The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-04-02
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN HYMN
Extract from "outIines of Music" I"
BYIOUlS s. DAVIS.

tEey have Just engaged IN a RTE OF
the significance of which; most OF
them are unaware. These meh are
willing, but unconscious actors, in
the great drama just about to com
mence. These are not as they once
we're, rude, ignorant fishermen aud
artisans, drawn from the Jewish
peasant life. Three years ago they
tCere such, but with such teacher,
and such an example, they had
learned TO grapple with the problem
of here and hereafter, and to love
all humanity, as their neighbor, aud
their neighbor as themselves. AS
their subsequent history proved,
three years bad made them think.
ers and logicians. Today, they
have signed their faith in the blood
Of the grape; hereafter they shall
seal that faith in a redder, and a
warmer libatiOn. Reverent, yet
bewillered, they sit about the table
in that upper chamber. They do
not know it, but they have Jnst
heard the words of a dying man.
They do not know it, but have just
been partakers, in the most poten'
tlal right ever celebrated. There
was still veil between them and
the Master. They must have been
seated a long time, for the night
has come down, and outside. they
can hear the shouts aud songs OF
the rejoicing people, gathered ID
Jerusalem for tue Feast OF the
Passover. II was large room
where they sat, and through the
open windows (for it WAS tue warm
Jndean spring-time) they could see
the blazing fires around which tue
people gathered, in preparation for
the feast. Their feast is over, aud
they have been sitting perplexed,
grieved and wondering, while they
listened for the last time, to the
words of their beloved Teacher,
Master und Friend. And now they
have eaten the bread, and drunk
the wine,
"And they sang an HNHh'
In all history | know of few sen-
tences which convey more than this.
1t is the adoption and endorsement
by the Christian Church of psalmO-
dy, and through it, of ecclesiastical
music. Doubtless that hymn was
sung by all the Christian Church,
aud it is not improbable, that, that
very melody still fingers in the form
of some old GregOrian chant, It's
identity forever buried and lost.
What would the church not give to
slug thee, at once, communion and
crucilixiOn hymn its Master and
Founder Himself sungf Sing it
now, apostles, as you sit about the
Master, with the blood of the grape
upon your lips.
But the day aoiH come, when,
amid the flames of martyrdOm, or
the agonies of crucihxion, that
hymn will rise, cOnsecrated by q
deeper meaning, and a momory
which can never perish. Simon
Bar iona, thou shalt sing that hymn,
the memory of thy denial, repent
ance aud forgiveness ever before
thee, as they carry thee to thy cru
cifixtion, in the eternal city. An
drew, thou shalt sing that hymn, in
the day that they raise thee on the
cross, which shall ever be known
BIZ thy name. Beloved disciple, In
years to come, amid the lonely ex-
lie OF PatmOs, with the vision of a
new heaven aud new earth stretch
ing out before thee, the girdling
ocean shall hear thy poor, old,
uuivering voice, singing this CON-
muuion hymn, in loving RETROSPECT
ton. Look, james, thou just man,
on the people, who keep the pass
over tonight, for one day, with this
hymn in thine heart, they will stone
thee to death, in this very city.
Bartholomew, fifteen hundred aud
twenty two years hence, 10000 ln-
nocent men and women shall lay
down their lives in your name; but
this pOsthHmous crime shall not be
laid to thy door, aud thou shalt bear
thy gospel, thy hymn and thy cross
TO the far oil land of India. The
man Judas, who solved the great
problem By fulfilling the scripture,
was not there had he UeenJ that
memory might also have gone with
him to death of glorious martyr
dom, in years to come.
o. what a fathomless prOtundity
there is to a chorus OF meu! How
like the oceanl How earnestly aud
how devoutly do they sing the first
recorded Christian hymn! How
their voices blend aud swell out on
the warm, fragrant air OF the spring
night. In IEphesus, in SmyTna, tn
PergamOs, in Thyaiira, IN Sardiss
in Philadelphlus, in LaOdieeas the
echo of those voices wIll be heard,
Aud wherever this hymn Is sung
the apostles will say, "This was The
last hymn We all sang together"
They will say, "In the very bouI
that made us a unit in faith, Hs
sang His farewell hymn Every
memOfy Of the past fades into
nothing, in the light Of the fatsoss
reality Of the present
This hymn Is cousecratea, anu
/ bv ffs couseefat1ng power al ny mus
are made eoBsecrated- fut toostne