Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-10-24

NA""; siS'SaOsSi VIC soy oSoih uiot Whot
Is commonly called " fine music" the
music that We expect TO hear in the con-
cert-room, should not be selected for the
songs Of Zion. II ia better, il is more
agreeable with the will OF God, that the
whole congregation should praise Him
with simple melodies, than that only
few voices should utter the most cnchant-
ing strains. Worship, united, revcrent,
dcvout worship, is the first considera-
tion. The music that will most conducc
10 that end is the best, for House Of
Worship. The singers who can draw
out the most singing from others who
can so lead that all the rest shall follow;
who can cause the blessed contagion Of
devotion TO spread from mouth to mouth,
from heart to heart, until the great con-
gregation becomes choir, singing with
one accord unto the Lord,--thesc are
the singers for the Lords House these
do the most towards making the Church
below copy and part of the Church
above. And it this were the desire and
the aim of all singers and players, in all
Churches, the impossibility of praising
God, as congregation, would soon dis
appear. The number ofthosc who have
no voice wherewith to glorily their Max
er, no ear for heavenly harmony, would
be much smaller than is commonly sup
posed. There might remain very few,
who, from positive inability, would have
to keep silent, and make melody with
the heart only. On this point l shall
read the testimony of an able musician.
"li," he says "the Creator has denied
to any one that ordinary perfection Of
voice and ear, by which almost the
whole race Of men are able to utter and
distinguish sounds, then, but not till
then, may n justifabe excuse be render
ed. But before advancing such a plea,
let fair and repeated trial be made
that there be not ascrbed to defective
organization, that which should rather be
charged to defective gratitude, and pos
tive negligence. Few persons are alb
solutcly unable to sing. The same man
who denies God HIS due in the Church,
can enliven his laboring hours with
songs of vastly more difficult execution
The parlor and the drawing-room can
ring with melody I; and yet the simple
strains Of the psalm will be pronounced
unattainablc. TIL. plea of impractical
bility is, therefore, groundless in the
majority of cases, and needs no other
answer than the effort Of willing mind,
an answer which we would to God that
it might universally receive"
Ycs the remark, though severe, is
Just, that we sometimes ascribe to de-
fectivc organization, or to the difficulty
of the tune, or to Il variety of other caus-
os, silence that is really owing to de-
fcctive gratitude. 1t is not airays be-
cause we have no voice that we do not
sing. II is not dIudys because the choir
have selected new or complicatc set
of notes, that we do not join them in the
psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.
Sometimes, when they favor us with the
good old tunes that were sung by our
fathers with the simple but sacred and
majestic music that rose from the lips OF
the Reformcrs and Martyrs we only
sit and listen, until, pcrchance, the first
words ofthe Gloria strike the ear. and
start us from our repose. Excepting,
as we ought, all who, from age or mfr
nifty, cannot stand up and praise the
LORD, are there not some Of us, who, if
the truth must be told, are too indolcnt
to do it Is it not want of will, rather
than want of strength. or want Of voice:
that, some lines, makes us dumb +
Should we not sing more, FIVE had more
faith, more love, more grace in our
hearts =? If we dwelt in God, and God
in us (; if Jesus were always precious TO
us if we had JOY in the Holy Ghost, if
the glories OF heaven were ever in our
sight, and the music of angels ever SCUM
ding in our ears,-then, doubtless, our
tongues would easily express the aflec-
ton of our souls.
30 Lord, open thor our lips;
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise