The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-10-23
Singing Pilgrims aud their ReVi-
val MinStFelSy.


From the New York WOrldl
When the evangelical troubadour, Mr..
Philip PhiIlips,gave up singing for George
Christy, nd'went, with his lays newly adj
iustGd to sentiments ofseductiye piety, In.
to the Church, announcing upon all his
cards and posters, with a tlippanCy
worthy Of the minstrel, that henceforth
he was singing for Jesus" he inadvert.
emily opened the door to rich and un-
worked domain. We are not surprised to
hear that his example has been initiated
by several other trOllers, who, with clean
faces and, we trust, with clean hearts,
have set out to make Zion glad with their
ditties.
That system OF itinerant work among
the people which now passes by the name
Of evangelization is marked by IN entire.
ly fresh outburstof song. The Methodist
madrigals that gave such CHEEKY ring to
camp-meetings, and drew crowds to the
meeting houses during revivals, have
been copied by more tuneiul, II not more
jealous workers and the chief singer Of
the tabernacle and the rink Is he who can
execute a sentimental solo and provide n
refrain for the congregation,
The demand for ditties and for melli-
nuous warblers thereof has brought into
the service the elegant soloist who afore.
times chanted "R0sa Lee" and kindred
devices in cork; Far be II from us to In.
innate in the most shadowy way that
these evangelical Ministries have not seen
clearly the error Of their way, or that
they are not furnishing more whole.
some entertainment behind the altar.rail
than they could possibly furnish behind
the fOOtlights. 1t does not become us to
turn from n iellow.creature's melodies 10
his motives. 1t Ia with the songs them
selves that we have mainly to do, seeing
that they have multiplied prodigiously
of late and that the cOnventiCle threatens
to furnish the summer garden with It's
popular ChOruses. TO those Christians
who possess u robust sense OF duty aud a
clear understanding that religion Is not
made up OF romanzas, it must have &C.
CURED that these singing pilgrims are
loading piety Of the common emotional
order with great deal Of ianciful and
sweetish nonsense.
1t may also have dawned upon the
minds Of many In the great congregation
that the pilgrims, In changing the phrase.
ology Of their ditties, have not changed
their sentimental character-that, In a
word, they are still giving entertainments
and tickling the pOpulaCe through its
ears, the only appreciable difference be.
ing that now they do II In the name Of
the Lord.
It Ia quite n serious view Of evangel.
izatiOn that presents itself to men and
women OF Cllastened and cultivated taste
seeing that the conversion Of the world
IA to be accompanied by deluge OF dit
ties. One asks himself with some alarm
why It ia that awakened sinners should
eyinCe an instant and ungovernable desire
to "EIold the fort" In the loudest and most
threatening manner, and for what reason
the penitent, from whose eyes the scales
have fallen, and who, II Is only reasonable
to believe, Ia the better enabled to per.
ceive the many unpleasant duties that lie
in his path, should promptly and persist.
emily invoke an angel band to bear him
away on their snowy wings 10 an eternal
land. To summarize what may be called
the pilgrim school Of sacred song, one has
to disregard its sincerity altogether and
deal with ia sentimentality. II assumes
that the highest earthly delight Of human
beings whose vocal organs have not been
destroyed by sin, Is TO anticipate In song
those luxuries Of idlenesS and emotion
that belong 10 the pagan ElySium. It is
at the best hbreleSs order OF exercise,
in which the fancy and not the ConviC.
tions take part; In which the singers are
always bathing luxuriahtly in the river
Of life that flows through our fathers
land, cleaning ever so bright in the
heavenly light, and ripping DER golden
sand
Utterly unlike those old sturdy chorals
which our fathers sang out Of reverent
hearts, and whose majestic CadenceS are
still heard volleying in humble places,
these tripping measures Of the tr0ubad.
OURS merely tickle the sensibilities, and
we fear that hundreds Of weak.minded
people congregate for no other purpose
than to applaud with their hearts, as
they often did before with theft hands,
the sweet sOloist who thus deiLly sets the
mysteries and the solemnities Of religion
to n chirrup.
It's only with the knowledge that the
new Use Of music is part Of the evangel.
king process, that we pause over It. The
World has always stoutly commended for
popular songs. OF common music we
cannot have too much in lis place That
its place Is in the house Of prayer, or
that its mission Is 10 syrup The penny
song.book for believers, we cannot believe.
One shudders at the conversion OF the
world II we are 10 all walk about with
Philip Phillips harp in our hands, Groom.
ing HE idylliC strains. Far better indeed |
would IL be for the evangelist to follow
the advice Of the Psalmfst, and take
psalm and bring hithef the timbtel and |
The psaltery, and blow UP the trumpet In
The new moon In the time appointed.