The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-14

tney boldly take issue on the objections
preferred against the so-called "bald-
ness in the Presbyterian worship. They
are both admirable dissections of this
difficult subject, and expose, we thinks
with perfect success, the fallacies under
lying the ritualistic argument. 1t is evil
dent from DR.. Sprott's paper that there
is regular Ritualistic party in the
Scotch Established Church; and it equal
ly appears from the papers of Pastor
Bersier and DR.. Hitchcock that in France
and in the United States there is strong
disposition OF the part of some to yield
to the popular clamor for more cere-
monial and more aesthetic or sensual wor-
ship. The feeling is that we cannot con-
tend with the fashionable churches of the
day unless we concede something to the
temper for elaborate music and ritualistic
display.
There are, as we have suggested, sew
eral very plausible fallacies underlying
the demand for rich music and liturgical
services in Christian worship. AS to the
first, it seems very specious to urge that
as we are required to praise God, we
should do so with the best music that we
can bring to our aid. We reply to this
in the words of DR.. Smith: that "the
most faultless musical expression is COM
patible with an utter negation of praise !;
and that the perfection of praise may
come from the lips of unframed babes
and stockings, and equally unframed men
and women, just as well-no better and
no worse-as from those of the most
unsteady gifted and most highly cult
waited sons and daughters of song" DR..
Smith continues:
Closely related to this is the idea that there
is necessary connection between the musical
and the devotional feeling, do not say that
there Is no connection, else l must advocate the
abandonment of psalmody as an element of
Christian worship, and that 1 certainly cannot
do, and would not do if 1 could But the con-
nection between the aesthetic and the devotional
is, am persuaded, by no means, so close or ne
cessary as some suppose it to be. The sensual,
the aesthetic and the spiritual are not merely
|
degree merely, but in kind while l am far
from denying that the second may be- and
ought to be, auxiliary to the third 1t is be-
cause OF this auxiliary possibility that psalmodic
praise has distinct place in Christian worship,
and IN some respects higher place than pro-
salcally expressed praise. But music is out of
Its place If it be for a moment regarded as an
end, and not as means toward q spiritual and
devotional end, with which it has not natural
| or lnvarlable connection"
There is sphere which is appropriate
to the expression of beauty, and we seek
to give expression to the beautiful under
circumstances which fall under this cat
egory, while under other circumstances
we aim at expressing profounder and
very different feelings. In art we aim
to embody the beautiful; in worship we
aim to bring the soul into communion
with God. In art we satisfy the eye OF
the ear; in religion we satisfy the hun
ger of the soul. One is an intellectual
act; the other has to deal with the fact
OF ELECTROMAGNETIC deepest OF all facts
The adornments of palace or theatre
may not be suitable to a church. A
beautiful landscape may afford no help
in an act of contrition.
With regard to liturgic prayers, we all
admit that in private devotion the use
OF liturgy is not desirable. The reason
is obvious; we wish no distracting senti.
ments to come between us and the throne
of grace. The one object we have in
view is to bring the soul into the pre-.
sence of God; to pour out the deepest
emotions of the heart at the mercy-seat
We aim at no rhythmic effect; we avail
ourselves of no sensible objects or cere-
monies. The direct appeal for help is
merely DISTRACTED by the interposition o.
any images or objects whatever. So il
should be in public worship; SO it always
is in great emergencies, and when we
come before God with profound sense
of the need of divine help. When the
ship is in danger of going down at sea
we call for no instruments of music, nc
chanting Of the services, no written forms
Of petition.
1t is claimed that the use of litureicaI
helps enables us to lift our thoughts tc
God. But this is because of the lack Of