opera of "Marta ;" you are sure to 
 hear it whenever you hear that opera. But there are 
 
 * See Chapter xix. 
 
16 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 fewer such adaptations than there used to be, nor are 
 they so decidedly unseemly as they once were ; I can 
 distinctly remember hearing "Sun of my soul," sung to 
 Offenbach's "Saber song,'' from "La Grande Duchesse." 
 
 This canon, more especially its second section, is a 
 just and commonsense one, and should be enforced every- 
 where. The priest must have control of his own music ; 
 it is a part of his service, for which he is as responsible as 
 he is for his" sermon ; and though he may temporarily 
 relegate that control to "persons skilled in music," when 
 necessity arises he must unhesitatingly exercise his lawful 
 authority. That is the only solution of one of the many 
 phases of the choir problem. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 CONGREGATIOlSrAL SII^GING. 
 
 Unquestionably the ideal service of the Church is that 
 in which all the people join with heart and voice — the 
 fulfilment of the Psalmist's outburst, "Let the people 
 praise Thee, God ; yea, let all the people praise Thee!" 
 This being beyond all dispute, is it not singular that so 
 few efforts are made to improve the singing of the people? 
 
 I have attended several churches which had a reputa- 
 tion for excellent congregational singing, and have 
 always found the reputation well deserved ; the singing 
 being excellent, as far as it went ; but it was always 
 confined to metrical hymn tunes. 
 
 I have yet to hear a chant sung acceptably — musically 
 speaking — by a parish congregation ; and I have yet to 
 hear even the faintest rumor of any such congregation 
 attempting an anthem or a set piece, although both could 
 be well done. 
 
 Surely it is not impossible to devise some practicable 
 method by which the entire congregation may be trained 
 in the musical services of the Church. It has to my 
 knowledge been approximated in a few instances. I know 
 of one priest who serves a small rural congregation on 
 
18 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Sunday afternoons, where there is neither Sunday School 
 nor choir. He catechizes the congregation once a month, 
 and on all the other Sundays prefaces his services by a 
 fifteen minutes' practice in congregational singing. The 
 result is excellent. 
 
 Another parish priest of my acquaintance, during one 
 winter that I spent largely in his parish, initiated a plan 
 which I believe would work well if carried out as it might 
 be. He instituted a practice in congregational singing, 
 which he asked me to direct, at the beginning of every 
 Wednesday evening service. But the practice was con- 
 fined exclusively to metrical tunes and the chants in the 
 Evening Prayer. It resulted in the nearest approach to 
 good chanting that I ever heard from a congregation. 
 Another unforeseen, but valuable, result was the perceptible 
 increase in the size of the Wednesday evening congrega- 
 tions, especially among the young. 
 
 Why should not one evening in the week, or a part of 
 an evening, be devoted to this work ? Train the congre- 
 gation in singing, just as you would train a choir, to a 
 certain extent ; first in metrical tunes, then in chants, 
 Gregorian and Anglican ; finally, in some easy settings of 
 the Te Decjm, such as Steggall in A, or the old, familiar 
 Jackson in F, even singing antiphonally, according to the 
 markings in Novello's edition of those settings. Persist- 
 ent work of this nature would soon tell. With a well- 
 trained vested choir of men and boys, an occasional easy 
 strain (say. an unison) in an anthem, in which the con- 
 
CONGREGATIONAL SINGING. 19 
 
 gregation should be thus trained to unite, would be mag- 
 nificent in its effect. There is nothing visionary or im- 
 practicable in this idea. 
 
 The first fault usually found with congregational 
 singing is the universal tendency to drag. "Large bodies 
 move slowly." This fault may be remedied by having a 
 director who will, at all practices, beat time for the peo- 
 ple, and insist on the congregation following his time. If 
 they are singing with no choir to lead, this beating time 
 should be done at service also. Sometimes a cornet is 
 used in leading, which is very good in keeping up the 
 time. This, however, should only be used in large build- 
 ings, well filled ; the cornettist should always play the 
 air, or soprano part of the music, and should thoroughly 
 understand his work, especially realizing that he is not 
 playing in a brass band.* For congregational singing, 
 the music of the chants should not be changed often. 
 The same chants, in the main, may be carried through 
 Easter and Ascension tides ; then new tunes for Trinity 
 tide, changing; perhaps, in the middle of the season. 
 Advent and Lent require different music, simple and 
 familiar, both in chant and metrical tunes. 
 
 But the clergyman may not be able to carry out the 
 ideas here advanced, and yet desire the best congregational 
 singing he can obtain from his people. In that case, he 
 must see that the choir sing at each service one or two 
 familiar hymn tunes, and that the chants are not often 
 
 * See Appendix F. 
 
20 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 changed ; he must also frequently urge his people to sing 
 heartily. In singing the Canticles or the Psalms with a 
 large vested choir to lead, it is well to call occasional 
 attention to the antiphonal feature of the singing, and 
 ask the congi*egation to observe it, requesting that portion 
 of the congregation on the right side of the centre alley 
 to sing with the choir on that side, and those on the left,^ 
 to sing with the choir on their side. A very little labor 
 of this kind will enable an ordinary congregation to 
 become as well versed in this feature of the music as the 
 choir itself, and the}^ will much better appreciate and 
 enjoy their own singing. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE LEADERS OF THE SINGING. 
 
 In congregational singing, in order to avoid confusion, 
 and to properly observe the Apostolic injunction, "Let all 
 things be done decently and in order," it is necessary to 
 provide some kind of leadership, which may be vested 
 either in an individual, or in that body of trained singers 
 which is termed a choir. 
 
 The individual leader should possess a powerful voice 
 of good compass and quality ; his position should be in 
 easy sight of the congregation, at some elevated place 
 near the people. He should direct with baton, keeping 
 strict time in metrical and all other tunes in which the 
 time is rhythmic. In chants, he can indicate with baton 
 all pauses and breathing places in recitative, and strictly 
 mark the time in the cadences. 
 
 If the congregation is trained to sing in antiphon, as 
 mentioned in the preceding chapter, it would be well for 
 the leader to have at least two aids, or lieutenants, one on 
 each side, to take their places in the congregation, but as 
 near him as possible ; these should possess strong voices, 
 and should generally sing the air. 
 
 But by far the most effective leadership is that of a 
 
22 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 good choir ; and this should always be held to be the chief, 
 and indeed the only true, office of any choir — to lead the 
 people in common praise. 
 
 '^The Canticles and 'Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual 
 Songs' are not to be listened to, not for display. * * * 
 Better have no choir at all than one that would take the 
 words of common praise out of the mouths of the people 
 by rendering it impossible for them to join in it. * * * 
 The choir may, indeed, have its anthem, provided it be 
 worthy. No music can be too grand and lofty for God's 
 service. * * Its [the choir's] office is not to appropri- 
 ate, but to lead the peoples' praises."* These are whole- 
 some words, as are also the following : 
 
 "We recognize the growth of what seems an unwhole- 
 some and altogether unwarrantable invasion of congrega- 
 tional privilege and duty. The number is increasing of 
 choirs that virtually capture and possess themselves of 
 the entire liturgic music. You shall attempt to worship in 
 Church after Church, where you find yourself constrained 
 to unbroken silence, unless it is permitted to catch the 
 breath at a choral 'Amen.' The worship is snatched from 
 the lips of the people, and cribbed, and confined fast 
 prisoner within the limits of choir and sanctuary. 
 
 "Our purpose is to aid and promote, in every possible 
 way, the restoration of the peoples' worship to its ancient 
 and divinely appointed place in the Lord's House. 
 Worshipping by deputy is a very unsatisfactory and 
 
 * From Bishop Spalding's "Tlie Best Mode of Working a Parish." p. 66. 
 
LEADERS OF THE SINGING. 23 
 
 indefeasible expedient. While the devotional mood may 
 be helped and fed by listening to an occasional anthem or 
 motette, worshipping hy the ear is not the normal and 
 divinely appointed way. Every believing, loving heart 
 must find a voice, or its devotion suffers chill and even 
 asphyxiation. The Psalms teach us all this, throughout. 
 We are not only to work out our own salvation, but we 
 are to perform our own personal worship, precisely as we 
 train and educate a personal faith, with personal graces. 
 
 ''We shall not get down to the bed-rock of this 
 liturgic-worship question, until the people, brought again 
 from the dead, and resuscitated in newness of life, once 
 more respond to the heart-beat, and find a voice for praise 
 and thanksgiving. Then the versicles will slough off 
 their conventional insincerities, and when the priest 
 exclaims : '0 Lord, open Thou our lips,' the 'people' will 
 know what it all means, that they are to lend a part in 
 the sublime office ; and they will give the response, ex 
 animo^ 'And our mouth, (not the choir-mouth) shall 
 show forth Thy praise.'"* 
 
 Many choirs do not realize that the monopolizing of 
 all the music by a choir is every whit as unjust to the 
 congregation as the monopoly of all the best music by a 
 soloist would be to the choir. 
 
 Of course, the only choir which is distinctively 
 churchly in its structure is that which is composed 
 entirely of men, or of men and boys, arrayed in the 
 
 * From The Living Church. 
 
24 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 proper vestments of the Church. This form of choir is 
 available to almost every parish. In some places, however, 
 although available, it is not expedient. For instance, 
 where no competent director can be found — that is, 
 competent in discipline, as well as in musical, intellectual, 
 and moral culture — it would be unwise to attempt such a 
 choir, however plentiful the material. If the clergyman 
 himself is not especially fond of boys, able to enter 
 heartily into their plans and enjoyments, and is not sure 
 of his ability to govern them absolutely and autocratically, 
 he should not undertake the personal direction of such a 
 choir, however competent he might be musically. While 
 a moderately good choir of men and boys is better Ihan 
 the best choir of any other kind, from a churchly stand- 
 point, it is undeniably true that a poor choir of this kind 
 is, from the same standpoint, the very poorest and most 
 intolerable of all choirs. 
 
 Where it is impossible or inexpedient to have a vested 
 choir, other kinds of choirs may be formed. A chorus of 
 mixed — male and female — voices, or a quartette, or, in 
 absence of any other material, a quartette or chorus of 
 female voices only, will constitute a choir which can 
 acceptably lead the congregation in the music of the 
 Church's worship. 
 
 But, if the Church would be true to her own teaching, 
 this one point can not be too strenuously urged, too 
 strongly impressed upon the choir, individually, and 
 en masse, that the duty of the choir is to lead the congre- 
 
LEADERS OF THE SINGING. 25 
 
 gation in singing, and not to entertain them : to lift their 
 voices in praise to God, not to an audience. There are an 
 abundance of places to which people may and do resort to 
 hear an eloquent speaker, and to be entertained by artistic 
 and, often, sensuous music ; but the Church of the living 
 God should be no such place. ''We assemble and meet 
 together to render thanks for the great benefits we have 
 received at His hands, to set forth His most icortliy praise, 
 to hear His most holy Word, and to ask those things 
 which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as 
 the soul." These familiar words of the Church, so often 
 heard without a thought of their meaning — their unwav- 
 ering protest against the modern popular idea of going to 
 church to hear the preaching and singing — set forth not 
 only the Church's ideal of public worship, but also plain 
 and commonsense directions for fully realizing that ideal. 
 Special opportunities are often given for forcible pre- 
 sentation of this important truth to our choirs. On a 
 certain occasion, an elaborate programme of music having 
 been prepared by the choir, from some cause or other, a 
 very small congregation was present. One of the youug 
 ladies of the choir suggested the advisability of changing 
 the music, reserving the best of it until a greater number 
 of people should be present to hear and enjoy it. "By no 
 means," said the rector; "you are not supposed to be 
 singing to a congregation, but to God. He is present 
 where even two or three are gathered together in His name; 
 and we will present to Him what we have prepared." 
 
26 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Another incident which occurred in one of our larger 
 cities may be cited, illustrative of the same idea. The 
 President of the United States was to be in that city over 
 Sunday, and had expressed his desire and intention of 
 going to a certain Church to participate in divine worship, 
 and incidentally to hear its noted vested choir. Just 
 previous to the procession, the choir master very naturally 
 urged the choir to their best endeavors ; ''remember,'' he 
 impressively said, ''the President of the United States is 
 present at this service.'' "And by the way," interrupted 
 the rector, with equal impressiveness and with great 
 solemnity, "you may as well remember that God is 
 present also at this service." 
 
 "It is sometimes allowed the choir to select an elaborate 
 setting for the Te Deum, and to sing an anthem, or an 
 offertory sentence, as an offering of their musical skill to 
 the Giver of their talent, a very appropriate and devout 
 custom when it is kept within due limits."* To which 
 we may add that there are times and occasions when a 
 very elaborate service may properly be used entire by a 
 choir capable of rendering it adequately, in which the 
 congregation necessarily has the minimum of singing. 
 But no service should be used in which the people have 
 absolutely no voice. Even in the most elaborate setting 
 of the Eucharistic Office, at least "Old Hundred" might 
 be sung at the Presentation of Alms. Such occasions, 
 however, are the exceptions, and more will be said about 
 them in a later chapter. 
 
 * Churcli Cyclopa-dia, Article "Clioir." 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE MIXED CHOIR. 
 
 The choir with which we are most familiar in this 
 country is what is called the Volunteer Mixed Choir, 
 composed of adult male and female voices, and comprising 
 any number of singers above a quartette. The organist 
 is usuall}^, as in other choirs, a paid functionary, and 
 frequently the director, even when he is not the organist, 
 is also under salary. 
 
 As this choir is usually composed of ladies aud gentle- 
 men who can give no more than one evening in the week 
 to practice, some of whom enter it as much for recreation 
 as from any other motive, its music is not generally of so 
 pretentious a nature as that of other choirs. Still, this 
 choir may, under good direction, do most excellent work, 
 and properly render the music of the service. 
 
 This is probabl3\ all things considered, the most avail- 
 able choir. In almost every community can be found a 
 number of good voices that are capable of being trained 
 in the music of the Church, and in sufficient numbers to 
 produce a good volume of tone, and present iu due 
 balance the four parts in the harmony. 
 
 In forming such a choir, it is wise to bear in mind 
 
28 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 that the very qualities which characterize, and indeed 
 even make the singer, tend to make him exquisitely 
 sensitive to other things at times. Forgetting or ignoring 
 this important fact, has often been productive of trouble 
 and jealousy in choirs of this kind. 
 
 The choir should be formed in the beginning with 
 great care. Do not go to work in a hap-hazard way, 
 asking everyone you learn is a singer to become a member 
 of your choir. Proceed carefully and cautiously. It is a 
 very good plan to first secure one soprano singer upon 
 whom you are reasonably certain 3^ou can rely, and 
 consult with her in regard to the other singers. Invite 
 no one without sufficiently consulting those who have 
 already accepted, to ascertain beyond a reasonable doubt 
 that those whom you wish to invite will be acceptable to 
 all. The adoption of this plan, although it may involve 
 a little trouble on your part, will preclude one great 
 source of choir trouble. Another source may be avoided 
 by making it clear that you require other cpialifications 
 beside music — that you will not tolerate ill-behavior or 
 disorder. 
 
 If the clergyman is not musical, he must first of all 
 select his choirmaster, or director ; then, in company with 
 that person, let him proceed as above outlined. In form- 
 ing a new choir, it is better for invitations to membership 
 to come from the clergyman ; but undoubtedly there are 
 circumstances under which he may place the entire matter 
 in the hands of a trustworthy person, and not concern 
 
THE MIXED CHOIR. 29 
 
 himself at all over it. In such a case, he is to be heartily 
 congratulated. 
 
 The choir being formed, the next step is the first 
 practice ; and in outlining this practice we will suppose 
 the choir, as a body, to be ignorant of the Church services 
 and methods of song. 
 
 Hymnals must be provided, of course. The best 
 hymnal for general use in such a choir, as containing the 
 greatest number of familiar hymn tunes and a good 
 selection of chants, is Hutchins'. Begin the practice with 
 a few of the most familiar metrical tunes, such as Hebron, 
 Uxbridge and Duke Street. Let these be sung with little 
 or no comment, except what encouragement you can give 
 and such praise as you can conscientiously bestow. Then 
 select one or two hymns for the first service at which the 
 choir is to sing, and. let them be set to familiar tunes. A 
 laudable ambition may be aroused at this practice by 
 attempting some tune beyond their present capacity ; 
 such tunes are easily found ; hymns 68, 76, 144, 189 
 (first), or 512 [Hutchins] will answer the purpose. When 
 they fail in singing it, say to them, ''We are not up to 
 this kind of music yet, but it will not be long before we 
 will sing it, and even more difficult music." 
 
 If the choir is needed for immediate service, it would 
 be advisable — maybe, even necessary — to read the Venife 
 and other Psalms and Canticles in the service, until they 
 are sufficiently trained to sing them properly. The J^enite 
 and Jubilate [or Benedictus] could be sung before the Te 
 
30 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Deum is learned. In Evening Prayer, the shortest chants, 
 Bomim Est and Xiuic Dimittis, might be learned first. 
 
 Instruction in chanting should begin at the very out- 
 set. Take the Gloria Patri first ; write it on a black- 
 board, or previously write it on pieces of music paper, to 
 some melodious and easy single [Anglican] chant, but not 
 in chant form — for example, take the following chant, 
 bv Medlev, writino^ it thus : 
 
 to the Ho-ly Ghost: As it was in the beginniug;, is now, and 
 
 ^::2|:zi: 
 
 
 0— — z=b=±:iz: zi:=t=c:: 
 
 r^-t 
 
 
 / • / • 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 ev - er shall be, 
 
 tvorld without 
 
 end. 
 
 il 
 
 '^m 
 
 — a^-r-^- 
 
 EEt 
 
 ;e: 
 
 ^»-T 
 
 I 
 
 Explain the structure of the chant aj* here written : it 
 consists of two parts, recitative and cadence, two of each, 
 
THE MIXED CHOIR. •" 
 
 marked respectively R and C. The recitative has no regu- 
 lar time, therefore the time mark is § . The cadence is to 
 be sung in strict 2-4 time, and rapidly. The commas m the 
 words are to be observed, and are accompanied by rests in 
 the music. The syllables in italics are to be prolonged, as 
 indicated by the notes set to them. Let the choir sing 
 this repeatedly, until it is learned. 
 
 Then call attention to the fact that the recitative, 
 being all on the same pitch in each of the four parts, is 
 usually-indeed, always- written as one note, the words 
 being adapted to that one note as indicated in this music. 
 Turn to the same chant in Hutchins', No. 319, and call 
 attention to its being the same music. Point out that the 
 words will be found at the end of the Benedk, on the 
 opposite page, and show how they are to be adapted to the 
 music in its chant form. Finally, take the first two verses 
 of the Benedk, adapt them to the music, and smg them. 
 Then try a Venite, sav to chant No. 15, singing the Olona 
 Patvi fii-st. Always use the Glorm Patri in learning new • 
 chants. At .first, all chants should be single ; the double 
 ones will easily follow, in good time. 
 
 This method of teaching the chant will be found to be 
 the most practical one that can be used for adult choirs 
 in this countrv, whether chorus or quartette; our 
 American adult singers are accustomed to rhythmic music 
 only, save one here and there who has had instruction and 
 a little training in the recitative of opera or oratorio 
 music, perhaps in "Vaccai ;" and to such this method of 
 
32 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 writing the chant will convey more real knowledge on 
 the subject than anything else. 
 
 The constant tendency in chanting is to "gabble'' the 
 recitative, and "drag" the cadence. Insist upon the 
 recitative being sung deliberately, and the cadences rapidly. 
 
 It should be well understood, not only by members of 
 the choir, but by all persons in the parish, that no one is 
 to be invited to sing with the choir, either occasionally 
 or regularly, save by the clergyman, or the person to 
 whom he may delegate that privilege and authorit3^ 
 Trouble often arises from individual members of the 
 choir asking their musical friends to "come and sing 
 with us," and I have even known wardens and vestrymen 
 to ask strangers to sing with a well-trained vested choir 
 and with no practice whatever with them, without con- 
 sulting the proper authority. 
 
 One trouble, which is usually not long in making its 
 appearance, is irregularity of attendance at practice, and 
 sometimes at service. This should not go unchecked. In 
 a large chorus we must look for some unavoidable irregu- 
 larity and unpunctuality from serious causes, but the 
 choir must be impressed with the idea that it is best to be 
 regular in punctual attendance. If the choir is so 
 directed and instructed that improvement in singing is 
 manifest to all, it is possible to make much of that fact. 
 Choir singers, in that case, should be given to understand, 
 in plain language, that they receive much more than they 
 give : that the instructions given them in sacred music 
 
THE MIXED (HOIR. 33 
 
 are valuable — to say nothing of the high honor and 
 privilege of leading in the common praise of the Church. 
 If the members of the choir once become imbued with 
 this idea, however slightly, this one trouble can be met in 
 such a manner as. to reduce it to its least dimensions. A 
 polite intimation to a member of the choir that the choice 
 must speedily be made between greater regularity and 
 dismissal becomes a possibility. • 
 
 The following incidents contain valuable points in 
 this connection. On one occasion a heavy rain had fallen, 
 but by time for practice it had ceased raining. The 
 rector went over to the church to meet the choir, but no 
 one was there. Some ten or fifteen minutes after the 
 hour appointed, two of the men made their appearance, 
 and asked if the practice had been given up. The rector 
 replied that, if such were the case, he was not aware of it. 
 By a little judicious talk, he soon had them quite anxious 
 for a practice. Then he assigned to each of them the 
 task of going out after the missing ones, himself taking 
 the greater number, and in half an hour the choir was 
 ready for practice, and had learned that in their rector's 
 opinion, if in no other, the music of the Church was no 
 trivial affair, to be set aside or neglected for anything 
 which would not cause the neglect of any other work. 
 
 In the other case, it was the last practice of the 
 Christmas music, and the principal soprano, a young lady, 
 was absent. Inquiry brought out the fact that she had 
 gone to a party. The rector proceeded to the house 
 
34 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 where the party was being given, and haNing requested to 
 see the young lady, reminded her that this was the final 
 practice for the Christmas music, and told her that if she 
 were not present, she could not sing on Christmas ; and 
 furthermore, that if they could not depend on her for 
 Christmas, she must cease to consider herself a member of 
 the choir. After a moment's thought she recognized the 
 justice of her rector's demands, excused herself for an 
 hour, and attended the practice. But even had she not 
 done so, and had been dismissed from the choir, it would 
 have been salutary rather than injurious to the choir, 
 even though she were the best singer there. 
 
 No special rule can be given in such cases ; they are 
 emergencies, and must be met as such. But an education 
 in the principles laid down in this chapter will make it 
 easier to meet them when thev arise. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE MIXED CHOIR — VOCAL TRAINING. 
 
 One occasionally hears a choir whose singing would be 
 very acceptable, if it were not for one or two voices whose 
 very unpleasant peculiarities make them prominent, and 
 render the music disagreeable. Some clergyman will, per- 
 haps, recognize his ow^n choir in these words, and will, 
 involuntarily, think of some one singer whose absence 
 from the choir is an improvement to the music ; perhaps 
 it is a bass singer whose musical efforts, to quote the 
 homely expression of a certain bucolic critic of my 
 acquaintance, "sounds like tearin' a rag '—that peculiar 
 grating, rasping, guttural tone which some people adopt 
 to make their voices heard, and in which they certainly 
 succeed beyond their most sanguine expectations. The 
 same effort on the part of a soprano produces an effect 
 painfully suggestive of a cat. 
 
 Now, while a clergyman may not presume to enter 
 upon the duties of a professional teacher of the voice, he 
 should be able, if he is conducting his own choir, to cor- 
 rect such faults, as well as to teach his choir how to 
 obtain the best results in their singing. Hence the advis- 
 ability of a few words, at this point, on the training of 
 voices for choir singing. 
 
3^6 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 The choir should be often reminded that the best choir 
 or chorus effect is produced Avhen no individual voice is 
 prominent; then it is comparatively easy to quell un- 
 pleasant voices. Such a voice as I have described can be 
 pleasantly modified and subdued by developing the tone 
 deep in the fJiroaf, and without any strong effort. "Sing 
 easily; don't try to sing loud. Your voice is quite a 
 prominent one, and will be distinctly heard if you sing 
 with a fourth of the power you now use," is what I have 
 often said to such persons. 
 
 You will, of course, have your practising, or some of 
 it, in the church building, where your services are held. 
 You must, occasionally, hear your choir from a distance, 
 as others hear them. Ask them to sing a hymn or chant, 
 and put the length of the church between you and theui 
 as they sing it. Watch closely for the unpleasant promi- 
 nent voices ; those that are pleasantly prominent may be 
 let alone, if not too prominent : they are rare enough to 
 form an exception to the rule. 
 
 The best chorus effect in the soprano is to be obtained 
 by carrying the middle register of the voice (the essential 
 feminine vocal characteristic) as low as D or C sharp 
 below the staff, never allowing the chest tones to rise 
 above those notes. One good authority on this subject 
 says, "Never extend lower registers upward, but strengthen 
 the upper registers and carry them downward, thus equal- 
 izing the voices from top to bottom, and enabling your 
 
THE MIXED CHOIR — VOCAL TKAININO. 37 
 
 pupils to sing without straining/'* For this purpose the 
 following exercise may be used : 
 
 mf mf mp p pp ppp 
 
 all, ah. ah, ah, ah, ah. 
 The first or second note, probably both, will be sung 
 easily and with a clear tone. Let all the others be sung 
 with the same quality of voice, making each tone like the 
 one preceding it. This can be done by singing them as 
 marked, diminishing in power. If the lower notes are 
 sung loud, the tendency in an untrained voice is to use 
 the chest tone. After this exercise is sung several times, 
 and the attention of the singers called to the quality of 
 tone desired, try the following : 
 
 inf mf vip p p p p p p p p pp pp 
 
 ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. ah, ah, ali. 
 
 Impress upon the sopranos that all tones above E 
 [fifth note in above exercise] should be sung softly, and 
 thus avoid shrieking. In the descending portion of this 
 exercise, which is really the important part, persist in the 
 practice until a clear, flute-like tone is produced. The 
 proper tone in both exercises can only be produced softly at 
 first ; constant practice will strengthen it. These exer- 
 cises must be sung by all the sopranos together, although 
 
 * Belmke's "Mechanism of the Human Voice." 
 
38 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 it is well to try each voice separately on them two or 
 three times. The ladies can be gathered together a half- 
 hour before practice for this work. 
 
 Altos are always tempted to carry their chest tones 
 too high. The first exercise just given will be found as 
 useful for them as for the sopranos ; and for the cultiva- 
 tion of the upper tones, and the extension of the middle 
 register, the following will be of use : 
 
 sJoioer. 
 pp p pp mp p mp p mf p p p p pp pp l)p 
 
 ?^Efeii^ii^iSlgE3Ei=5Ei 
 
 ah. ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ali. ah. ah. 
 
 If any of the alto voices cannot reach the first note — 
 though all should be able to do so — they may begin with 
 the third, or with the second measure. The altos must 
 bear in mind that their part must not be as prominent as 
 the soprano, and in all parts, marked individuality must 
 be discouraged in chorus singing. Endeavor to^foster a 
 true esprit de corps rather than a personal pride in sing- 
 ing : let all your aim and instruction be "the singing of 
 the choir j' and not the singing in the choir. 
 
 As a rule, train your tenors and basses individually 
 rather than collectively. Notice that I say "as a rule," 
 for there are cases once in a while where collective training 
 may be used. Notice what voices among the men are 
 unpleasant or disagreeable in any regard, and when you 
 find such a voice, arrange to meet the possessor of it alone. 
 Then try his voice on the scale over and over again, forte 
 
THE MIXED (HOIK — V(H AL TRAINING. iU) 
 
 and piano, fortissimo and pianissimo, until you <liscover 
 and locate a note that he sings pleasingly and properly. 
 Then repeatedly practice that one note, softly at first, 
 until he learns to recognize it himself and understands 
 just how he produces it. Then take the next note above 
 or below and try to make it resemble that note in (piality 
 and power, and in course of time carry out the same idea 
 throughout the entire compass of his voice. 
 
 Musically speaking, beware of the ''shrieking'' soprano, 
 the ''bellowing" alto, the "shouting" tenor and the "bark- 
 ing" bass : they are kindred abominations, and the last 
 named evidently models his singing on the E flat tuba of 
 a brass band, as played by the average amateur. A 
 persistent practice of sustained tones sung softly will work 
 surprising effects in all these cases. 
 
 "Husky" voices are often benefitted by steady practice 
 of what is sometimes called the "stroke" or "shock" of the 
 glottis ; also by repeated endeavors to sing loud tones 
 with the least possible amount of breath, being directed to 
 "sing the tone long and loud, and hold hack the breath.'' 
 
 Nasal voices have no place in the choir. If they are 
 there, however, and you can not see your way clear to 
 banishing them, constantly impress upon them t\mt pianis- 
 simo music is their forte. 
 
 If the work set forth in this chapter is carried 
 out, even to a moderate degree, its effect will be 
 found in uniting the choir in tone, which will lead to 
 union in sentiment and endeavor. Every member will 
 
40 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 perceive and appreciate the point that he is receiving 
 material benefit from his connection with the choir — that 
 the instruction alone fully repays him for what trouble 
 he may take to attend practices and services. 
 
 These exercises should be often repeated, especially as 
 new singers enter ; and doubtless other work of this 
 nature will suggest itself. As the choir progresses in its 
 singing, a higher class of music may be used, and occa- 
 sionally a good anthem or setting of the Te Deum, or the 
 evening canticles may be prepared for special service. 
 But the choir should never for an instant be allowed to 
 lose sight of its true standing and office — that of leading 
 the congregation in the singing of Grod's praise. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE QUARTETTE CHOIR. 
 
 The mixed quartette choir is by no means to be ignored 
 or despised. It is common, now-a-days, to speak of it 
 contemptuously and slightingly, in some quarters even 
 bitterly, to call it ''unchurchly," and to refer to it as an 
 ''abomination,'' an "unmitigated evil," all of which is 
 unfair and unjust. There may be some quartette choirs 
 that merit such stinging and harsh words, but— there are 
 quartette choirs and quartette choirs. 
 
 But, it must be acknowledged that the quartette choir 
 is more likely to act upon mistaken ideas, and has stronger 
 temptation to become unchurchly in its music and 
 methods than any other form of choir. With but one 
 voice to each part, and that usually a voice of more than 
 ordinary ability and culture, this choir feels it to l)e a 
 waste of time and talent if no music is attempted of a 
 more elaborate nature than is possible for a chorus to sing. 
 The musical taste is continually tempted to overwhelm 
 the devotional sense ; or in some instances, perhaps, that 
 music which appeals to and expresses the devotional sense 
 of the trained soloist is to the ordinary ear only the 
 display of the concert room. 
 
42 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 If such cultured singers will but study — as they well 
 know how — the music of the Church, and become thor- 
 oughly imbued with its spirit, they will value and appre- 
 ciate it as no other choirs can. But, unfortunately, there 
 is a prejudice to overcome, in most cases. Such music, 
 they suppose is impossible to them, and can only be ren- 
 dered by a chorus, and they are not chorus singers, but 
 soloists. I speak on these points from repeated experience 
 as a member of such choirs, in various capacities. 
 
 There is a method of minimizing this disadvantage ; 
 briefly stated, it is this : Each member of the quartette 
 should be engaged in two capacities — first, as a soloist ; 
 second as one trained in technique, expression and power, 
 to lead the congregation in song. All hymns must be sung 
 from a certain specified hymnal, and the tune must invar- 
 iably be that to which the words are set in that hymnal, 
 the simplest or best known being used where a choice of 
 tunes is given. About once a month, let the first half- 
 hour of a practice be devoted to new hymn tunes and 
 chants, when the congregation may be invited to attend 
 and join in the practice. All hymns must be canonically 
 selected. /. e., by the clergyman. The Venite and all 
 glorias [including the Gloria Tihi and — generally — the 
 Gloria in Excehis] must be sung to easy chants selected 
 from the hymnal, as should also be one of the canticles of 
 Evening Prayer, save on the greater festivals, when only 
 the glorias in the psalter and one hymn need be congrega- 
 tional, and ''Praise God from Whom all blessings flow," 
 
THE QUARTETTE CHOIR. 43 
 
 sung to ''Old Hundred" at the Presentation of Alms. 
 
 This is not impracticable. It was strictly carried out 
 in one quartette of which I was the organist. At first it 
 seemed the height of absurdity to sing one of Thomas' or 
 Millard's Jubilates, and at its close to modulate to the 
 proper key and sing a Gregorian or Anglican chant to the 
 Gloria^ instead of the author's music. But the grand 
 effect of the congregational unison is sufficient to disarm 
 prejudice on that score; it is something which might 
 often be done w^ith great satisfaction by any choir — even a 
 vested one. 
 
 There is under such an arrangement abundant oppor- 
 tunity for the choir to sing that style of music to which 
 it is peculiarly adapted — in other words, to fulfil their 
 engagement as soloists. The service may be preceded by 
 an anthem, during w^hich the clergyman enters ; a solo, 
 duo, trio or quartette may be sung during the collection 
 of the offerings; there is also a special place in Evening 
 Prayer for an anthem, and another anthem, or elaborate 
 hymn setting, can be sung after the Benediction, during 
 which the clergyman retires. Occasionally, or even 
 usually, an anthem setting of a Te Deum, or one of the 
 Evening Canticles, might be used. Care should be taken to 
 avoid the use of adaptations of certain compositions w^hose 
 general associations are far from churchly, such as 
 operatic airs or w^ell-knowm German songs. 
 
 Sometimes a clergyman, especially in a new field, finds 
 a paucity of available singers, but is able to get together 
 
44 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 a quartette of fairly good voices. In such a case, it is wise 
 to use them. First, he must train them in sixiging metri- 
 cal hymns in strict time and with even power. Leading 
 a congregation in song does not admit of any very fine 
 shading in pp and rallentando^ still less in acceUerando and 
 a piacere singing. Then should follow training in the 
 chants, as outlined in' chapter V. 
 
 No chant for congregational use led by a quartette 
 should run above F in the treble ; E flat is a safer limit, 
 and a necessary one in unisons. The Quartette will find 
 it useful, even in the commonest Anglican chants, to sing 
 occasional verses in unison, or, in some of the longer 
 chants, to sing in antiphon unisons, the female and male 
 voices alternating. For example, the Venite may be sung 
 by a congregation led by a quartette choir with excellent 
 effect, the choir singing in this manner : 
 
 First verse, full unison ; verses 2, 3 and 4, full 
 harmony ; verse 5, female voices in unison ; verse 6, male 
 voices in unison ; verse 7, female voices in unison ; verse 
 8, male voices in unison ; verse 9, full harmony ; Gloria, 
 full unison [or, verse 7, full harmony ; verse 8, full unison. 
 Other variations in the different chants will occur to the 
 thoughtful and judicious director. 
 
 It is not difficult to imagine circumstances under 
 which the quartette is the only choir available. But in 
 its formation the same ideas should prevail that are set 
 forth in the preceding pages ; the choir must understand 
 that there is canonical authority over them in the matter 
 
THE QUARTBTTE CHOIR. 45 
 
 of music, and that their position is chiefly to lead the 
 congregation in singing. If singers seeking, or desiring, 
 or willing to accept positions in quartette choirs are not 
 willing to sing under these churchly restrictions, do not 
 engage them, no matter how talented and accomplished 
 they may be, or how high their standing in the musical 
 world ; they are lacking in certain very essential qualities 
 — among which is common sense — if they can not under- 
 stand the Church's right to regulate and direct the musical 
 portion of her services equally with the ritual, or, under- 
 standing it, are not willing to submit to it. 
 
 There is another form of choir, having points in 
 common with both the quartette and the mixed chorus, 
 namely, the double quartette, composed of eight voices,* 
 two voices on each of the four parts, instead of one. 
 Almost all that has been said in this chapter is applicable 
 to this form of choir, as well as many things in the 
 chapters on the Mixed Choir. 
 
 One thing which is possible to this choir is antiphonal 
 quartette singing, as well as the method of antiphon 
 unison ; and with proper care in forming it, a quartette of 
 female voices and one of male voices may be secured, 
 which will give a most agreeable variety in Offertory 
 music, anthems, etc., and a greater volume of tone is 
 secured for leading the congregation. 
 
 * Eight voices do not necessarily constitute a double (luartette ; there 
 must be two voices on each part. Any variation from this would consti- 
 tute a chorus choir. 
 
46 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 The combination of quartette and mixed choir is not 
 an uncommon one, and has much to recommend it. The 
 chorus gives the power needed, while the trained voices 
 are left more at liberty for their own specialties ; and 
 certain choruses with obligato movements, such as the 
 Inflammatus, in the Stahat Mater, can be prepared and 
 presented with proper effect. 
 
CHAPTER VIIT. 
 
 PRONUNCIATION OF WORDS. 
 
 The careless and faulty pronunciation o£ many sing- 
 ers is notorious. Good choir singing requires more than 
 correct intonation and good volume of tone ; it requires 
 the words to be correctly pronounced, and rendered in 
 such a manner that they may be distinctly understood 
 without a book in the hand of the hearer to follow them. 
 I remember several years ago reading an item that went 
 the rounds of the press, indicating the manner in which 
 some choir rendered the hymn beginning : 
 "Welcome, sweet day of rest." 
 
 The effect of these words as sung by this choir, was 
 "Waw kaw swaw daw aw raw, 
 
 and so on throughout the hymn. 
 
 Griven a church building with an echo, and this 
 illustration is hardly exaggerated. Mr. Stubbs, in his 
 little book, 'Practical Hints on Boy Choir Training '—a 
 book which ought to be in the hands of every director of 
 a vested choir— in a foot-note on p. 65, says : ^'The author 
 once heard a choir of considerable reputation sing 
 Barnby's anthem 'Break forth,' etc., thus— 'Break farth 
 into jy, break farth into jy, sing tuggether ye waste 
 
48 'clergy and choir. 
 
 places zof Jeerusalum !' The same choir sang vociferously 
 in another anthem, 'Hosanner in the highest, Hosanner 
 in the highest !' " I distinctly remember once hearing a 
 choir sing a hymn of which I conld not catch one single 
 word until during the third stanza, when I gathered 
 enough to assure me they were attempting the familiar 
 hymn beginning, ''NoW from the altar of our hearts." 
 
 There are a few words which, in spite of the dicta of 
 certain purists, cannot be pronounced in singing as 
 in speaking, although, as a rule, the same pronun- 
 ciation should prevail in both speech and song. Such 
 a word is "pardon," the pronunciation of which Webster 
 gives as "par-dn." Now as, in singing, the length of the 
 note must be given to the vowel sound, that vowel sound 
 must be given in the second syllable, although it is not to 
 be sounded in speaking. 
 
 The following three general principles should govern 
 every singer in pronunciation : 
 
 1. Give all vowels and consonants their proper sounds. 
 
 2. Never disconnect syllables or words that ought to 
 be kept together. 
 
 3. Never join words together that ought to be kept 
 apart. 
 
 The following rules, based on these three principles, 
 will be found very useful in choir work : 
 
 1. Such words as pass, last, path, rather, after, should 
 have, in singing, the pure Italian sound of a — ah: e. g., 
 pahss, lahst, pahth, rahther, ahfter. 
 
PRONUNCIATIOlir OF WORDS. 49 
 
 Caution : (a.) Do not give this sound in words where 
 it does not properly belong, as, e. g., hand, land, (b.) 
 Never insert an r, and say parse, larst, parth, etc. 
 
 Special words : Abraham should be pronounced "Ah- 
 brah-hahm ;" Israel, when in three syllables, "Is-rah-el ;" 
 be careful, in this word, not to say '^Is-rah-?/^//," as I have 
 heard it sung. Jehovah — first syllable should have the 
 short sound of e ; "Jeh-ho-vah," not " Jee-ho-var ;" Jeru- 
 salem should be pronounced in the same way — ''Jeh-ru- 
 sah-lem," not "Jee-roo-say-lem." 
 
