Litchfield enquirer., 1875-05-06
uWMUsIcAL MINISTERS.

One of the greatest griefs in organ loft life is to discover that the minister ''don't know anything about music" He shows it in manner. in his face, and in his selec- ton of the hymnsa The service begins. Tic voluntary is sl6wly soothing tue con- gregatiOn into something like serene and acceptable frame of mind, and the occu- pant of the pulpit fdgets over his books and papers, and at last gets them arranged to his mind. Then he meekly folds his hands and looks up at the choir with re- siRned expression as much as to say: ''Well-now'if you will allow the service to proceed. The organist, if he is brave, fnishes his work properly, when the right time comes, and not before. He knows what he is about and wisely allows the minister to suffer on in peace. The timid Organist, with the fear of; the committee in his eyes, chops of Bach's head and stops abruptly, and the music is murder ed with little skill and no mercy. .y7 The Organist groans in spirit and the minister rises and gives out the hymn with the brutal remark that the second verse may be omitted. Poor hymn! It too must be hacked to pieces to make room for the seFmonl During the singing the minister folds his hands in a resigned way that would be touching were 1t not absurd. So OA through the service. Heedless blun- dsEing in selecting the hymns, freezing indifference to vocal and instrumental se- lecti0ns. indecent haste to finish up the the musical part of the servicesland gen. eral don't careness for the other end of the house. These are the 'tpoints" of the unmusical minister. He is not a rare bird. He often n>sits, a solemn owl, upon his lonely perch ready to hoot at every thing that does not belong to his special work. The choir is only aehoice kind of nuiaano4 that must be endured because the people, in their ignorance, will have
 Does anybody know how it was in the Temple. Did the High Priest glare at the Chief Musician, if he blew his uplifted horns with too sonorous roar? Did the bearers of the Ark look unutterable things becansa David danced before the Lord, or twanged his harp beyond the regulation ten minutes? History is silent upon this important point. It IS a great pity. Cor rect information on this subject would be good reading.
 Divine service is supposed to be com- plete and finished exercise designed to sOothe. comfort and strengthen men. It ls divided into two parts, the musical and the oral or simply spoken. The minister has one part, the choir and the people tho other. Sometimes the people take part in the oral service. Commonly the ser vice is divided between the pulpit and the organ loft and the people sit below, a eOmf0xtable company of empty stone jugs into which words and music may be pour cd Ike So much water. This simile is correct for the observer must have noticed how the open mouths of the jugs some times murmur and gurgle as the water is poured in.
 If you are to drive span ofhorses they must be well matched, or, there will be trouble. and perhaps Q refreshing smash mp or two. The pulpit and organ loft should pull together. At once the officious per son jumps up and recalls sundry hoary headed incidents designed to illustrate the general dePravity of choirs and the trace jumping propensities of organists. These tales need repairing. They are falling to pieces through age and general debility The ofiicious person may sit down. His remarks are feeble.
 If things do not run smoothly it is more often the fault of the pulpit. Itsinexcus. able Ignorance of music, its lack of appre- citation and its often lofty disdaln of the choir and their reasonable wants, cause more ill feeling and general unhappiness than all the legendary misdeeds of the choir. F v F}1 5t! @sI,t J. t|sE
 No minister has any right to be igno. rant of music. The music is part of his service. He may not neglect it or ignore 1t as sort of necessary evil in his church.
 Church service cannot be success where the minister ignores or is ignorant of the music. He must be musician. At least. he must know enough about it to save himself and the choir from total ehipwreck. He must know enough about thg wAnks aud aims of the organist to un. dexakana and Aid hifn. He should play, or sing, or both, and should study hymn Annes e anNxt andy more than alh he dBould gacfilee llia own personAlity t1the dbfRicey and if tho volunt ntariea see1n hne . learn to sec what they mean, and to wait He must cultivate self-deniaI and learn to let the oEganist paddle his ownEend of the canoe in peace. If he tries to steer the boat from the bows, while the man at the other end holds the filler, sthereg will be miedirected energy, q wash over the gun. vale. and perhaps general overturn and much wet clothes. 1t will be fortunate ii &hM wesNEz are s0shall0W tHaT heb6 no E UrUWnsd.- 2-.s@ -2- s&- W-~E
 The musical ministeri is common enough No need to describe him. In his churcl Nasmwm @ma m ls&&ln ravpa and ccllor,Spe,w /,