50 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



The first of these difficulties was overcome by the 

 division of the choir into the five "brigades" before re- 

 ferred to, each being constituted as a single choir, with 

 the various parts in their proper balance. The second 

 requirement was more difficult to fulfil, for there was no 

 one spot in the entire nave where a conductor could be 

 simultaneously seen by the whole of the procession. 

 After much thought and experiment, therefore, it was 

 determined that, during the processional hymn, my father 

 should be assisted by three lieutenants, each armed with 

 a baton, whose duty it should be exactly to imitate his 

 beat. He himself stood at the top of the choir- steps, 

 while they were so posted that each could see him, and 

 also that one of the four, at least, was visible from every 

 part of the course which the procession was to traverse. 

 And so the difficult question of time was settled. 



As the last part of the last brigade set foot upon 

 the steps leading to the choir the hymn was hushed, 

 and they passed to their seats in silence. And then, as 

 the precentor ascended his conductor's dais near the 

 lectern, the whole choir, surpliced and unsurpliced, 

 broke out with one grand burst into the jubilant last 

 verse, which was sung with full organ accompaniment. 



In this year, for the first time, in view of the great 

 strain upon the voices by the long service in the 

 cathedral, and the preliminary practice in the Chapter 

 House, the morning service was given up, and an after- 

 noon service only held, beginning at four o'clock. Early 

 in the day, however, there had been a choral celebration 

 of the Holy Communion in St. Margaret's Church, the 



