“Concert at Steinway for the relief of the downtown poor, through St. John’s Guild. Good attendance. Mrs. Gulager, Mrs. Kempton, Rev. Cooke, Mr. Frank Bartlett, & a certain well-trained ‘male quartette’ sang sundry things nicely enough. But the programme was milk & water. A musical evening without orchestral color seems cold, as does a steel engraving compared with a picture.”

“A private concert for the benefit of St. John’s Guild—a charitable institution connected with St. John’s Chapel in Varick street—took place at Steinway Hall last night. It was a very pleasing and successful affair. The selections were chiefly of the Italian school, and were interpreted by a number of the most prominent and accomplished amateurs in this city. The singing of Balfe’s [see above] may be specially mentioned. A violinist of repute and a graceful lady pianist, lent their aid to this entertainment; and an admirable quartet of male voices gave further variety to the programme.“