Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-12-24


Those who have been used to hearing
them in thGir own coun .ciiou will fnd
il difficult 10 disSociatc them tberefrom.
! The music OF Tee Bohemian Girl"
and I" La Travia;a has It's proper place,
AID few enjoy il more than | do bat
DO not want Il ia church So Of popu.
lar songs Some very Iaugsable Incl.
dents tave come 20 my knowledge in
tas connection. 10 a Scotch church
DOT long since the eo0gre CATION sang to
! the old Scotch song. ye Banks and
Braes," the words, +" H. dies; the
friend cfsioDers dies . The minister was
horriied to hear one Scotch lassie 10 the
gallery sing out clear and full /:
:" And ny fause lover stole my rose.
But, all he left the thorn WI me-
Use very spsringly the modern Trash
known under the BOW generic name OF
Moody and Saukey hymns. There are
10 the whole collection perhaps dozen
hymns aud tunes which are worth pre-
| serving, but the mass. both in words
aud music. is Whipped syllabub, with
bsd Gags al that. Rowland Hill! said be
did not see why the devil should have
ali the good tunes; but there are some
tunes 10 our modern revival hymnals 40
would be willing to give to that individ-
ual. or any other who would pr omise to
burn them The effect upon tie spirit
u.l life OF constant use OF the wretch
ed doegerel aud roll.ckiug melodies Of
these books is, hold, bad a weak.
etTervescing, unhealthy emotiou4lism is
lostered, instead Of earnest, intelligent
robust re1y. Such hymns as Tell me
the old, old story" we would not lose,
bat the sooner we stop " Ringing the
bells Of heaven the better
Choose IS leader OF the mn4ic, if pos
si5le, Christian man, or, If not, a man
Of clear perceptions Of spiritual proprie-
ties. This will go long way to make
this service profitable. Whether you
have a choir or preceptor, much diff
Guilty will be avoided by such selection.
Then, whether led 10y choir or single
voice, insist upon congregational sing
ing Let all the people praise thee. o
God yea. let all the people praise thee !
Whatever tends to prevent this or bind
er she people from taking part in the
singing, should be firmly resisted by the
proper authorities This is a monopoly
not to be tolerated Choirs will seek to
DO this sometimes By choosing tunes the
congregation does not know. This can
be obvated by the pastor attending the
rehearsal or having the leader submit
the tunes to him. Perhaps the better
way il to use book With tunes over the
words, then the hymu can be chosen
with direct reference to congregational
use. To introduce new tune, sing it
three OF four consecutive Sabbaihs.
There will be in every congregation
some who cannot jim in the simplest
melody Some are too old, some have
90 voice; others have no ear. But even
these enforced listeners get great ENJOY
ment out Of singing. Especially do they
enjoy congregational music. VITO has
not seen aged faces light up aud aged
heads move in sympathy as some old
tune welded to pu old bymu-every
word Of which is redolent with memories
Of youth aud bome-.is sung by the wor-
Shipping assembly? There is 20 music
as clf.cliye as this. Says DR.. Lowell
Mason 60 with me to the Nicolai
Church in Lsipsic. aud look down from
the upper gallery upon congregation
of $50 or 1900 people. See them
with hymn-books open, apparently un-
counscious of those around listen TO
their rough uucultured voices, 10 time
anu tune, joining With the loud pealiDgs
Of the deep diasasoms rolling through
the arches OF the great building and ell
Tug the whole with mighty chorus of
sound mark the moVings Of your oxn
spirit, aud you will not need an answer
from another to the question, l. congre-
gationai singing possible aud sfective?"
But we need not go to Lripsic, or even
10 London The question has been
solved in Brooklyn. in Plymouth
Church
Let every mioister and every church
give earnest attention to the musical
part Of our service Then it will be
mighty agent for spiritual instruction,
a source Of spiritual inspiration and Of
comfort.
Then. instead OF our congregations
coming together, as too many do, to be
prayed to, preached to aud sung to, We
shull see the spectacle so ebeerlly sung
By Watts:
Lord, how delightful It's to see
4 whole assembly worship thee,
A once they sing, at once they pray,
They hear OF heaven and learn the way"
Ta,.,I I,o1 DL,,c6 NJ Y On,