Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-11-27
Beecner on FIethodist Singing.

Heecner On Methodist Singing.
I'VE came across the following article.
in an exchange paper, from the pen Of
Henry WAED BERCuEg. We trust tha.
our Methodist friends viii thank US for
publishing ii aud as it hits SO mauy 9th
er churahcs in the right place, we hope
they Will take a hint from the remarks Of
tbs gifted man. lie spent the Sabbath,
some time ago, At Natteewan, and visited
a Methodist chapel for worship, which
gave occasion for this exlracs.-BaLimors
Patriot
"By the way, yesterday morning was
at Methodist church, here. A very plea
SAINT room it is, and am told that very
worthy society occupy it. But L have
most weigLty charge to bring against the
good people, Of musical opostacy. had
expected treat Of good, hearty singing.
There we're Charles Wesley's hymns, aud
;here were the good old Methodist tunes
that ancient piety loved, and modern con-
ccit laughs at. Imagine my cbagrin,
when, after reading the hymn, up rose the
choir from the shelf at the other end of
the church, and began 10 sing. The pa
tient congregation stood up meekly to be
sung TO, as men stand under rain when
there is no shelter. Scarcely lip moved.
No one seemed to hear the hymn, or to
care for the mnsic. How | longed for
Methodist thunder One good burst of
old fashioned music would have blown
this singing out Of the windows Ike wad-
. ding from gun. Men may call this an
improvement, aud geuteel! Gen,ility
has nearly killed our churches, and it will
kill Methodist churches if they give way
to its false and pernicious ambition. We
know very well what good old fashioned
Methods. music was. 1t had faults
enough, doubtless, against taste; bu: it
had an iac1rdp dpalpose, and a religious ear
nestness, which enabled it to carry its
faults, and to triumph in spite Of them.
Il ,cas lrOr,hp.
"Yesterla lays music was tolerable sing
ing, but very poor worship. We are sor-
~, that, Just as our churches are begin
ming to initiate the former example Of
Methodis,s, and to introduce melodies
that the people love, and to encourage
universal singing in the congregation, our
Methodist brethren should pick up our
cast-of Journalism in church music. 1t
will be worse, with them, than with US.
1t will mark greater length Of decline
We could hardly believe our eyes and
ears yesterday. We could not persuade
ourselves that we stood before a Metbo-
dist church. We should have supposed it
to be a Presbyterian or Congregational
church, in which the choir or pulpit per-
formed everything, and the people did
nothing.
"Our brethren in this church must not
take these remarks unkindly. They arc
presented in all kindness and affection.
The choir sung, but the people we're mute.
They used their ears and not their mouths.
Alasl we missed the old feryor-the good
old fashioned Methods, FIRE. We have
seen the time when one o! Charles Wes-
ley's hymns, taking the congregation BY
the hand, would lead them up to the gate
Of heaven but yesterday it only led them
up as far as the choir, about ten feet
above the pews. Brethren. you arc in
the wrong. 1t will neve. 10 for you to ST.
lence the people. Your FIRE will go out if
you rake it up under the ashes Of false
refinement. Let 81 outsider, but we'll
wisher, say these plain words to you With
out offence.
"The Methodist church has laid the
Christian world under q great debt By its
services in the cause Of Christ, and We
have right in it, as common Christians,
too great to suffer US to see signs of de.
generacy without sorrow and alarm. We
hope God means to DO great good by it,
yet, for our land. But it will not be by
giving up heart and soul, zeal and popu-
lar enthusiasm, in worship, for the sake
of sham proprie;y. We hope to see such
a revival of religion among them as shall
come Ike freshet, sweep out the chan.
uels, aud carry away the dead wood and
trash which has already damned up the
current OF song aud made the congrega-
ton stagnaut. o that there might be
rain Of righteousness upon them, which
shall swell their hearts to over flowing,
and cleanse their sanctuary from all for
malism, and especially from the Journalism
of pedantic music -
---a~------ss-o~~-~---- --------------~-~-~
Joseph Danklebcrger, Of Memo town
ship, Mifiin county, has an ear Of corn in
.