American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-10-25
CHURCH MUSIC.

ooulC lIlIct ulonlliS dSVs We htN
the temerity to give our views, edi-
tOrially, on the present style of
church music, as cOntradistInguish>
ed from that of former years, for
which act of presumption and ''otii>
cious interme,ldling,' perfect tor
rent of bitter invective was poured
down upon our ''devOted head by
the friends of religious, or rather,
irreligiOus progress. ''Old fogy,
''behind the age" "wondrous wise,'
''wOnderful musical critic etc.,
were some of the terms employed
by the advocates for fashionable
church music to express their utter
contempt for us and our opinions.
AS the structures then published
were specially intended tor the
Methodist ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which
Though not a mcnber.) we cherish
feelings of great respect and veneer
ation-we now invite their atten-
ton to the following views of Bish-
op George f. Pierce, the great
Ajax of Southern Methodism, and
one of the wisest and most gifted
pulpit orators on the American con-
tinent. In recent letter to the
Southern Christian AdrOcdte, he
says:
am more and more satisfied that
the introduction of organs and
choirS, like "Alexander, the cop
persmith,r has done us much evil.
In many cases they have been the
occasion of division, discOrd, vari-
! ance, hate, heart burnings i'll the
churches. This is all wrong, l
grant. Yet it is as fair and just to
lay the blame on those who gaze
the s'otfrnse" as upon those who
were ''"tfitnded.'
| finu churches who have paid
thousands for an organ and only
given hundreds for missions. An
iother-straining, the people say. to
support a preacher, yet raising from
81, 200 to $500 TO buy an organ.
But they have not only absorbed
money, they have put Methodist
worship into straight>jacket. All
freedom is gone. Nothing is left IN
many places but a petriiied respect
ability. Singing to the praise of
God is substituted by music, so call
ed The whole thing is SO incon-
grllOus, so out of harmony with
genuine spiritual Methodism, that
praying aud preaching are both
hampered by it. The very atn"s-
phere of the house, when these
performances come off, is infected.
We are reioiced to know that we
are sustained by such eminent au
thority, not only as regards our es
innate Of fashionable church music,
but also in the views presented
some time ago i'll an article entitled
Misconduct at Church" and which,
as we supposed, gave mortal otfense
to the guilty parties. Bishop Pierce
traces the origin of this evil to pro-
miscuOus seating of the congrega-
tiOns, and administers just and
righteous rebuke to those young
persons who are so far lost to COM
mon decency as to make the house
of worship place Of entertainment.
On this subject he says:
l avow myself In favor of the old
rule: ''Let the men and women sit
apart in all our congregations" 1t
may be pleasant and convenient for
families to occupy the same pew,
but pleasure and convenience ought
to be given up for the sake of reiig-
ious interest. This family arrange>
ment can not be allowed without
cOnceding the privilege to other
parties and to all. And here is the
evil. Young gentlemen and ladies,
as l have seen, come in groups and
march along the aisles, and with
bows, aud ceremonies, and graceful
joining Of hands, pass to their places
in pairs, and seated side by side,
whisper and giggle and fan, and in
dulge in all the amenities of private
life. Now what 1 say is, all these
things are out of place i'll the house
OF God. The church is not a parlOr,
where people meet to exchange civ
ilities and brandish the graces Of
dress, or form, or manner. Sobriety,
reverence, awe, are demanded.
God is in His holy temple" Now,
remembering that our cOngrega-
tons are largely made up of young
,hOughtlesS, aye, and carnat, too
every body knows that this com
mingling is unfriendIy to serious
thOught-to the impression of the
word and to religious action, even
if the heart should be touched. In
this arrangement the devil has the
advantage of the preacher and the
people.