The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-05-15

/ B. a q a o. q.
An American Clergyman has been
spending his holiday vacation in visit
ing some of the large cities in tho
United States, and gives the. result OF
his sightseeing in New York paper.
In describing one Of the the most
interesting cities in the States he
relates how he spent the Sabbath.
He says: We decided on attending
several orthodox Congregational
churches, in which distinguished
professoro Of theology was announced
to preach, The first thing presented
to our view was the platform, near
the pulpit, on which stood largo
yaee Of fresh lilies. The first Scrip
ture read was that part Of tho Ser
mon on the Mount in which our
Savior pointed to the birds Of the air
and the lilies Of the field. The ser.
mon was excellent, on tho providence
Of God. But the part of the service
on which / have some comments to
make for general renders was fhe
opening piece. The solemn worship
Of God was introduced by solo,
"Consider the Lilies, performedlby
the leading singer Of the choir, grace
fully accompanied by the organ. SO
far rs the music was concerned, it
was beautifully and faultlessly rem
dered. The effect upon my own
mind, however, was anything but
devotional. The singer commenced,
"Consider the Lilies OF. the Field"
etc, and when she came to the APP
plication, it ran thus: "And yet +
say unto you--that even Solomon in
all his glory--was not aThyed-was
not arraycd-like one of thesc-was
not ar1ayed- (interlude by the organ)
was not afrayed-(interlude by the
organ like one of these" And
then she went back again and
asseyerated in the most emphatic
manner, "I say unto you that even
Solomon in all his glory. was not
arrayed--was not arrayed-was
not arrayed' (pause) until I began to
despair for poor Solomon, lest he
shonld never get the very first of his
garments on. am
There was yet another piece of
Church--not sacred- music, in which
the soprano led off with the an
nouncement, 81 will wash"-and
then came in the contralto, 81 will
wpsh" and then the tenor, "I will
wash"-and then from the profound
est depths comes up the cultural of
the basso, saying also, II win wash"
and last Of all they strike in together.
crying out in concert, ''I will wash"
No one could imagine that this
singular and oft-ropeated announce
ment Of an intended ablution was.sa
rendering in sacred song, for tho
spiritual edifeation of a Christian
congregation, of those solemn words
Of tho Psalmist, "I will wash my
hands in inhceney, so will l compass
thine altar, 0 Lord|
This reminded me Of the story told
by the rector Of st. Bardolph Of his
choir one day in singing the 1880
Psalm: s
iIne ,, ,oSo i,I, lsai.s 'ns' ma pree,oa1 ,., , OIL
Ran down his beard m G and .o.st hls robos
Its costly moisture sbcd, 5
In the prodigious effort Of this
performance the ear-splitting com
bination Of the several voices hardly
bore n resemblance to that oily cur
rent poured on Aaron's head. 1t
was sung thus: Sses
Ran down his beard and o'er hss robou-. y
l.4u l.sV- uown . nls 9s4lu -his robes, y
And And Ger his robes , -. ~, -. ,..ss
-.--- se- - --',e tis ro6es--
hd Rs r9osS; 9Dy,, hls robes ran down his beard
-----r,- -o'er hlsrobes
l,eu l-l. eowl MS osl.-g elr.b \ IA b.o.a.r.d.
rs costly m2lst,- 9l,e--, 'NN '.9'l,'a
ew6eardehis-b s-bcayd-his-gifed 4 / =
kan Sa Goyn Gls nloIs eserahsdown his r94eS
his--cost-his robes -bisrobes- Shed n,
80 COSTLY ln9is'-uI0-1s ,,s,s
nm not among lno5e VINO lnouiso
u lalneltatlons oyor the deSeneIacy
oi tne tlines' Dus = am sure l1a1 a.
this part 9i thS services oI lno
sanctuary there mas peen gFeaI
departure from the simplicity ana
spirituality OF GODS worship, ana
even from It's very nature In mum
3erless INSTANCES, 70 winch = mayo
poenla suffering witness tno sacred sacred
turned into more musical display,
modelled after the concert room or
the opera, designed simply for tho
entertainment OF the congregation,
and having no more relation TO the
worship OF God than q theatrical per-
formanee. Now that our churches
are painted and decorated more gayly
even than theatres, and thequartetto
of the artistic performers are elevated
to the most conspicuous place IN tho
gaze Of the congregation, and tho