Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-11-11
METHOBISM AND MUSIC.

Lilly's Christmas Visit.
METHOBISM AND MUSIC.
Rev. HENRY WARD BEEcnER, during
his summer vacation, preached at one of
the Methodist churches at Mattewan, on
the Hudson, and gives US, in one of his
letters. the effect produced on him by the
bacSslidings Of the congregation from
"old Methodism" in tie matter of sing
ing. He says:
By the way. yesterday morning l
was at the Methodist church here. A
very pleasant room it is, and | AN told
that very worthy society occupy it.
But have a most weighty charge TO
bring against the good people. of musi
cal apostacy. had expected treat of
singing. There were Charles Wesley's
hymns, and there are the good old Meth
odist tunes, that ancient piety loved, and
modern conceit laughs att Imagine my
chagrin when, after reaiing the hymn,
up rose a choir from the shell at the
other end Of the church, and began to
sing monotonous tune Of the modern
music book style. The patient cougre
CATION stood up meekly to be sung to, as
men stand under rain where there is no
shelter. Scarcely lip moved. No one
seemed TO hear the hymn, or 10 care for
the music. How l longed for the good
old Methodist thunder! One good burst
Of old fashioned music would have blown
this modern singing out of the window
like wadding from gun! Men may call
this an improvement, and genteel! Gen
tility has nearly killed our churches, and
it will kill Methodist churches if they
give way 10 this false and pernicious am
bition. We know very well what good
old fashioned music was. It had faults
enough, doubtless, against taste. But it
had an inward purpose and religions
earnestness which enabled il 10 carry all
its faults, and to triumph, in spite of them!
1t was worship. Yesterdays music was
tolerable singing, but very poor worship.
We are sorry tbat justas our churches are
beginning oimitate the former example of
Methodist churches, and TO introduce
melodies that the people love, and 10 en-
courage universal singing in the congre-
cation, our Methodist brethern should
pick up our cast-of Journalism in church
music. II will be worse with them than
with US. 1t will mark a greater length of
decline. We could hardly believe our
eyes and ears yesterday. We could not
persuade ourselves that We stood before
n Methodist church. We should have
supposed it to be good solid Presbyte-
rian or Congregational church, in which
the choir and pulpit performed every
thing aud the people did nothing.
Our brethren in this church mast not
take these remarks unkindly. They are
presented in all kindness and affection.
The choir sung better than many choirs
in city churches. but no one sung with
them. The people were mute. They
used their cars and not their mouths.
But alas! we missed the old fervor-the
good old Methodist fire. We have seen
the time when one of Charles Wesley's
hymns. taking the congregation by the
hand, would have led them up 10 the gate
of heaven. But yesterday it only led
them up as far as the choir, about ten
feet above the pews. This will never do.
Methodists will make grand good wor-
shipping Christians if they are not asham
ed of their own ways, but very poor ones
if they are. Brethren, you are on the
wrong way. Il will never do for you to
silence the people. Your fire will go ou.
if you rake i; up under ashes OF false re-
fnement. Let an out slider, but we'll
wisher, say these plain words TO you with
out offence. The Methodist Church has
laid the christian world under grea t
deb. by lis service of Christ. and we have /
a right in it, and an interest in it, as CON-
mon Christians, too great TO suffer US to
see signs of degereracy in it Without
sorrow and alarm. . We hope God means /
to do great things by it yet, for our land. I
But it will not be by giving up heart and
soul, zeal and popular enthusiasm in
worship. for the sake of sham propriety /
and tasteful Journalism, that the Methodist
Church will become yet further efficient.
We hope to see such revival Of relig ion /
among them as shall come like freshet /
upon our churches, and sweep out the 1
channels of song, and carry away the
dead wood and trash which has already /
damned up the current of song, and |
made the congregation stagnant. Oh, |
that there may be rain of righteousness
upon them, which shall swell to overflow
ing, and cleanse their sanctuary from all
Journalism, and especially from III form-
alism Of pedantic mnsicl