expedient to allow a small fee to promote punctuality at rehearsals and church services. If trained singers are sought those who have spent much time and money upon their musical education-in all equity they should be paid something in proportion to their true value.

But whatever the sum total of expenses, they must be met. When the church does its duty, this responsibility does not rest upon the choir; but when the church is poor or indifferent, the choir must meet its own bills. In such a case the outlay is usually confined to music and the occasional rental of extra instruments, and the sum is not large. The methods of raising the needed money are as varied as the circumstances of the choir. Some assess a small fee upon each member of the choir. This is not fair to the singers, who already contribute time and effort. The more equitable way is to appoint a finance committee, who shall make a canvass of the members of the congregation who are, or ought to be, interested in the music, or shall arrange for a collection for the work of the choir on some appointed day.

When for any reason this is not practicable, an annual entertainment may prove feasible, combining, as it does, a pleasant variation from the regular work, a charming social occasion inspiring the whole congregation with new interest, with the financial results sought for. This may be a regular secular concert, with plenty of choral work and needed solo variety; or a cantata, either serious or humorous, an old folks program or a miscellaneous program, which shall include representatives of all classes of the church, may be provided. An oyster supper or a lawn fête with ices and cake may appeal to a less intellectual congregation. But whatever the plan, it must never be forgotten that the choir is a department of the

church. While a certain grade of humour will be entirely permissible, anything that is coarse and rude is entirely out of place.

However the money may be secured, it will be well to have a treasurer who shall take charge of it and make reports from time to time as to the condition of the treasury. He ought to be an aggressive, long-headed individual, who will provide the money for coming expenses as they arise, and be beholden to no one, not tasking the patience of some generous member of the choir who advances the money, or of the music publisher, who has printer's bills to meet and is in trouble because his customers are not prompt in paying their bills. The really competent pastor, the general executive head of the congregation, will not consider the financial problems of the choir beneath his notice. He will see that his people are enlightened as to their financial duties to the church choir, and will not permit the whole burden to fall upon a few persons, the sweetness of whose approving conscience is embittered by a sense of being imposed upon.

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XI

THE WORK OF THE CHOIR

ET us hurriedly review just what help the minister can secure from the choir. Of course, every

where the choir is used in the leading of the hymns. But there is so little emphasis placed upon this, that the choir often does it rather as a part of the congregation than as recognizing its leadership. There is little practice of the tunes, little study of the hymns in order to get the best effects from them, little sense of responsibility in general for the success of the congregational singing.

In many places the very opposite result follows. The choir, having such a sense of responsibility for the hymns, introduces new tunes that the congregation cannot sing and gradually eliminates the congregation altogether, making what ought to be the congregational hymn merely another form of choir music. This usually goes back to the leader of the choir who is so absorbed in his own work, and in the musical aspects of it, that he has no concern in or sense of responsibility for the congregational singing. The limitations of the congregational song fret him and he is unwilling to adjust himself to its needs. He thinks the choir can sing the hymn so much better, that he either deliberately or semi-consciously crowds out the congregation in order to get the musical effects that are so dear to his heart. Here is where the

minister's authority ought to be clearly defined and bravely exercised.

A well disciplined choir-I now refer to its obedience to the minister-will be extremely effective in varying the singing of the hymns, as I have already indicated elsewhere. In many a hymn there occurs a stanza of tenderness, or other delicate feeling, or one so varied in its emotional content, that the congregation can hardly hope to give it proper expression. Here the choir can come in with particular appropriateness and effectiveness. The congregation will take up the other stanzas with all the more intensity, after having listened to the thoroughly genuine and impressive rendering by the choir. The solo singers in the choir can also be used with good effect in single stanzas of a hymn. Where songs are responsive in character, the choir and the congregation may sing antiphonally.

Then there will be frequent occasions when a little extra music will be helpful; the thought of the sermon may be impressed more deeply by an appropriate solo or other music, known to the minister or suggested by the wide-awake and resourceful choir leader. By such mutual helpfulness and suggestiveness the congregation will enjoy many impressive and delightful surprises.

Especially during Gospel meetings can the choir be used to splendid purpose. Their hearty coöperation will largely solve the problem of securing the attendance of the general public whom it is desired to reach. Of course, they must be willing to sing Gospel songs instead of artistic music, if the results in this line are to be attained. These few suggestions show how valuable a feature a well utilized choir can be in the congregational singing.

Of course, the singing of anthems and other set music is the particular work of the choir. Such music adds dignity, impressiveness, and attractiveness to the public service. Particularly in the worshipful element of the service can the choir be made useful, producing the atmosphere of devotion so often lacking.

But the choir is not only the representative of the congregation in worship and praise, as is the minister in prayer, but also an assistant to the preacher. There are many truths that can better be impressed by means of a song than by preaching. The wise anthem writer studies his texts with extreme care and often makes a little sermon of his anthem. A fine setting and singing of "God so loved the world," John 3: 16, will sometimes be better than a formal sermon on that text. More effective than an exhortation from the minister will often be an anthem setting of "Stand up for Jesus," or 'Onward, Christian Soldiers." The consummate touch of urgency may be given to a sermon of invitation by the choir's singing of "The Spirit and the Bride Say Come." This hortatory, didactic element in the work of the choir should not be overlooked.

But if the minister wishes to bring out the full effectiveness of this form of the choir's help, he must preface it with a few striking words making the purpose of the music plain. He may simply read the text of the anthem, solo, or concerted number to be sung, in an earnest, effective way. He may awaken interest and feeling by a historical or anecdotal illustration. The important thing is to switch the minds of the congregation off of the old track of mere musical enjoyment to one of spiritual responsiveness and apprehension.

But whether devotional, didactic, or hortatory, the