The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-05-29

splendid tenOr; and the Presbyterian choi,
sings finely. et' % if p'sstsi saI
Now all this is well enough, ifnothinp
moro is sought after in church singing
than tihe artistic display, and 10 dat,
aver. choir singing aspires. Bat protect
that it does not come within nv compte.
hension Of the spirit and intention of di
vine Worship None love more than nv
self, correct and harmonious singing. q,
are disturbed more by disonent sounds
But Ieshall be able 10 show, if | have Z D.
portunitys that large congregation can
be trained to eing as correctly, and ss
tremendously, as select few; sshd Ger.
tainly more deyotiorally while at li,e same
tins, the inteDtiohs'of worship wonid be
subseryed. i have been told that choIts
are OILY intended to lead this part Of
Worship, while !, Is expected, and desired,
that.all'shall Join it; and that in his way,
congregational singing is to be establish.
ed. Ny experience has been large, in
this respeei;l but have 10 say, that
have moi beer so fortunate as TO witness
an ms tauce Of this kind, nor do 1 ever
expect to, for reasons already assigned, as
we'll as for Others which 1 shall give. i
Those who we're familiar with religious
assemblies thirty or forty years ago, will
revert with pleasing "reminiscences to the
solemui,y that characterized their deyo.
tional exercises when the whole congrega.
iion united their voices in anthems Of
praise and Bupplicalion. But those were
days when The worldstook time to think,
and to'worship, and TO recognizes their oh.
legations TO their Cieator. The remeni.
brance of them becomes painful, In con
trast with the present, when everything,
even religious duty has is cue. from rail.
roads and telegraph wires. The worship.
ersl Of those days, whoyet linger on hhe
shores of time. still take their places intlie
church,, but depart under the painful re-.
alization that thelife and power Of relig.
ion has departed from the temple, and
that forms, ceremonies and worldliness
have usurped the place. ni7se@sc is9Fs
The good old tunes, composed and sung
when pure devotion alone dictated, sre no
longer thoughtaft TO be sung, and are
even called BY the present style of wor.
shippers. sod yogie." The style Of music
substituted for them, though many OF the
compositions are very excellent, could be
used as well, and some Of II much more
appropriately, in the opera, than the sane
tuary. sil f.t'fi7-J sloH&a St6ftos
= But Il is useless to enlarge I fear
much, that the good old times have dfifted
into the dim past. aud that the world has
not been bettered thereby. i have been
panied at witnessing. often, special efforts
to produce fine music for the purpose
alone of making the church attractive,
and to gather audiences; upon the prihci-
pie, that the irreligious loveto 20 where
possible? Every one knows It istrue and
/ cannot pass by this point without say.
ing,y that those who honestly think this
method Of attrac ting sinners to otle gospel,
kaveea low appreciation Of It,. or are more
attached tothe world themselves, than TO
religion. 7iq u ss p% l1'- 1cegwo5f r
sButitis said, the present is progres.
sive age. II is; but rapid growths are
not usually healthy; there is such thing
as progressing ahead of steady habits and
good decorum, as we'll as good govern
ment. The present condition OF these
United States illustrates what have said.
Wouldit not be better to check up. and re-
spect the usages of the better days2 and
ii we Worship, let us sing; le. everybody
sing, and let tie head have less to d. with
ii that the heart. ARTHUR.