 2. Words ending with a in unaccented, should have 
 nearly the same sound as if accented, in singing, namely, 
 the short sound of e, as in "again": e. g., mountain pro- 
 nounced "mounten ;" bargain, pronounced ''bargen." 
 * 3. Pronounce properly the short sounds of all vowels, 
 even if unaccented, and never replace the sound of one 
 vowel with that belonging to another, e. g.. Vanity 
 often mispronounced ''vanutty ;" worship, 'Svorshup ;*"* 
 Creator, "Creater." 
 
 4. As the tone maintains its len^-th on the vowel 
 element in a word or syllable, it is necessary to sound all 
 consonants clearl}^ and distinctly, almost explosively. 
 
 5. In compound vowel sounds, give the length to the 
 principle^ not to the "vanishing" element: e. g. The word 
 "light ;" the long sound of i is a compound, composed of 
 
 * In connection with this word, so commonly mispronounced, I have 
 sometimes reminded my clioir that a merchant never shwps liis g-oods; he 
 ships them. 
 
50 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 '•ah" for the principle, and ''ee" for the vanish. There- 
 fore sing the word "lah — eet," and not "laee — t." 
 
 These five rules are based on the first of the three 
 principles above set forth. On the second principle we 
 may build the following : 
 
 Never pause or breathe between the syllables of a 
 word. e. g., The line, "Life is a shadow, how it flies," 
 sung to the tune "Hebron," with this effect : "Life is a 
 shad, oh how it flies." 
 
 Exception : In such compositions as "Mighty Jeho- 
 vah," by Bellini (not very Churchly music, by the way, 
 but useful for illustration in this place) we find it 
 necessary to pause between the syllables of words to 
 secure a musical effect which is here allowed to predomi- 
 nate. • 
 
 And the third principle gives rise to the following 
 important rules: 
 
 1. Avoid running words together in such a manner 
 as to produce a sound connecting the two which is foreign 
 to either, e. g., f*raise ye, bless ye, that ye, often sung, 
 prazhee, bleshee, thatchee : such words should, if neces- 
 sary, have a decided pause between them. 
 
 2. Avoid running words together in such a manner 
 as to alter the sense, e. g.. Hymn 5, Church Hymnal, 
 third stanza ; the next to the last line is almost invariably 
 sung, "A pup, ye heirs of glory,'' instead of "Up, up, ye 
 heirs" etc. 
 
 Illustration : A choir unobservant of this rule once 
 
PRONUNCIATION OF WORDS. 51 
 
 sang the words, ^'The consecrated cross Td bear,'' with 
 such startling effect that a little child afterward asked 
 his parents what sort of an animal a "consecrated cross- 
 eyed bear" was, that they sang about in church. A very 
 slight pause after the word ''cross," would have remedied 
 this. 
 
 3. In words of two or more syllables having the last 
 syllable 7^;iaccented, sing that last syllable lightly, as it is 
 usually pronounced in speaking. 
 
 Note .• This rule well followed, is invaluable in 
 compound time as well as in chanting, both in recitative 
 and cadence. 
 
 4. Never pause or breathe after an unimportant 
 word ; if necessary, take the breath just before it. 
 
 5. Observe marks of punctuation and rhetorical 
 pauses. 
 
 Example illustrating both of these rules : The chorus 
 "And the glory of the Lord," from the oratorio of the 
 Messiah, usually rendered, "And the glory the, — glory of 
 the Lord." 
 
 As to such words as either, neither, wound, wind, and 
 all words that have two pronunciations, the best rule for 
 a choir is to follow the pronunciation of the minister. 
 
 Let me add here a few words on the subject of expres- 
 sion. Due attention to the words ought to indicate to 
 any ordinary intellect whether the tone should be loud or 
 soft. The hymn, "Father, whate'er of earthly bliss," 
 should not be sung with as much power as, "All hail the 
 
r^9 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 power of Jesus' name ;" every member of a choir should 
 possess sufficient intelligence to know this. Some 
 hymnals have the expression marks for everything to be 
 sung, which is a great saving of time to the director, and 
 a very beneficial thing, if the marking is done intelligently. 
 Choirs sometimes need practical training on the basis 
 that 2)iano does not mean lento^ and that diminuendo is 
 not necessarily to be associated with rallentandu. A good 
 way to correct this common fault, I have found, is to 
 have the choir often sing an entire tune very softly and 
 rapidly. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 GENERAL. 
 
 Choir Facilities and Properties— The jylace for the choir in 
 ^ church — the organ and the organist. 
 
 CHOIR FACILITIES AND PROPERTIES. 
 
 In every church building where it can be done, a 
 special room should be furnished for the use of the choir, 
 which room could, of coarse, be used for other purposes 
 when not in use by them. It should be furnished with a 
 piano or cabinet organ for use in practicing, and should 
 contain certain shelf-closets, or cases, furnished with lock 
 and key, for the safe keeping of hymnals, sheet and 
 manuscript music, extra prayer books, and other things 
 that a choir might find useful or convenient. It would 
 also furnish a convenient place for the disposal of heavy 
 wraps and overcoats in winter, umbrellas and rubbers in 
 rainy weather, as well as a place to gather for final hints 
 as to the music, just before service. 
 
 In pleasant weather, most choirs prefer to practice in 
 the church, with the accompaniment of the church organ; 
 but in the winter this necessitates the heating of the 
 building, and other accompanying inconveniences. 
 
54 CLERGY AND CHOIE. 
 
 Of course, in a small church building such a room 
 would probably be an impossibility. I have frequently, 
 in such case, when not best to use the church, held choir 
 practice at some private residence. 
 
 THE PLACE FOR THE CHOIR IN THE CHURCH. 
 
 The obsolescent custom of putting the choir in an 
 elevated gallery at the rear of the church is a most absurd 
 one. The proper place for the leaders of the people in 
 singing is in front of them, where they can be seen and 
 distinctly heard without any change of attitude on the 
 part of the people. An elevated place in front and to one 
 side, near the chancel, is the proper place for any choir— 
 except a vested one. The singers should never face the 
 congregation, but stand sidewise ; and in churches whtre 
 the priest assames the '^eastward position," it is needless 
 to say, the choir should also do so, turning to the altar at 
 all Glorias, Creeds and Gospels. 
 
 THE ORGAN AND THE ORGANIST. 
 
 The best instrument for use in church is, of course, 
 the pipe organ. Regarding this instrument it is not 
 necessary to write at length, as any parish possessing the 
 means to procure such an instrument, also possesses the 
 means, pecuniary and otherwise, of obtaining all necessary 
 information in regard to it. 
 
 In smaller or weaker parishes that are not able to 
 
THE ORGAN AND THE ORGANIST. 
 
 indulge in such an outlay as will secure a fiood pipe organ 
 — for a poor one is an abomination — the ^'Vocalion" is an 
 admirable substitute. But there are many parishes — 
 indeed, they are largely in the majority — that are unable 
 to bear even this much expense. In such churches, a good 
 cabinet organ will answer every purpose. A little advice 
 to such parishes is not amiss here, and indeed is often 
 sorely needed. 
 
 Do, not, under any circumstances, buy a cheap instru- 
 ment. The mails are flooded with circulars to clergymen 
 offering cabinet organs at a less price than a good instru- 
 ment can possibly be made for ; and sensible people who 
 would never buy a watch or a sewing-machine, or even a 
 shotgun so advertised, will depart from their principles 
 when it comes to the purchase of a musical instrument, 
 especially if it is for church use. 
 
 It is always safe to buy a new Burdette or Estey organ; 
 there are a few other makers whose instruments are sure 
 to be good, but it is not possible to name them all here. 
 The advice of some honest and competent music teacher, 
 who would not he like!;/ to hare a personal interest in thp 
 sale^ would prove useful on this point. Occasionally, one 
 is fortunate enough to find an instrument of inferior 
 make that turns out good, but to buy such instruments, 
 as also to buy second handed ones, is a risk. 
 
 Regarding organists, advice — as in the case of organs — 
 is not so necessary for large parishes as for small ones. 
 Any person who can handle a large church organ with 
 
56 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 sujSicient skill to secure an engagement as organist, gen- 
 erally possesses sufficient taste, judgment, and other 
 needed qualifications, either naturally or by acquisition, to 
 successfully perform the functions demanded. It is in the 
 small parish where the greatest difficulties are to be 
 encountered in this regard. 
 
 The cabinet organ may be played in such a manner as 
 to materially aid the singing, or it may be so handled as 
 to be a hindrance. If the player is inexperienced, it is 
 well to select all tunes a full week in advance, that the 
 organist may have sufficient practice in them to play them 
 smoothly, correctly, and without hesitation. Church 
 attendants in large cities do not realize the trials of many 
 small country parishes in this regard. The following 
 actual experience may be something new to them, and 
 may convey a useful hint to some clergyman. 
 
 I once undertook to conduct services for a while on 
 Sunday afternoons in a little country church which stood 
 all alone out on the prairie. The organist was a young 
 girl, who also led the singing with a whoop and a shriek. 
 She was a very inexperienced player, and I was very kindly 
 cautioned about her peculiar methods, just before service 
 began, by one of the vestrymen, a worthy stock-farmer, 
 whose idioms w^ere all of a '^horsy" character. 
 
 ''The girl that plays the organ," he explained, "is a 
 young creature, but perfectly good-natured and gentle ; I 
 don't know enough about music myself to judge of her 
 merits very well, but it's very evident that she occasionally 
 
THE ORGAN AND THE ORGANIST. 
 
 shies at an unexpected sharp or flat ; and, another thing, 
 if she comes to any obstruction in the tune that she balks 
 at, she just trots back to the starting-ropes and tries it 
 over again ; we all humor heron that point, and somehow 
 or other, we generally manage to pull through. I just 
 thought I'd mention this," he concluded, ^'because a 
 person always likes to know what to expect ; I know / 
 do if I get hold of a strange horse^ and I suppose a 
 minister is the same when he gets into a strange chiirch.^^ 
 The service proceeded very smoothly ; the chants were 
 sung with no breaks, although the tone was rather crude^ 
 and the cadences were sung exceedingly slow ; but the 
 evident hearty enjoyment of the people in the singing 
 was the best kind of music in itself. But the first hymn 
 contained an "obstruction," although I had purposely 
 selected a familiar and easy tune, ''Federal Street," Hymn 
 887. The "young creature" sounded the first chord, and 
 started off in the lead in very good style, with the congre- 
 gation after: "Stay, Thou long-suf — " (mistake: B naf- 
 nral instead of flat, in the air). She stopped short, and 
 so did the people. They "humored her," as my informant 
 put it ; and all begun again : ^'Stay, Thou long suf — " 
 (same mistake). All the congregation very obligingly^ 
 and iu a perfectly matter-of-course way, began again, and 
 this time it went through triumphantly with no further 
 mishaps ; but it took the entire time occupied by the 
 singing of the hymn for me to recover myself sufficiently 
 to proceed with the service, and I did not dare venture on the 
 
58 CLEEGY AXD CHOIR. 
 
 announcement of the other hymn. Before leaving the 
 church, I selected the hymns for the next Sunday 
 afternoon, and requested the organist to practice them 
 during the intervening week. At the next service I led 
 the hymns myself, and disregarded all breaks and "balks,'' 
 if there were any, on the part of the "young creature'' at 
 the organ. 
 
 By careful attention and practice, the 3"0ung amateur 
 can learn the ways of the service, and can acquire all the 
 necessary skill in accompanying the singing with the 
 cabinet organ. In a small parish it is advisable to have 
 three or four organists in training from among the young 
 people, allowing first one, then another, to play in Sunday 
 School and at week-day services, thus "breaking them in'' 
 for future work in connection with the choir. This is a 
 plan which I have always adopted, and I have found it to 
 work admirably. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 GENERAL. 
 
 Special Choirs — School Choirs — Children's Music — 
 Festal Music. 
 
 SPECIAL CHOIRS. 
 
 For a parochial mission, a Good Friday "Three Hours," 
 or some other special service, it is sometimes advisable — 
 even necessary — to form a choir to sing on that occasion 
 only, as perhaps the members of the regular choir are 
 unable to attend, or a larger choir is desired. 
 
 In forming such a choir, the "hap-hazard" method is 
 as much to be deprecated as it is in forming the regular 
 choir. It is better, first, before taking any active steps, to 
 decide how large a choir is desirable, and how it must be 
 proportioned in the four parts, and other things that the 
 occasion may demand. Then, ascertain upon how many 
 members of the regular choir you can depend. When 
 this IS clearly settled, and you know just what you want, 
 invite outsiders as you think best, either by public invita- 
 tion, or personally, or both. 
 
 The practice of such a choir should be closely confined 
 to the music of the service or services for which it is 
 
60 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 organized. The finer details of expression, phrasing, etc., 
 which may occupy considerable time and study in the 
 regular choir, must, of necessity, be omitted, or only 
 casually touched upon. The general effect is all that is 
 possible. If the choir is organized for a parochial mission, 
 the soprano should largely predominate ; and as the music 
 for mission use is all of the simplest description, good 
 volume, strict time, clear enunciation, and correct pronun- 
 ciation of words are all that can be labored for. 
 
 SCHOOL CHOIRS. 
 
 In our schools we have peculiar conditions for the 
 formation of choirs. In a boys' school, a full vested 
 choir is among the possibilities, as some of the older boys 
 or of the teachers may sing tenor and bass, or those parts 
 can be filled, to some extent, by men residing near by, 
 who are not otherwise connected with the school. But in 
 a girls' school we have, at the most, only two kinds of voices, 
 soprano and alto. Still, if there are one or two high 
 sopranos and an equal number of deep contraltos among 
 them, good four-part harmony can be produced for occa- 
 sions. The same limitation applies to our Theological 
 schools, with the difference that all the voices are male. 
 With one or two high tenors and the same number of 
 deep basses, four-part harmony is also possible. 
 
 Unison services will be found the best adapted, in a 
 general way, to such conditions, and Gregorian tones 
 may be freely used. But as this book is concerned with 
 
children's music. 61 
 
 parish choirs, these are matters that must be left to spec- 
 ialists and experts. 
 
 children's music. 
 
 The singing of the Sunday School is of the nature of 
 congregational singing; but it must be borne in mind 
 that children, by the very nature of childhood, demand 
 lively, f resh^ stirring melodies. It is difficult in attempting 
 to avoid the Scylla of the over-rich (for children) har- 
 monies of the music of the Church, to keep from running 
 on to the Charybdis of the popular gigatic* Sunday 
 School music of the present day. It is devoutly to be 
 hoped that some good composer will be raised up, with 
 the love of God and little children so filling his entire 
 being that he will not fear, or care for, would-be classical 
 critics, and will, consequently, write such music for 
 children as their nature craves, and the great need of the 
 Church in this matter demands. 
 
 We already have a little of such music; and if all our 
 books of children's music could be gathered together, and 
 a selection made from them of such pieces as are suitable 
 
 * Gigatic. The use of this word may seem to some purists to demand 
 justification, which is here given: In the review of a certain new book of 
 alleged Sunday School music, in a prominent sectarian paper, this word 
 makes its dehut as follows: "It must be conceded that in this large 
 collection of Sabbath School music, Mr. has undertaken and success- 
 fully completed a most gigatic work." At first, we regarded the word 
 * gigatic" as a typographical error, supposing the reviewer had written it 
 "gigantic;" but a casual examination of the book under review satisfied 
 us that the intelligent compositor was all riglit-he had followed copy. 
 From the very nature of the case, tlie reviewer liad seen the necessity— 
 and acted upon it— of adding a new and mucli needed word to our vocabu- 
 lary, freshly coined from the Italian gig i, a jig. 
 
02 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 for children — the judgment of the little ones themselves 
 being consulted— we might possibly have one excellent 
 collection, if not a very large one, of good music for our 
 children. 
 
 Children should early be taught how to chant properly, 
 singing the recitative with due deliberation, and the 
 cadences rapidly and heartily. I have invariably found 
 children particularly partial to some of (he Gregorian 
 tones, as the Tonus Regius, the Rouen Mediation (v, 5), 
 Tone iii, 4, and one or two others, after they have become 
 somewhat familiar with them ; and they arrive, in course 
 of time, to an appreciation of good music, and of classical 
 (if not too elaborate) harmonies. 
 
 FESTAL MUSIC. 
 
 On festal occasions, when the heart is filled with 
 emotions of joy and gratitude to God, it is very seemly 
 and appropriate that our music should correspond, and it 
 is not at all unbecoming to carefully prepare and offer to 
 God, at such a time, our very best endeavors — in music, 
 as in other offerings. 
 
 The feeling underlying all this is a natural one, 
 implanted in our bemgs by God Himself ; it manifests 
 itself in various ways, and is to be commended as long as 
 the outward manifestations of that feeling do not usurp 
 the place of true worship, and as long as we bear in mind 
 that there is not only afeeJinr/ to be considered and mani- 
 fested, but a principle as well. 
 
FESTAL MUSIC. 63 
 
 Both principle and feeling impel ns to make careful 
 preparation for such occasions, not only that we may 
 indicate our sense and appreciation of the value and 
 importance of that which the service is designed to 
 commemorate, but also that we may render unto God a 
 service which has cost us in its preparation some labor, 
 and perhaps — more pleasing in His sight — -some self- 
 denial. We even take extra pains with our own personal 
 appearance, which is praiseworthy if it be, as it should, 
 from a desire to offer God even that personal appearance 
 at its best. In our offerings of our means in the Offertory, 
 the same principle should actuate us, namely, the offering 
 of the fruits of careful, painstaking preparation in the 
 way of labor or self-denial. So with our music. But if 
 the underlying motive is pride, in all or any of these 
 things, not only is it apt to be overdone, but the offering 
 itself is a 'Vain oblation." 
 
 Care must be taken in our music, as in everything 
 else, not to attempt what is beyond our ability. The 
 choir must bear this in mind in its preparation, and not 
 try to render music of w-hich it is not capable. For 
 a choir whose capacity is only equal to the simple chants 
 and metrical tunes of the ordinary Sunday services to 
 attempt, say, on Easter, Eyre's setting to the Communion 
 Office, or one of Stainer's, Smart's or Buck's heaviest 
 Te Deums, would be more than absurd, it would be Avrong. 
 
 And choirs that are capable of this heavy work should 
 reserve such music for festal occasions, and by no means 
 
64 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 use it constantly, as it is beyond the appreciation of the 
 average congregation, and is, therefore, no incentive or 
 aid to devotion. 
 
 Again, in the preparation of festal music, it must be 
 borne in mind that the people must not be deprived of the 
 right and privilege of joining their voices with those of 
 the choir in some ascriptions of praise, and the endeavor 
 should be to see how much hearty congregational singing 
 is possible, consistent with the special festal music of the 
 choir, not, as is too often the case, how little. Such hymn 
 tunes as Hebron, Coronation, Duke Street, Arlington, 
 Balerma, Mear, Worgan, Adeste Fideles, can be selected 
 for the hymns, and the festal atmosphere of the occasion 
 be thereby more pronounced, as well as better appreciated 
 and enjoyed. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Fonnbuf the Choir— Its Oiyanizatiou— Vestments. 
 
 The vested choir of men and boys is the distinctively 
 churchly choir. It is an organization siii generis, and 
 requires more care, attention and practice, as well as more 
 rigid discipline, than any other form of choir. It is 
 available in almost every parish, however small, although 
 not always expedient. As to its availability, I know of a 
 very small parish where the rector spent the first two 
 years of his incumbency in vainly trying to form a mixed 
 choir, or even— what he supposed to be his only possible 
 •choice,— a quartette. At last, in sheer desperation, he 
 began to look about for boys ; to his surprise and delight 
 he soon had a choir of ten boys and six men in training, 
 and could have had more. It was crude material, all of 
 it, but in the course of a year he had a choir capable of 
 rendering the music of the service in a very acceptable 
 manner. 
 
 Several things are essential to success, not only in the 
 formation, but also in the continuance of such a choir. 
 If you are in hearty sympathy with boys, really like to be 
 
66 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 with them, can enter with honest pleasure into the enjo}^- 
 ment of their plans and games (if not into the games 
 themselves), and know yourself to be possessed of the- 
 power of governing them, you can make such a choir a 
 success. Otherwise, if you desire such a choir, you should 
 procure some trustworthy man, who possesses these 
 needful qualifications, as your choirmaster. 
 
