The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-09-19
timbrel. the plcasan. harp wl,h.,he psal

tory"
alt is good thing to give thanks unto
the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy
name, o Most High to shew forth thy
loving Kindness in the morning: and thy
faithfulness every night upon instru-
ments of ten strings, and upon the psal-
terry, and upon the harp with solemn
sound"
go come, !etus sing unto the Lord !;
let us make joyful noise, to tie rock of
our salvation. Let us come before his
presence with thanksgiving and make a
noise unto him with psalms.''
"Make joyful nose unto the Lord,all
yc lands. Serve the Lord with gladness,
come before his prs~ercc with sinein
Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise"
go God, my heart is fixed, I will sing
and give praise, even with my glory
Awake psaltery and harp myself will
awake early"
The Moravians, when they emigrated
to this country did not leave their national
taste for music behind them, but appear
to have cultivated il TO greater extent
than any other society. II should be
ranked amongst the elements, at Beth
lehen, as it would seem 10 be almost as
essential TO their existence as air or water.
In one end of their church is large hall
specially appropriated TO concerts, They
| have superb organ, and in their band
is included almost every instrument OF
| ancient or modern times, particularly
| those of scriptural character. On these
| instruments. their performers are said to
| have attained the highest grade Of excel.
| lence; but one who is not an amateur
must speak carefullynn the subject, lest
he betray his want ofIact.
! The traveller discovers at some miles
distance, tina, he is approaching musical
region. from the number Of second hand
out-oi-tune. pianos he meets with at every
house along the road; and if not in a
| particularly good humour, he may have
cause 10 complain ri the frequent discor-
| daDt notes which assaii his ears, as he
passes through the streets of Bethlehem:
every maD,woman and child in the place,
II is said, plays Oh some instrument. and
the piano Is as essential an article of fur
niture in their houses, as the dining table.
But he mus; be churi indeed, if he does
not forgive them, when he hears their
| church music, and the performance of
| Mrs. w, at the Inn, or miss IL,
and miss s.. at the seminary. upon
| the piano. A friend who has heard their
band perform some patriotic airs, declares
Il superior 10 any thing of the kind in our
cities. Their influence has had a great
effect upon the music of the vicinity, and
most of the bands a.Rnchoirs of music in
the neigtborhood, are said to be Of a
superior order.
Music, of course, IS particularly atten-
ded to in the school, but as the scholar RS
usually leave there at an early ape, All,
are engaged III other studies, they sci.
dom attain 10 great perfection. They
learn to keep excellent time, acquire a
taste for the art, and are always well
grounded in the rudimen,s of music, as
we'll as in the more solid principles Of
piety and morality.
But the most interesting circumstance
is its probable effect upon The character
Of the society. Every mechanic at Beth.
iehem is said to be man Of taste and
Iiterature-m OF them have their
libraries, and cultivate some literary
pursuit, or some branch of natural
science. a lecturer upon astronomy
visited the place, some time since, with
good recommendations, after being told
by person ignorant of the character oil
the people, that he could not expcc;
much encouragement bot to his sur
prise he had his subscription list filled at
once, and had full house of attentive
auditors through his whole course. May
we not, in some measure, ascribe to the
influence oFmusic the difference between
the character OF the Bethlehem people
and the great mass Of our German popu.
lation
THE WISDOM OF GOD.
When we review that immense struc.
ture Of the universe III which we dwell
when we think Of him, whose wisdom
has planned the system of being whose
mind comprehends whose counsels di
rect The whole course of events from the
beginning to the end of time by whom
nothing is so inconsiderable as to be over.
looked, or so transient as to be forgotten
who attends 10 the concerns OF the poor
man in his cottage, while he is steering
the sun and the moon in their course
through the heavens into what aslonish
| ment and Golf apnihilation do t0e fall