He is to-day one of the most widely known organists of the country, being acknowledged everywhere a master of the instrument.  He is a member of the faculty of the Philadelphia Musical Academy, principal of the music department in the Pennsylvania School for the Blind.  It is said he has trained more good organists than any other teacher in Philadelphia.

His cheery, kindly personality wins loyalty and devotion at once.  His Christianity is the simple, loving, practical kind that fairly shines from his presence and attracts people to him immediately.  The members of the Chorus of The Temple are devoted to him.  No rules are required to keep them in order; no other inspiration to do their best is needed than his simple wish.

In the old church at Mervine and Berks streets he had a volunteer choir of about twenty, all that the little organ loft would accommodate.  They could sing as the birds sing, because they had voices and loved it, but of musical training or education they had little.  They were drawn from the membership of the church, composed of poor working people.

From this nucleus grew the chorus of The Temple, which was organized in 1891, six weeks before the membership took possession of its new building.  With the organization of this large chorus, Professor Wood faced a new and difficult problem.  How was he to hold from one hundred to one hundred and fifty people together, who were not paid for their services, who were not people of leisure to whom rehearsals are no tax on time or strength?  These were nearly all working people who came to rehearsal after a day’s tiring employment.  That he has succeeded so splendidly in these fourteen years proves his fine leadership.

He had a body of workers devoted to the church, people before whom was ever held up the fact that they could serve the Master they all loved by singing, if they could in no other way; that they could give their voices, if they could give nothing else.  He had a body of workers devoted also to himself, who would have followed him unhesitatingly no matter what commands he lay upon them.  But he felt they should have some other encouragement, some other interest to hold them together, so almost immediately upon their organization he took up the study of Haydn’s “Creation.”  It seemed a stupendous undertaking for a young and inexperienced chorus, one with no trained voices, few of whom could even read music at sight.  But they plunged into the study with spirit.  No incentive was needed to come to rehearsals, no one thought of dropping out.  Indeed, the opportunity to study such music under such a master brought many new members.  And in the fall of that year the oratorio was given with splendid success.