The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-03-14


week fof prayer and praise. We come
liii our hearts heaven Ia ihankia
aBd JOY For music, NE have the organ
the most noble instrument IN ,he warld
in all oar churches. and trained choir
sing The praise of the Lord with tic be,
skill and art ihc world has discovered
The church has slways aimed TO com
mand the best music, believing that III
best is none too good for Gods service
In this pursuit Of art there is great dan
ger Of goiag 10 extremes. Tie traine,
choir should be used everywhere. but no
70 ihe exclusion Of the people. The Ia
spired command, Let all the people prais,
the Lord, Is sadly neglected
( We have in our search for high art del
egaied our praisegiying 10 paid singers
and we praise God by proxy.
Ny friends, these things ought not sc
to be. We should al sing Let tho choii
lead, all Join them In the solemn psalm ol
cheerful song ofthauksgiying. lam aware
that congregational singing is viewed with
disgust bv mahy II Il sometimes very
bad, and oiiends more than eleyates This
need not be so if one or two rIles are OBJ
served, Let me give them to you;
Firstly. Let all sing, young and old.
No matter how badly It sounds 10 Won,
sing with confidence
Secondly. DO not attempt 10 sing parts.
Let all sing the melody Let those who
think they can sing tenor, alto or bass,
give up their parts, and Join the sopranos,
In singing the air or melody. OF course
the gentlemen will sing II one octave low
er than the ladies' The organ win give
the harmony, the voices the song. Bv the
aid Of these rules our singing will be easy
and effective.
Now, TO help you. ! will have the mel
ody played npon cornet Thi. instru-
ment Is loud, penetrating, and easily fol-
lowed. The instrument and organ viii
play the time over, and then, after an IN
stant's pause, all Join in singne.
IL a thnndcrbolt had split the gildcd
cockerel on the steeple, and rung the fire
alarm bell, we could not have been more
The people with one consent
sat down in puddle Of discomfort and
horror Deacon Squaggles leaned his
head on his hand and groaped aloud.
Parson Mildmay looked dubious, and we
were variously much shocked. The organ
and the cornet began. 1t sounded well,
and some OF us were inwardly set up with
much JOY Then the congregation rose as
one man, resolved to extiDgush the desc
Grating instruments-res to sing the
thing down.
We sang Old Hundred through twice. |
Such tremendous volume of tone had /
never been heard in the church before.
The grand old tune fairly shook the house.
When twas finished we sat down. !
looked round, the deacon's wife wiping
ler eyes furtively. Some irreverent per-
ION raped Oh the floor with oano--just
timid little rap, but applause certainly. |
Deacon Pipple's little boy said audibly,
'Hurra; wasn't that bu--" The last
word was extinguished by a fatherly
land
The parson read two verses of another
lynn. His voice trembled, and be seemed
peculiarly happy. That splendid old tune
# Christmas, by Father Handel, was
played. Handel believed in horns and
When the growing melody
ang bravely through the church every
'ody rose and siezed their hymn-books
With ardent determination to do their
,est.
Everybody sang. Who could help it.
The ringing tones of the trumpet bore
along with it, At the inter
ude between the verses there was a pro-
ound hush The people felt that at last
hey were really praising God with heart
nd soul. The second verse was even
tbit HNtfthNbti lHdH tilt ilINl. BsNcEA-
'ody felt warmed up to the work. The
congregation had made discovery nj
ould sing.
When il was over Parson AIildmay
naned over the desk and said Brother
LEI u, sing all the verses.
We did From that night congrega-
ional singing and The cornct plal er were
fixed part OF our service. At first. as
aid, il nearly split the church The
hoir resigned Designation not exceped)
nd small tempest ragged for two weeks
mong the people. The church was di-
ided into eornetists and anti-cornctists.
he eornetsls carried the day. The
torn cleared away, and now all is serene.
he unsold pews found market. seats
. the church became scarce. Even the
allery filed up. and Parson Mildmay IL ,,
appy over a large aud growing congre-
alton. The dear old deacous lament
le cause, but rejoice IN the prosperity Of
be church.