The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-08-30
The Human Voice.

q. Would that we could persuade al
Christians, and especially those whose
professional duty it is to teach, solemnly
to conseCrate the human voice to the
service of Almighty God. This car
never be accomplished without care and
pains, and labor to cultivate the voice
aud acquire, az far as practicable, perfect
elocution. Why should the stage take
the lead in such cultivation; here, it il
we'll known, that, in some instances
this cultivation has reached the highest
attainable perfection. Should there be
less study to give full effect to the
oracles of God than to the dramatic
writings Of Shakespeare? The tones
Of the voice should, by cultivation anG
practice be made clear, and the utter,
ance distinct, and, more than al, the
true meaning of the author, in its full.
ness, and in all its variety and shades o.
import, should be expressed by proper
information and emphasis. The objec
to be attained by the reader or speaker
should be heard by every one of BIZ
auditors, and the exact meaning Of the
author not only to be understood but &c
be impressed SO as to be remembered.
The value of these injunctions car
hardly be appreciated, except by those
who have heard a speaker possessing
these accomplishments. Such reader
is sure to awaken an interest In bis
hearer, and sustain his attention, and
when such attention is secured, lodg-
ment in the memory is an almost nee
essary consequence. 1t is told of a
celebrated stage aetor--a proficient in
the art of elocution--that he could re-
qeat the Lords prayer SO as greatly to
solemnize his hearers, and frequently
to draw tears from their eyes. The late
DIR, John NJ. Mason was an admirable
reader Of the Bibles it was evident to
his congregation that he never read a
chapter in this sacred Book without
elaborate and careful preparation, and
he gave such expression to the passages
by his manner as to surprise his audit
Ors with meanings of the sacred texts
before unthought of. His reading was,
indeed, a commentary.
Whoever heard the late Rev. Mr..
Summerfeld read can never forget the
charm Of his elocution, and the delight
full impression made.
The late Bishop Wainwright was also
O graceful and impressive reader il
might be invidious to name any persons
among the living.
In the services, daily and weekly, oI
the Episcopal Church, morning and
evening, four or five chapters are read
every day, and it makes e~ide differ
Cnce in the impression upon the con-
gregatioR whether these chapters are
welkor i'll read.
Bad reading, especially of Holy
Scriptures, in the public services of every
church, is very much to be deprecated,
and, where 1t is the result of careless
ness, want of attention, or due prepar-
alton, Is irreverent and sinful. A poor
or indifferent reader should not be per-
mitted to officiate as public teacher of
the Christian religion.
In the public service of the Church of
Christ the aid of the human voice is
invoked--not only in reading and
speaking but in singing that is to say
in the culture, management and control
of the voice in the utterancc of musical
sounds. The human voice has been
brought to vie, successfully, with the
sweetest tones Of instrumental music |;
but in the worship of God, although
instrumental music may be properly EN-
ployed, the voice is capable of giving
forth something more than mellilluous
tones: tones embodying ideas and sem
timenis that inform the mind and ele-
vatethesoal. The utterances producing
these results must be in words, and
these words must be so expressive as to
be understood by those who hear
Itis impossible TO understand, by the
ear only, what is sung by those denom-
mated the most accomplished vocal
musical performers in our city churches
This should not be. 1t quite possible
SO to sing-for whole choir so to sing
--as to give distinct rendering of every
word in the composition muscally OK
pressed. This object should be attain
ed at whatever cost, and pains, and
practice. The stranger coming in the
midst of the service should be able to
understand, without book in hand,
the words rendered in singing. This
difficulty of understanding the words
uttered is felt in hearing single vocal
ist, nearly as great as in hearing the
voices of the choir. Remove the Diff
Guilty in the case of each vocalist, and il
will be obviated in hearing their united
voices. The writer of this article re.
members TO have heard, many years
ago, the celebrated operate performer
Signorina Garcia, sing two songs il
English, one Of which he had heart
before, or seen in manuscript or print
and every word was so rendered as t
be clearly understood by every heare
IN alarge audience, and the effect wa