Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-09-24
nave peen devoteo TO Lnrlsr. captured from
the church and applied to purposes Of su-
nerstition.
n1scnpn AMONG MUSICIANS.

DIscORD AMONG MUSICIANS.
Another obstacle has been aD inordinate
fear OF criticism. The vast majority Of
neoDle singing in church never want any
body else 70 hear them sing Everybody is
waiting for somebody else TO do mis- duty.
II we all sang. then the inaccuracies that
are evident when only a few sing would
not be heard at all they would be drowned
ont God only asks you TO do as well as
You can. and then if you get the wrong
pitch or keep wrong time. he will forgive
any deficiency of the ear and imperfection
of the voice Angels will not laugh if you
should lose your place in the musical
scale or come 10 AZ the Close a bar behind.
There are three schools Of singing. | am
told-the German school, the Italian school
and the French school Of singing Now,
would ike TO add fourth school, and that
IS the school of Christ. The voice Of a eon-
trite, broken heart. although it may not be
able to stand human criticism. makes bet
ter music 70 Gods ear than the most ar
tistic performance when the heart is want.
ing. know it is easier to preach on this
than it is TO practice: but ! sing for two
reasons-frst, because like il. and next
because want TO encourage those who do
not know how. have but very little
faculty in that direction. yet am resolved
TO sing. God has commanded it and dare
not be silent He calls on the beasts, on
the cattle. on the dragons TO praise him.
and we ought not to be behind the cattle
and the dragons
Another obstacle that has been in the
way Of the advancement Of this holy art
has been the fact that there has been so
much angry discussion on the subject Of
music There are those who would have
this exercise conducted by musical instrn-
ments. In the same church there are
those who 10 not like musical instru-
ments. and so it is organ and no organ, and
there Is fight. In another church it is a
question whether the music shall be con.
Quoted by percentor or by drilled choir
Some want drilled choir and some want
a percentor. and there is a fight. Then
there are those who would ike in the
church 70 have the organ played in dull.
lifeless, droning way while there are 9th
ers who would have it wreathed into fan
TASTES. branching out in jets and spangles
of sound, rolling and tossing in marvellous
convolutions as when. In pyrotechnic dis
play. after you think piece is exhausted
il breaks out u wheels. rockets. blue lights
and serpentine demonstrations. Some
would have the organ played in almost IN
audible sweetness, and Others would have
IL full Of staccato passages that make the
jump, with great eyes and hair
on end, as though by vision Of the Witch
OF Endor. and he who tries 70 please all
will fail in everything Nevertheless. you
are TO admit the fact that this contest
which is going on, not in hundreds but IN
Of the churches Of the United
States today. Is mighty hindrance 70 the
advancement OF this art. In this way
scores and scores OF churches are entirely
crippled AS TO all influence, and the music
is damage rather than a praise
CAN YOU PRAISE GOD BY PROXY
Another obstacle in the advancement Of
this Art has been the erroneous notion that
this part Of the service could be conducted
by delegation. Churches have said; "Oh
what an easy time we shall have. This
minister will do the preaching. the choir
will do the singing and we vii, have moth
ng TO do" Aud you know as well as
that there are great multitude of
churches all through this land where the
people are not expected 10 sing, the whole
work is done by delegation of four or six
DR. ten persons. and the audience is silent
In such church IN Syracuse an old elder
persisted in singing, and so the choir ap
pointed a committee 10 20 and ask the
squire If be would not stop. You know
bat in great multitude Of churches the
,hoir are expected 70 DO all the singing,
snd the great mass Of the people are ex-
Dected to be silent. and II you utter your
.ftf rfs.fa int.
stand. the four, with opera glass dangling
It their side. singing Rock Of ages, cleft |
or me-" with the same spirit that the |
light before on the stage they took their /
'art in the "Grand Duchess" or "Don |
Ny Christian friends, have we right 10 I
delegate 10 others the discharge OF this /
uty which God demands Of u.s. Suppose
hat four wood thrushes should propose to
% all the singing some bright day when
he woods are ringing with bird voices It
) decided that four wood thrushes shall do I
II the singing Of the forest. Let all other
oices keep silent How beautifully the
our MARBLE. Il is really fine music But
ow long will you keep the forest stills
Why, Christ would come into that forest
nd look up as he looked through the olives.
nd he would wave his hand and say. let
verything that hath breath praise the
ord" and keeping time with the stroke
innumerable wings, there would be FIVE
bird voices leaping into the har-
iony. Suppose this delegation Of musical
erformers were tried in heaven; suppose
bat four choice spirits should try to do the
nging Of the upper temple. Hush, now.
nrones and dominions and principalities.
'aYidl oe still, though you were '.thesweet
niger OF Israel" PAUL keep quiet. though
on have come to that crown Of rejoicing
ichard Baxterl keep still. though this is
he saints Everlasting Rest" Four spirits
ow do all the singing. But how long
'ould heaven be quiets How longs "Hal-
'luiah" would cry some glorified Metho-
lst from under the altar Praise the
ordp' would sing the martyrs from among
le thrones. Thanks be unto God who
iveth us the victoryr' great multitude
redeemed spirits would cry. Myriads Of
oices coming into the harmony and the
ne hundred and forty and four thousand
reaking forth into one reclamation. Stop
lat loud singing! Stopl Oh. no, they
lnnot hear me. You might as well try to
rowD the thunder Of the SKY or beat back