The Forrest City times., 1891-09-25
tColc1reSfar V

"South street. and ''St. Edmond
 My christian friends, have we right to delegate to others the discharge of this duty which God demands of us? Suppose that four wood thrushes should propose to do all the singing some bright day when the woods are ringing with bird voices. 1t is decided that four wood-thrushes shall do all tho singing of the forest Let all other voices keep silent How beautifully the four warble. It is really fine music. But how long will you keep the forest still? Why, Christ would come into that forest and look up as he looked through the olives, and he wound wave his hand and say; Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord;" and. keeping time with the stroke of innumerable wings, there would be five thousand bird voices leaping into the harmony. Suppose this delegation of musical performers were tired in heaven; suppose that four choice spirits should try to do the sing ing of the upper temple. Hush now. thrones and dominions and principah- ties. David be still, though you were "the sweet singer of Israel" Paul! keep quiet. though you have come to that crown of rejoicing. Rich ard Baxter! keep still, though this is tho Saints everlasting Rest" Four spirits now do all the singing. But how long would heaven be quiet? How long? 'Hallelujahs' would cry some gloritied Methodist from under the altar. Praise the Lordv would sing the martyrs from among the thrones. Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victoryl" gread multitude of redeemed spirits would cry. Myriads of voices coming into the harmony, and the one hundred and forty and four thousand breaking forth into one exclamation. Stop that loud singing Stop, Oh no they cannot hear me. You might as we'll try to drown the thunder of the sky, or beat back the roar of the sea, for every soul in heaven has resolved to do it's own singing. Alas. that we should have tried on earth that which they cannot do in heaven, and, instead of joining all our voices in the praise of the Most High God, delegating per haps to unconsecrated men and women this most solemn and most delightful service.
 Now, in this church. we have re- solved upon the plan of conducting the music by organ and cornet. We do it for two reasons: One is that by throw ing the whole responsibility upon the mass of the people, making the great multitude the choir, we might rouse more heartiness. The congregation coming on the Sabbath day feel that they cannot delegate this part of the great service to any one else, and A1 |. e l.. had glorious congregational singing here. People have come many miles to hear it. They are not sure about the preaching, but they can always de pend on the singing. We have heard the sound coming up like the voice of many waters," but 1t will be done at better rate after awhile when we shall realize the height, and the depth, and
 I forgot to stato the other reason why we adopt this plan. That is, we do not want any choir quarrels. You know very we'll that in scores of churches, there has been perpetual contention in that direction. The only church fighting that ever occurred un- der my ministry was over melodeon, in my first settlement. Have you never been in church on the Sabbath day, and heard the choir sing. and you said That is splendid music" The next Sabbath, you were at that church, and their was no choir at all Why? The leader was mad, or his assistants were mad, or they were all mad together, Some of the choirs are made up of our best Christian people. Some of the warmest friends l have ever had have stood up in them, Sabbath after Sabbath, conscientiously and sue cessfully leading the praises of God.
 want to rouse you to a unanimity in Christian song that has never yet been exhibited. Come, now! clear your throats and get ready for this duty. or you will never hear the end of this. 1 never shall forget hearing a Frenchman sing the "Marseillaise' on the Champs Elysees, Paris, just before the battle of Sedan, in 1870. I never saw such enthusiasm before or since. As he sang that national air, oh, how the Frcnchmen shouted. Have you ever in an English assembl- age heard a band play God Save the Queenw If you have, you know some thing about the enthusiasm of Ma tional air. Now, tell you that these songs we sing Sabbath ny Sabbath are the national airs of Jesus Christ and of the kingdom of heaven, and if you do not learn to sing them hero, how do you ever expect to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb? I should no, be surprised at all if some of the best anthems of heaven were made up of some of the best songs of earth. May God increase our reverence for Chris tian psalmody, and keep us from dis gracing 1t by our indifference and frivolity. When Cromwells army went into battle, he stood at the head of them one day, and gave out the long doxology to the tune of the "0ld Hundredth." and that great host, company by company, regiment by regiment, battalion by battalion, joined In the doxologv:
 Praise God from whom all blessings How,
 Praise him all creatures here below;
 Praise Him above. ye heavenly host
 Praise Father. Son, and Holy Ghost
 And while they sang, they marched, and while they marched, they fought, and while they fought they got the victory. o men and women of Jesus Christ, let us go into all our conflicts singing the praises of God. and then, instead of falling back. as we often do, from defeat to defeat, we will bc marching on from victory to victory,
 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. as 1t was in the beginning. is now and ever shall bc, world without end. Amen.
 sss snriAHl.x rsr,s.s~
 With the immortal S4nnawnll Yack