Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-09-25

fnonltS, bOC-Stnl, arc W your
soul with the bread of life. open your
mouths and take it, o hungry Eli jahs!
In addition to the inspiring music of
our own day we have glorious in
heritance of church psalmody which
has come down fragrant with the de-
votions of other generations-tunesn no
more worn out than they were when
our great grandfathers climbed up on
them from the church pew To glory
Dear old souls, how they used to sing!
When they were cheerful. our grand
fathers and grahdmothers used
to sing Colchester: When
they were very meditative, then
the board meeting house rang with
South street and "St Edmond's'
Now, in this church. we have re-
solved upon the plan of conducting the
music by organ and cornet. We do IL
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 Sabbatl, day feel
that they cannot delegate this part OF
the great service To any one else, and
SO they themselves assume ii. We have
had glorious congregational singing
here. People have come many miles
To hear 1t. 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 a
better rate after awhile when we shall
realize the height, and the depth, and
the immensely of this privilege.
| forgot 10 state the other reason
why we adopt this plan. That Is, we
do not want any choir quarres. Gou
know ry well that in scores of
churches, there has been perpetual
conten ion in that direction. The only
church fighting that ever occurred UNI
der my ministry was over q 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 spiend d 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 ! have ever hal
have stood up in them, Sabbath
after Sabbath, conscientiously and sue
essfullv leading the praises of God.
My christian friends, have we right
to delegate To others the dis, harCe 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
the singing Of the forest. Let all other
voices keep silent. How beautifully
the four MARBLE. 1t 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
would wave his hand and say: Let
every thing 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 trlet in heaven; suppose that four
choice spirits should try to do the sing
ing of the upper temple. Hush now.
thrones and dominions and principali-
ties David! be still, though you
were 1.-THE sweet singer of Israel
Paul! keep quiet, though you have
come TO that crown of re ioicIng. Ricn-
ard Baxter keep still, though this is
the saint everlasting Rest Four
spirits now do all the singing. But
how long would heaven be quiet? How
long? "halleluiah.' would cry some
g!oriied Methodist from under the
altar. "Prais the LORD wolld
sing the martyrs from among
the thrones. Thanks be unto God
who giveth MS the victory" II
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 reclamation.
stop that loud singing. stop Oh no,
they cannot hear me. You might as
well 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 hea ,en, and, instead
of joining all our voices in the praise
of the Most High God delega ing per-
haps TO uncOnsecratcd men and women
this IN Dst solemn and most delightful
service.
| want to rouse you TO a unanimity
In CHRISTIAN song lhaL mas never yet
been exhibited. Come, nowl clear
your throa 5 and get ready for this
duty. or you will nceer hear the end
of this. ! never shall forget hearing a
Frcn Gilman sing the "Marseilaisc on
the hamps Elysees, Paris, just before
the battle of sedan, in io50. / never
saw such enthusiasm before or
since. AS he sang that national
air, oh, how the Frenchmen shouted!
Have you ever in an English assemb.-
age heard a band play Tod Save the
Queen If you have, you know some
thing about the enthusiasm of a Ma
tional air Now, / tell you that these
songs we sing Sabbath Ivy Sabbath are
the national airs OF Jesus Christ and
of the kingdom Of heaven, and if you
do not learn 10 sing them here, how do
you ever expect to sing the song OF
Moses and the Lamb? | should not
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
grazing it by our indifference and
fr;r al