Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-08-13
..The Fiddle with a I[earenlY Crlak ;,

The following from correspondent Of the New
York Musical Review and Choral Advocate, will
, repay perusal. Thare are may prejudices which
hang like dad weight upon the progress of So
ciety, or Of the individual who cherishes them
which are no better founded than the one so ef
sectually removed blythe parson.
Preludices founded on religious or conscien-
tious scruPles are among the most inveterate and
not untrequentiy among the most unreasonable.
Slch are the Preiu1ices formerly existing-and
ho' yet oy any means entirely extinct-chiehy
among the descendants of the Puritans, and the
early heformers, respecting the use of instru-
mental music, and its Introduction into the sane.
tuary. Sometimes they extend only to instrn-
ments of certain character wind instruments
such as the flute, &C., are tolerated while all such
as owe their efficacy to cat-gut and hair are ban
ished from the church, and their deemed scarce
ly reputable in the family circle
There is hamet-no matter where-inhab-
ted mainly by the descendants of the Scottish
| Covenanters, who have inherited from their faith
ers not only their sturdy unbending integrity and
whole-souled pety but all their bitter hostility to
"the sinful practice of the men who vie Id the
fiddle bow 4r -assf-
A young minister had come to settle among
them. With smile ever upon his countenance
and kind word for everybody, while zeal for his
Masters work shone out in every action. he soon
drew around him the sympathies and the love of
his humble parishioners But ere long he per-
ceved change; friendly greetings we're coldly
returned; mysterious hints Of the awful guilt of
ministerial baeksiding occasionally reached his
ears; knots of men were seen gathered at the
corners of the streets, engaged in earnest con-
Versation, indicating by Their looks and gestures
that the occupant of the humble parsonage, that
stood full in view, supple the theme.
A vague rumor had begun TO float throu n the
hamlet, deeply affecting, in The estimation of the
stern old Scotchmen, tn moral character of :her
minister. 1t was heard with incredibly. and in
dignantly repelled; but ii gathered ,tre gih doubt
succeeded to confidence, until the most stubborn
incredulity could resist longer; the most un-
mistakabe sounds Of tortured c4t-gut," pro-
ceedng from the parsonage itself, reached the
OF that knot of men, AMI the awful fact stood
revealed, that their minister "piayed the fiddle"
Such an enormity could not be tolerated. The
elders of the church came together in secret con-
clsve to consult upon the course to be pursued
in such an emergency, and as the contamination
of their deliberations, committee appointed
to wait forthwith upon the minister at h' home,
sand deal wi him in a faithfulness,' and bring
back report of their mission to the remaing eld-
ers, who would in the meantime, anxiously await
their return. . "a
During all this time the pastor himself had not
been unc0ncerned observer Of what was going
among his people; neither was he ignorant Of its
cause Conscious. however, of rectitude, he did
not think that duty required of him the sacrifice of
an exquisite and holy qualification to satisfy an
reasonable preudices that he believed would be re-
moved by judieious course. From the window
of his study he saw the committee of elders ap-
preaching with unwilling steps; and Immediately
conjecturng the object of their visit, he determin
at to meet the question in a way that they lit
tie expected. Meeting them with his usual cordial
ity, he ushered them into his snug study aud with
out giving them an opportunity to enter upon the |
subject of their mission, he commenced an anma- |
ted conversation upon subject that Immediately |
arrested their attention.
Music was his theme. lie spoke of it as an aid |
to deyotiOn--of its power to subdue the soul-to |
elevate it above the earth-to bring it into almost
immediate communication with its Creator He |
described the venerable Psalmist Of Israel pouring
forth with the enthusiasm of inspiration those gO
rious songs Of Zion that ever since have been the
comfort and delight of the people OF God, and |
sweeping with trembling hand the strings of his
harp. until the swelling sound was echoed back
from, tho vvoU urifh
the ardor of his own feelings he from his seat
and taking from that stood in one corner OF |
the room O weIlworR violinrelo, he sang to its ae-
compartment one of those immortal chOrals dear
to every Christian heart and especially to every
Scotchman. Possessing rich, full voice, and no
little skill in the management OF his ayorite instru
ment he poured out such food Of harmony had /
seldom greeted the ears of his spebound listeners.
The stern old men were conquered, conquered by |
the very weapon that they had come to condemn
As the pastor returned the instrument to its
toned place. the elders and grasped his hand,
and, without aluding to the object of their visit
they bade him goodbye"
Meanwhile, as time wore away, the remaining
elders, who were anxiousy awaiting the return OF
their committee somewhat doubtfnl perhaps, of
the result-became impatient of their protraeted
delay-drawing no very favorable augury there
from. At length they entered and resumed their
places in the august circle Somewhat embarrass-
ed at the novelty OF their position conveys who
had failed even to speak OF that for which they
had been sent, they sat for time in silence unti
one more impatient than the rest exclaimed = Iiae
ye dealt wi the minister. and haze ye destroyed ihc
deils weapon?" "IIOut ava, mon, vi your deilin'
Indignantly replied one OF the committee: its
name o your wee bit sinful danein fdiles but IL
great big fiddle, vi hayenly croak. II, L. g
bloomfield, Neac Jersey.
The First Prayer.
m L = z Z