The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-01-04
Church Music.

0iC o0SSlOu VI the General OO0-
vennon: In Richmond, in October, 1859,
the following action was taken by the
House OF bishops in regard to the subject
OF church music. Twenty-one years have
passed since then, and many of our
younger clergy, in all probability, have
never heard or read this expression of
opinion, but 1t Is as timely now as when
it was first uttered. See Perry's Hand.
book of the General Convention.
ReSotUed, That in the opinion of the
House of Bishops, there is very much in
the prevailing manner of conducting those
parts of our public worship which require
the aid OF sacred music, to which the Sc
rious attention of the clergy and their
congregations should be directed-as not
only not pronaotive of devout spirit but
very, injurious thereto; as directly calcu-
lated to nurture a lifeless formality, by
making the congregations mere passive
listeners to musical sounds, confined to
choirs, in the formation of which there is
often little reference to fitness of personal
character--as virtually depriving the
congregation of their proper privilege of
uniting with their voices in the worship
of the church, when its words are su1a0,
as well as when only 4ead-as impairing
the beautiful simplicity of our public
worship and thus rendering it, in the
parts referred to, unadapted to the greater
number of our people, and so taking
therefrom one of its chief excellencies, as
being Common Prayer, accommodated to
all conditions of Christian people, as caus-
ing, moreover, needless delay and in
terruption of our Morning and Evening
Prayer, by the introduction of music, es-
pecially such as is merely instrumental
which unproftably and needlessly
abridges the time allotted to the preach
ing of the Word, and, by fatiguing the
hearers, both in body and mind, inter
feres with their ability rightly to receive
the same; and. lastly, as creating in all
these particulars, an influence which, in
our opinion, is decidedly counteractive of
the proper work of Gods Church, as His
appointed instrument of cherishing and
promoting His worship in spirit and in
truth.
ReSoJUed, That in the opinion of the
House of Bishops, the evils referred to
proceed chiefly from the following causes,
namely; First, from an oversight of the
principle that the object of the church
music IS not the qualification of cultiva-
ted musical taste, but by the aid of simple
and appropriate music to cultivate devout
affections among all classes of worship
ping people, and to enable them to com
mune with one another in the united and
animated expression of the same.
Secondly, from the selection, by organ
lists and choirs, of such tunes and chants
as, on account of their not being sufficient
ly fonniliar TO the congregation, or from
their want of due simplicity, the congre-
cation cannot be expected to unite in
singing.
Thirdly, from the use of musical compo-
sitions, especially such as are called chants,
which require too much tune in the per-
Torrance, and also from the introduction
of voluntaries on the organ, before the
chants, and between the verses of psalms
and hymns, which having no value but as
exhibitions of instrumental music, are
wearying to the congregation.
Lastly, from the extent to which the
control of this part of the worship of the
church is virtually taken out of the hands
of the rectors of parishes, where alone the
church law has placed it, and is exercised
by committee and vestries, and chiefly
by organists and choirs.
Re8oJUed, That in the opinion of the
House of Bishops, there can be no materi-
al improvement of our public worship in
the particulars mentioned, except as each
parish minister shall perform the duty as
signed him by the law of this church.
which, in the words of the rubric is, that
" with such assistance as he can obtain
from persons skilled in music, he shall
give order concerning the tunes to be sung
at any time in his church, and especially
shall suppress all light and unseemly mu-
sic, and all indecency and irreverence in
the performance.
ReSoJUed, That it be recommended to all
the pastors of our churches, that they
endeavor, by all suitable measures, to pro-
mote general participation of their peo-
pie, by voice, in those parts of our wor-
ship which are sung as well as those
which are not.
Resolved, That in the opinion of the
House of Bishops, it is particularly in
cumbent on the rectors in our larger and
older cities, to see that the music Of their
churches be so conducted, as to afford q
wholesome example to those in our hum
bier and younger congregations, who nat