Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-09-26

Now. say. when God has so con
structed the human voice, and when
he hns filled the whole earth with liar
mony. and when lie recognized it in the
ancient temple. have right to come
to the conclusion that God loved
music
propose this morning. in setting
apart this organ for sacred Use. tc
speak about sacred music; first show
ing you it's Importance and then stat
ing some OF the obstacles TO its nd
vanceluent
Sine YK TO aoD I"
draw tie first argument for the i'm
portunce al s,crpd music from the f;lrt
tlrat God commanded it. Through
Paul lie tells Us TO atlnlonisll one az
other in psalms and hymns and spirit
nal. songs. and through David he cries
ont. :Sing ye to God, all ye Kingdoms.
of tile eartl And there are hundreds
of other passages might name prov
ing that ii l., srs inllcll IL mars duty &c
tliiig ;ts it is his duty toprly Indeed
think there are more commands in
the Biblr.to sing than there are topray,
God not only asks for. tile human
voice but for iIlstrillnArtssof music
He asks Tor the cylnbal and tile harp.
and tile trumpet. us well us the organ.
Aud | suppose that. in the l;lst days Of
the church. tile harp. the lutte. the
trumpet and all the Instruments Of
music. whether they lave bee:l in the
service of righteousness or sin will be
brought by their masters and Ibid down
at the feet Of Christ. and then sounded
in the cliurch's triumph. OH ler way
from suffering info glory Praise We
the Lord" Praise him with yonr
voices. Praise him with stringcsl in
str,lluents and with organs
draw auutIler argument for the i'm
portance of this exercise from the in
pressiveness Of this exercise You
know something OF What secular music
has achieved You know it has made
its Impression on governments, upon
laws. upon literature. upon Whole gen
erations One inspirtnS national air
is worth thirty thousand men us a
standing army There comes time
in the battle when one bugle is worth
a thousand muskets. have To tell
yon that no nation or church can af
ford to severely econolnize in music.
Many Of You are illustrations of what
sacred song can do Through it you
were brought into the kingdom Of
Jesus Christ. You stood out against
tile argument and tile warning Of the
pulpit. but When. III the sweet words OF
Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley or John
Newton or Toplady. the love OF Jesus
was sung to your sonl then you sur
rendered, us armed castle that could
not be taken by IL lost lifts its window
to listen to Il harp's trll. There was Il
Scotch soldier dying in New Orleans,
and Scotch minister came in to give
him the consultations OF the Gospel.
The man turned over OH his pillow and
said. Don't talk to ne about religion.
Then the Scotch minister began to sing
familiar hymn OF Scotland that was
composed by David Dickinson, begin
ming with the words:
Oh. mother. dear Jerusalem.
When shall come To theeI
He sang if TO the tune of Dundee.
and every bodysin ScotI;Indik ows7fha
and us lie began to sing the dying sol.
dier turned over on his pillow. and said
to the minister. Where did you learn
that2" Why" replied the minister,
my mnt,rr Taught ne that" so did
mine" said the dying Scotch soldier;
and the very foundation OF his heart
was upturned, and then and there lie
yielded himself to Christ. Oh. it has
an irresistible power. Luthers SER
mons have been forgotten, but his
Judgment Hymn" sings on through
the ages, and will keep on singing until
the blast of the arcllangels trumpet
shall bring about that very day which
the hymn celebrates. would to God
that those WHO lear me today would
take these songs Of salvation rs mes
sages FROM heaven; for just as certainly
as the birds brought food TO Elijah by
the brook Cherith so these winged
harmonies, God sent, are flying 10 your
soul with the bread OF Fife. Open your
mouths and take it, . hungry Eliiahs
THRILLING LINES OF THE OLD HYMNS.
In addition to the inspiring music OF
our own day we lave glorious inherit
ance of church psalmody which has
come down fragrant with the devotions
of other generations-tunes no more
worn out titan they were when our great
grandfathers climbed up OH them from
the church pew to glory7 Dear old
souls. how they used to singl When
they were cheerful, our grandfathers
and grandmotIiers used to sing Col
chester" When they were very uedi.
tative. then the board meeting house
rang with South Street" and st. Ed.
mond's. Were they struck through
with great tenderness they sang Wood
stock" Were they wrapped in visions
of the glory Of the church. they sang
Zion" Were they overborne with the
love and glory Of Christ, they sang
Ariel" And in those days there were
certain tunes married to certain hymns
and they lave lived in peace great
while. these two old people, and we
have no right to divorce them. What
God hath joined together let no man
put asunder" But how hard hearted
we must be if all the sacred music OF
the past. and all the sacred music OF
L. Il