New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-04
MUSIC IN CHURCHES.

oRGANlsr
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher gave his
nth lecture at New-Haven before the theoiogleM
students Of Yale College yesterday taking up the thread
Of his argument behalf Of music In the ehurch whieh
alluded in closing bis remarks ON the previous cay
Hc began in this way
Music is of the most important auNiailes OF the
rrcacher don't hold those things TO De auNnay
alone which have an apparent and immediate bearing
Oh the sermon as such, but as have afcreume eN'
riained 30 you the sermon Is only enc element OF the
whole movement, and the preacher should develop the
movement in a kind unity, tho sermon being con-
sntuent part perhaps the central and the grand ele-
aent Music comes, think, in its capacity OF doing
good next to preaching It's power is as yet thing
undeveloped. Consider. for instance, what our
slnpressons to the availability OF
music IN sunday-schocl Is or so years ago, ana
sVare the Sunday school of to-day with those OF that
period. What would schools he II You should drop
OF them bodily the music OF the school Ihey Wo'u
almost dissolve aud vanish. II is the invisible chan
which holds them together and animates th'in ana
there power ia music TO reach, 70 dnoc 10 cohlor'
ao feelings Of the Christians heart which is coinpara
tsVely speaking. uudreamed> OF Vet. see no" II
Glands. III churches, for the most part
where Hturgica forms prevail. It becomes
necessary that minister, administrator Oh u'
church service should have some degree OF considers"
ton for music without which it is almost Impossible 10
sender the hturgc8l service; hut IN those ehhenes
which diSaow a service, making everything eN'e"po'
raneOus how seldom do we fluid a man who IS aoe IN
rreaching aud at te considerable and earnest
and Jealous on the subject Of music The complaints
which hear from conductors OF music are these that
tbere person the congregation so indinerentt 10
tbe cultivation mnsc as the minister Now ana theh
there is an exception For the most part however, lie
81 Flad 10 conductor, who will take the RESPONSE
1ty OF shoulders, and them that there is quiet
in tie choir and disturbance in the congregation he
0Ces lot trouble himself more about the matter
AN ELEMENT WORSHIP.
Now every minister not only, as l said yesterday,
able to conduct upon occasion musical service
he should make IL part Of his care his anxiety IN
the devoopment the religious life of his cOngrega-
t4on have music not only good, but increasingly
good aud he should devote his time and energy TO 1t
inst "a he wOald development of any topic for
discourse The range almost D6ue, far beyond any
thing that be Illustrated by words, and we have no
opportunity OF Illustrating it in any other way. Music
s. itself not much agent in Affect
sDg TIE understanding as 1t IS In al
fectue That part OF mans nature when "a
sermon leaves comparatively barren Now, is true in
the Roman service. aud TO great extent IN the Epsco
va service that It reaches the devOu magination that
u reaches toward actually to inspire veneraton
awe feel for the chords whose response
a. worship. That is provided for in those churches
Nothing frequent than 20 therefore, persons
who have been brought up in the Quaker faith, or the
plain faith Of fathers, and their palmer worship
sAeiI barren worship almost, 10 go over 70 those
churches and explain II doctrinal grounds nor
ecclesiastical affinity. hut simply because they feel
che need of worshiping element, and lit is
provided for them there and not in Indeed If
we're 20 say what the marked the characteristic
fault Of congregational churches, whether Baptist, or
1respyteTiau Congregational should say 1t was the
neutrality-suspicious. for the element OF worship
nothing in the economy that provides for 1t TO
suy considerable extent It depends upon good fortune
whether you have pastor whose nature has in il
genius for devotion. II You have not there is pro-
vision it, there any source from which ii
so derived within reach, aside from the mere emo
Son Of the man who conducts the public worship.
There other fundamentally that know OF, ex-
sept that of IL is the function of worship to
begin the point which the ends. That in
stIuOs, that ncites through the reason. Now
music, following IL up and melting 10 emotion
.rough the imagination through the tase through the
feelings; and it takes the truths which may have
seeDeApressed dogmaricsly. The truths which have
taken intellectual forms and satisfied that part of
she aind, rendered substantial by song, and
follow up and satisfy all the other elements
81 the mind, making round and COM
pete work II m very rare that, In any
Discourse in any days discourse, man shall be
gifted able reach through the the
sest Foundation chords feeling In the human soul II
- very that man gets through day IN giving
welelected hymns that he don't reach them through
hymns and the songs, If they rightly admins
sered aud churches. obove all others, that 1t
NECESSARY that music should I'll up that barrenness
that want provision for the aesthetic feeling for the
fancy and the Imagination, and the more faeie emo
i1cpt which not provided for by any framework,
which are devOved upon the preacher which, according
lns various abilities and endowments and the circum
stances surrounding him, may be only partially provided
ScI by hiln.
powEE OF CHURCH ORGAN.
shah speak of music in church, then, music in social
TestoBs in the gas 10 church
there first arises the question of instrumental
aoasio Where instrumental music is introduced for tho
purpose instance, Of giving tone and time, where 1t
r. mere auxiliary Of that kind, it is not without It's
nses Even so poor the country provisions the
fate von and VOL they not TO be despsed.
4nere Is great help IN them But now in the growing
Intelligence and wealth in country the old
for part having died out against nstru
mental music the organ distinctly the element which
= employed IN churches and happily have ergan
binders many and the petition is such that that
he very poor that cannot provide for itself
al organ 10 degree with its actual
SAINTS would not be thought unduly enthusiastic in
speakiug this instrument, which look upon his
torian looks upon q great nation that through thou
sand years has been developed by great
Irovdential events and educatOns until it
aas reached place In which manifesty 1t
stands prime divine power the world. look upon
she history OF the DEVELOPMENT OF the organ for Christian
uees q sublime instance OF the guiding hand OF Gods
providence. IL the most complex OF all instruments
s. ~ the most Of ait is the grandest Of ALL
Beginning far baekgTowlng as things grow which have
great usesoYing little by little II has come now to
stand immeafuraby ranscendently above every other
instrument and not only that but above every combDa
zion OF Instruments; for although you may obtain
certain Effects certain movements and Kind OF
ae-hke elasticity from orchestral performances, al
fbOugh there Is winsOme airy element in them though
sOrt Of spiritual enthusiasm can be created by them
where they arc great and noble, noticeable In
fOfes9 bands which visited us last season from
1be Boston JGihee, so that Ia rare instances yon can
1be finest orchestra that ever stood on earth,