The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-26
MISC ELAN ECU

| CHURCH MUsIC.-There very few congrega-
tions in this vicinity, we persuaded where the
singing in the public worship of the Sabbath is con-
| Quoted in better taste, with more skilfu and
successful adaptation to the true purposes of sacred
psalmody, than in the Eliot Congregational Church,
under the ministry of Rev. j. W. Wellman, at New
ton Corner The singing, sustained by choir
! Of respectable numbers, supplied wholly by
! members of the congregation and largely bv
| members of the church, and enjoying the indefat-
igable tuition and inspiriting guidance of leader
in whom both these important qualifications meet,
and of Organist whose chaste and accu-
rate handling of that noble instrument furnishes
true accompaniment and support to the soul of
harmony i'll the vocal parts, unites in an uncommon
degree the requisites of artistic culture lyrical sim
pllclty and spiritual JUNCTION, essential to the
genuine effects of sacred song. This choir furnished
a very pleasing entertainment, on recent evening
of the week, by a public rehearsal, to which the
the congregation and other friends invited ;
when various selections of church psamody, fol-
lowed by more elaborate compositions, We're rem
dered in style of execution which gave the
most vivid satisfaction to the large auditory in at
tendance.
During brief period in the singing, Rev. Mr.
Wellman the pastor, offered some pertinentremarks
on the subject of Church Music, taking for his
theme, in the commencement, the following extract
from Luther's Table-Talk:
81 always loved music. Whosoever hath skill in
this art, the same is of good kind, httest for all
things. We must, of necessity, maintain music in
schools. A SchoOlmaster ought to have skill in
music otherwise | would not regard him. Neither
should We ordain young fellows to the Office of
preaching, except before they have been well exer-
cised and practised in the school of music. The
youth ought to be brought up and accustomed to
this art, for it maketh fine and expert people,"
After dwelling briefly on the topics suggested on
this pithy utterance of the Reformer who, by the
ministry of this heavenly art, accomplished so
much for the Reformation which he led on
among the populace of Germany, Mr. Wellman
proceeded to speak of the subject of congrega-
tional singing. He acknowledged himself to be,
on some accounts, much in favor of this method
of conducting the praises of the sanctuary; but,
at the same time, he fully recognized its inevita-
Bile liability, when left to the ordinary tenden-
cies in congregation, where counteracting means
are not employed, to down into degree of
degeneracy not to be endured He would not
commend congregational singing, without the
continued maintenance of a well trained and
handing choir to lead and sustain the assembly
in the service. This he very Justly regarded as
indispensable to its or its proper spiritual
effect, for any considerable time in our churches
In the qualified and considerable views of the sub
ject thus presented we presume that most per-
sons, among the music loving world, would
be ready to concur; while at the same time we
may express the conviction, which we feel, that
if choral singing were everywhere truly sub
servien to the ends of spiritual worship as in the
church to which we now refer, there would be
very urgent call in any quarter for return to the
practice of congregational singing. Indeed there is
most important sense in which the singing by the
choir, in this church, Is congregational, for, we
have said the choir is raised wholly from the con-
gregation and mostly from the church and is,
for instance, but concentration of the ayaa-
BILE musical talent of the people thus worshipping
together, in a sufficient embodiment to give lust ex-
preston OF the sentiments of praise in which all
unite. We regard the choir constituted and
conducted at Newton Corner as an example worthy
of being commended to all our churches Puritan
Recorder.