 This choir demands great care and labor from thfr 
 nature of the boy's voice, as well as the nature of the boy 
 himself. The attention required to be paid to the men 
 and their voices is very little more than is required in an 
 ordinary mixed choir with good musical aspirations. The 
 most of the time and care must be expended on the boys ; 
 and their voices are not permanent ; at the age of puberty 
 the boy's voice changes more or less gradually to the 
 man's, and during this period his voice is absolutely 
 useless, and his place in the choir must be filled. From 
 the nature of the material of this choir, this is a very 
 serious matter. 
 
 In any other choir, if a singer drops out, all that is 
 necessary is to secure another. But when a boy ceases, 
 to sing, not only must another boy be found to fill his 
 place, but all the work which was done in training the 
 old chorister must be repeated with the new boy. Thus 
 a vested choir is a scene of unending vocal training — not 
 to higher and still higher points, however, but the same 
 thing over and over again — a sort of treadmill. And 
 then, too, it is necessary to have some hold on the boy 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 67 
 
 lifter the gloss of novelty has worn off; boys must be 
 kept interested. More new music must be used than in 
 other choirs, which is a considerable item of expense, ta 
 say nothing of medals, prizes, treats, etc., which are very 
 precious in the sight of the average boy. 
 
 But the advantages and superiority of a good choir of 
 this nature, fully compensate for all these drawbacks. 
 The vigor and freshness of boys' voices have an inspiriting^ 
 effect on the singing of the men, and the music possesses 
 a force and verve unattainable to any other choir. Both 
 men and boys begin, in due time, to acquire an interest in 
 the Church, apart from the music. An objector to vested 
 choirs once said to me, in a carping and fault-finding 
 spirit, "There is no knoAving where it will end." And 
 truly there is no knowing. I have heard that, in one 
 instance, it ended in a choir-boy eventually becoming a 
 Bishop ! 
 
 The esprit de corps in such a choir is very marked, and 
 the men and boys become very strongly attached to each 
 other. If the men are frequently reminded of the influ- 
 ence of their lives and conduct on the boys, it gives a 
 strong inducement to the higher life. And the matter of 
 influence is not confined to the men alone. More than 
 one community has reaped signal benefit from the influ- 
 ence of a vested choir, without realizing to what they 
 were indebted for the manifest improvement in the man- 
 ners and morals of the boys generally. If the boys of the 
 choir are taught that their daily lives must correspond 
 
68 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 with their position in the Church, the attempt to lead 
 such a life cannot fail to have its influence upon other 
 boys with whom they associate at school or play. 
 
 The first necessity in forming a choir of this kind is 
 to clearly ascertain how large a choir is desired. The 
 size of the choir should be in proportion to the size of the 
 church building, as a general rule. A choir of eight 
 voices is large enough for some churches, while others 
 could use ten times that number. After this point is 
 decided, then the proportions — /. e., the number of voices 
 desired on each of the four parts in the harmony — must 
 be considered and determined. The best musical effects 
 will generally be produced where the sopranos equal in 
 number all the other singers, as in the following tables : 
 
 CHOIR OF EIGHT. 
 Sopranos 4 Alto 1 Tenor 1 Basses 2 
 
 CHOIR OF TWELVE. 
 
 Sopranos 6 Altos 2 Tenor 1 (or 2) Basses 3 (or 2) 
 
 CHOIR OF TWENTY. 
 Sopranos 10 Altos 4 Tenors 2 Basses 4 
 
 CHOIR OF TWENTY-SIX. 
 Sopranos 12 Altos 4 Tenors 4 Basses 6 
 
 In choirs of twenty and above, it is better to have 
 •even numbers in all the parts, for convenience in the 
 ■division of the choir into two equal parts. Hence in the 
 above table, the number of sopranos is 12 instead of 18. » 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 69 
 
 CHOIR OF THIRTY. ' 
 
 Sopranos 16 (or 14) Altos 4 (or 6) Tenors 4 Basses 6 
 
 CHOIR OF FORTY. 
 
 Sopranos 20 Altos 6 (or 8) Tenors 6 (or 4) Basses 8 
 
 CHOIR OF FIFTY. 
 Sopranos 24 Altos 8 (or 6) Tenors 6 (or 8) Basses 12 
 
 This, however, is not a ''law of the Medes and Per- 
 sians." Voices differ in power to such an extent that 
 this proportion must oftentimes be varied — it may be, 
 greatly so. Thus, one of the best choirs I ever heard 
 contained thirty-eight voices, proportioned as follows : 
 Sopranos 12 Altos 8 Tenors 8 Basses 10. 
 
 The sopranos in this choir possessed remarkably pow- 
 erful voices, while the other singers were by no means 
 robust in tone, but made up a good volume by their 
 number. 
 
 llaving decided upon the size of the choir and its 
 proportions in the various parts — subject, of course, to 
 change, dependent on the relative strength of the voices 
 secured — let it be publicly known that you desire to pro- 
 cure choristers between the ages of nine and fifteen, so 
 many boys for soprano, so many for alto ; also give the 
 probable number of tenors and basses needed. Specify a 
 time for meeting boys to try their voices and to select 
 from them the number you require. Ask your teachers 
 of boys' classes in the Sunday School to talk it over with 
 their boys, and to aid in creating enthusiasm on the 
 
70 CLERGY AXI) CHOIR. 
 
 subject. You will need to use personal work and influence 
 to secure the attendance of some of the men, but a few 
 once secured, these will usually bring in others. 
 
 When you meet the boys, as above directed, to try 
 their voices, first let them sing some familiar tune 
 together ; then try the voices individually and separately. 
 Try each boy on the same hymn that all have sung 
 together, then let him vocalize* the scales, beginning 
 with the scale of C, and singing in succession, quite 
 slowly, the scales of D flat, D, E flat, E and F, until you 
 get a fair idea of the quality and range of his voice. 
 Some voices will need a little coaxing and humoring at 
 the very outset to accomplish even this. Some boys, 
 while capable of doing it, absolutely do not know how to 
 sound a tone as played on an instrument. With such, 
 the best way is to find on the instrument the tone which 
 they sound with the voice, and from that to lead them 
 gradually — note by note — to the tone desired. Adopt 
 some method of recording each voice as tried, that when 
 you have tried them all you may have a definite knowl- 
 edge : some such record as the following, will be sufiicient : 
 Write down each boy's name, his age, whether baptized 
 or no, and such other points as you desire, and then 
 indicate, by letters — a, b, c, or by numbers, the standing 
 of his voice — say 1, for excellent in tone, quality, compass ; 
 2, good ; 3, fair ; 4, poor ; 5, rejected. 
 
 After all have been tried, form your soprano and alto 
 
 * To vocalize is simply to sing "ah" to each note. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 71 
 
 corps, first including all marked 1 ; if that is not sufficient, 
 add from those marked 2, 3 and 4 successively, of course 
 rejecting all marked 5. If any remain, invite them to 
 come and practice with the choir for a while, as they 
 may be needed. 
 
 Very often a rejected voice will, by careful work, 
 come out in good shape. One of the finest high sopranos 
 I ever had in a choir was rejected at first, as having a 
 coarse, disagreeable tone of voice, and being unable to 
 sound a tone as played on the instrument. 
 
 Boys under nine years of age are of no use in the choir, 
 and indeed ten is a better limit. They are not good 
 readers, nor are they yet developed enough intellectually. 
 Bat from that age they are useful, and grow more and 
 more so, until the change of voice, which occurs at the 
 age of 16, sometimes as early as 15, and in some rare 
 instances — more common in the southern latitudes — as 
 early as 14 or 13. As the voice begins to change, we will 
 often find the change to be so gradual that a soprano can 
 be transferred to alio, and sing that part for some time. 
 Some choirmasters, after the first year or so of their 
 choir's existence, keep their alto ranks filled in this man- 
 ner, and the boys come to regard it as a promotion. 
 
 After a sufficient preliminary training, as outlined in 
 chapter XIII, the men may be called on to meet with the 
 boys ; any of the men who do not read music should, of 
 course, have some instruction also, during this time ; then 
 it is well to organize the choir, setting forth disciplinary 
 
CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 rules, appointing officers, assigning numbers, and other- 
 wise putting the choir into shape for effective work. If 
 the choir is a hirge one, and you intend to divide it into- 
 Decani and Cantoris, do not make that division until you 
 become well acquainted with the voices and capabilities of 
 the singers, that the two sides may be as nearly equal as. 
 possible. 
 
 All choir officers should be appointed by the rector,, 
 not elected by the choir. The choirmaster may request 
 the rector to formally appoint such officers as he desires, 
 or — what is often a better way — the rector may delegate 
 the choirmaster to make such appointments in his name. 
 The election of officers should be confined to such organ- 
 izations as may be formed within the choir, or in connec- 
 tion therewith, such as the "Choir Club,'' described in a 
 subsequent chapter. 
 
 The following is a good form of organization : The 
 choir officers to consist of, 1. The rector, who is president 
 of the organization ; 2. The choirmaster, who is warden 
 and director; 3. The organist, whose duties are well 
 understood ; 4. The crucifer, who shall carry the cross in 
 all processions of the choir, and who need not be a singer; 
 5. The clerk, who shall keep a faithful record of all ser- 
 vices and choir rehearsals with the attendance and 
 punctuality of the choir, also, for reference, shall keep a 
 file of programmes of all services ; 6. The librarian, or 
 curator, who shall have charge of all books and music 
 used in the choir (the crucifer may be utilized for this 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 office); 7. The collectors, who shall gather up the offer- 
 ings of the choir at all services where an offering is made, 
 and reverently place it on the plates or alms-basin ; one 
 or two of the little boys will do this work very well. 
 
 Such a choir needs long preliminary training before 
 entering upon active duty in the service of the Church ; 
 from three to nine months will be required, according, 
 to habits, previous musical knowledge, etc., of the singers.. 
 The boys should, as before intimated, be trained separately 
 for some time, and all bass and tenor singers who have 
 never sung before, and do not read music, must be put 
 under instruction also. And while this preliminary work 
 is being done, the vestments must be prepared. 
 
 The proper vestments for a choir are the cassock and 
 cotta. The first, made of some black goods, should reach 
 nearly t« the floor, and the cotta, which should always be- 
 of pure linen, should reach about to the knees. The 
 Roman pattern of cassock is the best, being more easily 
 made, containing less cloth, and more readily kept in 
 order than any other — except for the organist, who should 
 wear an Anglican cassock ; this being open from the belt 
 to the floor, gives him the free use of his feet on the organ 
 pedals. (Of course, it is understood that if the organist is 
 a lady, she wears no choir vestments). 
 
 Some parishes procure their vestments, both choir and 
 clerical, from one of the English houses, or have themi 
 made by some large Church guild that advertises to dO' 
 such work. This is an easy, and usually a satisfactor3r 
 
CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 way. But if the ladies of the parish will form a sewing- 
 society for this especial purpose, and purchase the material 
 and make the vestments themselves, they will experience 
 a sense of satisfaction and appreciation that the same 
 goods purchased ready-made can never furnish. 
 
 Good cassock patterns can be procured from the 
 Butterick Company, and cotta patterns can usually be 
 obtained from any parish that has a vested choir ; or both 
 patterns can be procured from the guilds mentioned in 
 the preceding paragraph. The Anglican cassock for the 
 organist, however, would probably have to be pui'chased 
 ready made. All vestments should have a strong loop at 
 the back of the neck-band to hang them up by, also the 
 name of the chorister who wears them, written in indelible 
 ink on a piece of tape or linen, easily detachable, in case 
 the vestment is to be transferred to another, as Js often 
 the case among growing boys. 
 
 A committee of ladies should have the care of the 
 Testments, looking them over at regular intervals, to see 
 that there are no rips, that the loops are secure, no cassock 
 buttons missing, and particularly that there is nothing in 
 cassock pockets to attract mice. These little pests seem 
 to be quite fond of Brown's Bronchial Troches, pepper- 
 mint drops, and the like medicaments, which not only 
 boys, but men, carry into the choir in their cassock 
 pockets, under the supposition that they are effec- 
 tual aids in singing, but forget to remove them at 
 the close of service. The mice, in their endeavors 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 75 
 
 to get these delicacies, are not particular as to how 
 they get at them, and evidently prefer to gnaw through 
 the outside of the cassock to the coveted dainty. 
 The cottas should go to the ;laundry at least once a 
 month, where it should be distinctly understood that no 
 starch what ever is to be used on them. 
 
 Once or twice a year, the vestments must all be 
 refitted to the boys, as many]wi]l have outgrown theirs. 
 This is not such a difficult or tedious task as one might 
 suppose, as some of the larger boys may have dropped out, 
 and other smaller ones may have been admitted in the 
 meantime. It is a good idea, however, to have two or 
 three extra sets of vestments in the choir. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Discipline — Rules — Attendance. 
 
 A vested clioir needs decided and strict discipline* 
 Boys are accustomed to such at school, and they 
 respect, and even admire, a choirmaster who can and 
 does govern them with firmness. The ''boy" nature is 
 exceedingly liable to come to the surface, after he becomes 
 familiar with his surroundings, and that nature is usually 
 lacking in reverence. This must be controlled, and the 
 boy must learn and realize that misbehavior in the choir 
 is even a more serious matter than at school. What 
 rules are made should be strictly enforced ; it is not wise 
 to have any "dead letter" laws among them. 
 
 It is hardly possible to maintain too rigid discipline, 
 although it is possible to be too harsh and "cross" in 
 enforcing it. The choirmaster who can show himself "a 
 boy among boys" at the proper times, is the one who, by 
 determination and will power, can have the best discipline 
 in his choir. There are choirmasters who are very lax in 
 this regard, from fear that strict discipline will drive boys 
 away from the choir. If they would only draw the reins 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 77 
 
 a little tighter, they would receive a new revelation as the 
 result. 
 
 Boys like to be talked to by any one who has something 
 to say, and can say it pleasantly and in a spirited manner. 
 The most unpalatable things will be received in the 
 kindliest way, if they are only presented properly. A 
 thorough idea of what you want to say, and a brief and 
 spirited way of saying it, with — if possible — a fair knowl- 
 edge of the ''boy" vocabulary, will appeal at once to the 
 consciences and good sense of the boys. In trying to 
 impress a needed truth, Scriptural and other illustrations 
 are decidedly in order, and are highly appreciated, if 
 pertinent to the subject. A typical "talk to a choir" is 
 produced in a subsequent chapter. 
 
 The best plan to follow in making rules, is to wait till 
 
 the occasion arises for them. One or two must be made 
 
 at once, such as the following: 
 
 Rule 1. 
 Members of tlie choir must conduct themselves reverently in the 
 church, remembering that it is the house of God. 
 
 Rule 2. 
 
 All books and music must be handled and used with care. 
 
 As soon as the choir begin their duty of singing in the 
 
 church, the following may be added : 
 
 Rule 3. 
 Every member of the choir at all services must conform to the 
 ritual as prescribed by the rector. 
 
 Rule 4. 
 Every chorister must be in the choir room — minutes [5 or 10] 
 before time for service. 
 
78 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 The following, or similar, rules may be set forth as 
 
 occasions mav demand : 
 
 A 
 
 Regular attendance at practice is required; persistent irregularity 
 without sufficient excuse will result in dismissal from the choir. 
 
 In one choir of my accjuaintance, this rule appears in 
 this shape : ''Absence from three consecutive meetings of 
 the choir will be considered equivalent to a resignation, 
 unless such absence be caused by sickness, or when per- 
 mission has been obtained from the choirmaster ;" and 
 closes with the significant words, "this rule can in no 
 instance be deviated from." 
 
 B 
 
 Any chorister absent from the regular Friday [or Saturday] even- 
 ing practice must not sing on the Sunday following without first 
 "Obtaining the consent of the choirmaster [or rector.] 
 
 Another form of this rule : 
 
 No chorister will be permitted to sing in any service without 
 attending the rehearsals for the same, unless specially invited to do 
 so by the choirmaster before such service. 
 
 C 
 Profane or obscene language or conduct on the part of any 
 chorister will result in instant expulsion from the choir. 
 
 This rule should never be set forth without cause. I 
 never had but one choir in which it was needed. 
 
 Other rales Avill suggest themselves as occasions arise 
 which demand them. 
 
 Common misbehavior should be punished by a dimin- 
 ishing of credit marks, or some such thing. For gross 
 misbehavior in church, suspension from the choir for a 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 79 
 
 definite length of time may be inflicted. For misbehavior 
 at practice a reprimand is usually sufficient ; if persisted 
 in, suspension should follow. 
 
 Strict record should be kept by the clerk of the choir, 
 not only of the attendance, but of the punctuality as well. 
 For such purpose, the plan which I use, and which I 
 have never seen outside of my own choirs, I have found 
 to be a most excellent one. It is a method by which 
 every chorister records his own punctuality, thereby mak- 
 ing it a method of more than ordinary personal interest. 
 
 Every member of the choir has his own numl)er. 
 (After the choir is divided, it is a good idea to give one 
 side the odd numbers, and the other side the even ones, 
 even if it involves the changing of many numbers. They 
 will often change, anyway). A double board opening on 
 hinges, and provided with lock and key, is prepared, and 
 set in some convenient place, having on each side num- 
 bered spaces — as many as there are members of the choir. 
 Just under each number is a hole, and, on the left side, 
 each hole contains a peg. As each member of the choir 
 enters the choir room, for practice or service, he proceeds 
 at once to this board, removes the peg under his number 
 on the left to the corresponding number on the right. 
 When the choir is called to order, the board is closed and 
 locked. This gives the punctuality record, which is copied 
 by the clerk into the record book at his convenience, 
 before the next meeting of the choir. At the close of 
 practice or service, after the closing collect in the choir 
 
80 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 room, the members of the choir call off their numbers con- 
 secutively, the clerk with pencil and paper in his hand 
 calling off the numbers of absentees, marking them down 
 as he calls them. This, also, he records at his conven- 
 ience. The board may be made of such a size as to allow 
 sufficient space on the right side to put a card under or 
 over each number, bearing the name — and, in large cities, 
 the street and number of residence — of the corresponding 
 chorister. 
 
 The record, or roll book, should be properly ruled ; a 
 mark from left to right may be made for punctuality, and 
 the reverse for attendance ; thus : 
 
 No 
 
 NAME. 
 
 8 
 
 o 
 
 1— ( 
 
 < 
 
 1— 1 
 
 CO 
 
 1— 1 
 
 • 
 
 < 
 
 OS 
 
 7— 1 
 
 Oi 
 
 1— 1 
 
 ?3 
 
 1 
 
 John Burns 
 
 / 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 2. 
 
 Willie Cooley 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 3. 
 
 Ed. McIntyke 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 a 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 \ 
 
 4 
 
 C. F. Riley 
 
 X 
 
 / 
 
 X 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 a 
 
 X 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 p 
 
 p 
 
 s 
 
 s 
 
 p 
 
 p 
 
 s ' 
 
 s 
 
 p 
 
 In this record, No. 1 was late on Oct. 7, and being 
 absent on "the regular Friday night practice" (see Rule 
 B. x:)receding), was not permitted to sing on Sunday, 
 therefore was marked absent. On Oct. 21, No. 3 was 
 present and registered, but did not answer in roll call at 
 the close of practice, having been excused before practice 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 81 
 
 was over. At the bottom of the page, P stands for 
 "practice," S, for ''service." 
 
 The hymnals should all be numbered consecutively, 
 and each member of the choir should be provided with 
 one, his hymnal number having no connection with his 
 choir number. A chorister may, and doubtless will, find 
 his choir number frequently changed, while the same 
 hymnal should last him for years. This also serves to 
 make each member responsible for the condition and care 
 of his hymnal, as he will always use the same book. A 
 list of hymnal numbers should be kept by the librarian, 
 who should be the one to assign hymnals to new members 
 ■of the choir. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Training of Voice — Reading Music. 
 
