Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-07-25
Managing the Singing.

The old-time Puritans adapted them-
selves to circumstances. In those days
the singing was congregational. Tho
hymns were selected from q metrical
version of the Psalms. called 1.-The Bay
Psalm-Book. q copy of which is now
worth three hundred dollars. In most
congregations only five tunes were
known; ever the churches which boast
I'd Of their musical culture knew but
len. Psalm-books were so scarce that,
In order to cur the singing Of the con-
gregation, the hymns were "lined." A
deacon, standing in front of the pulpit,
led the singing. He read two lines Of
the Psalm, and then sang them, the
congregation joining in. In this way
he led the people through twelve OF
fifteen stanzas. But the Puritans
did d5lv mot object bic: t to long ,o hyns' se or long
Whan the churches We're provided
with more psalm-books, and knew more
than ten tunes, a division of opinion
arose as to the best method of leading
the singing. The progressive members
desired that the Psalm should be sung
right through, without Ginning" and
that a chorister and choir should lead,
instead of a lone deacon. The con.
servatives resisted the proposed innova.
ton. The method adopted as a matter
OF convenience had, through long use,
become to them the proper method oil
worshiping God in sacred song. In
many churches the topic became SO
burning question:" But one church,
that of New Milford, Conn.,, solved by a
compromise the vexatious problem. At
first the last Psalm was sung in the new
style. Then, during a year, the deacon
''lined" the Psalm on one Sabbath, and
on the next the chorister led the sing
ing. The new and the old ran neck
and neck for twelve months. and then
these qaint entries were written in the
church record:
''First, it was put to vote that those
that were for singing all together the
old way should go to the east end OF
the meeting-house, where appeared six
teen, and those that were for the new
way singing altogether, to SO to the
west end of the house, where appeared
Twenty-Five OIL thirty.
"Ihen secondly, voted that the ma
jority of voters should rule and govern
in the affair thirty against sixteen"
When it voted to permit the last
Psalm to be sung in the new style, it
also declared that any one opposed to
the new arrangement, might, if he de-
sired, go out before the singing. On
the next Sabbath, just before the last
psalm was given out, Old Dick, a stall
wart slave belonging to the min
lister, rose in his pew at the ex-
tremc corner OF the gallery. With great
deliberation, he pounded his heavy bro
gans along the gallery and. down tho
stairs, while minister and congregation
waited. The next morning, the minis
ter sent for Dick to come to his study.
''Dick, why did you go out of meet
ing, and thus disturb the whole congre-
g~ation?" asked his master"
conscience, massa, conscience"
answered Dick.
"What do you know about con-
tie surprised.
80 massa I don't know zactly, but
it is something or odder right in here
placing his hand On his breast],
massa; that says, 4 mon't.'"
Dick was dismissed. He was not the
only person who has thought obstinacy
to be conscience.-Youth's Companion.