The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-01-18

ofSA VhO POOPlo hSSu SuoduP PA0o, Ai0 N
than precepts and warnings. But if their
spiritual leader does not sing and has to
confess that he never made any special ef-
fort to learn to sing, how can he impress
others with the value of the service or with
their responsibilities in relation to it?
3. Occasions will occur in the work OF
every minister when if he cannot raise the
tune, and carry it too, the worship must go
unenlivened and unsauctifed by music
Those who have ever been tempted to leave
the beaten rounds of long-established pas
toral charge, and traverse frontier regions,
or visit the "highways and hedges, can
supply the proof of this position from their
own experience. To send out missionary
into our destitute settlements, who cannot
sing-I will not say that this is as bad as to
send out one who cannot read the Scrip
lures, lead in prayer, or preach the Cos
pel-but it is to send out man wanting in
a most valuable quality for success in his
work. No man of our day and Church had
a larger experience in the kind Of labor here
referred to slau she late Dr. Dssiv' lel = , !,
and so impressed was he with the Importance
of that on which | am insisting, that he was
accustomed to say, as l have heard him say
more than once, that, if student in the
Seminary could not otherwise accomplish the
end, he would do we'll to devote six months
of his course to the sole duty of learning to
sing. Possibly, DR.. Baker exaggerated the
Importance of the ability to, sing, as COM
pared with the value of the studies which
his hypothesis would require to be sacri-
feed. Still, in the matter of missionary la
bors he was an expert, and his opinion, eEsh.
granting that it is somewhat extravagant,
is entitled to great weight. Other and all
ministers of missionary experience give sim
liar testimony,
4. There is, in our day, strong and in
creasing tendency to wreSt the music in pub
lie worship from the minister as to any con,
troll which he may claim to exercise over it,
and from the people as to any active partic-
ipation in it. The position is boldly taken
by some choir-leaders, that the singing is as
exclusively in their charge as the praying is
in that of the preacher; and where this high
ground is not openly avOwed, it is often tao
lily assumed. The effect of such usurpation
of the right to control the music in the house
of God, will be to render that part of the
worship more and more artificial, or, to use
a more fashionable word, artistic; to elimi-
nate the devotional element, so as to make
it more agreeable to the carnal taste; to
lead the performers-the artiSts-to seek the
praise of men, rather than to study to be
approved of God; and to attract the larger
number of pleasure seekers to the Church
for the same ends for which they resort to
the opera, or would do so if they had the
opportunity.
To counteract the. evil, denunciation
through the press and in ecclesiastical ccun-
ellis has been tried, and has failed to pro-
duce any appreciable effect. The question
then becomes the more pertinent, is there
any remedy? 1 am persuaded that the on
ly remedy which is likely to prove efectual
is the influence of a spiritually, minded pas
tor, prudently and firmly exerted, within
the scope of his official charge, 1 have said
the spiritually minded pastor; for alas
there are pastors even who have lent their
ears to be tickled by the worldly music so
much in vogue, and lent their hearts to be
tickled with the eclat of having more scien-
tifc and fashionable music in their churches
than neighboring churches or the churches
in rival cities can boast. Such pastors, of
course, encourage the evil instead of at
tempting to correct it. But they are the
exceptions. The great majority of Christian
ministers see the evil, and deplore it. They
would apply the remedy, if one were pointed
out, which is effectual and which in its opera
tions would not do more harm than good.
The pastor, however, who is untaught and
unskilled in music will labor under almost
fatal disadvantages when he attempts to ex-
ert an influence for the correction of the
evil under notice. The conduct of the mu-
sic, let us suppose, is in the hands of those
who have, or imagine they have, considera-
bic knowledge of that of which he is ignorant.
1t is reversing the order Of nature to sup
pose that they will be governed by him.
His objections and his advice will be
ascribed to want of knowledge and of taste.
" How can he dictate what style'o of music is
most suited to the church or most pleasing
to the congregation, whsa he scarcely
knows one tune from anoCher-Old Hun
dred from Hail Columbia p
If there were no other considerations to
determine every student of theology to make
himself acquainted with music, it ought to
be held sufficient that thereby he will be
better able to control the musical services in
his future church. Upon those services will
depend, in no small degree, the spiritual
tone and effect of the worship throughout, and
connected with the character of the worship
will be the success of his ministry as to all
its ends. The subject is of deeper import
and of far wider reach than it has usually
been contemplated by our students or those
who have had charge of their training.
But cnncedinr the imnnrtanne Of this