American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-04-04
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CHURCH MUSIC.
Mr.. Editor

Mr.. Editor:-
In these '"last days" of scoffers and
skeptics, "evil men and seducers, -
whose ears are turned away from the
truth, it is not at all surprising that sa-
cred things should be mocked and jeer-
ed, 'despised and rejected. And if the
word and ordinances of the Most High
which rest on the immutable authority
of the Son of God, supported by the
1ndubitable evidence Of men Of unim-
peachable veracity, should thus be trea-
ted with contempt; is it indeed Won
derful that those supcradded embellish-
ments of modern times, which can
boast Of the broad basis of human in
genulty as their foundation, should be
regarded with that Indifference which
the inventions and Improvement of
every age have invariably met with?-
1t is in no wise calculated to shock the
feelings of the weakest subject in the
kingdom of grace, to be informed that
our modern au1iliaries in the worship
of God are lightly esteemed by so ma
ny, if he has already yieldedh his cordial
assent to that other fearful truth which
the Spirit hath expressly spoken, that
Sin the latter times some shall depart
from the taith." Solicitously appre.
hensive lest this penchant to skepti-
cism (if we be allowed the use of so
harsha term) should become contagious
and spread throughout the various
Christian denominations Of the land,
we propose to adducc a few obvious ar
guments in support of one of those
transcendentally beautiful adjuncts of
divine worship, instrumental Music
But simple as these arguments may ap-
pear, we think they must be regarded
by the most inveterate opposer, howe
yer disposed to captious criticism, as
incontrovertible evidence in defence of
this fascinating feature of Christian
worship. We ask, therefore, the calm
reflection of the reader to the following
considerations.
In the first place, Instrumental mu-
sic was employed on solemn occasions
IN the dlspensation of types and shad-
ows, therefore, a fortiOri, we shoulda-
vail ourselves of its peculiar advanta-
ges in worshiping God in the Gospel
dispensation. This is sound entity
meme, and the conclusion must newt
ably fasten itself on the conviction of
the most rigid inquirer. We grant it
is not essentially necessary in chanting
the praises Of him who created us; 9TH
erwise Adam and his fair consort, at
the suggestion Of a propensity connat'
ural in the soul, would Immediately
have framed an instrument of music on
which to chime in oul-thrllng strains
the glory of their Maker. We grant
still farther, that it is not once enioined
on us by a "Thus saith the Lord" from
the first of Genesis to the last Revela-
ton, to worship God on instruments of
music. 1t might, perhaps, be incidcn'
tally omitted by the Omnisciont One,
in transmitting that divine code, of
laws, to Moses; but our position is
tenable one without being compelled to
make such extravagant suppositions;
the practice was extant before the civ
ing of the law OH Sinai's peak, and ac-
cordingy, even to sanction on that oc.
casion was deemed supcrauous: having
its origin in heather nations was sufIi,
clent to recommend it Sin the assem-.
bly, of the saints" Hence we may in
fer that God at least permitted it to
form part of his sacred worship. Nor
is the force of this argument in the
least invalidated though the same Be,
ing for reasons unfathomed by mortal
ken, permitted polygamy and the like
sins to gain an asccndancy in the
world