, but the report shows twice as many
names almost as distinguished.

On the evening of Tuesday, August 7th, came the regular opening of the
Assembly proper, in the Auditorium on the Point. The report of
attendance was far above that of any former opening day. Dr. Vincent
presided and conducted the responsive service of former years--the same
opening sentences and songs used every year since the first Assembly in
1874. We find fifteen names on the list of the speakers on that evening,
representing many churches, many States, and at least two lands outside
our own.

Is another story of Frank Beard on that evening beneath the dignity of
history? When he came upon the platform, he found the chairs occupied,
and sat down among the alto singers, where he insisted on remaining
despite the expostulations of Mr. Sherwin. In the middle of the
exercises, the steamboat whistle at the pier gave an unusually raucous
scream. Mr. Sherwin came forward and told the audience that there was no
cause for alarm; the sound was merely Mr. Beard tuning his voice to sing
alto. Two or three speakers afterward incidentally referred to Mr. Beard
as a singer, and hoped that he might favor the congregation with a solo.
One of the speakers, an Englishman, prefaced his talk by singing an
original song, set to Chautauqua music. That he might see his verses,
Mr. Sherwin took down a locomotive headlight hanging on one of the
trees, and held it by the side of the singer. The Englishman, short and
fat, and Sherwin with dignity supporting the big lantern, formed a
tableau. Immediately afterward Dr. Vincent called on Mr. Beard to
speak; and this was his opening, delivered in his peculiar drawl.

"I was a good mind to sing a song instead of making a speech, but I was
sure that Professor Sherwin wouldn't hold the lantern for me to sing by.
He knows that he can't hold a candle to me, anyhow!"

With Professor Sherwin, in charge of the music in 1877, was associated
Philip Phillips, whose solos formed a prelude to many of the lectures.
No one who listened to that silvery yet sympathetic voice ever forgot
it. It will be remembered that President Lincoln in Washington, after
hearing him sing _Your Mission_, sent up to the platform his written
request to have it repeated before the close of the meeting. Mr.
Phillips ever after cherished that scrap of paper with the noblest name
in the history of America. Another musical event of the season of 1877
was the visit of