The New York herald., 1874-11-15

Not one true CHRISTIAN philosopher or theologan
Piatonism OF ST. John the Evangelist.
As 70 the attempt made by me to explain how
CONGESTION OF the divine creative act o. G compar
ing it and It's erect with hat We ca s'the crea-
tlons' o. naman genius az and, further. o. comparing
not mere repeat or Justify H.
d;a no, profess to explain what IN Itself Ia IL.
explcable on THIS side Of heaven, but reveren.iy
and lovingly offered few anaiogies to assist the
anders standng.
gans SPEAK or the divine immensltY as did, nor
have one word TO retract. How God created me,
whence came the material elements see around
me, know not The "n0wv OF creation cannot
understand.
But DO know there is and can be no space from
which GOD ls excluded, no body or spirit 10 which
he 10 not substantially present. The conceptions
OF time and space mix themselves ap with mY con-
cepuon Of that lnnnite Being; but am moi will
ing that the weakness OF my intellect or the errors
oi my tmaginauon should interfere with what |
know to oe the truth. lie - everywhere; He Is IN
my tnmosr soul, as well AS IN the core ol every
material or spiritual substance IN existence. And
yet His substance Is DOT mine or theirs, nor are
pelng and every other and concurs with me In
every helpful and noiy act OF my iife
philosophy. THIS does q OF make OF God the world
SOUP imagined oy Plato and dreamed OF IN our
asy oy sAsn M gray ySsr 20
widely. but their s'worid soul' In nowise resem-
bes the fiction OF my critic 90 more than his gar
truth or charity. PRLDENTiuS.
The Musical CanOn-Opinioa OF MIR.
Jerome Hopkins.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
Now tnst the Episcopal General Convention has
adjourned the ritualis,ic light II over and the
smoke OF battle has cleared away, purpose cali
ing the pubic's attention TO the action OF the SAID
Convention with reference to the music OF the
Church, regarding which there were TWO efforts
70 legislate. Some years ago the Epscopalians
got slgnt OF the Plymouth church collection Of
hymns, with music on alternate pages. and, ever
ready to initiate, seldom TO initiate, some OF her
clergy conceived the Idea OF publishing an Epls-
copal "Tune Book" upon the same plan. The alr.
ierent musical wants OF the two denominations
seemed by no means to be an impeachment In the
way. For example. the congregational service
requires only simple "tunes,' or psaimody, but
the Episcopalian ritual calls for anthems.
chants and psalm tunes. Nevertheless, the
book was prepared BY committee" OF
three or the clergy, not one Of whom could
compose q chant or write four-part harmony
correctly. Tney therefore called in the aid OF two
"proessors OF music'' OF very mud type. with
limited reputation; estlmable 'memoers of the
Church." but wretched musical grammartans, and
who moreover, bickered con unually over the ar.
rangement Of the tunes 80 that some OF the latter
were printed twice over, differently harmonlzed
The book. as might have been expected, was
mass of trash badly edited, and disguised all edu-
Gated organlsts who were compelled to use II or
else lose their positions.
In = few years it became obsolete, and other
books, gotten up by private enterprise and With
more science about them, began to nil tts place.
After ali these years. experience OF the useless
ness OF the "Tune BooE,n nnding that the music
OF the Church, in place Of better and better, has
been getting worse and worse all that time, our
reverend fathers at the late Convention decided
to make another attempt 20 control organists and
chors by altering the rubrc SO as to exclude all
sfrvolous" music. But it Is very ditncult to tell
how this is to be done unless they Kick out many
who are at present employed az orRanists and
choir masters in TINS city ana suburbs
The Episcopal Church Is 100 poor, TOO bigoted or
too mean to employ competent 0rganis.s as a rye.
functions Of their ofnce properly 20 select or ex
anime the credentials o either organls,s or choir
singers IL they happen to nave any, and the clergy
are 100 unmusical, indineren, or cowardly 10 ex-
ercise their prerogative OF veto whenever music
Is introduced which snocks their sense OF prl-
priety or that OF their intimate advisers in the
congrega ton. could point 10 many churcnes
IN TINS city wnere the most ludicrous strife has
times occurred between organist Choir, commit
tee. rector and congregation, ana ali because
there was not one man N the lot with the nrsr
yet each considered himself the only qualified
Judge OF the art TO be found. ask the clergy who
mean by .frivoous'' music. II Is important ior US
oreanlsts TO De informed. or course It cannot be
long loved bv pous fogies Still Tess ls It intended
TO call .4rivoious" the tunes found IN the famous
authorized" tune BOOK o. dns cnuroh ts an ana aln
secrated tunes notorI0usly the very essence OF
frivoiity and musical swash.
IL often stigmatzed as "irivoious by these august
minsterlai censors, such, Tor instance, a. seiec.
tions and adaptations IRON Mozart's and Haydn's
masses. Handers and Mende lssohn's orat0rios,
Scnumann's and Beethoven's symphonies and kim
ored serious, II not in essence sacred" compost.
tions. The question OF Judgment then becomes an
issue between our clergy and these great masters.
/ oeny the capacity o. average ciergymen TO dis-
tln1uisn what Is frivolous from that which Is in
the highest sense appropriate and admirable, Tor
the simple reason tnat they cannot tell The differ
snGe between gca msor ano nSf sn une Ss
counterpoint correct aud iauity harmonic pro-
gressions. the proper or Improper use oi the six
correct application OF the simple laws OF musical
THESE are among the rudlmental requirements
Of even ordinary amateurs, and snouid be indis-
pensaDle to any one VINO pfesumes TO direct so
complex . science as church music. My opinion
Is that all this sort OF proiessed musical legisla
ton on the part OF our Episcopal conventions
only helps 10 bring the Church into contempt.
persons outside or inside OF ner pale who are well
read ls impeachment TO lollow all transgressi0nS
oil this canoDg The music OF our American Epis-
copal churches cannot be improved until the VII
lanous system OF employing cheap and non-pro-
fessonal and irresponsible amateur orgaDists 10
abolished, system now very popular. 1t IS truly
wonderful, when one thinks OF II, now very lond
the Episcopal clergy are Of cheap music. lr
becomes question OF interest whether they
could be induced TO give equal advocacy 70 cheap
preacningi JEROME HOPKINS, Ill Broadway.
NOVEMBER ], 1874.
Celebration or the Feast OF st. Cecilia.
Next Sunday being the Feast OF st. Cecilia,
patroness OF music, the morning services in the
church dedicated to the saint at l05th street and
Second avenue. OF which Father Plattery Is the
popular pastor, Will be celebrated with becoming
pomp. There Will be a solemn high mass, com.
meacing &C half past ten O'Clock. The sermon
wii be preached by the distinguished Father
Stone, @. s. p. Exquisite music, as becomes the
church OF ~. Cecilia, which has aleady &C
Quircd O hign name among lovers OF the
chotr. Signor Carl mora has composed several
pieces for the occasion. In the evening, at nalf.
past seven there viii be grand musical vespers
and specia. ode TO ST. Cecilia has been mposed