Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-02-15
ASHTABULA, OHIO, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Is, 1873

organist from his seat and introduced
him to us. Our organ is behind the pull
pit, Just where il ought TO be. Every
body woke up, and You might have heard
pin drop.
The young man bowed and spoke as
follows: Only friends: We meet here
every week for prayer and praise. We
come to lift our hearts TO heaven in
thankfulness and joy. For music, we
have the organ, the most noble instru-
nent in the world, iu all our churches,
and trained choirs sing the praise of the
Lord with the best skill and art the
world has discovered.
"The church has always aimed TO com
mand the best music, believing that the
best is none'too good for Gods service.
In this pursuit of art there is great
danger of going to extremes. The
trained choir should be used every where,
and not to the exclusion of the people.
The inspired command 'let all the people
praise the Lord is sadly neglected of
late.
awe have in our search for high art,
delegated our praise-glving TO paid sing
ers, and we praise God by proxy.
"My friends, these things ought not so
to be. We should all sing. Lei the
choir lead, all join them in the solemn
psalm or cheerful thanksgiving. am
aware that the congregational singing is
viewed with disgust by many. 1t is
sometimes bad, and offends more than
eevates. This need not be SO if one or
two rules are observed. Let me give
them to you.
"Firstly. Let all sing, young and
old. No matter how it sounds to you
sing with confidence.
SECONDLY. Do not attempt to 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 nelO-
dy. OF course the gentlemen will sing
it one octave lower than the ladies.
The organ will give the harmony, the
voices the song. BY the aid OF these
rules our singing will be easy and effect
| W. .#t#H u4gf
"Now to help you, will have the
melody played upon a cornet. This i'll
strument is loud, penetrating, and easily
followed. The instrument and organ
will play the tune over, and then alter
an instant's pause, all join in the sing
ing" d
If thunderbolt had split the gilded
cockerel on tie steeple and rung the fire.
alarm bell, we could not have been more
electrified. The people ,wilE one con
sent sat down in muddle of discomfort
and horror Deacon Squaggles leaned
his head on his hand and groaned aloud.
| ,,l
were valiously much shocked. The or
gan and the cornet began. 1t sounded
well, and some of us were inwardly set
up with much JOY. Then the congrega-
lion rose as one man, resolved to extin-
guish the decorating instrument-re-
solved to sing the thing down. uq
| We sang Old Hundred through twice.
Such tremendous volume of tone had
never been heard in the church before.
Tie grand old tune fairly shook the
house. When it was finished we sat
down. looked around and found the
deacon's wife wiping her eyes furtively.
Some irrevereut person raped on, the
foor-just a timid little rap, but meant
tor applause, certainly. Deacon Pipples'
little boy said audibly, "Hurra want
that bu-." The last word was extin-
guished by fatherly hand. .,.9.,.,.
The parson read two verses of anoth-
er hymn. His voice trembled and he
seemed peculiarly happy. That splendid
old tune of Christmas, by Father Han
del, was played. Handel believed ir
horns and tlumpets. When the glow
ing melody rang through the church
everybody rose and seized their hymn
books with ardent determination TO dc
their best. 1870 u I'D EyJ con blD@ti
Everybody sang. Who could help
, it? The ringing tones of the trumpet
bore everything along with it. In the
! interlude between the verses there wa'
a profound hush. The people felt tina
, at last they were really praising Goo
with heart and soul. The second vers
. was even more successful than tn
first. Everything felt warmed up t.
, the work. The congregation had mad
discovery. 1t could sing.
When it was over Parson NIildmay
: leaned over the desk and said, "Brothe
> Squaggles, let us sing all the verses"
We did. From that night congrega
e tional singing and the cornet player wer
9 a fixed part of our service. At first, a
d | said, it nearly split the church. TIL
choir resigned, designation not accepted
' and small tempest ragged for two week
+ among the people The church was di
y vided into cornetsts and anti-cornetists
+ The cornetists carried the day. Th'
e storm cleared away and now all was Sc
r rene. The unsold pews found market
Seats in the church became scarce
Even the gallery filed up, and Parsor
D Mildmay is happy over large and grow
e ing congregation. The dear old deacon
: lament the cause, but rejoice in the pros
I perity of the church.
ONr AND Two STORY MES.-Dl
Holmes in the "1'oet at the Brcakfas