Church of the Messiah Sunday Service

“…an attendance made up of wealth, fashion and refinement worshipping at this church and the Church of All Souls, which two congregations are still temporarily worshipping together, owing to the latter church still undergoing repairs. The choirs of the two churches also united in singing, and the result, as on the previous Sunday, was a union of harmonies almost sweetly divine in their exquisitely attuned intonations. Beginning

“the musical programme

was the tenderly impassioned voluntary, ‘Quoniam,’ from Mozart’s ‘Third Mass,’ played with the most wonderful expression by Mr. Edward Howe, Jr., the organist. Following this was ‘Venite,’ an anthem composed by Mr. Howe, and certainly a musical composition of rare depth of feeling and grand power of melody. [List of components of the Venite and who sang them.] These solos were all most finely sung, as might be expected from such sweet sovereigns of song. After this was sung ‘The Beatitudes,’ a trio, also composed by Mr. Howe, will solos by Mrs. Sophia Mozart, Miss Rushly [sic] and Mr. Whiting. A musical interpretation of the scriptural passages forming its basis, nothing can be conceived more fittingly appropriate and more replete with grandly stirring melody. Next was the response by the two full choruses, ‘Glory be to Thee, O Lord!’ by Nini. A congregational hymn was now sung, and there then came the sermon.”