The Devil’s Corner

            “What a night!  What a night!  Who could have thought that a Church Choir could get itself so tied up in knots?”  said I to Mother.

I had comeback from our Thursday evening Choir Rehearsal, donned my Le Noeud Papillon red velvet smoking jacket and my matching red velvet Prince Albert slippers and we were sitting at the Sheraton table in the solarium enjoying a mug of E. Guittard Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate

“Mother,” said I, “Choir lasted an inordinate amount of time this evening, wrestling with, of all things, the recent music selections.  It seems that Ima Hatchett has a burning desire for us to sing BUT THE LORD IS MINDUL OF HIS OWN by Felix Mendelssohn.  That of course is an alto solo, and Ima is an Alto.  What particularly has her incensed is that the soprano section seems to get an unfair share of the music selections.  According to her, ‘Nobody likes the Music!’”

“Remember, Alfred,” replied Mother, “that Ima Hatchett objected to the lead soprano’s ear rings.  If it’s not one thing with Ima, it’s another.  She seems to have a deep need to be the star of the choir.”

“Yes, Mother, you are quite right, but this time she has gone to the extent of circulating a petition for the removal of our Choir Director William Weaver.  Not only that, she has declared that she is going to bring the feeble leadership of Father Goodfellow to the attention of Bishop Portly in order to resolve the problem.   Frankly, I was annoyed, and said so.  That started a heated discussion between several choir members who supported Ima, and the rest of us who thought that the whole thing was rather silly.”

I put down my Kirkham English Rose mug and continued.  “Throughout all this our Choir Director William Weaver was a model of decorum.  I am embarrassed to say that I used to call him ‘Beaver Weaver’.  I think that was most unfair of me at the time, but I have learned a few things since then.”

“Well, Alfred,” said Mother, “how did William Weaver handle the situation?”

            “Mother,” said I, “He listened most patiently, accepted the petition from Ima, and said he would convey it to Father Goodfellow; then he put us to work.  But Ima will not be satisfied with that.  I expect that she will be very busy over the phone. ”

I continued, “The next things that William Weaver did was handle the situation with Handel and instructed us to get out our copies of the Messiah.  For the next half hour he kept us busy reviewing some the pieces we had sung for Easter.  The next piece he presented us with was an old classic by Stainer, ‘For God So Loved the World. ’ I could hear Ima muttering about that being old and worn out.”

“But that’s a lovely piece, Alfred,” said Mother, “I have always enjoyed it.  Every time I hear it, it stirs something within me.”

“Yes, I know, Mother,” said I, “It was one of those wonderful pieces of music that nestled in my subconscious and it wasn’t until last Easter that I finally understood what it meant.”

With that Mother looked away.  “Alfred,” said she, “I know it’s late, but would you like to watch a Dorothy Sayers mystery with me?”

“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11).