The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1872-12-25
MUSIC IN CHURCH.

week paper, Dut on account of our
not issuing our full sheet there was
not room for it. 1t is in answer TO a
communication from M. c." on the
same subject, which appeared in our
issue two weeks ago. The extract is
taken from Adam Clarke's Theology.
Did ever God ordain instruments of
music to be used in his worship? Can
they be used in Christian assemblies
according to the spirit of Christianity +?
Has Jesus Christ. or his apostles, ever
commanded or sanctioned the use of
themY Were they ever used an, where
in the apostolic church? Does the
use of them at present, in Christian
congregations, ever increase the spirit
of devotion? Does it ever appear
that bands of musicians, either in their
collective or individual capacity, are
more spiritual, or us spiritual, as the
other parts of the church of Christ ?
Is there more pride, selt.will, stub
bornness, INSTRUMENTATION, lightness.
and frlvolitv, among such persons,
than among the other professors of
Christianity found in the same relig.
ious society? Is it ever remarked or
known that musicians, in the house of
God, have ever attained tn any depth
of piety, or superior snundness of un
derstanding, in ;he things of God? Is
1t ever found that those churches and
Christian societies which have aud use
instruments of music in divine wor-
ship, are more holy, or Us holy, AS
those societies which do not use them ?
And is it always found that the minis
tero who affect and recommend them
to be used in the worship of almighty
God, are the most spiritual men, and
the most spiritual and useful preachers?
Can mere sounds, no matter how me-
lodious, where no word or sentiment
is or can be uttered, be considered as
giving praise to God Is it possible
that pipes or strings Of any kind can
give God praise? Can God be pleased
with sounds which are emitted by no
sentient being, and have in themselves
no meaning? If these questions can
not be answered in the affirmative,
then is not the Introduction of such
instruments into the worship of God
antichristiaD, calculated to debase and
ultimately ruin the spirit and infu
ences of the gospel of Jesus Christ ?
And should not all who wish well to
the spread and establishment of pure
ani undefiled religion lift up their
hand, their influence, aud their voice
against them? The argument from
their use in the Jewish Sc vice is futile
in the extreme, when applied to Chris.
tianity.
In representative system of reli.
gion, such as the Jewish, there must
have been much outside work all EN-
blematical Of better things; no proof
that such things should be continued
under the gospel dispensation, where
outsiders have disappeared, shadows
flown away, and the substance alone is
presented to the hearts of mankind.
He must be i'll off for proofs in favor
of instrumental music in the church
of Christ, who has recourse to prac.
tices under the Jewish ritual!
Moses had not appointed any musi.
cal instruments to he used in the di.
vine worship; there was nothing OF
the kind under the first tabernacle
The trumpets, or horns, then used were
not for song, nor Tor praise, hut, as we
use bells, to give notice to the congre
CATION of what they were called t.
perform, &c. But David did certain.
ly introduce many instruments of mu
sic into Gods worship; for which, W,
have already seen, he was solcmnly re
proved by the Prophet Amos, chap
vi, l-6. Here, however, The author o
this book states he had the command
ment Of the Prophet Nathan, anl
Cad, the kings seer; and this is stateC
To have been the commandment of th,
Lord by his prophets. Blu. the Syria,
aud Arabic give this different turn
"Hezckiah appointed the Levites il
the house of the Lord, with instru
ments Of music, and the sonnd o
harps, and with the hymns of David
aud the hymns of Cad, the king
prophet; for David sang the praise
Of the Lord his G d, as from th
mouth of the prophets" 1t Was b.
the hand or commandment of th
Lord and his prophets, that the lie
vites should praise The Lord for S
the Hebrew text may he understood
and it was by the order Of David tina
so many instruments Of music shoul
Z be introduced into the divine service
But were it even evident, which it
not, either from this or any othe
place in the sacred writings, that il
, struments of music were prescribed b
divine authority under the law, cuul
this be adduced with any sembluno
! Of reason that they ought TO be use
in Christian worship? No, the who
spirit, soul, and genius of the Christia
religion are against this; aud thoi
t who know the church of God best IAN
4 what constitutes its genuine spiritui
lsnnty thnf thneo IL 10