The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-19

| .,yohu T.. EDWARDS, CHbis lhah VI 49, ~
mitteo on Itineracy, presented repol. w. -,
of said committee, which was reau al
| adopted.
n,.ropr NO. III OF THE CoNAITTBR on lri'h'
! RACY.
! First-All the papers relating to the pre-
siding eldership, and to the number OF Gil
c,,;ts and stations allowable in presiding
] eldcr's district, coming up from Variou
.ourc.s in the form OF resolutions, signe'
NV le2dipg clerical and lay members OF Id
| General Conference, have been carefully eA
| amined and patiently considered .! Wv
| committee. and after the most mature del,oc
ration. with remarkable unanim'ty (consluei
| inc The number Of resolutions SuoNillteo u
the rommittee), we recommend that ~
chance be made in the existing laws ant
| reo,,jations relating to the subject.
Src,pd-The memorial from the St. Loui
| Animal Conference inStructing their dele
| Gates 70 the General Conference "to sppos
All further extension Of the pastoral term
and the memorial from the Baltimore An
| uuai Conference instrnctins their delegate
| to tie General Conference to oppose any inca
| sure in the way of General Conference actor
| that "nliyht tend iE any way 10 impair Lux
| Fundamental basis Of our peculiar cn.it ~.
government, or modify the method oi ~.
instrumental activities" have received W. ~
respectful attention Of the COMMITTEE w. -
the conclusion that no recoHiiieh"a' otbe,
the Conference is deemed ncc2Ssaly 49,,
tLasshc notice hereby submitted to'''hine
these memorials. C,,o;rm.n
,Iouy i. EDWARDS, ChairHiap'
INTERESTING DEBATE ON ch"ihs A'D
The following resolution was the" on0' %
"" E.sclgea, That our bishops BE-. ana ana, 'ae y
are hereby, requested, in their Iasto' =. .hair
dress. to call attention to ana cSplsSs s"I IN
characterization Of operate nerto' ,n' nt arr
our churches w hich sroED' Tue Scns '-a,ia,,.l
hrmns and utterly destroys c"nSa
singing. W-,rp,sIp.
7. 4. PETERSON.
u. J. M,grudcr vas in iaVoF Oh le'e1i ''s
the resolution to a committee.
Dr.. Hamilton said thai they co''lo ilot 80
,,tc upou this subject. 1heFe was 81 n" ,,,
3,ii:.rtnce OF opinion throughout VIC ''nu
upon it. -.,s u.snt br
o,,eratic perfar mancc'. ATTEMPTS at s'hS"
had been witnessed so cH4u'Sitr5 ~ ,'>tc a.
-, Lro,xn the sense Of the words with noise.
~ ~, '" ,r,S not opposed to instruments, but he
'I;d seriously Object to that character Of mu-
81. where the immortal words OF John aud
rh,rI., Wesley are not known. Methodist
sirgins had ever been one OF the attractions
and charms of the Church.
Dr. Edwards admitted that congregational
sinring was indispensablv necessary, and
that The people should be instructed and the
pastors e1horted 10 encourage it. For the
most part he required his choir to use such
tunes as the congregation could sing, though
he did not object 10 a voluntary before SER
vice, or even sometimes after the first prayer.
but the choir should be required to give the
such tunes as they could sing.
Ii had been said that Methodism had sung
itself around the world, and he was opposed
tc ANYTHING that would set it aside. He did
not like the substitution for it Of quartettes,
sextettes, and the like. he thought it bet
ter, however, to request the bishops in their
pastoral address to enjoin the cultivation Of
singing.
=. A. Peterson said that the time had come
when the General Conference should speak
ont on this subject. 1t is true that choirS,
in order to lead the singing, must practice
artistic music, but be objected to it in the
house OF God. Iu private and select circles
il was very well, but it should mol be allowed
in church. He referred to sermon preached
by Bishop Pierce, the effect Of which, al
though powerful and melting, was totally
destroyed by solo and organ accompanying.
In the so.called fashionable churches those
who would like to sing were obliged to sit
with their lips closed while two or three
professional singers did ell the singing.
DR.. Winfield said that he had signed the
resolution in good faith, trusting TO the good
sense of the other brethren. He was not Il
:: singest" himself, and did not know what
was meant by operate singing. He had
never seen an opera. and didn't know how
they sang there-whether one at time. or
two at time, or three at time. He didn't
know anything about preludes, interludes,
or any other kind Of ludes. lie didn't know
how to sing round notes or square notes, but
he did know that something was needed
right here. Choirs should be taught to be-
have thcmSclves-to lead the singing and
not to do it. He solemuly objected to ten
or fifteen minutes playing Of an interlude
on an organ before they begin to sing.
He didn't know whether to stand down
or sit up. It was all wrong, and We ought to
saw to them, get out of the way. He knew,
also. of instances in which choirs were hired
to sing who had not the love of God IN their
hearts. With such persons to lead their sing
ing they could not get into the spirit of those
grand old hymns of the Wesleys that have
kinded the fires of religion throughout the
world. He would rather hear GLOW Happy
every Child of Grace" sung in the spirit by
a large congregation, even if the singing was
a little irregular, than to have 1t sung by first
one person, then another, and 80 on through
the whole hymn. &c hoped the Bishops
would pronounce themselves on this subject,
and lett 90 through the whole connection,
to bring them back to the old Methodist
style. ,.s
fcult matter to press. He loved singing,
and no mans heart had been more thrilled
with music than bis own; but he did not
think special legislation was the proper rem.
edy for the evil which had been referred to.
Choirs should DO recommended to use old.
fashioned music. A wise encouragement
would be OF more importance than special
legislation. He offered the following SUBJ
sttutc, which was accepted by the original
mover:
Resolued, That the bishops be requested
to urge in their pastoral address the impor-
lance Of congregational singing in our
churches.
DR.. Andrews moved to lay the substitute
on the table. This motion was lost.
The venerable Darcy Paul said that he
liked the substitute better than the original
resolution, but that it would be better to add