The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-25
Prayer.Meeting Singing.

"How sweetly the name OF Jesus SOUNDS
In abeliever's earl"
In praver-meeting. not long since, a |
great longing came over my od-fashloned |
heart tn hear one of those familiar strains |
OF the first days when began to walk in |
Gods ways -
"Behold. stranger at the door!
He gently knocks, has knocked before"
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound"
"Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove"
Oh, those precious old hvmns, 80 full of
penitence, of devotion and conservation,
how the memory of them fits across the
mind like a vision Of the past. stirring
within again the holy fire that many of
our modern prayer-meeting HYMNS have
almost been the means of extinguishing.
But, say our leaders in music. we need
this jingle and this tinglp to keep ND the
spirits of the young people, to hold them
to the prayer-meetines. In school educa.
ton, to promote the progress of the young
scholar, it is not thought best to bring
ideas in words Just adapted to their pres
emit comprehension the aim is to lead the
child on to Grasp thoughts clothed in lam
guage of advanced style. thus preparing
the mind gradually to assimilate in word
and thoueht the best literature of
the day. Are the children of this world
wiser in their generation than the chill
dren of light Why not avail ourselves
of this rule in the education of the young
people of our churches, drawing them up
from baby hymnoloqy into the grand
and sublime strains of sacred poetry, that
strengthened the piety of the fathers and
mothers OF generation back, aud quick
ened their children to cry, al Show pity,
Lord, oh Lord, forgive" DR.. Vincent,
in recent lecture abiding to this sub.
ject, said these popular hymns were
created for purpose, for general gather.
ings of all denominations in Christian
mass meetings, as in the Moody and San.
key services. At such times some of
them are admirable, bringing out one
great volume of feeling and sound, thrill
ing beyond expression in its effect. But
individual churches. he remarked, should
return to the standard HYMNS, thus in
their service making use of this means to
elevate the tone of piety, and cultivate
higher degree of spirituality than that
which characterizes many of the Chris
tians of this period. The depressing in.
fuence of these Sunday-school hymns in
the church prayer-meetings has long been
felt and acknowledged by older Christians,
and yet even many of our ministers help
along the present weakness by keeping
those on milk who need strong meat in
this service. Instead of an assembly of
devout men and women at the close of a
prayer-meeting singing at the top of their
voices,
Only an armor-bearer, proudly stand,
Waiting to follow at the Kings command,
Marching II onward shall the order be,
Standing by my Captain, serving faithfully"
let us have
cam a soldier of the Cross,
A follower OF the Lamb?
And shall fear to own his cause
Or blush to speak his nameP"
Such sentiments, when fairly imbibed,
might not only encourage many to earnest,
active service outside of the church walls,
but also serve to embolden hitherto silent
ones to speak word for Jesus in the
prayer.meeting. Many of us are very
much of the opinion of our correspondent
on this subject. We are, oh, 80 weary of
the decentralization, the little jigging
refrains, and the frivolous repetitions of
much of the hymnology which has lately
been popular. We long for noble hymns
set to noble music, and these are provided
in our church psalmody. In the practice
of our children at home on piano or vic.
lin, there is constant tendency at pres.
emit towards what is severe and classic
but the same children in the Sunday.
school and prayer-meeting sing only the
light melodies, welded to bits of doggerel
verse, which the desire for novelty appears
to induce. They are sentimental rather
than thoughtful or emotional, and while
some of them have their place, and they
might be sparingly used with good effect
1t is a great pity to see them swampine
the prayer-meeting with their food o.
froth and foam. After all, what prayer
meetings need and we want is spirit o.
fervent praise, and that vehicle which
best conveys our gratitude to God for hi
favors, and best awakens in us q mood O
devotion, is the best for our use.
"There are in this loud stemming tide
OF human care and crime,
With whom the melodies abide
OF the everlasting chime,
Who carry music In their heart,
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,
Flying their daily task with buster feet,
Because their secret souls holy strain repeat.
-Christian Intelligencer.