pt to correlate the
musical with the non-musical parts of the service; and if we succeed
in our effort at this point also, our task will be at least in sight
of completion. This desirable correlation will only result if both
minister and musician are willing to work together amicably, each
recognizing the rights of the other, and both willing to give in upon
occasion in order to make the service as a whole work out more
smoothly. Many humorous stories are told, the point of which is based
upon the absolute incongruity of the various parts of the church
service. The writer remembers most vividly an incident that occurred
during the first year of the Great War, in the church in which he was
at that time the choirmaster. The choir had just finished singing an
anthem written by an English composer as a prayer for peace,[31] the
concluding strains being sung to the words "Give peace, O God, give
peace again! Amen." As the choir sat down, after an effective
rendition of the anthem, there was a hush in the congregation, showing
that the message of the music had gone home to the hearers. But a
moment later the spell was rudely broken, as the minister rose, and in
a stentorian voice proclaimed the text of the day--"For I come not to
bring peace into the world, but a sword."

[Footnote 31: John E. West, _O God of Love, O King of Peace_.]

The responsibility in this case rested as much upon the shoulders of
the choir director as upon those of the preacher, for he should at
least have taken the trouble to acquaint his coworker with the nature
of the anthem, so that some reference might have been made to the
subject in either the prayer or scripture reading or in some of the
hymns, if not in the sermon itself. It is perhaps not always feasible
to have sermon and anthem agree absolutely in subject, but it is
entirely possible to avoid such occurrences as that cited above, if
even a small amount of thought is given to the matter of correlation
each week. Surely the choir leader could at least provide the minister
with the titles of the anthems and solos to be rendered.

[Sidenote: DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN THE CHORUS CHOIR]

In advocating a return to the volunteer chorus choir instead of the
salaried solo quartet, we are well aware of the disadvantages that are
likely to accompany any attempt along this line. We know that the
chorus choir composed of volunteers is often poorly balanced, usually
contains for the most part indifferen