Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-14
The Power of Song.

' Plea for Congregational Siugin0-Ta.
 teresting Discourse at Trinity M. E | Church.
 The pulpit of Trinity M E. church was
 occupied yesterday by Rev. W. H. Wardeli.
 pastor of the Methodist church in New Bri.
 tain. in exchange with Dr. Goodsell. The
 morning service commenced with the words
 of the hymn,
 '.stand up and bless the Lord,
 Ye people of his choice"
 l The text was a selection from the 1st verse | of the 95th Psalm: 70 come, let us sipo
 unto the Lord.' The sermon was an expo.
 sition of the great benefits derivabIe from
 having Christian singing by the congregation ! prominent feature in church worship. To
 have singing is good, said the speaker, but
 to sing ourselves is better; but to sing unto the Lord is the best of all
 Mythology tells us of the ancient methods
 employed to make gatherings of interest to
 all the people assembled and no forces used
 were as strong and powerful as that of music
 and singing, then when we turn from these
 customs and habits of the dark period to
 the revealed word of God, we find that
 singing was also used to allay the troubled
 mind and as powerful aid to those in afiic
 ton. The word tells us t'that the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy" The first record we have of congregational singing was when the chil dren of Israel sang ''gloriously unto the Lord" We read also of the mission that singing had in the case of Deborah and Bsrak. David was called the sweet singer of IsraeI,'' and the book of Psalms many times repeats the exhortation to sing unto the Lord. We are all familiar with the account of the soothing influences of music upon King Saul when he was af hicted and the various methods employed to divert his mind and none were so eficacious as the voice of song. The angels sang to ina shepherds, of peace on earth and good will to men" There was power in the songs of the early church It had an inspiring effect upon those who listened. No one can doubt this who reads the story of the midniObt | singing of Paul and Silas, whose feet fettaTed l by the stocks in the Phillippian prison were | suddenly loosed and the foundation of the | prison shaken. God makes the wrath of man | to praise him many times, and when the re formation came and Luther sang that grand old battle hymn, "A mighty for tress is our God" how that song stirred the hearts of the people in all lands, inspiring them to active 1 stronger and more powerful influence for good than perhaps could be wrought by oth- pr methods. Coming down to our own time, who can measure it's influence in evangelistic work2 We see the results on every hand. As an art we are not here to speak of it this morning. A final word would give to the 1 slace singing has in worship. The church houbl offer freely the smpliest opportunities o the people to cultivate the graces which tod has given In order that the service of l ong shall be helpful there should be a { hearty delight in this branch of service, and ;, ve should enter into it with simple wish to 'lorify our Maker. To be effect ve for good we must be bap-- S ized with the Holy Ghost so that the ngodly shall feel it's power and the forces of S in be overthrown. May God help us, that we { nay always feel the power of holy song.
 The extra religions services held last week ( t Trinity church wereoonsidered so beneficial I a results that extra meetings wll be held tbis l 'eek, commencing upon Tuesday evening. (