The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-10-23
xerNslla.lb5IbL.yI. III. J. IWor.s.l,.iIpE... z. 81 3.

A country town. There is one Roman
Catholic church. There are i've starve.
ling Prostestant churches, all briskly
competing with each other for such oI
the church7going populntionof the place
us do not run after, the attractionso OF
Popery. Some of the houses of wor-
ship are neat and architecturally beau.
tiful. Others are remarkably inelegant.
Two or three lank steeples pierce the
atmosphere, distinguishing the edifees
which they deface, from market houses
or barns.
The people who gather under the
roofs of these several structures, exer-
else the right accorded to them by the
worship GOD according to the dictates Of
their consciences.
The most glaring feature of their wor-
ship is what they call sacred music
10 listen to it, one would think that
some of them have no consciences al
all.
To begin with the Presbyterian church,
The pastor gives out what he calls "the
twenty-fourth Sd-d-Bl," which he reads
in sing song manner from the begin
ming to the end, as if he feared his con
gregation could not read it In their
book. Having read it, he says that we
will sing four verses of it, and then sits
down. Now the other end of the church
begins its work. A wheeling is heard,
as when the fire Is blown by means toi
an aged pair of bellows. The instru-
mont is getting up its wind. Some eX-
itemporizedk kdiscord follows the wheel
ing. A few fourIshes of "voluntary''
are being played, preparatory to play
ing the tune as a Simple of what Is IL
IA FNf ff1eAT 7T,N
correctly played. These interfere with
the musical effect of the other half
Presently the tune is blundered through
and the singing begins. Siagfng The
angels in heaven don't sing IN thRt style,
certainly. SingingS No, it is hOULialy.
The choir consists Of a large man with
II voice like a calf, two women with
cracked voices, and ono with a detective
idea of time. The instrumental help is
n machine which the church bought for
fifteen dollars less thnn they would
have to pay for good 'Mason and
Hamlfn." The man who had it to sell,
told them 1t would make a louder noise.
So it does. Noise is not worship. We
- Then to the Nfethodists. Surely they
will praise God in better style. They
are not annoyed by thepresence of such
II wind instrument. That is n relief
The preacher gives out "the ten hundred
and sixtieth hymn, on the eleven hun
dEed and SEVENTEEN page, long. metre, 2
after Which he, like his Presbyterian
neighbor, roads the hymn through
The reading being done, he again an
announces the number, page, and metro,
and lines 01tt, the first half of the first
verse. Now for the singing. The de-
ticiency of instrumental accompani-
ment is more than compensated for by
the magnitude of the leaders, voice..
AIthnnUh an lNSNIs Il slN1af
hundred people, his lungs and throat
are ofa sufficient capacity to fill a,cathe-
dral, and he gives them full play. He
cannot consentto ehido his light under
n bushel. With nll his might he bnwls
forth tho two lines, then comes to n halt.
The fine, clear voice lof}the minister is
then heard, in pleasant contrast to this
great bull of Bashan, reading tho next
two lines. 1t Is as if he would saw !.
''My friends, Iseo you have your books
before you, but know you can't read
the hymn, so 1 viii read it for you, -
Lining OUT would be n miserable in-
terruption, ifthe singing were good ns
it is, it is desirable thing to stop the
eruption of that volcanic Voice, on any
terms possible. @
Now forsOmething more elegant and
cultured. AT tho Lutheran church they
hnve an organ. It is an imposing little
affair, with pretty case, and gilt pipes.
IA DDy U4OMH GuS DGlIOWS u1ullu, anu
young lady presides at the keyboard in
front. Ifsomebody would put n small
quantity of some mbrfcnting substance
on that part of the bellows apparatus
which squeaks, 1t would remove great
annoyance. And ii the fair organist
would bring her fingers in contact with
the keys with that gentle pressure
whichishould characterize organ play
ing, rather than in. the strumminr.
pounding fnshion IN which she learned
to play jigs on her mothers piano, the
result might be q style of music which
would be more betitting the house of
God than that which now CRATES on the
ear. The time is good. But the choir
mouth and humble their words SO TINT
nobody can understand what they nre
singing. .tt.f1 liflfg s4i .glt rsI7s'l 1 T1F-,rl
:, Away to the baptist church. Two
streets of, their singing is audible.
They all sing, That is an advantage
and en- excellence. 1t is better than In
those churches where it is understood
that the choir have the monopoly Of it,
and thnt it Is ,ungentee1 to interfere.
They. sing pretty we'll too. The minis
ter happens to be the leader. Take care,
though, good brother; or you may have
an attack ofbronchitis, some day, If YOU
keep at that steady Kind of work too
long, Praying, preaching and singing,
all on n stretch, are too much for one
mans Get n good man 10 take your
place, as soon as you can find the right
man. But meantime, keep at 1t, and
make your people sing.
They are praising- God at the Episco-
pal church. A neat miniature cnthe-
dral. The walls of solid and pointed
(plaster in imitation of brown stone; a
comely belfry on top. The rector stands
with his tasteful robe of white, and the
people with their prayer-books in their
hands. "A well tuned organ, small but
of sweet tone, is played by delicate
young lady. The choir consists of
three young girls and a small, boy.
There is no depth in the music; no rich
ness; no fullness. The congregation is
afraid to join in it, lest they should
crush it out of hearing. Tho minister
looks quietly on, as II tosay that he
would not on any account disturb it.
1t gently pursues its unrufIled course
till 1t comes totthe end of the chant,
when 1t grace efully subsidies, and gives
place to the. next part of the service.
Where are the. menu Where are the
big boys Where somebOdy=to take
hold ofsit and helpit along in good,
enrnest,l wholesome burst of sacred
song7 5ii.' .'i
Was the temple worship of the Jews
of tolden time anything like any of
of thesef Is the spirit of the psalms
such as to. lead us to offend all musical
proprtety and all decency when we
worship God ? Whyineedi we offer to
the Lord of heaven and earth, such
lame, hating, Imperfect stuff as would
not be listened to in a decent concert
room 3gisAye, such as would be kicked
out of the common beer-garden. IF
the preaching was us bud as the music,
there would be talk of turning the min
lister awRy4.s--.isss t=s,ississ.E EsIi;7fls 40 :
It is almost as easy to- execute music
well as to do il badly. There is no.
good reason why bad music should be