ailable churchly
compositions written by Dudley Buck, Adam, Mason, Ambrose and other
English and American writers of our time and before our time. I have a
wonderfully fine collection of such songs that I have used all these
years and have successfully sung. My sixteen years' service in Calvary
gave me opportunity to collect the best songs to use for the church.
We used the church and home collection, Mosenthal's collection,
Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise, cantata of O for the Wings of a Dove, Te
Deums by the best composers of sacred songs and anthems, oratorios,
Moses in Egypt, David, Samson, Creation, Elijah, St. Paul, Messiah (by
Handel), Stabat Mater (by Rossini), Daughter of Jarius, God, Thou Art
Great (by L. Spohr), Baumbach collection of sacred music, Easter and
Christmas music written by the well-known writers of the times.

Leaving the sacred work, I have also a grand collection of other works
that I have sung in my musical life--Racine's Athalie, The Erl King's
Daughter (by Miles W. Gade), First Walpurgis Night. Esther formed one
of the epochs of my time, given in Platt's hall, on Montgomery street,
by Mr. William Badger, for the benefit of the Episcopal Sabbath
schools of the city in 1874; Queen, Madam Anna Bishop, soprano; King,
Walter Campbell; Haman, Vernon Lincoln; Haman's wife, Mrs. M.R. Blake,
contralto. The chorus was composed of members of the Handel and Haydn
Society. The old hall was filled to overflowing and the singers at
their best, and certainly success crowned every number. The enthusiasm
of the audience knew no bounds and we were crowned with honors from
the beginning to the end. If ever there was a happy man, it was
William Badger, the piano dealer and Sunday school children's friend.
We were all paid the highest salaries and still the benefit was a
grand financial success for the Sunday schools. Should I attempt to
give all the different amusements and entertainments of every kind
during my life of song, it would require a book of many hundred pages.
It is my intention to speak of the most important musical and dramatic
performances and epochs of my life, as I have had a part in all
these demonstrations and met all kinds of artists. It will in a
measure, I hope, be an incentive for those who are musically inclined
to pursue with energy, enthusiasm and faithful work the delightful
task which music brings to us like other lines of education. You will
find there is no "royal road to learning." Th