 The training of the boy's voice resembles in many 
 features the training of the mature female voice, while in 
 many others they differ materially. Among the features 
 of resemblance may be mentioned the need of patience 
 and persistent practice. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that the natural and proper 
 pitch of the boy's voice is the same as that of the female 
 voice, an octave higher than the adult male voice. It 
 may seem superfluous to insist upon this point ; but I 
 have heard more than one boys' choir in which the boy& 
 were trained to sing in adult male pitchy an octave lower 
 than their own natural tone ! Is it any wonder that in 
 some rural parishes where the vested choir has been tried,, 
 it has been pronounced a failure ? or that parents from 
 such parishes have refused to allow their boys to enter a 
 vested choir elsewhere, because they have known of boys' 
 voices being utterly spoiled by such singing ? Of course 
 such choirs had no proper training, the clergymen were 
 decidedly wanting in musical ear, and the choirmasters 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 8^ 
 
 had probably never even heard a vested choir in their 
 lives. 
 
 At first, boys should be taken separately, to secure 
 proper and natural pitch. Sometimes it is well to have 
 the assistance of a good, clear female voice ; or, if this is 
 not convenient, take one of the boys who sings in his 
 natural pitch, to aid you in bringing up those who are 
 inclined to sing an octave too low. First, sound middle 
 C on the instrument, and then ask the boy to sing it to 
 the sound of "ah." Then, the next note, and so on, up 
 to F, or as high as he can sing. If he does not sing the 
 tone in the proper pitch at any point, call in the assistance 
 of the other voice, and tell the boy to sing it in the same 
 manner. The average boy is quick and bright enough to 
 catch the idea, and one such practice is generally enough 
 for this purpose. 
 
 The boy's voice possesses two qualities of tone, which 
 I find in my own experience is best understood by the 
 boys themselves by terming them respectively ''harsh'' 
 and ''smooth," or "loud" and "soft."* After securing 
 proper pitch, the "loud" quality of voice must be destroyed, 
 and a clear, ringing, penetrating tone can easily be built 
 up. based exclusively on the "soft" tones of the voice. 
 The method always adopted by good masters is essentially 
 as follows : 
 
 * Mr. Stubbs, following Curwen, calls them 'thick" Jiiid ' thin." Sec^ 
 his book, mentioned elsewhere. 
 
84 CLERGY AI^D CHOIR. 
 
 From among the boys who can not easily sing higher thaii 
 
 ^EEor 
 
 (treble clef understood), a sufficient number is first 
 selected for the alto part, choosing those who display the 
 most readiness in singing, and the best ear. Then train 
 the sopranos and altos separately. 
 
 For the sopranos the following exercise is used: 
 
 ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. 
 The first note must be sung softly, and with the 
 mouth well opened — wide enough to place the forefinger 
 edgewise between the teeth — to the sound "ah," as indi- 
 cated. This will invarkihhj be done with the "soft" 
 quality of voice. Then ask them to sing the next note 
 just as they sung that one, which they will likely accom- 
 plish with no great difficulty; then follow with the other 
 notes in the same manner, keeping the "soft" tone 
 throughout. If they break into the "loud" or harsh tone 
 at about G or F, as they often will, try it over again from 
 the beginning. This "soft" quality of voice must be 
 secured as low as E. This exercise, repeated over and 
 over again, both in class and separately, will bring about 
 the proper quality of voice, so that all can produce it at 
 will. Never allow a break into the "loud" quality to pass; 
 if it occurs, the music must be repeated until it can be 
 sung throughout with the proper tone. At first it must 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 85 
 
 be sung softly, but after a while this tone strengthens, 
 and at last develops into a clear, rich, ringing tone.* 
 
 The natural temptation to the alto is to sing the 
 "loud" tone throughout. The altos should be trained 
 in the same manner as the sopranos, beginning with as 
 high a note as all can sing softly with ease; say 
 
 carrying that quality, as in the soprano, down to E. 
 
 I have, myself, usually permitted boys to use the 
 ''loud" voice below E, if they preferred, finding that in a 
 very short time the voice regulates itself on the lower 
 notes with but very little attention. 
 
 The next point is the development of the upper tones. 
 In this it is necessary to proceed gradually and gently. 
 After the voice is well settled in the ''soft" quality, 
 practice the scale of F ascending, retarding the time on 
 the last four notes, and holding the last note; follow with 
 the scale of F sharp; then, in very gradual succession, at 
 different times, add consecutively the scales of G, A flat, 
 A, and even B flat. This must take time. It is best to 
 allow several months to bring a voice up to A or B flat. 
 
 The Altos will need special practice for development 
 of the lower tones. A reversal of the above practice will 
 accomplish this, beginning with the scale of B flat» 
 descending, then following with the scales of A, A flat, G, 
 
 * I often find that it conveys the correct idea to boys to tell them that 
 I want them to sing- "like a woman." 
 
86 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 O flat, and F. In all these practices use the sound "ah," 
 and see that the mouth is well opened, the lips drawn 
 back, and the teeth apart. 
 
 This is all the practice that is needed for the develop- 
 ment of proper tone; but it should be constantly repeated, 
 over and over again, at every meeting, until the tone is 
 clear, pure and firm. 
 
 Some degree of flexibility must next be secured. This 
 is best done by the use of the "Ten Exercises,"* which 
 should be sung slowly at first, then with increasing 
 rapidity, keeping the notes well separated, and sounding 
 each one clearly. 
 
 The proper management of the breath must not be 
 neglected. A practice of sustained tones is useful; 
 directing that each tone be sung as long as conveniently 
 possible, sing the scale of C, ascending. By frequent 
 practice of this, the result will be all that is necessary. f 
 Be careful not to overdo this practice, either by singing 
 too much of it at a time, or by trying to make each note 
 too long. 
 
 Pay no attention whatever to critics who tell you 
 that your choir has no power. This method of training 
 will eventually bring power, and, what is better, it will 
 bring mellowness as well, and make expression among the 
 possibilities in singing. 
 
 Insist upon an erect position in singing. If standing, 
 let the weight rest evenly on both feet, and, for an 
 
 * See Appendix D. t See Appendix E. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 87 
 
 occasional practice, direct that, before taking the prelimi- 
 nary breath to sing, each singer will make himself as tall 
 and erect as he can without raising his heels from the 
 floor. This has a tendency to ensure proper breathing. 
 If sitting, never let boys stoop forward, with their elbows 
 on their knees, or sit on the small of the back with their 
 feet on the seat in front of them. An upright posture is 
 the only proper one, and, while singing, it is best that the 
 back should not rest against the back of the seat, but 
 that the singer should sit a little forward. 
 
 Reading music should not be neglected. Some choir- 
 masters never teach their boys to read, maintaining that 
 boys will learn their music by ear nearly as quickly as if 
 they could read. Although this is doubtless true, still, a 
 choir that can read possesses a tremendous advantage. 
 But it is not necessary that all should be expert readers 
 before entering upon their work. All that is needed is a 
 general knowledge of the first rudiments, the rest comes 
 with practice. The different shaped notes and relative 
 length of tones thereby represented, the different keys 
 and their signatures, the effect of the three accidentals, 
 and the various common marks of expression and move- 
 ment should be learned, and all should be able to "call off" 
 the notes by name in any key, and to read simple music. 
 
 Then begin with a combination of singing by ear and 
 by note — never by rote. Do not allow the choir to 
 attempt any piece of music, however easy, without the notes 
 before them, to which frequent attention should be called. 
 
88 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 First, select a very simple metrical hymn tune, such as 
 Dr. Mason's ''Naomi." An opportunity here presents 
 itself for some preliminary instruction in phrasing ; in 
 such a tune, the musical phrase corresponds with a line of 
 the hymn. Divide the tune into phrases and sections, as 
 follows : 
 
 Section. 
 
 Phrase. 
 
 Phrase. 
 
 ||tepigS^#^gEP^iggSE^g^ 
 
 Direct the sopranos to sing the first phrase. We will 
 suppose that one boy sings the third note wrong, thus : 
 
 =j=3= 
 
 At once call his attention to the notes, and say to him, 
 ''you can see that these three notes are all in the same 
 space of the staff, therefore they must be sung in the 
 same pitch ; the third note is not higher than the second^ 
 it is precisely the same. Sing it as it is written." Try 
 this over — singing the music with them — until the 
 soprano can sing it alone, and without the instrument ; 
 then try the alto, tenor and bass successively in the 
 same manner, often calling attention to the notes. Then, 
 all parts together. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 89 
 
 Then take the next phrase ; and when this is learned, 
 let each part sing the section— both phrases — once over, 
 then together. Take the next two phrases in the same 
 manner, and finally, the entire tune. Always use the 
 verse set to the music, until the music is thoroughly 
 learned. 
 
 Tn a short time, you will find it necessary to sing each 
 section but once with each part, omitting the practice by 
 phrases. And soon, by constantly referring the singers to 
 their notes, you will find your choir able to take up new 
 hymn tunes entire, at sight, and without this kind of 
 work. 
 
 Chants may be learned in like manner, always using 
 the Gloria Patri until the tune is learned.* Anthems 
 and other set music will naturally follow. A very good 
 preparation for fugal movements is some such metrical 
 tune as "Northfield." 
 
 I have not considered it necessary to give a rudi- 
 mentary course [of instruction in reading music in this 
 book. Any ordinary singing-school book contains enough 
 for that purpose, and many choirmasters find a blackboard 
 and crayon all that they require. The "tonic sol-fa" 
 system of reading music is probably the easiest, but as 
 comparatively little music is published in that system, it 
 is not at all useful for choirs, and it is best to keep to the 
 old method. 
 
 If your choir is of such a size that you can 
 
 * For hints on instructions in chanting, see chapter V. 
 
90 CLERGT AND CHOIR. 
 
 do SO, you should divide it into two choirs, for 
 antiphonal singing, as nearly equal in poAver of tone, 
 ability in reading, etc., as possible. In church — supposing 
 the choir stalls to be properly arranged — the choir occupy- 
 ing the stalls to the left (facing the altar) is called the 
 "Decani" choir ; the other is called the "Cantoris." In 
 processions, then, the Decani singers should take the left, 
 and the Cantoris, the right, in going into the church. In 
 returning, the reverse is the case. It is advisable to occa- 
 sionally drill these two choirs in singing separately. 
 
 Boys should not be allowed to sing more than an hour 
 at a time ; or under exceptional circumstances, from a 
 quarter to a half hour longer. 
 
 If not before, then shortly after the choir is fully 
 organized and singing in church, arrangements must 
 be made for filling the vacancies which are certain to 
 occur in the soprano and alto ranks. The best method is 
 to form a preparatory class, or "choir cadets," who will 
 receive musical training, and from whom selections can be 
 made as needed to fill vacancies. Some choirmasters, how- 
 ever, prefer to put the new boys into the choir at once, after 
 a little preliminary training in proper tone, letting them 
 sing only at practice, for some time, until they become 
 quite familiar with the music and the ways of the choir. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Admission of Choir — Processionals — Preparations for 
 First Service. 
 
 Every member of the clioir slioiikl be formally 
 admitted to tlie service of the sanctuary. The form 
 given ill Appendix B, is a good one for this purpose. 
 Whether the choir shall enter the church in procession 
 for this purpose, or shall be seated promiscuously in the 
 congregation until called up for it, vs^hether it shall pre- 
 cede or follow some other service, whether such admission 
 shall be public or private — all these and other kindred 
 details must be left to local circumstances to determine. 
 
 In this country it is the usual custom, on occasions of 
 public worship, for choirs to enter the church in proces- 
 sion, with singing, and often headed by a crucifer bearing 
 the processional cross. The choir must have special 
 training in this, for it differs vastly from singing in a 
 standing or kneeling posture. First, the common and 
 natural tendency to "keep step" with the music must be 
 overcome. A choir clad in the vestments of the Church, 
 keeping step, or otherwise marking the time of their 
 
92 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 singing, is not in accordance with Churchly usage or 
 tradition. I have seen one or two choirs in which this 
 custom was adopted, and it only served to impress me in 
 favor of the Church's custom. The idea prevalent in 
 such choirs is that of military precision, such pro- 
 cessional hymns as "Onward, Christian Soldiers," "Go 
 Forward, Christian Soldiers," "Am I a Soldier of the 
 Cross ?" encouraging the idea. It would be well enough, 
 possibly, if a choir in such vestments could carry 
 out this idea by keeping step ; but, can they ? do they ? 
 On the contrary, is not the effect rather saltatory than 
 military, especial in "six-eight" time ? Clad in military 
 uniform it would be necessary; but robed in the vest- 
 ments of the Church, it is incongruous — at times, pain- 
 fully. Care should be taken, however, that the choir do 
 not "straggle," or swing unevenly with exaggerated 
 movements from side to side. 
 
 There are church buildings, small ones especially, in 
 which processions are inconvenient, and even impossible. 
 In such, the choristers should, as soon as vested, enter the 
 choir seats — not necessarily in a body, but as they vest 
 themselves, at their convenience — each, before taking his 
 place, kneeling at the sanctuary rail and saying, privately, 
 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my 
 heart be alway acceptable in Thy sight. Oh Lord, my 
 Strength and my Redeemer," or some other appropriate 
 prayer. 
 
 There is only one proper place in the church for a 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 93 
 
 vested choir, namely, the architectural choir — the space in 
 front of the sanctuary rail. In some church buildings 
 where a vested choir is to be introduced, this space is not 
 sufficient as originally built, in which case it should be 
 enlarged. The easiest way to do this is to extend it out 
 into the body of the church, sufficiently to accommodate 
 the singers, and, if possible, to place a light railing around 
 it. The following illustrations will give an idea of this 
 change, Figure 1 indicating this part of the church as 
 originally built, and Figure 2, the same as altered for the 
 choir. 
 
 Fig. 1 
 
 I'd ' 
 
 Fig. 2. 
 I i^ 1 
 
 °C 
 
 ■°</ 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 "i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■c 
 
 ^c 
 
 o-J 
 
 e. Body of church. 
 
 a. Altar, b. Chancel gate. c. Pulpit, d. Lectern, 
 o. Organ. /. (Fig. 2.) Choir Stalls. 
 
 On entering the church in procession, the choir is 
 formed with the Decani on the left and the Cantoris on 
 the right ; the crucifer (if there be one) leads the proces- 
 sion ; following him are the sopranos, then the altos, the 
 tenors and basses, the minister being at the rear of the 
 procession. When the choir stalls are reached, the Decani 
 turn to the left, the Cantoris to the right, and proceed at 
 once to their places ; the crucifer proceeds to the sanctuary 
 
94 
 
 CLERGY AN"D CHOIR. 
 
 gate, where he remains until the officiating priest takes 
 his place, when he places the cross in its socket. The 
 illustration given on the next page will explain this more 
 clearly than can he done in words. 
 
 / 
 
 // 
 
 <[ /// 
 
 y 
 
 a. Altar, b. Sanctuary rail. d. Choir alley, c. Place for processional 
 cross, e. Choir room. f. Choir stalls, g. Lectern, h. Pulpit, o. Organ 
 The dots represent the course of the procession from the choir room. 
 
 Occasionally on some great festival, instead of proceed- 
 ing direct to the choir stalls, the choir will go in proces- 
 sion up the side alley to the rear of the church, and then 
 approach the chancel down the centre alley. 
 
 In leaving the church at the close of service, the 
 crucifer, at the signal from the choirmaster, or in accord- 
 ance with previous instructions, takes the cross from its 
 socket, then, standing back a little space from the sanctu- 
 ary gate, in the choir alley, faces the altar, remaining 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 95 
 
 thus until the foremost choir boys are out of the stalls 
 and facing him at the head of the choir alley, when he 
 turns and leads the procession to the choir room. The 
 choristers, it must be remembered, leave the choir stalls 
 at the opposite end from that at which they entered, 
 namely, from the end next the chancel. A "recessional,"* 
 as this is usually called, should be direct to the choir 
 room, and not around the church, even on festal occa- 
 sions. In all processions care must be taken not to walk 
 too rapidly, or to crowd together. 
 
 A simple service is advisable for the first one. Let us 
 outline such a service ; we will suppose it to be Morning 
 Prayer, plain, and the Litany (preceded by a low celebra- 
 tion of the Holy Communion at an early hour, at which 
 all communicants in the choir should have been present). 
 For the evening, choral Evening Prayer. The hymnal, 
 Hutchins.' 
 
 Previous to the service, the librarian should see that 
 all music required for the service, except the processional, 
 is placed in the racks of the choir stalls, a copy to each 
 chorister, that the programmes are also distributed in like 
 manner, that the number or name of the processional 
 hymn is displayed in some convenient place in the choir 
 room, and that the processional cross is in readiness. 
 
 * I know that the word "recessional ' is often found fault with; but 
 who wants to say "retiring' processional," when a single word will do as 
 well? Both are 'processionals," to and from the church, but one feels 
 the need of separate and distinct words for the two separate and distinct 
 things. So by all means let us have both "processional" and "reces- 
 sional." as both seem to be needed. 
 
96 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 We will take for the processional, Hymn 232, wliich 
 is vigorous, as well as easily learned. The choir, as they 
 arrive in the choir room, after registering, proceed quietly 
 to vest, get their hymnals, and then take their seats. At 
 the proper time, the organist having been sent to the 
 organ, they are directed to quietly take their places in 
 procession. An opportunity then presents itself for any 
 final instructions regarding the service ; when all is in 
 readiness, the minister, in a clear voice, intones one of the 
 prayers suitable for such purpose,* to which the choir 
 respond with the Amen on the same tone, in unison. 
 This is generally sufficient intimation to the organist that 
 the procession is ready to enter the church, awaiting his 
 movements. 
 
 In some large churches, the choir room is at such a 
 distance from the church, that the processional hymn can 
 not be given out on the organ. In such a case, it is given 
 out on the choir room instrument, which must, of course, 
 be on the same pitch as the church organ. The choir, 
 singing the processional hymn, enter the church as 
 previously described. If the hymn is not long enough to 
 last until all the choir are in their places, they should 
 begin again at the first verse, and sing as much as is 
 necessary. The same holds true regarding the recessional. 
 
 The Venite should be something simple, say, a Gregor- 
 ian tone, sung in unison. No. 42 is excellent. According 
 to the marking in Hutchins,' the first two verses and the 
 
 * See Appendix A. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 97 
 
 Gloria are simg by the full choir, the other verses being 
 sung antiphonally by Decani and Cantoris. Before the 
 last note of one side has fairly ceased, the other side 
 should begin the next verse. Nothing is so dispiriting in 
 antiphonal singing as a long pause after each verse. 
 
 All should have the Psalter ready, and join heartily in 
 the reading of the responsive verses, singing after each 
 Psalm the Gloria to the same music sung for the Venite 
 (No. 42). 
 
 The Te Demi may be more elaborate. Steggall, in A, 
 is quite simple and forceful, as is also one by Garrett, in 
 F. Van Boskerck, in F, is very musical, but presents 
 more difficulties for a new choir than either of the others. 
 Then will follow the Jubilate, or the Benedictus, which 
 may be sung, in harmony, to a plain Anglican single 
 chant (No. 99 or No. 119). Morning Prayer having 
 been said, a hymn to a familiar tune should follow, and 
 after the Litany, another hymn. 
 
 At the close of the sermon, the choir will rise, and 
 after the Ascription sing the same Gloria that was sung 
 in the Psalter (No. 42). At the presentation of the 
 offerings, let the choir lead the congregation in 'Traise 
 God from Whom all blessings flow," to ''Old Hundred," 
 in unison. After the Benediction, a momentary silence, 
 and then the recessional. After finishine: the verse with 
 which the rear of the procession enters the choir room, 
 will follow the closing collect, said on the key (or its 
 fourth) of the recessional hymn, the choir singing the 
 
98 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Amen; then should follow the roll-call, necessary 
 announcements to the choir, and dismissal. 
 
 Each chorister should carefully put away his hymnal 
 before disrobing, and the librarian should gather, sort 
 and put away all other music used, should glance at the 
 hymnal shelves to see that the hymnals are all in place, 
 right side up, and should see that the cross is properly 
 cared for. 
 
 At the evening service, the choir will proceed in much 
 the same manner. The same processional hymns may be 
 used as in the morning service, or different ones. The 
 responses will be sung, and the chants will be those of 
 Evening Prayer. It is best to read the Psalms, as in 
 Morning Prayer, until the choir have had some little 
 practice in their work. 
 
