Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1859-07-02
Luther and sold Hundred"

dtu ''oEu
If itbe true that Luther composed that
tune, and if the worship Of mOrIaIs is car
ried OF the wings of angels 10 heaven
how o'len has he heard The declaration.
The are singing Old Hundred, now. y
The solemn strain carries US back 10 the
time If The Reformer-LUtheT and his
devoted band. He, doubtless was The tirsl
to strike the grand old chords in the pub
lie sanctuary of his own Germany
From his slentoran lungs they rolled, VI
braling, not through vaulled cathedral
roof, bot along a grander arch, the eternal
heaven. He wrought into each note his
sublime faith, AND with it lhst faiths I'M
mortality. Hence ii cannot die ! Mel
lher men nor angels will let it pass into
oblivion.
The bne-eyed giTls Of the old "faiher-
land" sang those same strains with all
the enihusiam of new and holIer relI-
gion. Thew had been bowed down TO
priests, prayer book and rosary They
had raised adoring eyes TO the sPangled
image of the Virgin, and bent unb!ushIng'
ly before the carved resemblance OF
Christ. First the mother heard, and then
The maids they went 10 listen, ard re-
NAMED 10 pray aye, 10 sing with Ihrob-
bng hearts and fearful eyes, Praise God
from whom all blessings how."
Can YOU find tomb in The land where
sealed lips lay that have not sung tha
tune If they were gray old men, they
had heard or sung "Old Hundred" i
they were babes, they smile as lhelI
mothers rocked them 10 sleep, singing
"Old Hundred" Sinners and saints
have Joined with the endless congrega
tons where it has with or without Iht
pealing organ, sounded on the sacred air
The dear lille children looking with won
dering eyes on this strange world have
isped il. The sweet young girl whose
tomb told of sixteen summers, she
whose pure and innocent face haunted
YOU with It's mild beauty, loved "Olc
Hundred" and as she sang it, closed heI
eyes and seemed communing with angel:
who were soon to claim her. He whose
manhood was devoted 10 the service o
God, and he who with falterlng foot as
cended the pulpit steps with the white
hand placed over his breast, loved "Ol'
Hundred"
And though sometimes his lips only
move, away down IN his heart, so soon II
cease lis lhrobs, the holy melody wa:
sounding. The dear while-halred father
with his ,remulous voice, loved "OC
Hundred" Do you see him now, sitting
in the venerable arm chair, his hands
crossed over the top Of his cane, his ell
very locks floating off from his hollow
temples, and tear stealing down his fur
rowed cheeks, that thin, quiverlng, lalter'
ing sound, now listened for almost in
vain Ifyou do not, We do and from
such lips, hallowed by fOur-score years
in service in the Masters cause, "OlC
Hundred" sounds indeed a sacred melo'
dy.
You may fill your choirs with Sabbath
prims dumas, whose daring notes emu
late the sleeple and cost almost as much
but give Us The spirit-sllrrlng notes of the
Lutheran tune, sung by old and young TO-
geher. Martyrs have allowed it: il has
gone up from the bed Of the saints. The
old churches, where generation after gen.
Grafton has worshipped, and where many
scores ofthe dear dead have been carried,
and laid before the altar, where they gave
,hems elves 10 God, seemed to breathe OF
"Old Hundred from ,eslbule 10 tower
top the air is haunted with its spirit.
Think moment of The assembled eDm-
pany who have a, different times and in
different places, Joined in the familiar
tune ! Throng upon lhroDg-lhe strong,
the limid, The gentle, brave, the beautiful,
their rapt faces all beamIng with the insPl-
ration of The heavenly sounds.
"Old Hundred % king of the sacred
band of ancient airs Never shall our
earsj grow weary of hearing, or our
tongues of singing thee ! And when we
get to heaven, who knows but what the
first triumphsl strain that welcomes US
msy be, BE thou, O God ! exalted
high"
A Good Husband.
When you see young man modest
and rptirino IN his manners. who cares