The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-04


You will hear Estheris exhortation tC
prayer and fasting, followed by that
most touching and fervent petition Of
the Jews in the attitude of the suppli-
cant: 'sTo Thee, o Lord, we raise oul
cries. Our fervent prayer in mercy
hear; for ruin waits our trembling soul,
if Thou refuse gracious ear,n along
with the sure promise, 'He that goeth
forth and weepeth bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoic-
ing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Luther sang, "a strong fortress is our
God" and you will hear Bradbury sing,
."God is the refuge of his people, very
present help in trouble" with the ex-
hortation to ''trust in the Lord forever,
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength" and ''Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on
Thee"
After the deliverance is accomplished
your hearts will swell with the joy that
inspires the breasts of the Jews, as they
sing, "Where the Lord turned again the
captivity of Zion, we were like them
that dream; then was our mouth filed
with laughter and our tongue with sing
ing; then said they among the heather,
'The Lord hath done great things for
US, whereof we are glad.'"
ThOoa ~ xyotr hO ho1.o I,o,. .
''Hsllelujah Chorus in the Messiah,
will hear it ringing grandly again in
your ears, as it is suggested to you by
the triumphant revelling of the doxol-
ogy: "Be thou, o God, exalted high,
aud as thy glory fills the sky, so let it
be in earth displayed, till thou art here,
as there, obeyed."
Passing along by the "Court of Death"
in the evening 1 have sometimes
heard the sound of music and singing.
II the voice of song and of the stringed
or wind instrument will draw men into
the "Court of DEATH" why may we not
rescue the music and singing and tune
1t to the voice of the angelic chimes,
and so draw men into the "Court OF
Heaven"
If music fills the floor of the "Ivy
Green Saloon" why may it not be used
to attract those wayward feet to tn,
floor OF the hall of the "Oratorio,
where men may hear the gospe
preached?
But DO you approve of the opera ?
cannot say, just looking at the opera a
it now stands, differing too little from
the average theater. Are you not afrai,
that the Oratorio may glide into tn,
Opera? Yes, just as 1 fear you may
overwork your brain or abuse you
stomach, just as 1 fear you may U.S.
''author cards" to gamble with. Dan,
gers crowd about US on every side, anC
it is we'll to have n wholesome fear o.
them. l might wish, therefore, that
the dress and acting were left out oi
Esther" as they are out of the other
OratoriOs, as the Messiah and the Crea.
ton, and then it would not border Sc
closely upon the Opera. But it must
be judged upon its own merits, and not
hampered with the weight of abuses,
for which it is not responsible.
The noble sentiments and emotions
are there, and the noble music to ex-
press them is there, and would that all
the singers and the listeners might be
moved by a noble spirit.
Judge the OratoriO by the same rules
which l laid down in my sermon of this
morning on "Amusements." Does il
unfit you for your proper work, either
mentally or physically? Does it disin-
cline you to public or private devotion ?
Does 1t induce in you a trifiing spirit?
Do you come away from the hall over
excited, heated, flushed, sensual? Then
you will join me in the saying it is
wrong for you to go to the Oratorio OF
Esther. How far you can go depends
upon how far you can take God aOitI
you. If you cannot ask his blessing
upon what you are about to do, you are
getting away from him.
But believe you can be made bettel
by going, If you will listen in the right
spirit.