 In small churches, where the choir is small, and there 
 is no opportunity for procession, this service must be 
 somewhat modified. The choir, being in place before 
 service begins, may sing their processional hymn, during 
 which the minister enters. In the Venite (No. 42) the 
 choir may divide for the antiphonal singing, the men 
 singing one verse and the boys another. In the Te Deum 
 no attention can be paid to the Dec. and Can. marks, save 
 that some unison places may be divided between the boys 
 and the men. Anglican chants must be sung full 
 throughout, unless some such method as that described in 
 chapter VII is adopted. After the Benediction, a hymn 
 may be sung, during which the minister retires from the 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 99 
 
 chancel, and, at its close, the choir withdraws in an 
 orderly manner. 
 
 Each member o£ the choir should be provided with a 
 programme of all music to be sung, in the order of the 
 service. These may be written (a tedious task, however, 
 for a large choir), or printed, or copied by hektograph or 
 other copying device. The Edison mimeograph is prob- 
 ably the most useful, not only for this purpose, but for 
 making copies of choir rules, constitution of choir guilds 
 or clubs, music not otherwise available, and many other 
 things. 
 
 The programmes may contain the order for morning 
 and evening services on the same sheet, and should be 
 prepared something as follows : 
 
 Sep. 7, 1890. 
 
 14th Sunday after Trimty. 
 
 Venite No. 42. 
 
 Gloria No. 42. 
 
 Te Deum, Steggall in A. 
 
 Jubilate No. 99. 
 
 Hymn 424— 2d. Omit 2d and 3d verses. 
 
 Litany. 
 Hymn 470. 
 
 Sermon. 
 
 Gloria No. 42. 
 
 Old Hundred. 
 
 Rec. Hymn 477. 
 
100 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Ecen'mg. 
 
 Service in D.* 
 
 Gloria No. 42. 
 
 Magnificat No. 176. 
 
 Nunc. D. No. 257. 
 
 Creed, etc., in D.* 
 
 Hymn 439. 
 
 Gloria No. 42. 
 
 Old Hundred. 
 
 Hymn 336 — 1st 4 verses. 
 
 Rec. Hymn 477. 
 
 See Appendix C. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Choir rooms and other facilities— General points. 
 
 A good choir room is one of the necessities. It should 
 be large, well ventilated and heated, and adapted to con- 
 venience and comfort as well as utility. It should have 
 closets or cases provided with "pigeon holes" for the 
 keeping of music, most of which is octavo size — 7x10 
 inches. To anticipate some slight variations from this 
 measurement, it is well to make these little chambers 
 eight inches wide by twelve deep, and at least three 
 inches in height, for an ordinary sized choir. As soon as 
 this music is purchased, before being used, it should be 
 covered with strong manilla paper, and the title, key, and 
 name of author should be written or stamped on the 
 cover. The mimeograph is useful here, as one sheet of 
 mimeograph paper will make a good many stencils for 
 this purpose. 
 
 Some arrangement must also be made for the care of 
 vestments, and their protection against dust; a closet 
 built against the wall, with doors or curtains, will be 
 sufficient. Hooks must be provided, and it is well to 
 
102 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 make the upper shelf low enough to allow of reaching up 
 to it to lay a hat upon it. When the vestments are 
 removed from the hook, the coat (and the hat, if neces- 
 sary) can occupy the hook. 
 
 A Sunday School room, or chapel, can be utilized for 
 this purpose, but it should be understood that the choir 
 must not be disturbed in its use. 
 
 For practice, a good grand or square piano is the most 
 useful instrument — never an upright, if it can be helped. 
 But if a piano is used, the choir should have an occasional 
 practice in church with the organ. Choirs should often 
 be trained to sing without accompaniment. One of the 
 proudest moments of my life was when my choir, new 
 and inexperienced, carried through the evening service, 
 choral throughout, with no accompaniment whatever, the 
 organ having given way in the processional. 
 
 For the hymnals, a separate closet, or case, should be 
 provided, with a compartment for each hymnal, numbered 
 to correspond with the number of the hymnal, which 
 should have its number painted on the back, and marked 
 inside with ink. All members of the choir should be 
 expected to take their hymnals from this case themselves 
 before practice or service, and return them afterward ; 
 the librarian should exercise a general supervision over it, 
 and report carelessness and neglect to the choirmaster. 
 
 Another necessity is a music fund, for the purchase of 
 new music. In some parishes the evening offering is 
 usually devoted to this use. Others apply the offering on 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 103 
 
 a special evening in the month — the first Sunday evening, 
 for instance. This fund is placed in the proper hands, 
 and is under the control of the choirmaster. A very 
 pleasant custom is to let it be known that donations will 
 be very acceptable, a certain specified sum being sufficient 
 to furnish the choir with a piece of music ; and that 
 any piece of music so furnished will be marked on every 
 copy with the donor's name. This can be done on the 
 manilla cover, when the title is placed there. 
 
 From this fund may also be paid an annual subscrip- 
 tion to Hutchins' 'Tarish Choir" and Novello's "Musical 
 Times," for the use of the choirmaster. When he sees in 
 these periodicals anything he wants for the choir, the 
 necessary number of copies can be ordered. 
 
 A metronome is a very useful choir property, both for 
 practice and for reference. It can be set in a conspicuous 
 place, at times, and the choir directed to follow its beat- 
 ing, thus receiving valuable drill in accuracy of time. 
 
 Reference has been frequently made, in the foregoing 
 pages, to the processional cross and its bearer, the crucifer. 
 In some parishes there is a prejudice against its use, 
 which prejudice, I cannot but think, w^ould melt away if 
 those who entertain it could once understand its value to 
 the choir, as a moral force. To boys — yes, and to men — 
 it gives an added force to the expression, "soldiers of the 
 Cross." It is, to them, what the regimental standard is 
 to the soldier — it represents the cause in which they 
 
104 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 serve, and is a constant, eloquent, though silent, urging to 
 worthiness in their service. 
 
 Let me add a caution here, which, perhaps, should 
 have been introduced before, regarding the use of diffi- 
 cult music. Care should be taken that the music be not 
 too difficult at any time. Nothing can be more disheart- 
 ening to a choir than to attempt a piece of music and find 
 it so difficult that it must be abandoned. The average 
 choir led by an ambitious choirmaster is very apt to make 
 this mistake, especially if the director's enthusiasm gets a 
 little the better of his judgment. A choir of only ordi- 
 nary skill and capacity will win golden opinions by confin- 
 ing their efforts to good music Avhich is strictly within 
 the limits of their ability to sing well ; but when they 
 attempt what is beyond their power, the public is very 
 quick to detect it and to criticise such ambitious endeav- 
 ors very harshly. The following extract from one of our 
 Church papers is very worthy of attention :* 
 
 "Many choirs are attempting nrnsic that is beyond their ability, a 
 course likely to bring boy-choirs into disrepute. The fault lies in a 
 spirit of unintelligent imitation that seems to have infected the 
 entire country, judging from the music lists, which show that incom- 
 petent and unskilled choirs insist upon attempting the most advanced 
 and highly elaborated compositions. It is announced that a new 
 Communion Service is to be produced in one of the churches of 
 Trinity parish, New York, e. g., and at once the publishers are 
 flooded with orders for the same service. Now these Trinity choirs 
 are under the direction of eminent masters in their profession, 
 receiving sufficient salaries to enable them to give themselves wholly 
 
 * The Living Church, summarized from Tlie Chimes the parochial paper 
 of S. Paul's church Buffalo, N. Y. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 105 
 
 to their education and training. There are choral services during 
 the week, and in one of them a daily choral service has l^een main- 
 tained for several years. The discipline and training in such choirs 
 is consummate, and the delivery of important compositions intelli- 
 gent and finished. The average village, or feebly sustained choir, on 
 the contrary, receives limited attention, and often sings Ijy rote, or 
 in a purely mechanical way, and in attempting music of an exacting 
 character, must lamentably fail, to the great discomfort and annoy- 
 ance of the people. This line of counsel is capable of indefinite 
 extension; although such is the blindness and self-satisfaction of 
 average human nature in all matters of aesthetic interest, that those 
 who most need such counsels are very apt to construe them into 
 occasions of offence, rather than of wholesome improvement." 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE TESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Its Compensations : Salaries — Credits — Prizes — Medals — 
 Treats — Outings. 
 
 [Contributed by the Reverend C. C. Camp, rector of Christ Church, 
 Joliet, Diocese of Chicago.] 
 • 
 
 The question of money compensation for a choir 
 depends largely upon the financial ability of the parish. 
 Where it can be afforded, a reasonable salary will be of 
 assistance in securing the best talent and in enforcing 
 regularity. Especially in large cities, where there is much 
 competition, it will be found almost necessary to pay at 
 least a few of the leading boys and men. But in most of 
 the smaller places, and in many city choirs, few or none 
 of the choristers receive pay, w^ith the exception, of 
 course, of the organist, arid, usually, the choirmastei'. 
 The instruction, where there is a good choirmaster, is in 
 itself a v;ibi:ible compensation, and parents are glad, even 
 when nob particularly interested in the Church, to put 
 their boys under such training and discipline. In some 
 choirs those who join are required, on applying, to sign a 
 promise that, in consideration of the musical instruction 
 received, they will sing regularly in the services of the 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 107 
 
 Church for one year after their admission. The standard 
 of the choir should be kept so high in music and morals, 
 that membership in it would be eagerly sought and highly 
 valued. 
 
 Where salaries are given — and in some cases where 
 they are not — unexcused absences or serious cases of mis- 
 conduct are punished by the infliction of fines. In this 
 way, the amounts paid -or withheld, while small in them- 
 selves, are helps toward the maintenance of strict discip- 
 line. 
 
 Where from motives of economy, or for other reasons, 
 no salaries are paid — or sometimes in connection with the 
 salaries — a system of credits may advantageously be used. 
 Thus, in each choir, five credits are given for each required 
 service, and when any chorister attains one hundred 
 credits, he receives a prize or reward, usually in the form 
 of some book. Under this system no credits are given 
 for rehearsals, but in case of absence from rehearsal or 
 service, or tardiness, or misbehavior, credits are deducted. 
 The scale is as follows : 
 
 Credits giren 
 For each required service 5 
 
 Credit-'^ deducted 
 
 For absence from service 8 
 
 For absence from lehearsal 2 
 
 For tardiness 1 
 
 Thus, it will be seen that when there are two services 
 each Sunday in which the ckoir is required, a chorister 
 
108 CLERGY Ais^D CHOIR. 
 
 can obtain one hundred credits in ten weeks, not counting 
 special days like Thanksgiving and Christmas. If how- 
 ever, he should be absent on Sunday, and from two 
 rehearsals, he would not only fail to gain the ten credits 
 that week, but would also lose ten that he had obtained 
 before. Disorder or misconduct is punished by deducting 
 one or more credits, according to the character of the 
 offence. The prizes given under this system are not 
 usually considered payments, but rather rewards. A 
 money value, might, however, if it were thought desira- 
 ble, be given to the credits — one cent each, or more — and 
 thus make this system work as a part of a scheme of 
 salaries. 
 
 The giving of medals monthly, quarterly, or annually 
 for punctuality, reverence, and progress in music, acts as 
 a strong incentive to the boys of a vested choir, and is 
 quite generally practiced. The medals need not be expen- 
 sive, and are usually engraved with the owners' name 
 and the reason for which they are given. It is also well 
 to have another medal, somewhat larger and handsomer, 
 belonging to the choir, but worn for a definite period by 
 those to whom it is assigned for general excellence. 
 
 In most parishes, there are special friends of the 
 choir who will gladly provide little treats for them from 
 time to time. These sometimes consist of a picnic or 
 excursion, sometimes of a lecture or literary entertain- 
 ment, sometin;>es of a pleasant social evening with refresh- 
 ments. Such occasions are valuable, not only for their 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. lOD 
 
 influence on the boys, in making them realize that it is a 
 privilege to belong to the choir, ])ut also in bringing the 
 congregation into closer relations with the choir, and 
 helping them to know the individual members. 
 
 If a choir club — such as is described in the next chap- 
 ter — is organized in connection with the choir, such 
 festival occasions may well be made to coincide with its 
 meetings, and may help to bring together the active and 
 honorary members of the club. 
 
 Chief among the compensations and rewards of a' 
 vested choir is an annual summer outing. This cannot 
 ahvays be obtained, but is of great value when possible. 
 Preparations should be made long in advance ; it is to be 
 looked forward to, even during the winter, and often 
 helps a boy to be regular at rehearsals when laziness 
 says, "stay at home.'' It is a matter of considerable 
 expense, which should be provided for in good season. 
 Such expense ought to be borne by the congregation or 
 parish, but the money is usually raised in part by a choir 
 concert in the spring. The amount needed will vary 
 according to the character, distance and duration of the 
 trip. 
 
 An excursion from place to place, or boarding at 
 summer hotels, will give much pleasure ; but the best 
 plan of all, both in good influence on the choir and in 
 promoting their truest enjoyment, is to go into camp at 
 some place where the choir will form a community by 
 themselves. Some of the necessary qualifications of such 
 
110 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 a place are ( 1 ) proximity to a lake or stream where there 
 is good bathing, boating and fishing; (2) good shade and 
 suitable ground for pitching tents; (3) wood and water, 
 — a spring, if possible; (4) considerable distance from 
 any town or village. 
 
 This last provision may seem unnecessary, but it is 
 really most important. The object of the encampment is 
 that the members of the choir may learn to know each 
 other, not that they ma}' make new acquaintances. Far 
 fewer rules will be needed in such a place than when near 
 a town, discipline can be more easily enforced, and the 
 religious services will be less interrupted. It will be a 
 little more trouble to get provisions, but nearly all the 
 provisions needed can be bought at wholesale and carried 
 with the tents and baggage, while milk, eggs and butter 
 can usually be obtained of farmers near by. It is well to 
 buy sufficient lumber for a table and board seats. 
 
 Besides the general camp furniture, such as tents, 
 cooking utensils, tin table-ware, etc., each person should 
 carry a blanket or comfortable, small pillow or tick, 
 bathing suit, towels, hair brush, comb, tooth brush, 
 underclothing, stockings, handkerchiefs, soap, jack-knife, 
 fishing tackle, and other personal effects. It is well to 
 add, if possible, a rubber blanket or coat. 
 
 In most sections of the country, straw can usually be 
 found in abundance where the farmers are threshing in 
 the latter part of July or August, and a thick layer of this 
 on the floor of the tent will make good beds. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. Ill 
 
 For discipline, a light — but strictly enforced — form of 
 a military kind is best, everything moving at the tap of 
 the drum or the sound of the bugle. Rules should be few, 
 but their strict observance should be demanded. Disre- 
 gard of them may be punished by confinement for a 
 specified time within certain limits, or in very aggravated 
 cases of misbehavior, the culprit may be sent home. 
 The following prohibitions have been found practically 
 useful: (1) No fire-arms of any kind will be allowed; 
 "(2) swimming, bathing, boating, or going beyond a cer- 
 tain distance from camp must invariably be by permission 
 of the rector or choirmaster; (3) no soprano or alto will 
 be allowed to use tobacco. 
 
 The older members of the choir can be of great service 
 in assisting the officers in the enforcement of the rules of 
 the camp, and the intimate acquaintance of the rector or 
 choirmaster with the members of the choir while fishing, 
 bathing, eating camp fare, and playing games with them 
 or telling stories at night, will add to his pleasure and 
 influence throughout the year. 
 
 The expense of tents and camp equipage is consider- 
 able at first, but if they are used year after year, and a few 
 articles bought each time, the total cost will not be bur- 
 densome. 
 
 A good cook u a most important personage in the 
 camp— not simply one who understands cooking at home, 
 but one who is enough of a woodsman to cook over an 
 
112 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 open fire. He will find that hungry appetites will give a 
 line relish to what he provides. 
 
 It is well to take along a few simple remedies like 
 Jamaica Ginger, Pond's Extract, quinine, paregoric and 
 sticking plaster ; but in a healthy, out-door life of this 
 kind, there are not likely to be many serious ailments. 
 
 In regard to provisions, no general rule can be laid 
 down for 'all communities ; but ham, bacon, salt pork, 
 corn meal, griddle cakes, and syrup will be staple articles, 
 as will crackers and ginger snaps. If fish can be caught, 
 they will help out the larder. 
 
 There should be a brief religious service morning and 
 night, and the singing of the Gloria Patri as a part of 
 the grace before meals will be a pleasing feature in the 
 woods.* 
 
 If a church is accessible, the Sunday services may be 
 held there ; but otherwise a most solemn service can be 
 held beneath the arching trees, to which the country peo- 
 ple will come from far and near, if they know of it. A 
 small portable cabinet organ is useful for this purpose, as 
 for many other occasions in camp when music is desired. 
 
 A choir going thus into camp, for, ten days or two 
 weeks, will return home browned and tanned, strength- 
 ened and refreshed in body and mind, and ready to enter 
 even more heartily into the service of God. 
 
 See Appendix A. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE VESTED CHOIR. 
 
 Choral Guilds— The Choir Club. 
 
 It is a very good idea to have some method hy which 
 the choir may be brought into closer contact with the 
 people, either through their aid in music, or in a purely 
 social way. The first may be accomplished by a Choral 
 Guild, the second, by a Choir Club. 
 
 The Choral Guild need not be confined to parishes 
 having a vested choir ; it will work admirably with any 
 form of choir. It should be composed of members of the 
 congregation who sing, and the choir should be the con- 
 trolling element. For instance, the constitution should 
 provide that in matters under consideration before the 
 Guild, if a division is called for, the majority should also 
 comprise the majority of the choir, for the question to 
 carry. It might also, in some cases, be best to provide 
 that all — or certain—officers should be members of the 
 choir. One advice I wish to give with the strongest 
 emphasis possible, from the depths of my own repeated 
 personal experience; it is this: Xecer make the conditions 
 of membership so broad as to admit any one outside the 
 
114: CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 congregation, unless it be a very few honorary members, 
 not entitled to a voice or vote on any matter. 
 
 Meetings should be held with regularity, at least 
 monthl}^ and oftener, if possible ; at such meetings a 
 portion of the time may be given to the practice of new 
 Church music for congregational use, and some time 
 may be given to the practice of English Glees and 
 other secular music. This Guild may also form an 
 ^'adjunct'' choir, which, however, will be treated in the 
 next chapter. 
 
 The Choir Club is of a different nature, its design 
 being rather to furnish social recreation and enjoyment, 
 and to bring the choir into closer contact with all mem- 
 bers of the parish who choose to avail themselves of the 
 opportunities given. It also brings into the choir a 
 certain spiciness of variety keenly appreciated by all. It 
 is under the auspices of the Club that secular concerts 
 may be given, and all arrangements made for special 
 treats and outings, leaving to the choir, as a choir, the 
 music of the Church, and all matters pertaining 
 thereto. 
 
 The structure of the Choir Club Avill perhaps be better 
 explained by the following constitution, which is copied — 
 with slight variations — from the constitution of such a 
 society in actual existence in one of the larger parishes in 
 the Diocese of Chicago, and of which parish it is one of 
 the recognized institutions. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 115 
 
 Constitution and Bj'-laws of the Choir Club of Church, 
 
 , Diocese of 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 NAMES AND OBJECT. 
 
 This society shall be known as the Choir Club of Church, 
 
 , Diocese of . 
 
 Its object shall be to promote the social, moral and spiritual wel- 
 fare of its members. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 M E M B E 11 S H I r . 
 
 Active: — Any member of the Choir, who has been a member in 
 good standing for three months, may become an active member of the 
 Club by signing this Constitution. 
 
 Honorary: — Honorary members shall consist of the following 
 classes : 
 
 First Class. — Such members of the choir as have retired in 
 good standing- from active service. 
 
 Second Class. — Parents and wives of the active members. 
 
 Third Class. — Such persons as shall, for reasons satisfactory to 
 the choir, be elected thereto. 
 
 Fourth Class. — Such members of the congregation as shall 
 annually pay into the treasury of the Club such sum as the By-laws 
 shall prescribe. 
 
 Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed as preventing 
 honorary members of the first, second and third classes, from admis- 
 sion into the fourth class, if they so desire. 
 
 ARTICLE HI. 
 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 The officers shall be a President, a Vice-President, Secretary, and 
 Treasurer, who, with four additional members, shall constitute the 
 Board of Directors ; the office of President shall always be held by 
 the Rector of the parish, and that of Vice-President, by the choir- 
 master ; all other officers shall be elected by the active members. 
 
11 G CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 DUTIES OF OFFICERS. 
 
 The duty of the President shall be to preside at any meeting of 
 the Club or of the Board of Directors : also, at the request of three 
 members of the Board of Directors, to call a special meeting of Club 
 or Board, the object for which it is called to be stated in the call. 
 
 The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President, in 
 case of the absence of that officer or his inability to act, and shall 
 have entire charge of the musical work of the Club. 
 
 The Treasurer shall receive the annual dues and all monies paid 
 into the treasury, and shall disburse the same as ordered by the 
 Board of Directors, or by the Club. 
 
 The Board of Directors shall have general charge of the affairs of 
 the Club, and may be called together at any convenient time by the 
 President. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 ELECTION OF OFFICERS, 
 
 A Secretary, Treasurer, and four Directors* shall^be elected each 
 year at the annual meeting ; but in case of a vacancy, such may be 
 filled at any regular meeting. All elections shall be by ballot, unless 
 ordered otherwise by a two-thirds vote of those present. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 MEETINGS AND QUORUM. 
 
 The annual meeting of the Club shall be its first regular meeting 
 in Advent. Regular meetings shall be held at least once each month, 
 at such time as the By-laws shall appoint. Special meetings may be 
 called at any time by the President. The Board of Directors shall 
 meet whenever required by necessity or expediency of affairs. 
 
 At all meetings of the Board of Directors, a majority of the 
 number— and at all meetings of the Club, fifteen active members — 
 shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 
 
 * III the Club of which this is, essentially, tlie Constitution, it is the 
 custom to apportion the Directors to the four parts of the choir, electing 
 one each from the sopranos, altos, tenors and basses. 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 1 I 7 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 DUES OF ACTIVE MP:MI5EKS. 
 
 Each active member shall pay into the treasury such dues as shall 
 be agreed upon by the Club, and set forth in the By-laws. 
 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 AMENDMENTS. 
 
 This Constitution may be altered or amended at any regular 
 meeting of the Club by a two-thirds vote of the members present, 
 written notice of the proposed change having been given at a previ- 
 ous meeting. 
 
 BY-LAWS. 
 
 1. — Regular meetings shall be held on the first Tuesday of each 
 month. 
 
 2. — Annual dues of active members shall be 81.20, payable 
 entire or in such installments as each member may choose. Annual 
 dues for honorary members of the fourth class shall be at least 82.50. 
 
 3. — The simplest methods of parliamentary usage shall prevail at 
 meetings, the President's decision being final. 
 
 4. — When less than a quorum is present, and no officer, the 
 members present may be called to order by any one of the number, 
 and adjourned. 
 
 5. — These By-laws may be added to, altered or amended by the 
 same method as provided in changing the Constitution ; but in 
 adding new By-laws, this (No. 5 at present) shall be placed last. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE ADJUiq^CT CHOIR. 
 
 [Contributed by the Rev. D. S. Phillips, S.T.D., Dean, and Rector of St. 
 Paul's Church, Kankakee, 111]. 
 
 Wonderful has been the spread of the boy choir of 
 late years in the American Church. Within the Diocese 
 of Chicago it is stated that the increase of such choristers 
 during the seven years preceding 1891 has been fully ten- 
 fold, ^ow, assuming that the boy choir has come to 
 stay, it is pertinent to ask — what about the singing girls 
 of our parish ? Are they henceforth to be crowded out — 
 their sweet voices no more to be heard in the service of 
 song in the house of God ? In the average parish we 
 shall find twice, often thrice, as many girls with promising 
 musical voices as boys. In the average Sunday School it 
 is the girls that do the singing ; the boys' voices, for the 
 most part, cut no figure at all. Again, probably half a 
 dozen girls are put to the piano at an early age for each 
 boy ; and so the theory of music is much better under- 
 stood among them, and they learn vocal music more 
 readily. 
 
 Said a teacher of music to the writer — a man who 
 knew little of boy-choirs except by rumor — ''It seems to 
 
THE VESTED CHOIR. 119 
 
 _ 
 
 me a great loss to leave the girls out of your choir, as yon 
 are doing in the Episcopal Church. Girls' voices are 
 more melodious than boys.' The feminine organization 
 is finer than the masculine in childhood, as well as in 
 mature years. Besides, girls take to singing naturally. 
 You may get your boys to sing, perhaps, if you push them 
 hard enough, but your girls will sing without urging, 
 because they love it. And they w^ould add a quality 
 which w^ould make the music of your boys and men a 
 great deal better, too. Why, you might as well shut ofp 
 all the soft-voiced, melodious stops of your organ, and 
 use only the loud and strident ones, as to banish the girls 
 from your choirs."* 
 
 But most clergymen and choirmasters, following 
 Churchly tradition and usage, are decided in their objec- 
 tions to a feminine element in the vested choir : and, 
 though it has been claimed in some quarters where this 
 element has been introduced, that the music has been 
 thereby greatly improved, yet the vested choir ordinarily 
 means a choir of men and boys only, and is likely to 
 retain that name in the future. But that leaves out all 
 this rich and plentiful mass of musical material in our 
 parishes, unless we can organize a girls' choir, as well as 
 a boys'. More than that, the girls are likely to feel a 
 sense of slight and injury ; they listen to the boy choir 
 
 * Tliis quotation is wortli two or three readings, as illustrating the 
 erroneous opinions held by those who— as the writer says— know boy 
 choirs only by rumor.— Authok. 
 
120 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 and believe that if they had the training bestowed upon 
 the boys, they could sing better than the choir. Theij 
 "would not make so many blunders as the boys did last 
 Sunday in that Te Deum, or Anthem !'' 
 
 What, then, shall we do ? 
 
 Organize an "Adjunct Choir'' of girls only, and let it 
 be an understood part of the choirmaster's duty to train 
 them w^ell. You will find that it can be sustained with 
 very little labor compared with what 3^ou expend upon 
 the boy choir. 
 
 Let them even occupy the choir stalls at certain ser- 
 vices when the vested choir can not be present — as for 
 instance, the early celebration of the Holy Communion, 
 or on Saints' days ; (and, perhaps, occasionally at a service 
 for young people on a Sunday evening, let them sit in a 
 body near the choir). They wall lead the singing of the 
 congregation, and, with a few bass and tenor voices that 
 can generally be counted on, you will find it a marvellous 
 improvement upon the general custom of no singing at all 
 on such occasions. 
 
 It was a chance allusion to what the writer has him- 
 self attempted in this way that led the author of this 
 work to request a chapter on the subject. "Write it all 
 out — just how you do it," said he. The following scheme 
 has only been in operation in my parish for three or four 
 months, and perhaps it is too early yet to speak with 
 much confidence ; but it promises so well that it is offered 
 as an illustration of what may be done to utilize musical 
 
THE ADJUNCT CHOIR. 121 
 
 material among the girls in parishes having a vested 
 choir of men and boys. 
 
 A society was organized under the name of 'The St. 
 Cecilia Guild," having the usual corps of officers, and 
 permitting any girl in the parish from nine to eighteen 
 years •of age to be a member. 
 
 On approval of parents, an agreement is signed to be 
 present at least twice each month, on an average, at the 
 early Celebrations, and at such occasional rehearsals and 
 Sunday evening services as the rector and Guild officer.^ 
 may decide. The membership of the Guild, at the pres- 
 ent writing, numbers thirty-six ; the average attendance 
 at the early Celebration is about twenty. 
 
 Thus far, no change has ever been made in hymns or 
 music — always the same, Sunday after Sunday, and noth- 
 ing announced at the time of service. The Introit is 
 Hymn 331, two stanzas, ''Christ, Whose glory fills the 
 skies." The Kyrie, Gloria Tihi, Ter Sanctus, one verse of 
 a Communion Hymn — all sung to simple, familiar music. 
 Hymn 203, "Thou God all glory, honor, power," has ihus 
 far been sung instead of the Gloria in Excels is, and at the 
 close, two or three stanzas of hymn 238, "Thine forever: — 
 God of love," are 8ung. The entire service occupies from 
 thirty-five to forty minutes. About one-half the Guild are 
 communicants, and several of the remainder are preparing 
 for Confirmation. 
 
 One result of having music at the early Celebrations 
 has be«i to largely increase the number receiving (not 
 
122 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 belonging to the Guild), and it seems hardly possible that 
 these young girls should be habitually present at this 
 sacred service, joining reverently in the office, all close to 
 the altar, without a solemnizing influence upon them 
 more potent than any other public act of devotion in 
 which they join. • 
 
 Some such systematic encouragement of the musical 
 young ladies and girls of a parish — where there is already 
 a vested choir — to form a separate adjunct choir for 
 special services, if given half the amount of attention 
 bestowed on the boys, can hardly fail to produce certain 
 very desirable and marked results: 
 
 First, a marked increase of interest on the part of the 
 parish in services like the early Communion, Saints' days, 
 or week-day evenings, at which the regular choir is never 
 present. It would be found a great aid in the evening 
 services of Lent. School girls cannot well be present on 
 week-days, except in the evening; but at these, the 
 ''Adjunct Choir" would prove the most reliable of all 
 helps, if expected to sustain the music. 
 
 Second, variety and additional interest in the music 
 at special services for young people, on occasions of 
 public catechising, or, as the custom is in some parishes, 
 a monthly service for the Sunday School on a Sunday 
 evening. 
 
 Third, in its effects on congregational singing. Scat- 
 tered through the congregation, encouraged to sing with 
 the choir in all music familiar to them, these mentbers of 
 
THE ADJUNCT CHOIR. 123 
 
 the Adjunct Choir will often be found to do more for the 
 congregational singing than their parents or elders. 
 
 Fourth, in those times of weakness to which all vested 
 choirs are liable in our average or smaller parishes— when, 
 perhaps, the voice of a leading boy has broken, and the. 
 soprano or alto is not ''up to the mark ;" the best singers-, 
 in the Adjunct Choir will gladly fill in the deficiency,, 
 although not vested, or in the stalls. 
 
 If your experience should ever be like that of the 
 writer, you will often hear members of the congregation 
 say: "How much better the music is since the girls 
 began to sing in the congregation so freely; it never 
 was so good before f^ 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 A TALK TO A CHOIR. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Clericus talks to his boys on ^'The Mistake 
 of Ahimaaz.'" 
 
 Explanatory Note. — The choir had begun to get a 
 little unruly ; even the best-behaved boys were becoming 
 infected with the spirit of mischievous insubordi- 
 nation, and on this particular evening, the very atmos- 
 phere seemed to be surcharged with it. Suddenly, in the 
 midst of the practice, the bolt fell ; the rector, the Rev. Mr. 
 Clericus, who was conducting his choir, stopped the prac- 
 tice in the midst of a phrase of music and sternly dis- 
 missed two boys, peremptorily expelling one, and suspend- 
 ing the other for a month. As this was the most severe 
 case of discipline that had ever been exercised in the 
 choir, it had an immediate and perceptible effect ; the 
 practice proceeded to the end with undivided attention and 
 the best behavior. About fifteen minutes before the 
 usual closing time, Mr. Clericus laid aside his book and 
 baton, took up a small Bible that lay near, and after find- 
 ing a place in the Old Testament* called the choir to 
 order, and proceeded as follows : 
 
 * II Samuel xvlii, 19. 
 
A TALK TO A CHOIR. ]2l 
 
 I want to talk a little to the choir before closing the 
 practice this evening. Perhaps some of you were surprised 
 at my action this evening regarding Fred and Harry. 
 [Perceptible increase of attention]. While I do not 
 think it wise in all cases— or even in many cases — to take 
 the choir into my confidence in matters of discipline, 
 there is such a valuable lesson connected with this one 
 that I propose to let you all have the benefit of it. [Sev- 
 eral of the boys exchange doubtful glances]. 
 
 In order to impress this lesson on your minds in the 
 best way, I want you first to carry your memories back to 
 our "camping out" last summer [surprise]; more espec- 
 ially to the day we had the foot races; who came out 
 ahead? Who beat? [Voices exclaim, ''Ralph beat;" 
 "Ralph won by six feet," and all turn to look at Ralph, 
 who tries to appear unconcerned]. Yes, it was Ralph; 
 and I remember how pleased you all were, even those that 
 were beaten ; because we all like Ralph ; and, another 
 thing, we know him to be very fleet-footed, and would 
 rather be beaten by him than anyone else. And I presume 
 you all remember how we ran the' race over again with 
 our tongues, around the camp-fire that night. [Subdued 
 reminiscent enthusiasm]. 
 
 But I think that Ralph would have been beaten if 
 Ahimaaz had been there to run with him. [Questioning 
 looks are interchanged]. Still, if I wanted to send a boy 
 on an errand of any importance in a hurry, I would much 
 rather send Ralph than Ahimaaz. [A hand is raised]. 
 
126 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 What is it, Jimmy? [''If yoa please, Mr. Clericus, who 
 is Himmyaz ?"] Ahimaaz ? Why, did you never hear of 
 him? [The boys shake their heads reflectively, and the 
 tenors and basses begin to show signs of interest] . I am 
 sure you have all heard of him ; but I presume the one 
 great affair that he figured in was so important and so 
 interesting to you all, that you never gave him a second 
 thought. But I think you will always remember him 
 hereafter, for he had something to do with Fred's dismis-. 
 sal from the choir this evening. [Perplexed whispers of 
 "Who is he?" '^Do you know him?" "Does he live 
 here?" all of which Mr. Clericus ignores]. He had this 
 to do with it — he made the same kind of mistake — not the 
 very same mistake — but the same kind of one that Fred has 
 been making ever since he came into the choir. And as 1 
 was thinking about Ahimaaz last week, and studying 
 over him, it came across me that it was as unwise of me 
 to allow Fred to sing in the choir, as it was in Joab to 
 allow Ahimaaz to run a foot race with Cushi to see who 
 would get to Mahanaim first. [Evident amazement in 
 the choir] . 
 
 I won't keep you in suspense any longer, boys. 
 Ahimaaz was a young man in the days of King David, 
 and we read about him in the Bible. He was the son of 
 Zadok, one of the priests. You all probably remember 
 the story of Absalom, the son of David ; how he wanted 
 to be king, and raised a rebellion against his father, and 
 was killed by Joab, the commander of David's army. 
 
A TALK TO A CHOIR. 127 
 
 while he was caught by his head in an oak tree. A num- 
 ber of 3'oung men were there, and they took his body 
 down and buried it. After it was all over, Ahimaaz came 
 around, and, as the battle was over, he wanted to be sent 
 as a messenger to David to tell him how the fight had 
 ended. 
 
 As near as I can make out from the story, he didn't 
 know anything about Absalom's death. But he was very 
 anxious to go as a messenger, because he was a famous 
 runner ; probably he could outrun anyone in the army. 
 But Joab wanted to send the evil tidings of Absalom's 
 death to his father by a more discreet messenger, even if 
 he couldn't run as fast. So he said — and, it seems to me, 
 in a very fatherly sort of way — "You must not go to the 
 king with news to-day. Some other day I will send you 
 with a message ; but not to-day, because the king's son is 
 dead." And he turned to Cushi, who was probably one of 
 the young men who saw Absalom killed, and said, "Go 
 and tell the king what you sawy And Cushi bowed to 
 Joab, and started for the city of Mahanaim, where David 
 was, on a run. 
 
 But Ahimaaz was a very foolish and impetuous young 
 fellow. He was fairly quivering with excitement, and 
 could not keep still, and he came back to Joab and said: 
 "Whatever may have happened, do, please, let me run 
 after Cushi." And Joab very patiently said, "What do 
 you want to go for, my son ; you have no message— no 
 news at all." 
 
128 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 But that didn't silence him. You see, he wanted to 
 show Joab and every one else that he could run faster 
 than Cushi, and ought to have been sent instead. So he 
 finally wore out Joab's patience. "Let me run," he 
 implored ; and Joab, to get rid of his continual teasing, 
 said, "Run." So Ahimaaz started, and in a short time he 
 overtook Cushi, and beat him, and reached the king first. 
 
 All day long the king had sat at the gate of the city, 
 and two watchmen had been up on the city wall on the 
 lookout for any tidings. iVnd now one of them comes to 
 the king wdth the news that a man is running across the 
 plain alone, coming toward the city; and the king said, 
 "If he is alone, he must be a messenger ; he has news for 
 us." And then, after a while, Cushi came in sight, and 
 the watchman reported that another man was running 
 alone toward the city. And the kmg said, "He has news, 
 too." You remember I told you that x4.himaaz was a 
 famous runner ? Well, the watchman knew him, and 
 very likely had often seen him in foot-races, for he recog- 
 nized him by his gait ; at any rate he said, "It seems to 
 me that the running of the foremost man is very much 
 like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok." The 
 king knew Zadok, the priest, and trusted him ; so he said 
 of Zadok's son, "he is a good man, and has good news." 
 (There is in these words a hint of one reason why Joab 
 did not want to send Ahimaaz to carry evil news). 
 
 When he came near enough, he called out a greeting 
 to the king, and running into his presence, he prostrated 
 
A TALK TO A CHOIR. 121> 
 
 himself before David, and told all he knew in a breath : 
 ''Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath delivered up the 
 men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king !'' 
 This seems to be all that he was able to tell of the whole 
 day's battle. And the king was so anxious about his 
 rebellious son, Absalom ! and he asked eagerly, "Is the 
 young man Absalom safe ?" And all Ahimaaz could say 
 was, "When Joab sent the king's servant (meaning 
 Cushi) and me, thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I 
 didn't know what the matter was." And so, for all his 
 eagerness to run, and for all his fleetness of foot, he 
 couldn't give the king any news at all, beyond the gen- 
 eral fact that the king's army had won. So the king 
 commanded him to stand aside. And then Cushi came, 
 and by his discreet words, he justified Joab's choice of 
 him for a messenger. 
 
 Well, if I'm not careful, 1 shall run into a regular 
 sermon, and that is not my intention ; I want you to do 
 a little talking and a little thinking, too. Now, Ahimaaz 
 made a great mistake in this matter. What was the 
 mistake ? Put on your thinking caps, now, and tell me. 
 Frankie, what do you think about it ? [Frankie: "Was 
 it wanting to go to the king, when he didn't know any- 
 thing to tell him ?"] Yes, that was it, partly. But there 
 was another, more serious one, underlying that. Who 
 can tell what it was ? Now, think hard. 
 
 [After a few moments' reflection, Alfred, a quiet, 
 studious-looking bov in the alto seats, says : ''I think his 
 
130 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 mistake was in thinking that he could do better than the 
 other one because he could run faster"]. Right ! that is 
 it. exactly, Alfred. Perhaps it would be better to put it 
 in this way : Ahimaaz made the mistake of thinking 
 that the most important qualification for a messenger 
 was his ability to run fast. That is an important qualifi- 
 cation, no doubt: yet Cushi was the better messenger, 
 though he could not run so fast. 
 
 Once in a while a boy, now-a-days, will make a mis- 
 take so much like that of Ahimaaz that they might be 
 taken for twins — the mistakes, I mean ; not the boy and 
 Ahimaaz. The boy thinks that the only necessary 
 qualification for a chorister is his ability to sing well. 
 [Sensation]. That is the trouble with Fred. He has a 
 beautiful voice, but he is irreverent at church, careless at 
 practice, and discourteous — even impudent — at all times. 
 He has a prettier voice than any of the rest of you, but I 
 wouldn't give little Joe here for a dozen like him, 
 although Joe has never sung a solo yet. [Great sensation, 
 and Joe blushes to the roots of his hair]. Let me tell 
 you why. Joe sings nicely, quite as well as the most of 
 you, though not so well as Fred ; but he is reverent and 
 well-behaved. He is as full of fun as any boy in the 
 choir, a good swimmer and ball-player, and we found out 
 last summer that he could catch fish ; but, above all, he 
 knows how to behave ; I never have to keep an eye on 
 Joe. 
 
