Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-17

care to pay for the privilege of having their
business damaged.
CHURCH MUSIC.
Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands
Sing forth the honor of his name: Make his
praise glorious.-PsALM LxvI:l-2.
When the Rev. Rowland Hill was taken to
task for profaning the sanctuary by substi-
tuting some of the popular airs of the day
for the solemn old psalm tunes then in vogue,
he retorted with warmth that he didn't pro-
pose to give the devil monopoly of the best
music of the world. He carried his point,
and succeeded in measure in introducing
into churches class of music to which they
had long been strangers, and in populariz-
hymns of thanksgiving and praise. In later
times Mr.. Bradbury, Mr.. Bliss and MIR.
Sankey have performed missionary work
| of the same nature, but far more thorough
than that attempted by Mr.. Hill, and we to-
day hear the tunes to which they have adapt
ed the words of sacred hymns, whistled, and
sung, and hummed from one end of the
country to the other. They contest for popu-
larity with arias from the operas and opera
bouffe, or negro minstrel melodies. 'sThe
Sweet Bye-and-Bye," "Hold the Fort" and
other of the airs made popular by the singing
evangelists have become as familiar to the
public as cold Black Joe, "'''Way down upon
the Swanee river" or any of the delightful
%
But within the past month a movement
has been inaugurated among some of the
ministerial bodies of this country and Eng
land to drive from the church and the Sab
fact that it is popular and has been
adapted to sectarian and perhaps pro-
fame uses, is urged as an argument
against it. 1t is further argued that these
popular tunes are too emotional, and tend to
excite the congregations to an unhealthy and
insincere religious fervor. Neither argument
is of any potency. The whole structure of
religion is built upon emotion. Without
emotion-and that to great extent unrea-
soning-religion would have no existence.
Wherever the emotions are strongest and
are stimulated and given the fullest play,
there religion is the strongest and most ag-
gressive. Wherever the attempt has been
made to make of religion study, appealing
to the reason, there it has dropped, withered
and died. To make man religious his emo
tions must be excited, his nature stimulated,
his reasoning faculties repressed or allowed
only sufficient latitude to back up his emo
tional nature. In the work of religion these
inspiring, soul-stirring hymns bear promi-
nent part, which those engaged in its spread
cannot afford to ignore, and no greater blow
could be struck at the progress of religious
work than the exclusion from the choir-loft
or the Sunday school of these inspiriting and
emotional hymns.
We would go still further. We would
adapt to the words of some sacred hymn the
choicest musical gems from every new and
every old opera. When song from an
opera boutfe or from minstrel show struck
tho fancy of the public, we would associate
the air with Sabbath school hymn or some
grand old psalm. We would not permit the
concert saloon to become more popular than
the Sunday school by reason of the superb
ority of it's music. We would make tie en-
chanting, rolicking song of the boutfe artistic
the vehicle Of conveying some religious truth
or sentiment. We agree fully with Rowland
Hill that the devil should not be allowed TO
monopolize all the best music of the day,
and good common sense will bear US out in
our position.
The man who proposes reform in
church music which contemplates the ex-
ciusion of those most attractive songs which
have forced themselves into popularity
among the masses, has but poor concep-
ton of human nature. If the ministers
shall become so short-sighted IS to work
return to the old style of church music, they
will. soon find nothing but empty pews be-
fore them, and dull apathy and utter want
of enthusiasm among those who may still
nominally adhere to the organization.
Music is as important factor in religion
az preaching. It is certainly the most at
tractive feature of the two, and draws more
people 10 the sanctuary Jnan the mOsI elO-
quent discourses ever spoken from the
pulpit. Without good music, of popular
and inspiriting description, the modern
church would be tenantless on the Sabbath.
People might 60 there to mourn; they would
never enter for purposes of thanksgiving
and praise. If we are to have reform in
church music let US make it in the right di-
rection. Make the temple of the Lord as
attractive as the places devoted to the works
of the devil. Use the weapons of sin, if
need be, to make the church and the Sabbath
school more attractive, but do not take any
thing away that will keep any single person
away from the place of religious instruction
and moral benefit. ssMake JOYFUL noise
unto God: Sing forth the honor of his
name: Make his praise glorioue."
@A--
OBERLIN SCdNDALIZED.
We very much fear that the perfectionist
theory upon which the founders of Oberlin
and Oberlin college established their town,