Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-24
cornrcrINa rnnoNrors M.
The songs Of the Church.

Song is. by the constitution of orr M
ture. fitted 10 be the language Of religious
devotion. This purpose IL has served n
aces past, and will serve IN ages yet %
come. one Of the Bible pictures of the
heavenly life is that OF song. The spiritual
excitement. which constitutes the essence
of religious devotion, ln-rinctiycly socks
expression in this way. To sing IL the priyi-
lege and the luxury of the dcyoHt heart.
Paul understood tins prnclpl" when ne
wrote a. follows 20 the Euheslaus:
Speaking % yourselves Ia psalms aud hymns
and spiritual songs, singing aud making inelo-
dy in your heart 10 the Lord, giving thnnk7
always for all things unto G ID and ne ta,n't
in the uamo Of our Lord Jesus Christ ltphes.
". ~. 2O)
An analogous passage occurs in the Epis-
tie lo the COlJssian,. which reads as iOi-
lows:
LET the word ~ Christ dwell in you richly in
all wisdom: teaching ana adWl n.-hlhg ono
another IN psalms ana hymns an spiritual
songs. singing Nith grace ia golt hearts ID mo
tor1.' (C0l. liL. l6)
These passages. while somewhat different
i'm pLraseology. are essentially smlar m
iiuuort. Put Them together and they give
us the following ideas: First, that singing
Is part of religious worship secondly,
that in this worship when soclnl. ~ m fi"
praver-mceting aud ,uc house OF God. men
bv siuciu. speak 20 one another rs Well as
to Gods thirdly, that Boy thus insing they
teach and admonish one anothcrt and,
tourtiliy, that they are TO sing win grace
ia tnelr heart, aud thus maze melody ~
the heart t. fhe Lord, and Got simply Win
their lips. All these ideas are involved IN
the words of the apostle.
Il is implied that actual Singing by the
human voice is 90 be AZ least prominent
feature in such worship. although this
does not necessarily exclude instrumental
music as an auxiliary help. II is also lm-
piled that singing God praise Is not 20 be
regarded ~ a mere performance on skilled
artists. hired 20 please the ear WIN sweet
sounds and attract en audience 10 hear
these sounds. IL Is further implied THAT
the singing should be of such q chlrac-
ter that Others can understand and ap-
preciate il. and in IL can ordinarily
ioin. The SINGING must be no their
level. 30 that they can parIiclpate IN II, ~
well as hear IL on the lips Of others. II Is
still further implied that Christians should
cultivate the art OF song, and thus be- aule
10 ioin with one another III singing the
praise Of God. And. once more, II Is I'M
piled that the singing should be- done by
those who can sing deyoUtly. and with the
heart rs we'll o. with the voice, and on
whose lips il will not be q mere mOckery
-. "a
implied in Pauiis language with regard 10
singing a. an act 0t worship
The hymn-bOOks Of the church, whether
with or without tunes set Ca hymns. are. as
% their contents, 70 BE richly hiled WITH
what Paul calls the word Of Christ. y
he means by this phrase the facts and
doctrines. the precepts and promises. and,
IN general, the system OF Christian truth
taught by. Christ and His. Apostles.
Psalms and hymns Tor worship are 70
be impressive not simply - specl;
mems of fine poetry, beautiful images ana
a choice selection OF words. but by reason
of their no,t1hts. and these thoughts are 10
bo Bible thoughts. OF the word Of Christ y
will not be in them. Any one who VIII
carefully study the Psalms Of the Old les
lament, or tae HYMNS OF the Christian
Church. can hardly fail 20 be- struck with
their profoundly intellectual and theology
cal character. While they are not tormu-
lated creeds in the technical sense, they are
creed5 in the spiritual sensc-creeds OF the
heart, creeds for the expression OF me emo
tions and feelings OF the heart, and creeds
which have their basis in the being and at
tributes of God and in the great work OF
redemption by Jesus Christ. They are not
less such because they are poetic with the
general license as to language when De
longs to all poetry. The Christology OF the
New Testament and the legal dispensation
and much of the history Of the Old Iesta-
ment appear with great prominence 10 the
hymnology of the Christian church. ms
hymnology would b. absurd and false 10
the heart of the church. as well As 20 its
own purpose, were the fact otherwise.
IL is this feature OF the songs OF the
Church that gives them power and value,
and makes them so precious 70 the sensl-
bilities of the Christian heart. They are
~ general rule, with here and there a
solitary exception, the expression Of an
honest. earnest, and heartfelt orthodoxy OF
faith. enriched with the feryors or sacred
passion. An eminent writer has we'll said !:
Good hymns are concentrations OF
the deepest experience and ripest thought,
crystallized into the most beautiful
forms of language. A hvmn should