Woodside, the North End of Newark, N.J.: Its History, Legends and Ghost Stories Gathered from the Records and the Older Inhabitants Now LivingHine, C. G. (Charles Gilbert)
History
Woodside, the North End of Newark, N.J.: Its History, Legends and Ghost Stories Gathered from the Records and the Older Inhabitants Now Living
Hine, C. G. (Charles Gilbert)
Hine, C. C. (Charles Cole), 1825-1897; Woodside (Newark, N.J.) -- History
The lighting of Christ Church was first accomplished with kerosene
lamps, there being no gas in the neighborhood then, except that made on
the premises of Mr. Hine for his own house. It occurred to that
gentleman that he could attach the church (which then stood on the lot
adjoining his home) to that same gas machine, and thus do away with the
dim and troublesome kerosene burners.
The idea was good, but the pumping machinery which forced the flow of
gas through the pipes was inadequate for the extra work and, as a
result, the pump must be wound up by hand two or three times during a
Sunday evening. This usually fell to the lot of the small boys who did
not go to evening service, they being strictly charged to visit the
cellar every thirty minutes or so and do the necessary work; but small
boys had a way of getting sleepy in those days, and there is a tradition
that Mr. Hine, being warned by the gradual dimming of the lights, had to
leave the church in a great hurry occasionally and operate the pump
himself.
THE CHURCH CHOIR.
Mr. Hine was musical to his finger tips and found great enjoyment in the
practice of the art. In his youth he composed a number of songs and
ballads which were published in St. Louis. Naturally he had charge of
the church music, and among the pleasantest experiences of his life were
the choir rehearsals, and particularly was this the case when Mr. Jay
Ten Eyck presided at the organ and the quartet choir consisted of Mrs.
F. W. Schmidt, Mrs. Dr. J. E. Janes, Mr. Harrison I. Norton and Mr.
Hine. One who knew him well at that time has said that “he was just like
a boy going to a ball game when he came down to the church on choir
rehearsal nights”, such was his enthusiasm.
The selection and preparation of special music for Easter and other
occasions gave him the most keen delight. At such times he would come
home with an armful of carols and spend evening after evening trying
them, usually with his flute, his daughter-in-law being at the piano.
The possibilities were then taken up by the choir and the resulting
music was reasonably good, though considerable good natured fun was
poked at the choir-master on one occasion, at least, when, after having
labored earnestly over a long Easter Sunday anthem the domine
immediately began his prayer with, “Oh, Lord, we thank Thee that it is
finished”.
Mr. Hine was notably successful with the Sunday school music, having a
peculiar faculty for arousing the enthusiasm of children. His “Now,
children!” brought prompt and complete attention from all, and he was so
absorbed himself in the work and was so much a part of it that the
children abandoned themselves to his sway and responded with a gusto
that made the singing of the school a great feature.
WOODSIDE, 1868-9.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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