A TALK TO A CHOIR 131 
 
 Now a Avord about Harry. He behaved fully as ])adly 
 as Fred this evening, and he has been doing quite badly 
 lately. I suspended him for a month, and did not expel 
 him, because he is only thoughtless, and has been influ- 
 enced by Fred. The suspension will do him good. 
 
 And now, in conclusion, I want you all to take this 
 lesson to heart. One day last summer, at the camp, I 
 sat up on the bluff just over the landing-place, and saw 
 Ralph and Jimmie and Alfred, and one or two more, get 
 into the only boat that happened to be there at the time, 
 and pull out from shore. Just as they had got out into 
 the channel, Harvey came running down to the landing, 
 and one of the boys in the boat called out to him, ''Say, 
 Harvey, your name is Dennis, this trip." [Laughter; 
 blushes on Ralph's face]. Now, I simply want to say 
 that any member of this choir who entitles himself to the 
 name of Ahimaaz by falling into this mistake, will find it 
 as bad a name as ''Dennis.'' [The members of the choir 
 evidently see the point and appreciate it] . 
 
 But seriously, boys, consider the position you occupy 
 as singers in the House of God. Think of the worship 
 of Grod, as revealed to us:— the choir of holy angels falling 
 down before Him, the blessed saints adoring Him, and we, 
 unworthy as we are, being permitted to join 'Svith angels 
 and archangels and with all the company of heaven" to 
 laud and magnify His holy Name ! How reverent we 
 should be ! How careful in our lives ! God help us all, 
 you and me, to be worthy of our high vocation ! 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 CHOIR PRAYERS. 
 
 [Before Practice:] 
 
 Direct us, Lord, in all our doings, with Thy most gracious 
 favour, and further us with Thy continual help; that in all our 
 works begun, continued, and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy 
 Name, and finally, by Thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 [After Practice:] 
 
 Lighten our darkness, we beseech Thee, Lord; and by Thy great 
 mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the 
 love of Thine only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Ame)i. 
 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the 
 fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. 
 
 [Before Service:] 
 Let Thy Holy Spirit be with us, Lord God, that we may enter 
 Thy courts with reverence and godly fear, and render a service 
 acceptable unto Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 or. 
 Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts. Almighty God, by the influ- 
 ence of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may worthily praise Thy Holy 
 Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 or, 
 Lord, our Strength and Help, may our services be acceptable 
 in Thy sight; purif>' our hearts, quicken our spirits, and help our 
 infirmities, that we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
134 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 [After Service:] 
 Grant, Lord, that what we have sung with our lips we may 
 believe in our hearts and practice in our lives; through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
 or, 
 Lord, make us more worthy, we beseech Thee, to lead the 
 praises of Thy Church; and may we so worship Thee here below, 
 that we may worship Thee forever hereafter in heaven; through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 or, 
 Pardon, Lord, we beseech Thee, the deficiencies and short- 
 comings of this service in which we have been engaged, and be Thou 
 with us as we depart from Thy house; for the sake of Thy Son, 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 [General:] 
 
 We beseech Thee. Lord, to regard with Thine everlasting love, 
 these Tliy [children and] servants, who lead Thy people in the 
 ministry of praise. May they worship Thee with undefiled lips and 
 pure hearts, that their service may be acceptable in Thy sight; set- 
 ting forth Thy praise, not only with their lips, but in their lives; by 
 giving up themselves to Thy service, and by walking before Thee in 
 holiness and righteousness all their days, through Jesus Christ our 
 Saviour. Amen. 
 
 or, 
 
 [The prayer beginning "0 Lord, Who in Thy wrath," at the 
 close of the Service for the Admission of Choristers]. 
 
 [The following ''Grace before meals" will be found 
 occasionally useful with choirs] . 
 
 E«E5EEi=^g^i|iS=^=^Pi=^iEl 
 
 i^l^?iii^ii^i"^ii^i^ 
 
 The eyes of all wait upon 1 Thee | Lord: and Thou givest 
 them their | meat in | due"= | season. 
 
 Thou open(?6'^ | Thine"= | hand: and fillest all things | living* 
 with 1 plenteous | ness. 
 
 Glory be to the Father, etc. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 185 
 
 [Or, the Gloria onJif being sung to the above, the 
 verses may be sung as follows] : 
 Minister. 
 
 1 
 
 ¥ 
 
 1 
 
 The eyes of all waitiip-ou 
 Choir. , 
 
 The( 
 
 Lord : 
 
 -J^ 
 
 ^zcq=J^z;=*=:t^:=z:«=^=t==zz±: 
 
 Aud Thou giv - est them their meat in due sea - son. 
 
 -pt^ — u L. 
 
 »——rt±^. 
 
 i 
 
 :P 
 
 Minister. 
 
 B 
 
 t--- 
 
 I 
 
 Thou 
 Choir. 
 
 openest 
 
 Thiue 
 
 iiand: 
 
 ^^.=Eg=EEi=i 
 
 # 
 
 ii^f 
 
 m^ 
 
 ^a 
 
 And fill - est all things liv - ing with plen -teons-uess. 
 
 
 1=*^ 
 
 fe^': 
 
 :g" 
 
 i 
 
 [Instead of the Gloria Pair I, one of the following 
 forms may be used:] 
 
 fc=iitE= 
 
 Supply the wants of all Avho are in need, 
 
 i 
 
 O Lord, anil give us grateful ___iz : 
 
 hearts for these aud all Thy mercies, for Christ's sake. 
 
 [Or,] 
 
 |3-^ ''^^ ' Bless, O Lord, these Thy gifts to our u.se, 
 
 I 
 
 aud us to Thy service, for Christ's sake. 
 
136 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 [to either of which the choir may respond:] 
 
 A^ 
 
 A 
 
 '^ ^ 
 
 ^ — 
 
 m 
 
 B. 
 
 SERVICE FOR THE ADMISSION" OF CHORISTERS. 
 Adapted from Bishop How's "Pastor in Parochia." 
 
 [The choir shall be fully vested for this service, save 
 the candidate or candidates for admission, who shall be 
 habited in cassocks, but shall occupy a place with the 
 choristers] . 
 
 Minister: Let us pray. 
 
 [Then shall be said — on any convenient tone — all 
 kneeling, the Lord's Prayer, after which all shall sing 
 the following] 
 
 CONFESSION. 
 
 IW^: 
 
 3 
 
 Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Al-might-y, Before Whom the angels 
 
 ;^3 
 
 -q= 
 
 veil their faces, And in Whose sight the very heavens are not clean; 
 
 :=^: 
 
 5 
 
 .^_cs 
 
 We confess that we are unworthy to speak un - to Thee. Pardon, 
 
 m 
 
 \^—4 
 
 O Lord,all our sins, negligences, and ignorances,of the time that is past, 
 
APPKNhlX. 
 
 i;-r 
 
 SI 
 
 Forgive our wandering tho'ts,onr heedless words.our oftentimes un- 
 
 a-7^ 
 
 wor-thy lives. And grant that, in time to come we may walk more 
 
 ■^^- 
 
 worthily of our holy office 
 
 in Thv Church 
 
 i 
 
 ai 
 
 '=^ 
 
 '^ 
 
 I 
 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 Minister. Choir. 
 
 jtziMz 
 
 1 — r 
 
 11 rzx^: 
 
 2^=:s= 
 
 i 
 
 > Lord.open Thou our lips. And our mouth shall show forth Thy praise. 
 
 /$> # — \-9 # # f-«? h2- 
 
 ^ 
 
 m 
 
 IMlNISTER. 
 
 Choir. 
 
 elp us. 
 
 iS^ -0- 
 
 in 
 
 g 
 
 O God, make speed to save us. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 fi^^ 
 
 O Lord, make haste to help us 
 
 ■0- ■0- •0- -i^ -0- 
 
 tE-^^. 
 
 Minister. {All standing. 
 
 m 
 
 !5>— 
 
 ^-^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Ho - ly Ghost: 
 Choir. Ill N ^ I 
 
 
 JJ^EEiEE^Et^ 
 
 As it was in the beffinning, is now,and ever shall be, world without end. A-inen 
 
 ^ 
 
 gii^ 
 
 =^ 
 
 1^ 
 
138 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Minister. 
 
 i 
 
 Choir, 
 
 m 
 
 I^S^ 
 
 m 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. The Lord's Name be prais - ed. 
 
 — ^ . .—^ r-J-.J 1^ 0—^^- 
 
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 E 
 
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 [Then shall be sung the XVth Psalm, as follows, 
 during which the candidate or candidates will advance to 
 the chancel gate, or the place appointed before the 
 minister, accompanied by the choirmaster, or a chorister 
 appointed to represent him] . 
 
 Elvey. 
 
 i 
 
 ^ 
 
 S 
 
 t-sJ 
 
 :^ 
 
 -«>- 
 
 
 'a>^ II 
 
 m 
 
 ? 
 
 im 
 
 ■^ 
 
 ■h- 
 
 FuLL. I. — Lord, who shall direll in thy | taber | nacle: or who shall 
 
 rest up I on thy ] holy | hill. 
 2. — Even he that leadeth. an ] uncor-rupt | life: and doeth 
 
 the thing which is right, and speafceth. the | truth*= | 
 
 from his | heart. 
 Can. 3. — He that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done 
 
 ^vil I to his I neighbor : and \ hath not | slandered his | 
 
 neighbor. 
 Dec. 4. — He that setteth not by himself, but is Jouly in his | 
 
 own'= I eyes: and maketh much of | them that | fear 
 
 the I Lord. 
 Can. 5.— He that sweareth unto his neighbor, and ^/.<?ap | point- 
 
 eth* him | not: though it | were* to his | own"= | hin- 
 drance. 
 Dec. 6. — He that hath not given his mo«ey up | on"^= | usurj-: nor 
 
 taken reword a | gainst the | inno | cent. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 139 
 
 Can. 1.— Whoso \ cloeth' these 1 things: shall \ nev= 1 er-= j 
 
 fall. 
 Full. —Glory be, etc. 
 
 [The choirmaster, or his representative, shall then 
 present the candidate (or, if more than one, each candi- 
 date separately,) with these words:] 
 
 I present A. B. for admission into this choir. 
 
 The minister will then give to the candidate his cotta 
 and hymnal, saying:] 
 
 A. B., I admit thee as a chorister in this choir, entitled to its 
 high privileges, and bound by its rules. What thou singest with 
 thy lips, believe in thy heart and practice in thy life. And may 
 God receive thee as a singer of the sanctuary in this world and in the 
 world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 [In the admission of a crucifer, the minister shall give 
 
 to the candidate his cotta and, instead of a hymnal, the 
 
 processional cross, saying]: 
 
 A. B., I admit thee as crucifer of this choir, entitled to its high 
 privileges and bound by its rules. Ever bear this cross, the standard 
 of the choir, with clean hands and a pure heart. And may thou so 
 bear any cross that God shall lay upon thee in this world, that thou 
 mayest wear a crown of glory in the world to come, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 [Then may follow a hymn] . 
 
 [128, 176, 189, 422, 431, or 433]. 
 
 [During the singing of the hymn, the new member 
 retires, accompanied by a chorister appointed to assist 
 him, vests himself in his cotta, then returns and takes his 
 place as directed] . 
 
140 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 [After the hymn, the service closes as follows:] 
 
 MiXISTER. 
 
 i 
 
 :E; 
 
 I will sing uuto the Lord as long as I live. 
 
 -#— #-l-s: 
 
 1 
 
 Choir. 
 
 Dr. Dykes. 
 
 ^m 
 
 9i, 
 
 I willpraisemy God while I have my be - ing, 
 S ^ r > ^ ^-TL-^f— ^- 
 
 v=t 
 
 
 [And the following Prayers:] 
 
 Almighty God, Who out of the iiionths of babes and sucklings 
 art pleased to perfect j>raise ; Mortifj- and kill all vices in us, that we 
 may praise Thee with true childlike hearts. Give Thy special bles- 
 sing, we beseech Thee, to Thy servants [or children] who have this 
 day joined us in our holy office, and help them always to adore 
 Thee with reverence and godly fear. Keep them, Lord, fi-om 
 wandering thoughts, from lip-service, from vanity and irreverence. 
 and from whatsoever other sin may most easily beset them. And 
 make us all, we beseech Thee, examples and patterns to each other, 
 and to the Church in which Thou hast placed us, that we may ever 
 glorify Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. 
 
 Lord, Who in Thy wrath didst destroy Uzzah for irreverently 
 laying his hand upon Thine Ark; Keep us, we beseech Thee, from 
 our besetting sin of taking holy words irreverently upon our tongues. 
 May we have grace to be always mindful of the solemnity of the 
 work in which we are engaged; and may our reverence increase, as 
 we become more familiar with Thy praises. Teach us to remember 
 always how the holy Angels veil their faces before Thee. And may 
 we so reverently praise Thee here, that hereafter we may with the 
 Angels praise Thee in heaven ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. A men . 
 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the 
 fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. 
 
Al'l'KNDIX. 141 
 
 c. 
 
 CHORAL SERVICE IN THE KEY OF D. 
 
 [Clerg3mien possessing deep bass voices often complain 
 that they are unable to have a choral service, as Tallis' in 
 G, or even in F, is beyond their power, they being unable 
 to sustain the voice in intoning on that pitch with any 
 degree of ease. It is for such that this service is com- 
 posed. It is new, and at the present writing is used in 
 two parish churches, the result in both being all that 
 could be desired] , 
 
 [The opening Sentences, Exhortation, Confession and 
 Absolution may be said on any convenient tone, without 
 organ] . 
 
 Ill 
 
 M Unison. 
 
 Our Father, Who art in heaven, etc. 
 
 Minister. * n Answer 
 
 ^=^mmp0mf^B 
 
 ^; 
 
 O Lord, open Thou our lips. And our mouth shall show forth Thy praise. 
 
 -% 
 
 mm 
 
 ".=;=5= 
 
 * The minister may sing either the upper or the lower notes; the upper 
 ones are a monotone on D. 
 
142 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 Minister. 
 
 m 
 
 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son. and to the Ho - ly Ghost: 
 
 PI 
 
 1 
 
 m 
 
 Answer. 
 
 -K-N- 
 
 Pe^^S^e 
 
 As it was in the beginning.is now, and ever shall be, world without end. A-men. 
 
 -I — 0—0 #— r' ' — "x—^ rl — ' — n 
 
 Minister. 
 
 i 
 
 t-r-f 
 
 Answer 
 
 'i- 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 rii- 
 
 Pl= 
 
 m 
 
 The Lord's Name be prais - ed. 
 
 [Psalter, Lessons and Canticles.] 
 
 M Unison. 
 
 m 
 
 ^ 
 
 I believe in God the Father Almighty, etc. 
 
 m 
 
 Minister. 
 
 Answer. 
 
 P 
 
 i5t= 
 
 m 
 
 The Lord be "with 
 
 'n 
 
 ^ 
 
 you. 
 
 m 
 
 i 
 
 And with thy spir - it. 
 
 ampii^ 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 143 
 
 Let us pray. 
 Minister. 
 
 » 
 
 O Lord, show Thy mercy 
 
 up 
 
 mi 
 
 t 
 
 e; 
 
 iPI 
 
 Answer. 
 
 And 
 
 grant us Thy 
 
 sal 
 
 m 
 
 tion. 
 
 — #— 
 
 d^: 
 
 Minister. 
 
 m< 
 
 O God, make clean our hearts with - in 
 
 Answer. 
 
 m^mm 
 
 ^^ 
 
 And take not Thy Ho - ly Spir - it 
 
 0. — — 
 
 from 
 
 21= 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 / / r- 
 
 ( After each Prayer. ) 
 
 (Final.) 
 
 A - men. 
 
 is 
 
 A- 
 
 ^^ 
 
 I 
 
 m^^m 
 
 -^ 
 
 I 
 
144 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 "The Ten Exercises." 
 
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 No. 2. 
 
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 No. 3. 
 
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APPENDIX. 
 
 145 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 
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 No. 5. 
 
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 No. 6. 
 
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146 
 
 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
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 Xo. 7. 
 
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 No. 8. 
 
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APPENDIX. 
 
 147 
 
 t^^m ^m^^S^s] 
 
 Z^^—^0A-t^-^. 
 
 e^ 
 
 tzr^d-^nt± 
 
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 No. 9. 
 
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 No. 10. 
 
 
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148 
 
 CLERGY AXD CHOIR. 
 
 E. 
 
 (The following movement, from one of the choruses in the oratorio 
 of the "Messiah." is not only useful as a preparation for the singing 
 of that chorus, but for general practice in flexibility. Each exercise 
 should be sung in a breath if possible, care being taken not to attempt 
 too much at once, especially with boys. ) 
 
 Movement from "For Unto Us." 
 
 No. 1. Voice. 
 
 ^t^i^ 
 
 Accompaniment. 
 
 
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 r^ ! > J 
 
 t^ 
 
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 v-^- 
 
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APPEM)IX. 
 
 149 
 
 ^- 
 
 0-^0^ — * 
 
 :3^3r^' 
 
 a 
 :«>- 
 
 l^ 
 
 1^^^£^1^ 
 
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 -we 
 
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 No. 3. 
 
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 :zd: 
 
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150 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 F. 
 
 CORNET ACCOMPANIMENT IN CHANTS. 
 
 The cornet has been used with excellent effect in 
 leading the congregation, in metrical tunes; but when 
 chanting has been attempted it has been abandoned, 
 owing to certain difficulties which seem insurmountable. 
 
 There is no valid reason why the cornet should not be 
 used on the chants, if it is used at all. A proper method 
 is all that is required. The following may indicate such 
 a method to the intelligent cornettist. 
 
 First, all divisions of words, the breathing points, 
 punctuations and italic (or otherwise marked) words to 
 be prolonged, must be as familiar to the cornettist as to 
 the singer. 
 
 Second, all these being familiar, discretion must be 
 exercised in their observance. 
 
 The recitiiig note of the chant should not always be 
 played, as on the organ, in one long, continuous tone, 
 nor should the cornettist go to the other extreme and 
 attempt to "tongue" all words and syllables. There is a 
 certain intelligent and judicious method between these 
 two extremes, which I will attempt to indicate by a setting 
 of the "Venite;" the marks used will be intelligible to 
 any cornettist. 
 
 Note: The method here outlined is useful also for piano accompani- 
 ment, with slight variations. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 151 
 
 Cornet in A. 
 
 Tone III— 4 
 
 Eggj^ ^jg^^^ 
 
 .^•eS=FS--^- 
 
 ^ 
 
 l.--0= I come let us sing \ unto the | Lord: let us heartily rejoice 
 
 2.- 
 
 3.- 
 
 4.— 
 
 7.- 
 
 a- 
 
 in the | strength of | our sal | ration. 
 Let us come before His ^ir^sence with | thanks-= | 
 
 ingjlancl show onrselves \ glad in | Him with | psalms. 
 
 For the Lord is a | great-= | God: and n great \ Ki 
 
 t I t 
 
 a I bove all | gods. 
 
 In His hand are all the comers | of the I earth; and the 
 
 strength of the | hills is | His-= | also. 
 
 The sea is His | and He | made it: and His hands pre | 
 pared- the | dr5-= | land. 
 
 come let us worshij) and | faIl-= | down: and kneel 
 
 I 
 
 be I fore the | Lord our | Maker. 
 
 For He is the | Lord our | God : and we are the people of 
 
 V V 
 
 His pasture, and the | sheep of | His-= | hand. 
 O worship the Lord in the | beauty of | holiness : let the 
 
 whole earth \ stand in | awe of | Him. 
 
V)2 CLERGY AND CHOIR. 
 
 For He cometh. for He cometh to | judge the | earth: 
 
 and with righteousness to judge the tcorJd and the 
 
 ! ! I ! t 
 
 peo-ple I with His [ truth. 
 
 \, , ! ! ? 
 
 (xlo-ry be to the Father. | and to the | Son: aud \ to the | Ho-ly 
 (Ihost: 
 
 As it was in the beginning, is )wir. and 1 ev-er ] shall be: irorhJ 
 
 \, , \, , t 
 
 without I end*= | A"= | men. 
 

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