The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-16
SACRED THEMES.
Services in the various
Churches tomorrow.
Sunday Music and other top
les of a Religious nature.

evening.
Central Presbyterian Rev. j. A. P. Nc
Cav, pastor, will preach morning and even
ing.
Broadway Presbyterian. Rev. j. c. Hol-
liday, pastor. Morning, "a Man in Peril. !"
Evening, Christian Self Conservation.
Episcopal, A. B. Allen, pastor
Morning and evening services.
Baptist.-Rev Mr. Patterson will preach
morning and evening.
First NJ E. Church.-Rev j. s. McCord
will officiate at the morning and evening
services.
Christian Chapel.-Rev. j. A. Searles
will preach at the usual morning and even
ing hours.
CHURCH MUSIC
Theodore Thomas has the following in
Scfl5aer:
AS regards general musical culture, the
public may be divided into two classes
those who go to the theaters and those for
whom the church is the social center. In
both church and theater the standard is a
low one
In the church, where first of all, SINGER
ity should prevail and where nothing but
healthy food should be given, the music is
music is looked upon as an attraction, and
given as an amusement. It is largely OPP
cratic, it appeals to the sense only, and is
too often of the sickly sentimental order
In these churches only which have congre
gational singing is the sense of what is
suitable and decorous not offended. In
this criticism do not include some of the
Roman Catholic churches. The priest es
Inmates the power of music over the mass
es, and co-operates with the organist to
produce good musical service.
Why cannot this be done in the Pro-
churches? Pleasing music need not
be trifiing or sentimental; there are many
beautiful works, not suited for the concert
room, which are intended for devotional
use. But the. greater part of the church
music is sort of catch work-a little piece
from this composer aud another piece from
that, put together by an amateur.
A higher aim ought to be set, if not in
the first place, because of the art of itself
Though why this is not a praiseworthy
purpose do not see), at least for the sake
of truth and propriety. The most exalted
and artistic church service is the most pro-
per one. The music which will inspire
those feelings, which ought to fill the soM
Of every worshipper is noble, good music
not sentimental, not secular, but lofty
and devotional.
That this low standard of church music
exists is not owing to the want of com
petent organists, for we have many of
ability, but rather to the fact that they are
lampered in their attempts to introduce
better music by the solo singers. as well as
by the want of interest on the part of the
and in many cases, by the desire |
Of tina business committee to draw" and |
please the congregation.
THE REVISION.
In a careful, critical article on the revis-
ID New Testament the London Atheneum
'ays: Judged from the scholars point of
rev, the version is superior to the old one,
because it follows better text and corrects
many inaccurate renderings. What is
most obvious is the small amount of mate
.ial change. A conservative spirit pervades
t. Perhaps this was a prudent measure,
IN the whole, when we consider the sens1-
i've orthodoxy of the English church, or
ather of those members whose influence
vas paramount among the revisers at the
beginning, middle and end But might
lot one scholar of proved competence be
onging to that same church have done as
much within ten years? Probably, indeed,
he would have thought it waste of time to
pend those years on the homeopathic re-
yision of venerable translation. Yet the
yolume, with all its shortcomings, will do
rood exercising from the minds of many
nipple people the notion that the old YER
ion is infallibly inspired. 1t is step in
advance, preparing the way for new and
translation from another crit
al Greek text"
NOTABLE BIBLES.
Some of the Bibles used in the New
York courts to swear witnesses upon are
,uriosities. In one of the principal courts
IN old attendant has made practice 6
writing on the fly leaves of the Bible the
lames of the famous men whose lips have
ouched them and some of the volumes he
,wns are great curiosities. One of them
pears the marks of the late Commodore
Vanderbilt's teeth. Said the ancient clerk
% gentleman to whom he was showing
he Bible the other day, Commodore
Vanderbilt was hot-tempered old gentle
nan, you know. Well, he was called some
rears ago in a suit which annoyed him
yreatly He did not want to testify, and
yhed gave him the book and requested
linn to kiss it he raised it to his mouth inn
His teeth closed upon the rim
With snap, and when he handed back the
,oak there was great piece gone out of
he rim
Mormon missionaries will be expelled
rom Germany.
oere Hvacinthe is to sail for the United