The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-06-11

Nic.orf great Huitituue or redeemsA
spirits would cry-myriads of voices cor.
ing into the harmony, aud the one brn
dred and forty and four thousand brs.l
ing forth into one reclamation. Stonth..
loud singing! Stop! On, no; they can NJ.
hear me. You might as well try to drov.
the thunder of the sky or beat back ~.
roar of the sea, for every soul in Hs.v.~
has resolved to do its own singing. Al.
that we should have tried on earth tn,
which they can not do in Heaven, and IN.
stead of joining all our voices in the nra;,.
of the most high God, deiegating MAJ
haps to unconsecrated men and wons.
this most solemn and most delightful .s--
vice!
Now, in this church, we have resolvaa
upon the plan of conducting the music bv
a precentor. We do it for two reason:.
one is that by throwing the whole respon.
sibility upon the mass of the people, maL.
ing the great multitude the choir, ".
might rouse more heartiness. The co,.
gregation coming on the Sabbath d.v
feel that they can not delegate this part Of
the great service to any one else, and an
they themselves assume it. We have glori.
Gus congregational singing here Peonls
have come many miles to hear it. Thew
are not sure about the preaching. but thev
can always depend on the singing. W.
have heard the sound coming up like "the
voice of many waters" but it will be done
at a better rate after a while, when ~
shall realize the height and the depth and
the immensely of this privilege.
Another reason why we adopted this
plan: We do not want any choir quarrels.
You know very well that in cores of thu
churches there has been perpetual conten.
ton in that direction. The only church
try was over a melodeon in my first settle.
ment. Have you never been in church on
the Sabbath day and heard the choir sing
and you said: "That is splendid music:1
The next Sabbath you were in the church
and there was no choir at all. whys The
leader was mad or his assistants were
mad, or they were mad altogether. Some
of the choirs are made up of our best
Christian people! Some of the warmsst
friends l have ever had have stood up in
them, Sabbath after Sabbath, conscien-
tiousIy and successfully leading the praises
of God. But the majority of choirs
throughout the land are not made ND Of
Christian people, and three-fourths of the
church fights originate in the organ-loft
l take that back and say nine-tenths.
Many Of our churches are dying of choirs
Let US, rs church, give still more atten-
tion to the music. If man with voics
am oh to Sin Baov> ssIarf
else he commits a crime against God and
insults the Almighty.
Music ought to rush from the audience
like the water from a rock-clear, bright,
sparkling. II all the other part Of the
church service is dull, do not have the
music dull. With so many thrilling things
10 sing about, away with all drawing and
stupidity! There is nothing that makes
me- so nervous as to sit in a pulpit and
look of an audience with their eyes three
closed and their lips almost shut,
the praises of God. During my
recent absence preached to large audi
snce, and all the music they made together
lid not equal ONE skylarki People do not
Ileep at . coronation. Do not let us sleep
when we come to q Saviour's browning.
IN order to . proper discharge Of this duty
ct US stand up, save as age or weakness o.
atigue excuse us. Seated in an easy pew
re can not do this duty half so well a.
when, upright, We throw our whole body
INTO it. Let our song be like an acclama-
ion of victory. You have a right to sing.
DO not surrender your prerogative.
There will be great revolution ON this
ubjects in all our churches. God win
ome down by his spirit and rouse up the
Id hymns and tunes that have not been
more than half awake since the time Of
ur grandfather The silent pews in the
hurch will break forth into music, and
Then the conductor takes his place on the
'abbath day there will be great host Of
oices rushing into the harmony. Ny
;hristian friends, if we have no taste fof
his service on earth, what viii we do in
ieaven, where they all sing and sing for
verf Let me prophesy in regard to any
ere who has no delight in the worship Of
Ieaven. IL you do not sing the praises Of
rod on earth do not believe you will eves
ing them in glory. / would that our sing.
1g to-day might be like the Saturday
light rehearsal for the Sabbath morning
4 the skies, and might begin now by the
Erength and by the help of God, to dis
barge duty which none Of us have fully
erformed.
ct those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God;
ut children OF the Heavenly King
Should speak their Joys abroad.
he hill of Zion Yields
A thousand sacred sweets.
efore We reach the Heavenly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.
hen let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
ere marching through EmanuePs ground
To fairer worlds on high
Come, now, clear your throats and get
lady for this duty or you win never hear
70 end of this. never shall forget hear
q Frenchman singing the Marseillaiss
ymn ON the Champ Elysees, Paris, jus:
fore the battle Of Sedan. I never saw
lch enthusiasm before or since as he sang
ut National air. Oh, how the French
an shouted! Have you ever in an En-
Ugh assemblage heard band play "God
ave the Quesn." II you have you know
mething about the enthusiasm Of na-
onal air. Now, tell you that these songs
. sing Sabbath by Sabbath are the ma
onal airs of Jesus Christ and of the
ng0om OF Heaven When Cromvell,s